Paperwork reduction; activities of departments.

(1) In order to reduce the amount of paperwork associated with the collection of information from individuals, private sector organizations, and local governments and to provide more efficient and effective assistance to such individuals and organizations in completing necessary paperwork required by the government, each department head shall, to the extent feasible:

(a) Integrate information systems between programs and departments to reduce the paperwork burden on such individuals, private sector organizations, and local governments.

(b) Implement a department-wide paperwork review process designed to achieve the following outcomes:

1. Streamline information-collection processes that balance the cost and efficiency desired by the department with the cost and convenience to the reporting entities.

2. Ensure the reporting entities’ participation in the identification of data elements, the estimation of the paperwork burden on them, and the design of information-collection instruments and processes.

3. Collect information necessary for the performance of agency functions without duplicating other information accessible to the agency.

(c) Coordinate information gathering through such techniques as one-stop permitting, licensing, and public services.

(d) Design information collection forms and similar instruments to make them easy to understand and “user-friendly” to the individuals, private sector organizations, and local governments that are required to complete and return them. Departmental telephone numbers or electronic mail addresses for the public to obtain assistance in completing the forms must be provided on each form.

(e) Evaluate existing and prospective statutes and rules for the paperwork burden they generate and seek modification of the statutes and rules to reduce the paperwork burden being placed on individuals, private sector organizations, and local government.

(f) Collaborate with the Division of Library and Information Services, pursuant to s. 119.021(2), to identify and index records retention requirements placed on private sector organizations and local governments in Florida, clarify and reduce the requirements, and educate the affected entities through various communications media, including voice, data, video, radio, and image.

(2) Departments shall make available, upon request, a list of the initiatives taken to reduce paperwork associated with collecting information from individuals, private sector organizations, and local governments.