Initial Plan

Innovation Bills

Florida Governor Jeb Bush recommends for the 2006- 2007 fiscal year a $630M investment into these innovative programs. The Florida Research Consortium strongly supports the ideas embodied in these bills and applauds the sponsors for their efforts.

House Bill 1237 & Senate Bill 2084- Advanced Science & Technology Research sponsored by Representative David Mealor and Senator J.D. Alexander.  These bills create the 21st Century Technology, Research, and Scholarship Enhancement Act and renew the Centers of Excellence Program, calling for $100M to be invested in each.

House Bill 1467 & Senate Bill 2668- The Florida Capital Formation Act is sponsored by Representative Michael Grant and Senator Jeff Atwater. These bills are designed to increase seed and early stage venture equity capital for emerging Florida technology companies by providing a mechanism for state guaranty of privately raised capital to be matched and invested fund to fund, by qualified early stage venture capitalists.

House Bill 1283 & Senate Bill 2728- Innovations Incentives sponsors include House Representative Frank Attkisson and Senator Mike Fasano.   It provides for a $250M appropriation and mechanism for award for significant Research and Development projects or significant Innovation Business projects.

House Bill 1489 & Senate Bill 2580- State’s Aerospace Industry is sponsored by Representative Leslie Waters and Senator Mike Fasano. This bill is part of a package of $55M which allocates $35M for crew exploration vehicle recruitment and $3M for tax relief to maintain Florida’s position in the space arena.