Florida Senate - 2024 SB 1754
By Senator Pizzo
37-00870-24 20241754__
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 of
4 the Blue Economy within the Department of Commerce;
5 creating s. 288.93, F.S.; defining the term âblue
6 economyâ; providing duties of the Office of the Blue
7 Economy; authorizing the department to adopt rules;
8 providing an effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12 Section 1.âParagraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
13 20.60, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
14 20.60âDepartment of Commerce; creation; powers and duties.â
15 (3)(a)âThe following divisions and offices of the
16 Department of Commerce are established:
17 1.âThe Division of Economic Development.
18 2.âThe Division of Community Development.
19 3.âThe Division of Workforce Services.
20 4.âThe Division of Finance and Administration.
21 5.âThe Division of Information Technology.
22 6.âThe Office of the Secretary.
23 7.âThe Office of Economic Accountability and Transparency,
24 which shall:
25 a.âOversee the departmentâs critical objectives as
26 determined by the secretary and make sure that the departmentâs
27 key objectives are clearly communicated to the public.
28 b.âOrganize department resources, expertise, data, and
29 research to focus on and solve the complex economic challenges
30 facing the state.
31 c.âProvide leadership for the departmentâs priority issues
32 that require integration of policy, management, and critical
33 objectives from multiple programs and organizations internal and
34 external to the department; and organize and manage external
35 communication on such priority issues.
36 d.âPromote and facilitate key department initiatives to
37 address priority economic issues and explore data and identify
38 opportunities for innovative approaches to address such economic
39 issues.
40 e.âPromote strategic planning for the department.
41 8.âThe Office of the Blue Economy.
42 Section 2.âSection 288.93, Florida Statutes, is created to
43 read:
44 288.93âOffice of the Blue Economy.â
45 (1)âFor purposes of this section, the term âblue economyâ
46 means the economic uses of ocean and coastal resources with a
47 focus on sustainable practices that benefit the long-term
48 outlook of relevant industry sectors and the competitive
49 positioning of the state in a global economy, including, but not
50 limited to, maritime industries, such as shipyards, marinas,
51 marine terminals, piers, fishing, aquaculture, seafood
52 processing, commercial diving, and marine transportation;
53 floating and amphibious housing; tourism; and outdoor
54 recreational activities, including, but not limited to, boating,
55 and industry sectors dependent on such activities.
56 (2)âThe Office of the Blue Economy shall:
57 (a)âSupport the stateâs economy by connecting the stateâs
58 ocean and coastal resources to economic development strategies
59 that enhance or contribute to the blue economy with a focus on
60 research and development, technological innovation, emerging
61 industries, strategic business recruitment, public and private
62 funding opportunities, and workforce training and education.
63 (b)âSurvey state universities and Florida College System
64 institutions on the development of academic research relating to
65 the blue economy across all disciplines. The office shall
66 encourage collaboration between state universities and Florida
67 College System institutions with overlapping areas of academic
68 research. The office shall publish on the departmentâs website
69 information on such collaboration and the current research
70 inventory.
71 (c)âCollaborate with relevant industries to identify
72 economic challenges that may be solved through innovation in the
73 blue economy by commercializing or otherwise providing public
74 access to academic research and resources.
75 (d)âDevelop and facilitate a pipeline of academic research,
76 commercialization, accelerator programs, and startup funding.
77 (e)âPublish on the departmentâs website reports on the
78 number, growth, and average wages of jobs included in the blue
79 economy. Such reports must identify and address any relevant
80 labor shortages projected by the Labor Market Estimating
81 Conference pursuant to s. 216.136(7).
82 (f)âEducate other state and local entities on the interests
83 of the blue economy and how such entities may positively address
84 environmental issues while simultaneously considering the
85 economic impact of their policies.
86 (g)âCommunicate the stateâs role as an integral component
87 of the blue economy by promoting the state on national and
88 international platforms and other appropriate forums as the
89 premier destination for convening on pertinent subject matters.
90 (3)âThe department may adopt rules to administer this
91 section.
92 Section 3.âThis act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
Statutes affected: S 1754 Filed: 20.60