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 used42in this section, the term “league” means the National League or43the American League of Major League Baseball, the National44Basketball Association, the National Football League, or the45National Hockey League.46 (h) An applicant previously certified underany provision47ofthis 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 notshallcertifynomore than 10 55eightfacilities 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.