Bill Text: FL S0954 | 2013 | Regular Session | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Technological Research and Development Authority

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-07-01 - Chapter No. 2013-235, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 1013 (Ch. 2013-259) [S0954 Detail]

Download: Florida-2013-S0954-Enrolled.html

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       ENROLLED
       2013 Legislature                                          SB 954
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                              2013954er
    1  
    2         An act relating to the Technological Research and
    3         Development Authority; amending s. 320.08058, F.S.;
    4         deleting provisions for distribution by the Department
    5         of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to the authority
    6         of Challenger/Columbia license plate user fees;
    7         conforming provisions; amending s. 379.2202, F.S.;
    8         deleting provisions for distribution by the Fish and
    9         Wildlife Conservation Commission to the authority of
   10         saltwater license and permit fees; amending s.
   11         112.3148, F.S., relating to giving gifts to certain
   12         officers or candidates for office and to procurement
   13         employees; deleting reference to the authority;
   14         providing contingent effective dates.
   15  
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Effective September 30, 2013, subsection (2) of
   19  section 320.08058, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   20         320.08058 Specialty license plates.—
   21         (2) CHALLENGER/COLUMBIA LICENSE PLATES.—
   22         (a) The department shall develop a Challenger/Columbia
   23  license plate to commemorate the seven astronauts who died when
   24  the space shuttle Challenger exploded on liftoff in 1986 and the
   25  seven astronauts who died when the Columbia exploded on reentry
   26  in 2003. The word “Florida” shall appear at the top of the
   27  plate, and the words “Challenger/Columbia” must appear at the
   28  bottom of the plate, in small letters.
   29         (b) Fifty percent of The Challenger/Columbia license plate
   30  annual use fee must be distributed to the Astronauts Memorial
   31  Foundation, Inc., to support the operations of the Center for
   32  Space Education and the Education Technology Institute. Funds
   33  received by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, Inc., may be
   34  used for administrative costs directly associated with the
   35  operation of the center and the institute. These funds must be
   36  used for the maintenance and support of the operations of the
   37  Center for Space Education and the Education Technology
   38  Institute operated by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, Inc.
   39  These operations must include preservice and inservice training
   40  in the use of technology for the state’s instructional personnel
   41  in a manner consistent with state training programs and approved
   42  by the Department of Education. Up to 20 percent of funds
   43  received by the Center for Space Education and the Education
   44  Technology Institute may be expended for administrative costs
   45  directly associated with the operation of the center and the
   46  institute.
   47         (c) Fifty percent must be distributed to the Technological
   48  Research and Development Authority created by s. 2, chapter 87
   49  455, Laws of Florida, for the purpose of funding space-related
   50  research grants, the Teacher/Quest Scholarship Program under s.
   51  1009.61 as approved by the Florida Department of Education, and
   52  space-related economic development programs. The Technological
   53  Research and Development Authority shall coordinate and
   54  distribute available resources among state universities and
   55  independent colleges and universities based on the research
   56  strengths of such institutions in space science technology,
   57  community colleges, public school districts, and not-for-profit
   58  educational organizations.
   59         (c)(d) Up to 10 percent of the funds distributed under
   60  paragraph (b) paragraphs (b) and (c) may be used for continuing
   61  promotion and marketing of the license plate.
   62         (d)(e) The Auditor General has the authority to examine any
   63  and all records pertaining to the Astronauts Memorial
   64  Foundation, Inc., and the Technological Research and Development
   65  Authority to determine compliance with the law.
   66         Section 2. Effective July 1, 2013, section 379.2202,
   67  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   68         379.2202 Expenditure of funds.—Any moneys available
   69  pursuant to s. 379.2201(1)(c) may be expended by the commission
   70  within Florida through grants and contracts for research with
   71  research institutions including but not limited to: Florida Sea
   72  Grant; Florida Marine Resources Council; Harbour Branch
   73  Oceanographic Institute; Technological Research and Development
   74  Authority; Fish and Wildlife Research Institute of the Fish and
   75  Wildlife Conservation Commission; Mote Marine Laboratory; Marine
   76  Resources Development Foundation; Florida Institute of
   77  Oceanography; Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
   78  Science; and Smithsonian Marine Station at Ft. Pierce.
   79         Section 3. Effective December 31, 2013, paragraphs (a) and
   80  (b) of subsection (6) of section 112.3148, Florida Statutes, are
   81  amended to read:
   82         112.3148 Reporting and prohibited receipt of gifts by
   83  individuals filing full or limited public disclosure of
   84  financial interests and by procurement employees.—
   85         (6)(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (5), an
   86  entity of the legislative or judicial branch, a department or
   87  commission of the executive branch, a water management district
   88  created pursuant to s. 373.069, South Florida Regional
   89  Transportation Authority, the Technological Research and
   90  Development Authority, a county, a municipality, an airport
   91  authority, or a school board may give, either directly or
   92  indirectly, a gift having a value in excess of $100 to any
   93  reporting individual or procurement employee if a public purpose
   94  can be shown for the gift; and a direct-support organization
   95  specifically authorized by law to support a governmental entity
   96  may give such a gift to a reporting individual or procurement
   97  employee who is an officer or employee of such governmental
   98  entity.
   99         (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (4), a
  100  reporting individual or procurement employee may accept a gift
  101  having a value in excess of $100 from an entity of the
  102  legislative or judicial branch, a department or commission of
  103  the executive branch, a water management district created
  104  pursuant to s. 373.069, South Florida Regional Transportation
  105  Authority, the Technological Research and Development Authority,
  106  a county, a municipality, an airport authority, or a school
  107  board if a public purpose can be shown for the gift; and a
  108  reporting individual or procurement employee who is an officer
  109  or employee of a governmental entity supported by a direct
  110  support organization specifically authorized by law to support
  111  such governmental entity may accept such a gift from such
  112  direct-support organization.
  113         Section 4. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
  114  act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.