HB 625 2023
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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 children's initiative projects; 2
amending s. 409.147, F.S.; creating the Mercy Drive 3
Kidz Zone and the Englewood Kidz Zone in the City of 4
Orlando in Orange County; requiring the projects to be 5
managed by nonprofit corporations; exempting the 6
projects from control, supervision, or direction by 7
any state department; providing legislative intent; 8
providing requirements relating to public record s and 9
meetings and the procurement of commodities and 10
contractual services; providing for implementation; 11
providing an effective date. 12
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
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Section 1. Subsection (14) of section 409.147, Florid a 16
Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (16), paragraph (a) of 17
present subsection (14) is amended, and new subsections (14) and 18
(15) are added to that section, to read: 19
409.147 Children's initiatives. — 20
(14) CREATION OF THE MERCY DRIVE KIDZ ZONE. — 21
(a) There is created within the City of Orlando in Orange 22
County a 10-year project that shall be managed by an entity 23
organized as a corporation not for profit that is registered, 24
incorporated, organized, and operated in compliance with chapter 25
HB 625 2023
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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
617. The Mercy Drive Kidz Zone is not subject to control, 26
supervision, or direction by any department of the state in any 27
manner. The Legislature determines, however, that public policy 28
dictates that the corporation operate in the most open and 29
accessible manner consis tent with its public purpose. Therefore, 30
the Legislature specifically declares that the corporation is 31
subject to chapter 119, relating to public records, chapter 286, 32
relating to public meetings and records, and chapter 287, 33
relating to procurement of com modities or contractual services. 34
(b) This initiative is designed to encompass an area that 35
is large enough to include all of the necessary components of 36
community life, including, but not limited to, schools, places 37
of worship, recreational facilities, commercial areas, and 38
common space, yet small enough to allow programs and services to 39
reach every member of the neighborhood who is willing to 40
participate in the project. 41
(15) CREATION OF THE ENGLEWOOD KIDZ ZONE. — 42
(a) There is created within the City of Orlando in Orange 43
County a 10-year project that shall be managed by an entity 44
organized as a corporation not for profit that is registered, 45
incorporated, organized, and operated in compliance with chapter 46
617. The Englewood Kidz Zone is not subject to control, 47
supervision, or direction by any department of the state in any 48
manner. The Legislature determines, however, that public policy 49
dictates that the corporation operate in the most open and 50
HB 625 2023
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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
accessible manner consistent with its public purpose. Theref ore, 51
the Legislature specifically declares that the corporation is 52
subject to chapter 119, relating to public records, chapter 286, 53
relating to public meetings and records, and chapter 287, 54
relating to procurement of commodities or contractual services. 55
(b) This initiative is designed to encompass an area that 56
is large enough to include all of the necessary components of 57
community life, including, but not limited to, schools, places 58
of worship, recreational facilities, commercial areas, and 59
common space, yet small enough to allow programs and services to 60
reach every member of the neighborhood who is willing to 61
participate in the project. 62
(16)(14) IMPLEMENTATION.— 63
(a) The Miami Children's Initiative, Inc., the New Town 64
Success Zone, the Parramore Kidz Z one, the Tampa SSNOP Success 65
Zone, and the Overtown Children and Youth Coalition , the Mercy 66
Drive Kidz Zone, and the Englewood Kidz Zone have been 67
designated as Florida Children's Initiatives consistent with the 68
legislative intent and purpose of s. 16, cha pter 2009-43, Laws 69
of Florida, and as such shall each assist the disadvantaged 70
areas of the state in creating a community -based service network 71
and programming that develops, coordinates, and provides quality 72
education, accessible health care, youth develo pment programs, 73
opportunities for employment, and safe and affordable housing 74
for children and families living within their boundaries. 75
HB 625 2023
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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
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 76