A nearly $200 million priority of Senate President Ben Albritton that includes making Florida’s rural communities more attractive to doctors and teachers and spurring transportation projects easily moved through its first committee Monday.
The Senate Community Affairs Committee unanimously approved the wide-ranging measure (SB 110), which has been dubbed the “rural renaissance” plan.
Among other things, the measure would create an Office of Rural Prosperity at the state Department of Commerce, increase funding for “fiscally constrained counties” and designate $1 million block grants to eight counties with declining populations --- Gadsden, Hardee, Taylor, Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Madison and Lafayette.
“The heart of our state is the center of the state,” said Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, a former Senate president from Naples. “So, I look forward to hearing how you develop this project over the next 10, 20, 30, 50 years.”
The eight counties would have to develop plans to use the money to try to boost their populations.
“There is no pre-emptive mandate in this bill,” bill sponsor Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, said. “This bill will be dictated by the folks that are living in your communities. That will determine how high you go; how much you decide to dig in and make your communities better.”
Simon represents a largely rural district that includes Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla counties.
Albritton is a citrus grower from Wauchula in rural Hardee County.
Money tied to the bill includes $25 million for mobile health-care units and telehealth kiosks; $25 million to help physicians and advanced registered nurse practitioners start practices in rural areas; a program to help teachers in rural communities pay student-loans; $50 million to assist “farm to market” road projects; and $50 million that fiscally constrained counties would use mostly for public safety and infrastructure.
Rep. Griff Griffitts, R-Panama City Beach, has filed a similar House bill (HB 1427). The annual legislative session will start Tuesday.