Title XIX, Public Business

(1) The state protocol officer shall be responsible for consular operations and the sister city and sister state program and shall serve as liaison with foreign, federal, and other state international organizations and with county and municipal governments in Florida.(2) The stat…

(1) There are created Florida linkage institutes. A primary purpose of these institutes is to assist in the development of stronger economic, cultural, educational, and social ties between this state and strategic foreign countries through the promotion of expanded public and pri…

There is hereby established in the State Treasury the Florida International Trade and Promotion Trust Fund. The moneys deposited into this trust fund shall be administered by the department for the operation of the direct-support organization created pursuant to s. 288.012 and fo…

This act may be cited as the “Cuban Freedom Act.”History.—s. 1, ch. 96-188.

It is the purpose of this act to assist in strengthening international sanctions against the government of Fidel Castro and his regime in the Republic of Cuba, encouraging the holding of free and fair elections, providing a policy framework for the United States and Florida to su…

(1) The Legislature hereby finds that:(a) The acts of Fidel Castro and his government, including human rights violations, are a threat to international peace and to the peace of the State of Florida.(b) The President should instruct the United States Permanent Representative to t…

(1) It is the policy of Florida to:(a) Support the self-determination of the Cuban people.(b) Facilitate a peaceful transition to representative democracy and a free market economy in Cuba.(c) Be impartial toward any individual or entity in the selection by the Cuban people of th…

No person, corporation, company, or other entity shall export or make a sale intended for export to a foreign country of any goods, products, or services in violation of any federal law. Except as prohibited by the preceding sentence, no person, corporation, company, or other ent…

(1) As used in this section, the term:(a) “Foreign country of concern” means the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro, or the Syri…

The Legislature finds and declares that:(1) There is a need to enhance economic activity in the state by attracting manufacturing, development, redevelopment of brownfield areas, business enterprise management, and other activities conducive to economic promotion in order to prov…

(1) “Act” means the Florida Development Finance Corporation Act of 1993, and all acts supplemental thereto and amendatory thereof.(2) “Amortization payments” means periodic payments, such as monthly, semiannually, or annually, of interest on premiums, if any, and installments of …

(1) There is created a public body corporate and politic known as the “Florida Development Finance Corporation.” The corporation shall be constituted as a public instrumentality, and the exercise by the corporation of the powers conferred by this act shall be deemed and held to b…

(1) The powers of the corporation created by s. 288.9604 shall include all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this act.(2) The corporation is authorized and empowered to:(a) Have perpetual succession as a body politic and…

(1) When authorized by a public agency pursuant to s. 163.01(7), the corporation has power in its corporate capacity, in its discretion, to issue revenue bonds or other evidences of indebtedness which a public agency has the power to issue, from time to time to finance the undert…

(1) The corporation may approve or deny, by a majority vote of the membership of the directors, a guaranty of debt service payments for bonds or other indebtedness used to finance any capital project that promotes economic development in the state, including, but not limited to, …

(1) The corporation shall establish an account known as the Energy, Technology, and Economic Development Guaranty Fund. The corporation may deposit moneys or other cash equivalents into the fund and maintain a balance in the fund, from general revenue funds of the state as are au…

All banks, trust companies, bankers, savings banks and institutions, building and loan associations, savings and loan associations, investment companies, and other persons carrying on a banking and investment business; all insurance companies, insurance associations, and other pe…

On or before 90 days after the close of the Florida Development Finance Corporation’s fiscal year, the corporation shall submit to the Governor, the Legislature, the Auditor General, the Department of Commerce, and the governing body of each public entity for which the corporatio…

The department may take any action that it deems necessary to achieve the purposes of this act in partnership with private enterprises, public agencies, and other organizations, including, but not limited to, efforts to address the long-term debt needs of small-sized and medium-s…

If any director has a direct or indirect interest associated with any party to an application on which the corporation has taken or will take action in exercising its power for the issuance of revenue bonds or other evidences of indebtedness, such interest must be publicly disclo…

Sections 288.9621-288.96255 may be cited as the “Florida Capital Formation Act.”History.—s. 1, ch. 2007-189; s. 2, ch. 2018-139.

(1) The Legislature finds and declares that there is a need to increase the availability of seed capital and early stage investment capital for emerging companies in the state, including, without limitation, businesses in life sciences, information technology, advanced manufactur…

As used in ss. 288.9621-288.96255, the term:(1) “Accelerator program” means the Seed Capital Accelerator Program managed by the institute.(2) “Board” means the board of directors of the Florida Opportunity Fund.(3) “Fund” means the Florida Opportunity Fund.(4) “Institute” means t…

(1)(a) The Florida Opportunity Fund is a private, not-for-profit corporation organized and operated under chapter 617. The fund is not a public corporation or instrumentality of the state. The fund shall manage its business affairs and conduct business consistent with its organiz…

(1) The institute is a nonprofit corporation registered, incorporated, and operated in accordance with chapter 617. The institute is not subject to control, supervision, or direction by the department in any manner, including, but not limited to, personnel, purchasing, transactio…

(1) The Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology shall create the Florida Technology Seed Capital Fund as a corporate subsidiary. The purpose of the technology fund is, without any financial assistance or specific appropriations from the state, to foster greater priv…

(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:(a) “Alternative investment” means an investment or prospective investment through a loan, acquisition of an equity interest, or other investment method by the Florida Opportunity Fund in a private equity fund, venture capital fu…

(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:(a) “Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology” or “institute” means the institute established by s. 288.9625.(b)1. “Proprietary confidential business information” means information that has been designated by the pro…

It is the policy of this state, once the Federal Government has proposed any base closure or has determined that military bases, lands, or installations are to be closed and made available for reuse, to:(1) Cooperate fully with the Federal Government and community base reuse comm…

(1) This section contains optional provisions for military base reuse planning in recognition of the importance of ensuring prompt and effective planning for the conversion of military bases designated for closure by the Federal Government to maximize the welfare of impacted loca…

State agencies and departments shall, consistent with their statutory authorities and responsibility:(1) Consult with the appropriate federal agencies, local governments, and federally recognized community base reuse commissions as early as possible to coordinate information gath…

State agencies or departments having an interest in acquiring or otherwise utilizing property on closed or realigned military bases may apply to acquire or use such property either by utilizing the standard state and local government screening process established in Pub. L. No. 1…

(1)(a) It is the intent of this state to provide the necessary means to assist communities with military installations in supporting and sustaining those installations. It is further the intent to encourage communities to initiate a coordinated program of response and plan of act…

(1) The following records held by the direct-support organization created in s. 288.987 are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution:(a) That portion of a record which relates to strengths and weaknesses of military installations or military mission…

(1) The Department of Commerce shall establish a direct-support organization to support Florida’s military and defense industries and communities.(a) The direct-support organization is a corporation not for profit, as defined in s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, which is…

This part may be cited as the “Florida Microfinance Act.”History.—s. 48, ch. 2014-218.

The Legislature finds that the ability of entrepreneurs and small businesses to access capital is vital to the overall health and growth of this state’s economy; however, access to capital is limited by the lack of available credit for entrepreneurs and small businesses in this s…

As used in this part, the term:(1) “Applicant” means an entrepreneur or small business that applies to a loan administrator for a microloan.(2) “Entrepreneur” means an individual residing in this state who desires to assume the risk of organizing, managing, and operating a small …

The department may adopt rules to implement this part.History.—s. 51, ch. 2014-218.

(1) The Microfinance Guarantee Program is established in the department. The purpose of the program is to stimulate access to credit for entrepreneurs and small businesses in this state by providing targeted guarantees to loans made to such entrepreneurs and small businesses. Fun…

(1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that the sustainable adoption of broadband Internet service is critical to the economic and business development of this state and is essential for all residents of this state, libraries, schools, colleges and universities, health c…

(1) The Broadband Opportunity Program is established within the office to award grants to applicants who seek to expand broadband Internet service to unserved areas of this state. The office must administer and act as fiscal agent for the program and is responsible for receiving …

(1) The Legislature finds that there is a need for increased availability of broadband Internet access throughout this state, particularly in areas where citizens do not have access to acceptable Internet download and upload speeds, or any access at all. The lack of Internet conn…