Bill Text: FL S0618 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Professional Sports Franchises
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Failed) 2014-05-02 - Died in Community Affairs [S0618 Detail]
Download: Florida-2014-S0618-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2014 SB 618
By Senator Simmons
10-00594-14 2014618__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to professional sports franchises;
3 amending s. 288.1162, F.S.; redefining the term
4 “league” to include Major League Soccer; providing
5 that a previously certified applicant is not eligible
6 for an additional certification under certain
7 circumstances; requiring the Department of Economic
8 Opportunity to reserve two facility certifications for
9 new Major League Soccer franchises; providing an
10 effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Subsection (3), paragraphs (c) and (h) of
15 subsection (4), and subsection (6) of section 288.1162, Florida
16 Statutes, are amended to read:
17 288.1162 Professional sports franchises; duties.—
18 (3) As used in this section, the term:
19 (a) “League” means Major League Soccer, the National League
20 or the American League of Major League Baseball, the National
21 Basketball Association, the National Football League, or the
22 National Hockey League.
23 (b)(a) “New professional sports franchise” means a
24 professional sports franchise that was not based in this state
25 before April 1, 1987.
26 (c)(b) “Retained professional sports franchise” means a
27 professional sports franchise that has had a league-authorized
28 location in this state on or before December 31, 1976, and has
29 continuously remained at that location, and has never been
30 located at a facility that has been previously certified under
31 any provision of this section.
32 (4) Before certifying an applicant as a facility for a new
33 or retained professional sports franchise, the department must
34 determine that:
35 (c) The applicant has a verified copy of the approval from
36 the governing authority of the league in which the new
37 professional sports franchise exists authorizing the location of
38 the professional sports franchise in this state after April 1,
39 1987, or in the case of a retained professional sports
40 franchise, verified evidence that it has had a league-authorized
41 location in this state on or before December 31, 1976. As used
42 in this section, the term “league” means the National League or
43 the American League of Major League Baseball, the National
44 Basketball Association, the National Football League, or the
45 National Hockey League.
46 (h) An applicant previously certified under any provision
47 of this section who has received funding under such
48 certification is not eligible for an additional certification
49 for a franchise or facility that has already served as the basis
50 for a previous certification.
51 (6)(a) The department shall notify the Department of
52 Revenue of any facility certified as a facility for a new or
53 retained professional sports franchise.
54 (b) The department may not shall certify no more than 10
55 eight facilities as facilities for a new professional sports
56 franchise or as facilities for a retained professional sports
57 franchise, including in the total any facilities certified by
58 the former Department of Commerce before July 1, 1996. The
59 department shall reserve two facility certifications for new
60 professional sports franchises in Major League Soccer. The
61 department may make no more than one certification for any
62 facility.
63 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.
