Florida Senate - 2018                                    SB 1412
       
       
        
       By Senator Simmons
       
       
       
       
       
       9-01212-18                                            20181412__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Office of the Judges of
    3         Compensation Claims; amending s. 440.45, F.S.;
    4         revising the duration of the initial term of a judge
    5         of compensation claims; specifying the duration of
    6         each subsequent term of appointment; specifying the
    7         salaries of full-time judges of compensation claims
    8         and the Deputy Chief Judge; requiring salaries to be
    9         paid out of the Workers’ Compensation Administration
   10         Trust Fund; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section
   15  440.45, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (f) is added
   16  to that subsection, to read:
   17         440.45 Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims.—
   18         (2)
   19         (c) Each judge of compensation claims shall be appointed
   20  for a term of 6 4 years, with each subsequent term of
   21  appointment being for a term of 4 years. A judge of compensation
   22  claims, but during the term of office, may be removed by the
   23  Governor for cause. Before Prior to the expiration of a judge’s
   24  term of office, the statewide nominating commission shall review
   25  the judge’s conduct and determine whether the judge’s
   26  performance is satisfactory. Effective July 1, 2002, in
   27  determining whether a judge’s performance is satisfactory, the
   28  commission shall consider the extent to which the judge has met
   29  the requirements of this chapter, including, but not limited to,
   30  the requirements of ss. 440.25(1) and (4)(a)-(e), 440.34(2), and
   31  440.442. If the judge’s performance is deemed satisfactory, the
   32  commission shall report its finding to the Governor no later
   33  than 6 months before prior to the expiration of the judge’s term
   34  of office. The Governor shall review the commission’s report and
   35  may reappoint the judge for an additional 4-year term. If the
   36  Governor does not reappoint the judge, the Governor shall inform
   37  the commission. The judge shall remain in office until the
   38  Governor has appointed a successor judge in accordance with
   39  paragraphs (a) and (b). If a vacancy occurs during a judge’s
   40  unexpired term, the statewide nominating commission does not
   41  find the judge’s performance is satisfactory, or the Governor
   42  does not reappoint the judge, the Governor shall appoint a
   43  successor judge for a term of 4 years in accordance with
   44  paragraph (b).
   45         (f) All full-time judges of compensation claims shall
   46  receive a salary equal to that of a county court judge. The
   47  Deputy Chief Judge shall receive a salary of $1,000 more per
   48  year than the salary paid to a full-time judge of compensation
   49  claims. The salaries for the judges of compensation claims must
   50  be paid out of the Workers’ Compensation Administration Trust
   51  Fund established under s. 440.50.
   52         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.