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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 the Florida Museum of Black 2
History; amending s. 267.0722, F.S.; specifying 3
functions and activities of the Florida Museum of 4
Black History; providing for legislative designation 5
of the permanent and temporary locations of the 6
museum; requiring a specified nonprofit organization 7
to create the exhibits for the temporary museum; 8
establishing a governing board for certain purposes; 9
providing requirements for the governing board; 10
requiring the governing board to submit a written 11
report to the Governor and Legislature by a specified 12
date; requiring the Department of State to provide 13
certain support; removing obsolete provisions; 14
providing appropriati ons; providing an effective date. 15
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17
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Section 1. Section 267.0722, Florida Statutes, is amended 19
to read: 20
267.0722 Florida Museum of Black History. — 21
(1) There is created within the division the Florida 22
Museum of Black History . The museum, once constructed, shall be 23
a multipurpose facility capable of generating revenues to offset 24
operating costs and expenses, with archival research and storage 25
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facilities, meeting rooms, full -service banquet facilities, and 26
a locally funded performing arts theater. 27
(2) Based on the report delivered by the Florida Museum of 28
Black History governing board to the Governor, the President of 29
the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the 30
Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the 31
House of Representatives, the Legislature: 32
(a) Determines that the City of Opa -locka shall be the 33
permanent location of the Florida Museum of Black History. 34
(b) Designates the Opa -locka Historic City Hal l and Fire 35
Station as the interim location for a temporary museum. 36
(c) Designates the Ten North Group, a nonprofit 37
organization located in Opa -locka, as the entity responsible for 38
creating exhibits at the temporary museum. 39
(3)(a) A governing board is established to oversee the 40
predevelopment activities and the development and governance of 41
the museum. The governing board shall consist of no more than 25 42
members, appointed by July 31, 2025, as follows: 43
1. Two members appointed by the Executive Office of the 44
Governor. 45
2. Two members appointed by the President of the Senate. 46
3. Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 47
Representatives. 48
4. Two members appointed by the Mayor of Miami -Dade 49
County. 50
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5. Two members appointed by the chair of the Miami -Dade 51
County Commission. 52
6. Two members appointed by a member of the Miami -Dade 53
County Commission, District 1. 54
7. Six members appointed by a majority vote of the Mayor 55
of the City of Opa-locka and the Opa-locka City Commission. 56
8. No more than seven members appointed by a majority vote 57
of the governing board members. At least three of these members 58
must have 5 or more years of experience as academic scholars in 59
Black studies or African -American history. 60
(b) Members of the governing board shall serve for a term 61
of 3 years or until replaced. 62
(c) Members of the governing board shall serve without 63
compensation but are entitled to receive reimbursement for per 64
diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. 65
(d) The governing board must hold its first meeting by 66
October 1, 2025. 67
(e) In conducting the predevelopment activities, the 68
governing board must conduct site visits and guide the design 69
and planning phases with a focus on conceptual desig n, 70
regulatory compliance, and community engagement. Additionally, 71
the governing board may take an active role in securing 72
necessary funding and financing, approving detailed financial 73
models, establishing strategic partnerships, and coordinating 74
the procurement of contractors and resources to ensure that the 75
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museum can seamlessly transition into the construction phase. 76
(f) By March 1, 2026, the governing board shall submit a 77
written report detailing its plans for constructing the 78
permanent museum to the G overnor, the President of the Senate, 79
and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 80
(4)(a) The Department of State shall provide support, 81
including administrative support, to implement the 82
predevelopment activities of the museum. The department shall 83
also make historical artifacts, as requested by the Ten North 84
Group, available as part of the exhibits for the temporary 85
museum. 86
(b) The Ten North Group must create at least two exhibits 87
at the temporary museum within the first year of the temporary 88
museum's existence. Task Force for the purpose of providing 89
recommendations to the division for the planning, construction, 90
operation, and administration of a Florida Museum of Black 91
History. The museum shall be a multipurpose facility capable of 92
generating self-sustaining revenues, with archival research and 93
storage facilities, meeting rooms, full service banquet 94
facilities that include a kitchen capable of serving at least 95
250 people at a single event, and a performing arts theater that 96
shall be made availabl e for private events. 97
(2) The task force shall be composed of nine members. 98
Three members shall be appointed by the Governor, three members 99
shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, and three 100
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members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Hous e of 101
Representatives. At least three of the appointed members must 102
have 5 or more years of experience in one of the following 103
areas: tenured faculty in history at a Florida public or private 104
university; historical research and publication; archival design 105
or preservation; multipurpose public building design or 106
construction; the hospitality and service industry; business; 107
finance; marketing; law; or education. All appointments shall be 108
made no later than July 31, 2023. 109
(3) Members of the task force shall s erve without 110
compensation or honorarium but shall be entitled to receive 111
reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112
112.061. 113
(4) The division shall provide the task force with staff 114
and expend funds as necessary to assist the task f orce in the 115
performance of its duties. 116
(5) The task force shall develop the following: 117
(a) Plans for the location, design, and construction of 118
the museum and all necessary facilities. 119
(b) Recommendations for the operation and administration 120
of the museum upon completion of construction. 121
(c) A marketing plan that may be executed by the Florida 122
Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation to promote the museum. 123
(d) A transition plan under which the museum will become 124
financially self-sufficient. 125
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(e) Recommendations for archival and artifact acquisition, 126
preservation, and research; exhibits; installations; and 127
educational materials that complement and support required 128
instruction provided in public schools in accordance with s. 129
1003.42(2)(h). The recommen dations must include materials 130
relating to: 131
1. The role of African -American participation in defending 132
and preserving Florida and the United States, including, by way 133
of example and without limitation, the contributions of the 134
residents of Fort Mose, the Tuskegee Airmen, and all African -135
American veterans. 136
2. The history of slavery in the state. 137
3. The history of segregation in the state. 138
4. Notable African Americans in this state. 139
5. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, including the founding of 140
Bethune Cookman University. 141
6. The history of historically black colleges and 142
universities in this state. 143
7. The inherent worth and dignity of human life, with a 144
focus on the prevention of genocide. 145
(6) Before July 1, 2024, the task force shall submit a 146
report detailing its plans and recommendations to the Governor, 147
the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 148
Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the 149
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. Upon submission 150
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of the report, the task force shall expire. 151
(7) After receiving the report of the task force, the 152
Legislature may consider legislation pertaining to the 153
commissioning, construction, operation, and administrat ion of 154
the museum. 155
Section 2. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the sum of 156
$750,000 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General 157
Revenue Fund to the Florida Museum of Black History governing 158
board for predevelopment activities, with no more than 10 159
percent of the funds to be used for administrative expenses. 160
Section 3. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the sum of 161
$750,000 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General 162
Revenue Fund to the Florida Museum of Black History governing 163
board for use by the Ten North Group for expenses incurred in 164
creating the exhibits for the temporary museum. 165
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 166