Senate Bill 1484 (2023) — Office of the Blue Economy
SB 1484
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1484 By Senator Pizzo 37-01073-23 20231484__ Page 1 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Office of the Blue Economy; 2 amending s. 20.60, F.S.; establishing the Office of 3 the Blue Economy within the Department of Economic 4 Opportunity; creating s. 288.93, F.S.; defining the 5 term “blue economy”; providing duties of the Office of 6 the Blue Economy; authorizing the department to adopt 7 rules; amending s. 403.928, F.S.; conforming 8 provisions to changes made by the act; creating s. 9 403.9303, F.S.; requiring the Office of Economic and 10 Demographic Research to conduct a biennial evaluation 11 of the blue economy for inclusion in a certain 12 assessment; providing requirements for the evaluation; 13 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
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1484 37-01073-23 20231484__ Page 2 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 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
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, including, but not 56 limited to, maritime industries such as shipyards, marinas, 57 marine terminals, piers, fishing, aquaculture, seafood 58
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1484 37-01073-23 20231484__ Page 3 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. processing, commercial diving, and marine transportation; 59 floating and amphibious housing; tourism; and outdoor 60 recreational activities, including, but not limited to, boating, 61 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 which have overlapping areas of 74 academic research. The office shall publish on the department’s 75 website information on such collaboration and the current 76 research 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 startup 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 must identify and address any relevant 86 labor shortages projected by the Labor Market Estimating 87
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1484 37-01073-23 20231484__ Page 4 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Conference pursuant to s. 216.136(7). 88 (
f) Educate other state and local entities on the interests 89 of the blue economy and how such entities may positively address 90 environmental issues while simultaneously considering the 91 economic impact of their policies. 92 (
g) Communicate the state’s role as an integral component 93 of the blue economy by promoting this state on national and 94 international platforms and other appropriate forums as the 95 premier destination for convening on pertinent subject matters. 96
(3) The department may adopt rules to administer this 97 section. 98
Section 3. Paragraph (
f) is added to subsection (1) of 99
section 403.928, Florida Statutes, to read: 100 403.928 Assessment of water resources and conservation 101 lands.—The Office of Economic and Demographic Research shall 102 conduct an annual assessment of Florida’s water resources and 103 conservation lands. 104
(1) WATER RESOURCES.—The assessment must include all of the 105 following: 106 (
f) Biennially, beginning on January 1, 2024, the 107 evaluation of the state’s blue economy required under s. 108 403.9303. 109
Section
Section 403.9303, Florida Statutes, is created 110 to read: 111 403.9303 Blue economy evaluation.— 112
(1) Beginning January 1, 2024, the Office of Economic and 113 Demographic Research shall conduct a biennial evaluation of the 114 state’s blue economy for inclusion in its annual assessment 115 conducted pursuant to s. 403.928. 116
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1484 37-01073-23 20231484__ Page 5 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
(2) The evaluation must include the following: 117 (
a) The historical and current contributions to the state’s 118 economy from maritime industries, including, but not limited to: 119 1. Shipyards, marinas, marine terminals, piers, fishing, 120 aquaculture, seafood processing, commercial diving, and marine 121 transportation. 122 2. Floating and amphibious housing. 123 3. Tourism. 124 4. Outdoor recreational activities, including, but not 125 limited to, boating, and industry sectors dependent on such 126 activities. 127 (
b) Appropriate economic comparisons to other states to 128 identify comparative advantages and disadvantages. 129 (
c) The identification and discussion of any growing, 130 emerging, or new industries that fit within the blue economy 131 structure. 132 (
d) Beginning January 1, 2026, an analysis of the 133 contributions of the blue economy to the state, including, but 134 not limited to, the economic benefits, as defined in s. 135 288.005(1), of the efforts undertaken by the Office of the Blue 136 Economy pursuant to s. 288.93. 137