The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee unanimously approved SB 110 Thursday.
Bill sponsor Corey Simon, a Tallahassee Republican who represents 13 mostly rural counties in North Florida, said the bill provides an “a la carte of resources” for rural, local governments.
“I don't want North Florida to look like anywhere else but North Florida. And so that's why this bill is so special and so well-crafted to suit the needs of those communities.”
SB 110 includes various measures to develop rural communities, such as attracting doctors and teachers to rural communities; transportation projects; the creation of an Office of Rural Prosperity at the state Department of Commerce; and a $1 million block grant for eight counties in North Florida.
The counties that will receive the $1 million grant are Lafayette, Gadsden, Hardee, Taylor, Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty and Madison.
The committee added measures to the bill Thursday related to hospital funding.
Now, critical access hospitals can receive about $6.5 million more in funding; medical education programs will expand its reimbursement assistance to include emergency room doctors employed or contracted with rural hospitals; Visit Florida will be required to provide marketing assistance to small, rural and agritourism businesses.
Rep. Griff Griffitts, R-Panama City Beach, and Rep. Shane Abbott, R-DeFuniak Springs, have filed a similar House bill, HB 1427.
The bill is now headed to Senate for approval.