FEDC is following these bills, which are moving through Senate and House Committees.

Support

SB 1628 Simon / HB 413 Abbott - Financial Assistance for Rural Areas of Opportunity

HB 1209 Shoaf / SB 1482 Simon / SB 1664 Hooper - each having similar language governing Rural Economic Development and deleting a future repeal of the FL Development Finance Corporation

Oppose - ACTION REQUESTED

HB 5 Esposito - Economic Programs

This bill seeks to eliminate Enterprise Florida and all remaining economic development incentive programs and transfers all duties, records, etc, to DEO. It proposes transferring international business development to the FL Department of State and authorizes the Florida Sports Foundation to enter into an agreement with DEO. It also repeals the FL SBDC Network governing statute.

There is no Senate companion bill.

However, as reported by The News Service of Florida, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo lent support this week to the latest House effort to close the doors of the business-recruitment agency Enterprise Florida.

The Naples Republican said aspects of Enterprise Florida could be folded into the Department of Economic Opportunity, such as trade missions, but that the public-private agency overall “just doesn't seem to be as effective as we would like.”

"I think we could create, you know, a continuous state partnership with the business communities through DEO (the Department of Economic Opportunity), and I think moving the staff, the people who work for EFI (Enterprise Florida) to DEO might be a good way to do it," Passidomo told reporters after a Senate floor session Wednesday.

Governor DeSantis is the Chairman of the EFI Board of Directors. In his current budget, he recommends fully funding EFI and providing additional funding and resources for EFI’s Export Trade and FDI programs.

This bill will be heard in the House Commerce Committee Friday, March 17, at 8:00 am. We encourage you to email your opposition to each Commerce Committee member TODAY.

We also suggest sharing this bill with your business community. We are collecting emails from business owners who oppose the elimination of Florida's public-private business development entity and the repeal of the SBDC governing statute.

Please send any business remarks to Beth Cicchetti at bkirkland@fedconline.org or Jill Blackman at jblackman@fedconline.org.

Thank you,

Beth Cicchetti, CEcD
850-212-1056

FEDC Advocacy Agenda and Calendar of Events

Be sure to bookmark our Advocacy page to refer to the Advocacy Agenda and calendar of advocacy events throughout the year.

Mark Your Calendars

EFI Stakeholders Council Webinar Housing Is Economic Development- Friday, February 3, 2023 (hosted by FEDC via GoToWebinar)
FL Chamber Legislative Days Fly-In – February 21-22
CareerSource Florida Board & Council Meetings in Tallahassee – Feb 22 and 23
Florida SBDC Network Capitol Days – March 14-15
EFI Stakeholder and Board meetings in Tallahassee - March 27 and 28
FEDC Dinner and Session Update – March 27 following joint reception with EFI Board
Northwest FL Days at the Capitol – April 5 and 6
Rural Counties Days at the Capitol Plaza – April 25 and 26