Bill Text: FL S1098 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Smart Region Zones

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2022-03-14 - Died in Commerce and Tourism [S1098 Detail]

Download: Florida-2022-S1098-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2022                                    SB 1098
       
       
        
       By Senator Brodeur
       
       
       
       
       
       9-00833A-22                                           20221098__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to smart region zones; creating s.
    3         288.93, F.S.; authorizing a group of four or more
    4         contiguous counties to apply to Enterprise Florida,
    5         Inc., to receive designation as a smart region zone;
    6         providing requirements for such designation;
    7         authorizing the designated smart region zone centers
    8         of excellence and certain projects within a smart
    9         region zone to apply to Enterprise Florida, Inc., for
   10         funding; requiring Enterprise Florida, Inc., to give
   11         consideration to specified factors when determining
   12         funding amounts; requiring smart region zone centers
   13         of excellence to submit quarterly reports containing
   14         specified information to Enterprise Florida, Inc.;
   15         requiring smart region zone centers of excellence to
   16         submit project reports containing specified
   17         information to the Governor, the Legislature, and
   18         Enterprise Florida, Inc., after the completion of each
   19         project in a smart region zone; requiring smart region
   20         zone centers of excellence to submit annual reports
   21         containing specified information to the Governor, the
   22         Legislature, and Enterprise Florida, Inc.; providing
   23         an effective date.
   24          
   25  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   26  
   27         Section 1. Section 288.93, Florida Statutes, is created and
   28  incorporated into part VIII of chapter 288, Florida Statutes, to
   29  read:
   30         288.93 Smart Region Zones.—
   31         (1) A group of four or more contiguous counties may apply
   32  to Enterprise Florida, Inc., to receive designation as a smart
   33  region zone. To receive this designation, the counties must do
   34  all of the following:
   35         (a) Submit a map depicting the geographic area or areas to
   36  be designated as a smart region zone.
   37         (b) Create or designate a smart region zone center of
   38  excellence with the purpose of improving knowledge transfer
   39  across this state, tracking measurable impact, and serving as a
   40  clearinghouse for smart region zone projects and pilot projects.
   41  A regional governmental entity or a not-for-profit corporation
   42  under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code which
   43  specializes in smart region planning may be designated as the
   44  center of excellence. The center of excellence shall:
   45         1. Designate or partner with an open-source data exchange
   46  wherein public, private, and nonprofit data sources may be
   47  collected and used to drive better insights for policymakers,
   48  promote transparency, and track the progress of projects; and
   49         2. Develop practices and strategies to assist other
   50  counties with creating smart region zones.
   51         (c) Develop a smart region strategic plan with the center
   52  of excellence and submit the plan to Enterprise Florida, Inc.
   53  The plan must specify how the smart region zone will:
   54         1. Advance activities and infrastructure associated with
   55  the Internet of Things technology, transportation, public
   56  safety, health, education, and related services within the zone;
   57         2. Allow for technology innovators to test new products and
   58  services in a supervised and flexible regulatory ecosystem; and
   59         3. Accelerate start-up companies’ technologies for the
   60  purpose of economic development, job creation, and innovation of
   61  public sector processes. Such companies may be located anywhere
   62  in the United States.
   63         (2) The designated smart region zone center of excellence
   64  and any projects within a smart region zone which are consistent
   65  with the zone’s smart region strategic plan may apply to
   66  Enterprise Florida, Inc., to receive funding appropriated by the
   67  Legislature to Enterprise Florida, Inc., for such purpose. For
   68  purposes of determining funding amounts for projects applying
   69  under this subsection, Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall give
   70  consideration to all of the following:
   71         (a) Whether the project uses smart technologies to enhance
   72  components of the smart zone region’s infrastructure.
   73         (b) Whether the project serves pilot start-up technologies
   74  in the smart zone region.
   75         (c) Whether the project serves the strategic interests of
   76  the state.
   77         (d) The extent to which the project contributes to economic
   78  activity in this state, including job creation, increased wages,
   79  and increased revenues.
   80         (e) The amount of investments or commitments made by the
   81  owner or developer of the project.
   82         (3)(a) Each smart region zone center of excellence shall
   83  submit a quarterly report to Enterprise Florida, Inc. The report
   84  must provide details on projects within the smart region zone
   85  relating to infrastructure, open data exchange, and start-up
   86  piloting.
   87         (b) After each project is completed in a smart region zone,
   88  the smart region zone center of excellence must submit a project
   89  report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker
   90  of the House of Representatives, and Enterprise Florida, Inc.
   91  The report must demonstrate the project’s impact on the smart
   92  region zone, how the project is meeting the goals of the smart
   93  region zone strategic plan, and the current or projected return
   94  on investment of the project.
   95         (c) At the end of each fiscal year, each smart region zone
   96  center of excellence shall submit an annual report to the
   97  Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
   98  of Representatives, and Enterprise Florida, Inc. The report must
   99  list all of the projects completed within the smart region zone
  100  over the previous fiscal year, the impact and return on
  101  investment of such projects, the extent to which the center of
  102  excellence met the goals of the smart region zone strategic
  103  plan, and the center of excellence’s priorities for the upcoming
  104  fiscal year.
  105         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.