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Manufacturing

AIF SUPPORTS legislation aimed at improving the development approval process for manufacturers in Florida.

HB 515 by Rep. Lake Ray (R-Jacksonville) and SB 786 by Sen. Jeremy Ring (D-Margate) will place manufacturers and fabricators in a competitive position similar to what is available in neighboring states. Known as the Manufacturing Competitiveness Act, this policy proposal would promote coordination and collaboration among state and regional agencies responsible for permit approvals and provide manufacturers with a single point of regulatory contact.

AIF SUPPORTS efforts to retool the state’s economic development incentives for manufacturers by shifting from a jobs-based incentives system to a capital investment-based system. The state’s current jobs-based incentives scheme is too narrow and looks only at the direct jobs created by one employer at one facility. It does not consider the capital investment per employee. This policy shift would not only create jobs within a single existing employer, but would also foster a plethora of indirect jobs, thereby increasing the potential to expand and grow Florida’s exports. HB 507 by Rep. Ray and SB 684 by Sen. Ring accomplish this goal.