HB 1081 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1081-00
Page 1 of 6
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to 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.; providing a 5
definition; providing duties of the Office of the Blue 6
Economy; authorizing the department to adopt rules; 7
amending s. 403.928, F.S.; conforming provisions to 8
changes made by the act; creating s. 403.9303, F.S.; 9
requiring the Office of Economic and Demographic 10
Research to conduct a biennial evaluation of the blue 11
economy for inclusion in a certain assessment; 12
providing requirements for the evaluation; providing 13
an effective date. 14
15
Be It Enacted by the L egislature 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 offic es 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
HB 1081 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1081-00
Page 2 of 6
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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 depart ment'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 facili tate 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 Econo my. 48
Section 2. Section 288.93, Florida Statutes, is created to 49
read: 50
HB 1081 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1081-00
Page 3 of 6
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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 pr actices 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 termi nals, 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 su ch 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 dev elopment 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 pub lish on the department's website 75
HB 1081 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1081-00
Page 4 of 6
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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 o r otherwise providing public 80
access to academic research and resources. 81
(d) Develop and facilitate a pipeline of academic 82
research, commercialization, accelerator programs, and startup 83
funding. 84
(e) Publish on the department's website reports on the 85
number, growth, and average wages of jobs included in the blue 86
economy. Such reports shall identify and address any relevant 87
labor shortages projected by the Labor Market Estimating 88
Conference pursuant to s. 216.136(7). 89
(f) Educate other state and local ent ities on the 90
interests of the blue economy by participating in the 91
development and implementation of policies relating to the 92
state's use of ocean and coastal resources, including, but not 93
limited to, long-term sustainability, best practices, 94
conservation efforts, ocean and coastal health, restoration and 95
protection of coral reefs, and beach renourishment. 96
(g) Communicate the state's role as an integral component 97
of the blue economy by promoting the state on national and 98
international platforms and other appropriate forums as the 99
premier destination for convening on pertinent subject matters. 100
HB 1081 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1081-00
Page 5 of 6
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(3) The department may adopt rules to administer this 101
section. 102
Section 3. Paragraph (f) is added to subsection (1) of 103
section 403.928, Florida Statutes, to read : 104
403.928 Assessment of water resources and conservation 105
lands.—The Office of Economic and Demographic Research shall 106
conduct an annual assessment of Florida's water resources and 107
conservation lands. 108
(1) WATER RESOURCES. —The assessment must include all of 109
the following: 110
(f) Biennially, beginning on January 1, 2023, the 111
evaluation of the state's blue economy required under s. 112
403.9303. 113
Section 4. Section 403.9303, Florida Statutes, is created 114
to read: 115
403.9303 Blue economy evaluation. — 116
(1) Beginning January 1, 2023, the Office of Economic and 117
Demographic Research shall conduct a biennial evaluation of the 118
state's blue economy for inclusion in its annual assessment 119
conducted pursuant to s. 403.928. 120
(2) The evaluation must include the following: 121
(a) The historical and current contributions to the 122
state's economy from maritime industries, including, but not 123
limited to: 124
1. Shipyards, marinas, marine terminals, piers, fishing, 125
HB 1081 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1081-00
Page 6 of 6
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
aquaculture, seafood processing, commercial diving, and marine 126
transportation. 127
2. Floating and amphibious housing. 128
3. Tourism. 129
4. Outdoor recreational activities, including, but not 130
limited to, boating, and industry sectors dependent on such 131
activities. 132
(b) Appropriate economic comparisons to other states to 133
identify comparative advantages and disadvantages. 134
(c) The identification and discussion of any growing, 135
emerging, or new industries that fit within the blue economy 136
structure. 137
(d) Beginning January 1, 2025, an analysis of the 138
contributions of the blue economy to the state, including, but 139
not limited to, the economic benefits, as defined in s. 140
288.005(1), of the efforts undertaken by the Office of the Blue 141
Economy pursuant to s. 288.93. 142
Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 143