HB 641 Summary: Economic Development Programs Evaluation

• Establishes the Economic Development Programs Evaluation requiring the Office of Economic and Demographic Research and Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to evaluate major state economic development incentive programs on a 3-year rotating schedule beginning January 1, 2014.

• Requires detailed analysis of programs including tax credits, tax refunds, sales tax exemptions, cash grants, enterprise zone incentives, entertainment industry programs, and workforce training initiatives, measuring economic benefits, jobs created, and personal income impact.

• Consolidates multiple separate reporting requirements into a single annual incentives report due December 30 each year, prepared jointly by Enterprise Florida, Inc., and the Department of Economic Opportunity.

• Changes various reporting deadlines and requirements for individual economic development programs to align with the consolidated annual incentives report structure.

• Grants the Office of Economic and Demographic Research and OPPAGA access to all necessary data, including confidential information, to conduct the evaluation.