Bill Text: FL S1454 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Office of the Blue Economy
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2022-03-14 - Died in Commerce and Tourism [S1454 Detail]
Download: Florida-2022-S1454-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2022 SB 1454
By Senator Ausley
3-00939A-22 20221454__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Office of the Blue Economy;
3 amending s. 20.60, F.S.; establishing the office
4 within the Department of Economic Opportunity;
5 creating s. 288.93, F.S.; defining the term “blue
6 economy”; providing duties of the office; authorizing
7 the department to adopt rules; amending s. 403.928,
8 F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
9 act; creating s. 403.9303, F.S.; requiring the Office
10 of Economic and Demographic Research to conduct a
11 biennial evaluation of the blue economy for inclusion
12 in a certain assessment; providing requirements for
13 the evaluation; providing an effective date.
14
15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
18 20.60, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
19 20.60 Department of Economic Opportunity; creation; powers
20 and duties.—
21 (3)(a) The following divisions and offices of the
22 Department of Economic Opportunity are established:
23 1. The Division of Strategic Business Development.
24 2. The Division of Community Development.
25 3. The Division of Workforce Services.
26 4. The Division of Finance and Administration.
27 5. The Division of Information Technology.
28 6. The Office of the Secretary.
29 7. The Office of Economic Accountability and Transparency,
30 which shall:
31 a. Oversee the department’s critical objectives as
32 determined by the secretary and make sure that the department’s
33 key objectives are clearly communicated to the public.
34 b. Organize department resources, expertise, data, and
35 research to focus on and solve the complex economic challenges
36 facing the state.
37 c. Provide leadership for the department’s priority issues
38 that require integration of policy, management, and critical
39 objectives from multiple programs and organizations internal and
40 external to the department; and organize and manage external
41 communication on such priority issues.
42 d. Promote and facilitate key department initiatives to
43 address priority economic issues and explore data and identify
44 opportunities for innovative approaches to address such economic
45 issues.
46 e. Promote strategic planning for the department.
47 8. The Office of the Blue Economy.
48 Section 2. Section 288.93, Florida Statutes, is created to
49 read:
50 288.93 Office of the Blue Economy.—
51 (1) For purposes of this section, the term “blue economy”
52 means the economic uses of ocean and coastal resources with a
53 focus on sustainable practices that benefit the long-term
54 outlook of relevant industry sectors and the competitive
55 positioning of the state in a global economy affected by climate
56 change, including, but not limited to, maritime industries such
57 as shipyards, marinas, marine terminals, piers, fishing,
58 aquaculture, seafood processing, commercial diving, and marine
59 transportation; floating and amphibious housing; tourism; and
60 outdoor recreational activities, including, but not limited to,
61 boating, and industry sectors dependent on such activities.
62 (2) The Office of the Blue Economy shall:
63 (a) Support the state’s economy by connecting the state’s
64 ocean and coastal resources to economic development strategies
65 that enhance or contribute to the blue economy with a focus on
66 research and development, technological innovation, emerging
67 industries, strategic business recruitment, public and private
68 funding opportunities, and workforce training and education.
69 (b) Survey state universities and Florida College System
70 institutions on the development of academic research relating to
71 the blue economy across all disciplines. The office shall
72 encourage collaboration between state universities and Florida
73 College System institutions with overlapping areas of academic
74 research. The office shall publish on the department’s website
75 information on such collaboration and the current research
76 inventory.
77 (c) Collaborate with relevant industries to identify
78 economic challenges that may be solved through innovation in the
79 blue economy by commercializing or otherwise providing public
80 access to academic research and resources.
81 (d) Develop and facilitate a pipeline of academic research,
82 commercialization, accelerator programs, and start-up funding.
83 (e) Publish on the department’s website reports on the
84 number, growth, and average wages of jobs included in the blue
85 economy. Such reports shall identify and address any relevant
86 labor shortages projected by the Labor Market Estimating
87 Conference pursuant to s. 216.136(7).
88 (f) Educate other state and local entities on the interests
89 of the blue economy by participating in the development and
90 implementation of policies relating to the state’s use of ocean
91 and coastal resources, including, but not limited to, long-term
92 sustainability, best practices, conservation efforts, ocean and
93 coastal health, restoration and protection of coral reefs, and
94 beach renourishment.
95 (g) Communicate the state’s role as an integral component
96 of the blue economy by promoting the state on national and
97 international platforms and other appropriate forums as the
98 premier destination for convening on pertinent subject matters.
99 (3) The department may adopt rules to administer this
100 section.
101 Section 3. Paragraph (f) is added to subsection (1) of
102 section 403.928, Florida Statutes, to read:
103 403.928 Assessment of water resources and conservation
104 lands.—The Office of Economic and Demographic Research shall
105 conduct an annual assessment of Florida’s water resources and
106 conservation lands.
107 (1) WATER RESOURCES.—The assessment must include all of the
108 following:
109 (f) Biennially, beginning on January 1, 2023, the
110 evaluation of the state’s blue economy required under s.
111 403.9303.
112 Section 4. Section 403.9303, Florida Statutes, is created
113 to read:
114 403.9303 Blue economy evaluation.—
115 (1) Beginning January 1, 2023, the Office of Economic and
116 Demographic Research shall conduct a biennial evaluation of the
117 state’s blue economy for inclusion in its annual assessment
118 conducted pursuant to s. 403.928.
119 (2) The evaluation must include the following:
120 (a) The historical and current contributions to the state’s
121 economy from maritime industries, including, but not limited to:
122 1. Shipyards, marinas, marine terminals, piers, fishing,
123 aquaculture, seafood processing, commercial diving, and marine
124 transportation.
125 2. Floating and amphibious housing.
126 3. Tourism.
127 4. Outdoor recreational activities, including, but not
128 limited to, boating, and industry sectors dependent on such
129 activities.
130 (b) Appropriate economic comparisons to other states to
131 identify comparative advantages and disadvantages.
132 (c) The identification and discussion of any growing,
133 emerging, or new industries that fit within the blue economy
134 structure.
135 (d) Beginning January 1, 2025, an analysis of the
136 contributions of the blue economy to the state, including, but
137 not limited to, the economic benefits, as defined in s.
138 288.005(1), of the efforts undertaken by the Office of the Blue
139 Economy pursuant to s. 288.93.
140 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.
