Title: Department of Economic Opportunity

Summary: Requires DEO to create web page accessible through its Internet website that provides certain information; provides purpose of web page; requires DEO to collect all local business information available to DEO; requires DEO to request relevant local government to provide any otherwise unavailable information; requires local governments to provide notice of changes in information collected by DEO; authorizes local government entities to provide summary that includes certain information for DEO's web page.

Full Text:
An act relating to the Department of Economic Opportunity; creating s. 288.112, F.S.; requiring the department to create a web page accessible through its Internet website that provides certain information; providing the purpose of the web page; requiring the department to collect all local business information available to the department; requiring the department to request the relevant local government to provide any otherwise unavailable information; requiring local governments to provide notice of changes in information collected by the department; authorizing local government entities to provide a summary that includes certain information for the department's web page; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 288.112, Florida Statutes, is created to read: (1) The Department of Economic Opportunity shall create a web page, accessible throu gh its Internet website, dedicated solely to the collection and publication of data and information that are relevant and of significance to the creation of new businesses within the state or the expansion of existing businesses within the state. The purpo se of the web page is to: HB 2015 (a) Provide a comprehensive overview of conditions that exist within the various cities and counties of the state that are conducive or advantageous to the creation of new businesses or the expansion of existing businesses. (b) Enable prospective employers both within and outside the state to effectively and accurately evaluate the business climate of cities and counties within the state. (c) Provide prospective business owners and operators and cities and counties within the state with immediate access to specific charges and costs related to the establishment, operation, and maintenance of a business in any city or county within the state. (2)(a) The department shall, by January 1, 2016, collect all relevant information fr om any sources that are reasonably available to the department as to the conditions within cities and counties that impact the creation or expansion of businesses within the boundaries of a city or county. If that information is not reasonably available to the department, the department shall request the otherwise unavailable information from the relevant heads of local government entities. (b) The department shall place all the collected information on its web page as soon as practicable. (c) Business information collected by the department shall not include quality of life considerations. The information collected by the department shall include, as applicable: HB 2015 1. An indication as to whether the city or county, or a portion of the city or county, is designated as or contained within: a. A rural area of critical economic concern. b. A foreign trade zone. c. An enterprise zone. 2. Current millage rates for all relevant taxing authorities, school districts, and special districts. 3. The rate of any local discretionary sales surtax. 4. The rate of any local option food and beverage tax. 5. The rate of any local option fuel tax. 6. The rate of any local public service tax. 7. A complete schedule for local business taxes, the categories for which local business taxes are collected, any cost difference or savings if more than one category of local business tax is required for the same business, and the average length of time for processing the application. 8. A complete schedule and explana tion of any other fees or taxes that may be imposed by the local government entity that would impact the establishment or expansion of a new business or new business location, and the average length of time for processing an application, including the foll owing: a. Construction licensing fees. b. Impact fees. c. Water and sewer connection fees. d. Stormwater fees and permits, specifically identifying HB 2015 permitting requirements that exceed the requirements of the water management districts. e. Sign or dinance requirements, permits, and fees. f. Tree and landscape ordinances, permits, and fees. g. Local licenses required to perform any construction or specialty trade within the local government entity's jurisdiction, including the categories of licen sure, fees charged, requirements for competency and testing, and average length of time for processing an application. h. A schedule of local fees charged for issuance of building or demolition permits, including the categories of permits and fees charge dfor each, and the average length of time for reviewing and processing each type of application. i. Local fees charged for any other applications for new developments and the average length of time required for review and processing of each type of appl ication. 9. For each of the permits or fees imposed, whether the application and fee information can be obtained from the local government entity's website. (d) Local government entities shall provide notice to the department of any factor, such as the elimination of, addition of, or change in any items specified in paragraph (c), as soon as practicable. (e) Local government entities may provide to the department a summary of 1,500 words or less which shall be included on the department's web page, st ating the advantages to HB 2015 businesses that exist within the area of the local government entity and including a link to the city's or county's website. The summary may include quality of life considerations or other factors that, in the determination of the local government entity, create conditions that are favorable to business creation or expansion. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.