CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.





                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 524

    Amendment No.    

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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10                                                                

11  Senator Williams moved the following amendment:

12

13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 15, line 14, delete that line

15

16  and insert:

17         Section 9.  (1)  There shall be created within the

18  Office of the Attorney General the Death Penalty Appeals Task

19  Force. The Task Force shall be composed of:

20         (a)  Two persons appointed by the Chief Justice of the

21  Supreme Court;

22         (b)  Two persons appointed by the Speaker of the House

23  of Representatives;

24         (c)  Two persons appointed by the President of the

25  Senate;

26         (d)  Two persons appointed by the Governor;

27         (e)  The Attorney General or his or her designee;

28         (f)  Two persons appointed by the Florida Public

29  Defenders Association; and

30         (g)  Two persons appointed by the Florida Prosecuting

31  Attorneys Association.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 524

    Amendment No.    





 1         (2)  The task force members shall serve from

 2  appointment until the adjournment sine die of the regular

 3  legislative session held in 1999.

 4         (3)  The task force shall elect one of its members as

 5  chairperson.

 6         (4)  The members of the task force shall serve without

 7  compensation, but shall be reimbursed for per diem and travel

 8  expenses as provided in section 112.061, Florida Statutes.

 9         (5)  The task force shall examine and recommend methods

10  to avoid multiple appeals and to avoid unjustifiable delays in

11  death penalty cases.

12         (6)  The actions, investigations, and proceedings of

13  the task force are exempt from the provisions of chapter 120,

14  Florida Statutes.

15         (7)  The task force may procure information and

16  assistance from any officer or agency of the state or any

17  subdivision thereof, including all courts of this state. A

18  document or other information that is exempt from public

19  inspection under chapter 119, Florida Statutes, does not

20  become a public record when it is provided by any officer or

21  agency to the task force for review or consideration, and the

22  task force shall maintain the confidentiality of such document

23  or information.

24         (8)  The task force may appoint on executive director,

25  who shall serve at the pleasure of the task force, and may

26  hire additional staff as necessary.

27         (9)  The task force shall submit a report with

28  recommended changes, if any, by December 1, 1998, to the

29  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

30  House of Representatives and to the leader of the party in

31  each chamber which is not the party of the presiding officer.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 524

    Amendment No.    





 1         Section 10.  Except for this section and section 9,

 2  which shall take effect upon becoming a law, this act shall

 3  take effect October 1, 1998.

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 5

 6  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

 7  And the title is amended as follows:

 8         On page 1, line 24, delete that line

 9

10  and insert:

11         creating a task force to review the death

12         penalty appeal process; providing for the

13         composition of the task force; providing for

14         the term of the task force; providing for

15         organization and composition; providing for

16         powers and duties; requiring the task force to

17         maintain the confidentiality of certain

18         documents and other information; providing

19         effective dates.

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21         WHEREAS, because the effectiveness of the death penalty

22  as a deterrent to violent crime is related to its swift and

23  fair application to criminals sentenced to die, it is

24  important to review the current laws and procedures applicable

25  to death penalty appeals to assure that the process best

26  serves society's interests within the boundaries established

27  by the State Constitution and the Constitution of the United

28  States, NOW, THEREFORE,

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