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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO CREATE HAITIAN CREOLE-LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING FOR MIAMI-DADE TV ON A WEEKLY BASIS THAT PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF COUNTY NEWS AND INFORMATION; DIRECTING COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO ENSURE, DURING ANY LOCALLY DECLARED STATES OF EMERGENCY, THAT THIS WEEKLY PROGRAMMING INCLUDE CURRENT INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATE OR EMERGENCY AND BE BROADCAST AT CERTAIN PRIMETIME HOURS; DIRECTING COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO, IF NECESSARY, IDENTIFY AND INCLUDE ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAMMING IN PROPOSED COUNTY BUDGETS OR BUDGET AMENDMENTS

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WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County is home to a multi-ethnic community, and 70 percent of County residents speak a primary language other than English; and
WHEREAS, the Haitian Creole, English, and Spanish languages are deeply rooted in the historical and current culture of the County; and
WHEREAS, this Board recognizes that providing important news and information to all members of our multi-ethnic community is an important and essential responsibility; and
WHEREAS, for example, this Board recently established a policy that the County shall have Haitian Creole, Spanish, and sign language interpreters at countywide emergency announcements and emergency press conferences for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and future emergency situations; and
WHEREAS, in addition, the Miami-Dade Elections Department provides all ballots and election-related materials in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools recently published its guide for reopening schools in all three languages as well to ensure that all County residents, regardless of their primary language, have the ability to receive the same essential information; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade TV is a Public, Education and Government channel created to inform and educate residents and visitors about County government services, events and programs, as well as public safety, arts and culture, public transportation and the environment; and
WHEREAS, this Board believes that all members of the County�s multi-ethnic community should be provided with the valuable and vital County news and information that is broadcast on Miami-Dade TV; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade TV can also be used as an effective way to disseminate vital information during a locally declared state of emergency in an easily accessible and understandable format to County residents who speak a primary language other than English,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. This Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to use legally available funding to create Haitian Creole-language programming for Miami-Dade TV on a weekly basis that provides a summary of County news and information. To the maximum extent possible, this weekly programming shall be no less than two hours and broadcast no fewer than five time per week. If the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee is unable to create and broadcast this weekly programming using current funding, the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee is directed to identify and include adequate funding for this programming as part of the first mid-year budget amendment, end-of-year budget amendment, or proposed county budget that is presented to this Board after the effective date of this resolution. The County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee is further directed to include adequate funding for this programming as part of any proposed county budgets in the future.
Section 2. During any locally declared states of emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or an approaching hurricane, this Board further directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to use legally available funding to ensure that the weekly Haitian Creole-language programming described in Section 1 includes current information about the state of emergency. To the maximum extent possible, such programming shall be broadcast no fewer than two times per week during the hours of 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM. If necessary, the County Mayor or Mayor�s designee is also directed to identify and include adequate funding for this programming as part of the first mid-year budget amendment, end-of-year budget amendment, or proposed county budget that is presented to this Board after the effective date of this resolution. The County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee is further directed to include adequate funding for this programming as part of any proposed county budgets in the future.