Bill > S1496

Introduced Session

An act relating to the Florida Museum of History; authorizing the Department of State to partner with certain county commissions and local entities for a specified purpose; requiring that each Florida Museum of History be owned, managed, and operated by a certain entity; creating the Florida Museum of History Advisory Committee within the Department of State for a certain purpose; requiring the committee to operate in a manner consistent with certain provisions; providing membership and duties of the committee; requiring local entities to perform specified duties; requiring specified county commissions and local entities to create Florida Museum of History Boards; providing for membership and duties of the boards; requiring certain entities to develop and execute a marketing plan to promote each Florida Museum of History; authorizing designated local entities to collaborate with certain local organizations and bureaus; requiring the Legislature to provide specified funds to certain entities to conduct financial feasibility studies; providing requirements for such studies; requiring that construction of each museum be funded by specified appropriations; providing requirements for the structures and exhibitions of each Florida Museum of History; providing an effective date. WHEREAS, in 2023, the Legislature established the Florida Museum of Black History Task Force to identify, evaluate, and recommend potential locations for a leading world-class museum dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and celebrating the history, culture, and contributions of Black Floridians and Black Americans, and WHEREAS, the task force received applications from multiple jurisdictions and, in April 2024, adopted previously developed rankings that narrowed the field from 13 potential sites to 3: Eatonville in Orange County, St. Augustine in St. Johns County, and Opa-locka in Miami-Dade County, and WHEREAS, due to limited resources, incomplete data, and a narrowing legislative deadline, the task force reaffirmed these rankings without conducting new feasibility, financial, or comparative analyses of the three potential sites, and WHEREAS, the task force voted on May 21, 2024, to recommend St. Augustine in St. Johns County as the site for the future Florida Museum of Black History, and WHEREAS, on June 30, 2024, the Division of Historical Resources, with input from the task force, issued a report describing the recommendation as a preliminary roadmap and requesting additional legislative funding to support feasibility and economic impact studies for each of the three top-ranked locations, and WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that the task force found no location with a clearly superior feasibility or sustainability profile, underscoring the need for a comprehensive, data-driven study before a final designation, and WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Legislature that comprehensive feasibility and economic impact studies be completed and reviewed for the three top-ranked locations, in Orange County, St. Augustine in St. Johns County, and Opa-locka in Miami-Dade County, before any final site designation, construction authorization, or allocation of state funds, and WHEREAS, these studies must evaluate visitation potential, infrastructure readiness, financial sustainability, and the demonstrated capacity of each locality to provide at least a 50 percent local funding match through public, philanthropic, or private sources, and WHEREAS, a world-class museum is characterized by its extraordinary collection of historical items and a thoughtfully curated visitor experience, and WHEREAS, these institutions serve as vital repositories of our shared heritage, actively shaping our understanding of the past, present, and future, and WHEREAS, a world-class museum is not defined by a big building or a famous name, but is an unparalleled combination of an extraordinary and meticulously preserved collection and an unforgettable, thoughtfully curated visitor experience that transcends mere viewing, inviting deep engagement and reflection, and WHEREAS, the Florida Museum of History is intended to be more than a museum about slavery and the Civil Rights Movement in America, and WHEREAS, the Florida Museum of History is envisioned as a unifying, cultural, and educational institution of statewide significance, with the capacity to advance understanding, unity, and economic opportunity for residents and visitors alike, and WHEREAS, establishing and sustaining the Florida Museum of History will require a shared commitment from state, local, and private partners, and WHEREAS, at least 50 percent of total project funding should come from local and regional public, philanthropic, and private sources to ensure community ownership and fiscal balance, and WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that this partnership structure, balancing state investment with strong local commitment, is essential to ensure that the museum’s establishment is both equitable and fiscally responsible, and WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Legislature that the Florida Museum of History operate as a statewide institution with collaborative governance that reflects Florida’s geographic and cultural diversity and fosters partnerships among local governments, educational institutions, and cultural organizations throughout this state, and WHEREAS, the Legislature reaffirms its commitment to supporting a museum that honors the history and achievements of Black Floridians, advances public understanding, stimulates tourism and economic opportunity, and stands as a lasting symbol of unity and progress for future generations, NOW, THEREFORE,

AI Summary

Tracie Davis (D)*, 

Introduced (on 01/22/2026)

Official Document