FL Gov Jeb Bush on campus, signing new legislation into law.
Gov Bush Signs Centers of Excellence Bill to Increase High-Tech Research and Investment In State
Posted on 05/24/2002 7:21:20 AM PDT by summer
FL Gov Jeb Bush on campus, signing new legislation into law.
Gov Bush Signs Centers of Excellence Bill to Increase High-Tech Research and Investment In State
For Immediate Release
Monday, May 20, 2002
Contact:
Elizabeth Hirst
(850) 488-5394
JACKSONVILLE--Governor Jeb Bush today signed legislation into law that will foster innovative, cutting-edge technology research at Florida's colleges and universities, develop commercially viable applications for that research, and recruit high-tech industries and thinkers to the state.
The Florida Technology Development Initiative, proposed by Governor Bush in his State of the State speech this year, creates Centers of Excellence dedicated to conducting high-tech research and building technology sectors. To highlight the legislation, Governor Bush signed Senate Bill 1844 at a dedication ceremony for the Advanced Technology Center at Florida Community College in Jacksonville.
"This legislation represents a significant investment in the future of the technological, educational and economic base of our state," said Governor Bush. "Florida is widely recognized for its unique fusion of high-tech industry sectors to include simulation, optics, and space technology, as well as emerging new sectors in biotechnology, nano-technology, and artificial intelligence. This legislation will leverage those strengths, bringing a greater share of the global technology market to Florida, while diversifying our already vibrant economy."
The legislation, sponsored by Senators Jim King (Jacksonville) and Ron Klein (Delray Beach) and Representative Chris Hart (Tampa), creates Centers of Excellence that will include new facilities, laboratories and endowed academic chairs and will spur entrepreneurial investment in the state. This year's budget provides $30 million for the creation of several centers statewide.
"The real centers of excellence are in the minds of the students and teachers dedicated to this research. Strong reading, math and writing skills in K-12 are catalysts for creativity and innovation as our students enter college," Governor Bush added. "This year's historic $1.1 billion increase in education spending, along with funding for this program are signs of our commitment to creating the finest minds in the country. High- tech businesses will come to Florida because they know our students and workforce are second to none."
Other provisions of the bill include:
Expansion of research and development parks financed by the Florida Industrial Development Financing Act to include state universities, community colleges and government agencies, if their projects promote scientific research and development;
Transfer of Florida's technology promotion and workforce recruitment website to Workforce Florida, Inc. with coordination between the State Technology Office and the Agency for Workforce Innovation.
The Legislature approved Governor Bush's request $3.8 million in funding for the Governor's myflorida.com portal which serves as the single point of entry for Florida's citizens, businesses, state employees and visitors;
Use of the county-imposed one percent tax for promotion of tourism throughout the state and abroad; and
Deposit of sales tax holiday funds in the State Board of Education's Major Gifts Trust until distributed to the universities.
Ms. Reno likes weapons technology, as she showed at Waco, and in her 'demonstration' of automatic weapons to Elian Gonzales.
Florida needs to increase its high tech industry, which should be easy, since it is clean, and the low costs in Florida should be attractive to high tech businesses, which are frequently located in high cost areas like the northeast, the midwest, and California.
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