Bill Text: FL S0678 | 2021 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: 1920 Ocoee Election Day Riots

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2021-04-30 - Died in Education [S0678 Detail]

Download: Florida-2021-S0678-Introduced.html

---

       Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 678
       
       
        
       By Senator Bracy
       
       
       
       
       
       11-00519-21                                            2021678__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the 1920 Ocoee Election Day Riots;
    3         amending s. 288.7102, F.S.; requiring the Department
    4         of Economic Opportunity to prioritize certain
    5         applications for the Black Business Loan Program;
    6         creating s. 1009.551, F.S.; creating the Ocoee
    7         Scholarship Program for specified recipients;
    8         directing the Department of Education to administer
    9         the program; specifying annual award amounts to
   10         recipients participating in the program; requiring the
   11         department to rank applicants; providing for
   12         transmittal of an award payment to a participating
   13         institution; prescribing eligibility criteria for
   14         award recipients; authorizing the State Board of
   15         Education to adopt certain rules; providing for
   16         program funding; providing an effective date.
   17          
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 288.7102, Florida
   21  Statutes, is amended to read:
   22         288.7102 Black Business Loan Program.—
   23         (2) The department shall establish an application and
   24  annual certification process for entities seeking funds to
   25  participate in providing loans, loan guarantees, or investments
   26  in black business enterprises pursuant to the Florida Black
   27  Business Investment Act. The department shall process all
   28  applications and recertifications submitted by June 1 on or
   29  before July 31. The department shall prioritize any applications
   30  for black business enterprises in areas directly impacted by the
   31  1920 Ocoee Election Day Riots.
   32         Section 2. Section 1009.551, Florida Statutes, is created
   33  to read:
   34         1009.551 Ocoee Scholarship Program.—
   35         (1) The Ocoee Scholarship Program is created for the direct
   36  descendants of victims of the Ocoee Election Day Riots in
   37  November 1920 and for current African-American residents of
   38  Ocoee.
   39         (2) The Ocoee Scholarship Program shall be administered by
   40  the department.
   41         (3) The annual award to a student under the program may be
   42  an amount of up to $6,100, but may not exceed the annual amount
   43  of the student’s tuition and registration fees. The department
   44  may award up to 50 scholarships per academic year. If funds are
   45  insufficient to provide a full scholarship to each eligible
   46  applicant, the department may prorate available funds and make a
   47  partial award to each eligible applicant.
   48         (4) The department shall rank eligible initial applicants
   49  for the purposes of awarding scholarships based on need, as
   50  determined by the department.
   51         (5) Payment of an award shall be transmitted in advance of
   52  the registration period each semester on behalf of the student
   53  to the president of the state university or Florida College
   54  System institution, or his or her representative, or to the
   55  director of the career center that the recipient is attending.
   56         (6) Beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year, the
   57  department is authorized to make awards for undergraduate study
   58  to students who:
   59         (a) Meet the general requirements for student eligibility
   60  as provided in s. 1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this
   61  section.
   62         (b) File an application for the scholarship within the
   63  established time limits.
   64         (c) Enroll as certificate-seeking or degree-seeking
   65  students at a state university, Florida College System
   66  institution, or career center authorized by law.
   67         (7) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules
   68  necessary to implement and administer this section.
   69         (8) Funding for the program shall be as provided in the
   70  General Appropriations Act.
   71         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.