Title: Issuance of Licenses/Certifications/Registrations

Summary: Creates "Florida's One-Stop Business Connect Act"; requires Governor to direct certain state agencies to jointly conduct review of state's requirements for starting, licensing, & operating business & examine feasibility of establishing single online portal for accessing such requirements; provides review requirements; requires Governor to submit report & recommendations to Legislature by specified date.

Full Text:
An act relating to streamlining the issuance of licenses, certifications, and registrations issued by state agencies; providing a short title; providing legislative findings and intent; requiring the Governor to direct certain state agencies to jointly conduct a review of the state's requirements for starting, licensing, and operating a business and examine the feasibility of establishing a single online portal for accessing such requirements; providing review requirements; requiring the Governor to submit a report and recommendations to the Legislature by a specified date; providing an effective date. 15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 Section 1. (1) This act may be cited as "Florida's One-Stop Business Connect Act." (2) The Legislature finds that: (a) Individuals who start and operate businesses in this state must interact with multiple state agencies to obtain licenses, registrations, and tax certificates needed to legally operate in the state. This process can be time-consuming and frustrating for businesses and often requires business owners to provide similar information to multiple agencies. (b) State government requirements for starting and operating a business in the state are often cumbersome and place avoidable burdens on business owners. For several years, the Legislature has recognized that these requirements do not serve to promote the state as a business-friendly state that actively supports the growth of jobs, businesses, and economic opportunities. (c) A phased, deliberative, and collaborative approach should be considered to streamline and automate the state's business processes; to simplify business requirements and eliminate unnecessary business requirements; and to provide a single point of entry for businesses to complete business transactions with the state. (3) It is the intent of the Legislature that the state review all state requirements for starting, licensing, and operating a business and examine the feasibility of establishing an online connection that is easily accessible through one of the state's official portals and that provides an efficient and effective online, self-service method for an individual to access state requirements for starting, licensing, and operating a business. (4)(a) The Governor shall direct the secretary or agency head, or the designee of the secretary or agency head, of the following state agencies to work jointly to review all state requirements for starting, licensing, and operating a business and examine the feasibility of establishing an online connection that provides a single point of entry for businesses to complete business transactions with the state: 1. The Agency for Health Care Administration. 2. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation. 3. The Department of Children and Family Services. 4. The Department of Health. 5. The Department of State. 6. The Department of Revenue. 7. The Agency for Enterprise Information Technology. (b) Other agencies that interact with businesses are encouraged to participate, including, but not limited to, the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (c) To the extent that funds are available within the participating agencies' budgets, the agencies shall: 1. Compile a complete, categorical inventory of all business licenses, certifications, and registrations required by each participating agency, including information regarding relevant laws and rules. 2. Analyze the business licensing, certification, and registration processes for each agency and identify processes that disrupt workflow and result in duplication, waste, unnecessary complexity, and errors and the root causes of those errors. 3. Recommend the standardization and automation of business licensing, certification, and registration processes where appropriate. (d) By December 15, 2011, the Governor shall submit to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report and recommendations for establishing a single online portal for accessing state requirements for starting, licensing, and operating a business. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.