(1) The Department of Economic Opportunity, in cooperation with CareerSource Florida, Inc., shall establish the Everglades Restoration Agricultural Community Employment Training Program within the Department of Economic Opportunity. The Department of Economic Opportunity shall use funds appropriated to the program by the Legislature to provide grants to stimulate and support training and employment programs that seek to match persons who complete such training programs to nonagricultural employment opportunities in areas of high agricultural unemployment, and to provide other training, educational, and information services necessary to stimulate the creation of jobs in the areas of high agricultural unemployment. In determining whether to provide funds to a particular program, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall consider the location of the program in proximity to the program’s intended participants.

(2) The Legislature supports projects that improve the economy in the Everglades Agricultural Area. In recognition of the employment opportunities and economic development generated by new and expanding industries in the area, such as the Airglades Airport in Hendry County and the development of an inland port in Palm Beach County, the Legislature finds that training the citizens of the state to fill the needs of these industries significantly enhances the economic viability of the region.

(3) Funds may be used for grants for tuition for public or private technical or vocational programs and matching grants to employers to conduct employer-based training programs, or for the purchase of equipment to be used for training purposes, the hiring of instructors, or any other purpose directly associated with the program.

(4) The Department of Economic Opportunity may not award a grant to any given training program which exceeds 50 percent of the total cost of the program, unless the training program is located within a rural area of opportunity, in which case the grant may exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the program and up to 100 percent. Matching contributions may include in-kind services, including, but not limited to, the provision of training instructors, equipment, and training facilities.

(5) Before granting a request for funds made in accordance with this section, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall enter into a grant agreement with the requester of funds and the institution receiving funding through the program. Such agreement must include all of the following information:

(a) An identification of the personnel necessary to conduct the instructional program, the qualifications of such personnel, and the respective responsibilities of the parties for paying costs associated with the employment of such personnel.

(b) An identification of the estimated length of the instructional program.

(c) An identification of all direct, training-related costs, including tuition and fees, curriculum development, books and classroom materials, and overhead or indirect costs.

(d) An identification of special program requirements that are not otherwise addressed in the agreement.

(6) The Department of Economic Opportunity may grant up to 100 percent of the tuition for a training program participant who currently resides, and has resided for at least 3 of the 5 immediately preceding years, within the Everglades Agricultural Area as described in s. 373.4592 and in counties that provide for water storage and dispersed water storage that are located in rural areas of opportunity as described in s. 288.0656.

(7) Programs established in the Everglades Agricultural Area must include opportunities to obtain the qualifications and skills necessary for jobs related to federal and state restoration projects, the Airglades Airport in Hendry County, an inland port in Palm Beach County, or other industries with verifiable, demonstrated interest in operating within the Everglades Agricultural Area and in counties that provide for water storage and dispersed water storage that are located in rural areas of opportunity as described in s. 288.0656.

(8) The Department of Economic Opportunity shall adopt rules to implement this section.

History.—s. 7, ch. 2017-10.