(1)(a) The division shall administer an educational program, designated the “Hospitality Education Program,” offered for the benefit of the hospitality industries of this state. As used in this section, the term “hospitality industry” means the restaurant industry or the lodging industry.
(b) The program may affiliate with Florida State University, Florida International University, and the University of Central Florida. The program may also affiliate with any other member of the State University System or Florida College System, or with any privately funded college or university, which offers a program of hospitality administration and management.
(c) The purpose of the program is to provide, support, and enhance school-to-career training and transition programs for students interested in pursuing careers in a hospitality industry.
(d) The training and transition programs shall be funded through grants to one or more nonprofit statewide organizations that represent a hospitality industry of this state. The training and transition programs shall be delivered through the public school system using a nationally recognized curriculum approved by the division. The division shall administer the application process for the grants.
(2)(a) All public lodging establishments and all public food service establishments licensed under this chapter shall pay an annual fee of no more than $10, which shall be included in the annual license fee and used for the sole purpose of funding the Hospitality Education Program.
(b) The division shall use at least 68 percent of the funds collected under paragraph (a) for programs directed to careers in the restaurant industry and at least 14 percent of the funds for programs directed to careers in the lodging industry. If the division does not receive a sufficient number of grant applications, which are submitted timely and comply with the division’s requirements, to use all of the funds reserved for programs directed to careers in one of the industries, the division may use the remaining funds for programs directed to careers in the other industry.
(c) The division may use up to 10 percent of the funds collected under paragraph (a) for administration of the program.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, grant funding under this section shall include all expenses related to providing the programs, including the cost of staff support; student scholarships; compensation to program instructors for time spent in relevant training; special events or competitive events; and a reasonable stipend for travel, lodging, and meals for instructors and students participating in training or in related special events. All of an applicant’s expenses must be consistent with the budget submitted by the applicant in the grant application and approved by the division. The expenditure of all funds distributed under this section is subject to audit by the division.
(4) The director shall develop an annual budget, programs, and activities to accomplish the purposes of this section, in accordance with and subject to the advice and recommendations of the advisory council.(a) The annual budget of the Hospitality Education Program must show that the total fees estimated to be collected during the next fiscal year under this section will be dedicated solely to the estimated cost of funding the Hospitality Education Program, less any trust fund service charge imposed by s. 215.20. If the estimated cost of funding the Hospitality Education Program in any fiscal year is less than the total fees estimated to be collected during that year, the director shall submit a report to the advisory council demonstrating why the amount of the fee should not be immediately reduced to eliminate the projected surplus. The director shall also submit this report to the Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation as part of the division’s annual budget request. (b) Both the secretary’s legislative budget requests submitted under ss. 216.023 and 216.031 and the Governor’s recommended budget submitted under s. 216.163 must also show that the total fees estimated to be collected during the next fiscal year under this section will be dedicated solely to funding the Hospitality Education Program, less any trust fund service charge imposed by s. 215.20. If the estimated cost of funding the Hospitality Education Program in any fiscal year is less than the total fees estimated to be collected during that year, the secretary shall submit a report demonstrating why the amount of the fee should not be immediately reduced to eliminate the projected surplus. (5) The director shall supervise the administration of the programs set forth in this section and shall report the status of the programs at all meetings of the advisory council and at other times prescribed by the advisory council.
(6) The division shall adopt rules providing the criteria for grant approval and the procedures for processing grant applications. The criteria and procedures must be approved by the advisory council. The criteria shall give primary consideration to the experience and history of the applicant in representing a hospitality industry in the state, the applicant’s prior commitment to school-to-career transition programs in a hospitality industry, and the applicant’s demonstrated ability to provide services statewide with industry support and participation. Grants awarded under this section shall be for a term of 4 years, with funding provided on an annual basis.
