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





                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 2448

    Amendment No. 3

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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11  The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Productivity

12  recommended the following amendment:

13

14         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 

15         On page 17, between lines 9 and 10,

16

17  insert:

18         Section 19.  Subsection (2) of section 455.209, Florida

19  Statutes, is amended to read:

20         455.209  Accountability and liability of board

21  members.--

22         (2)  Each board member and each former board member

23  serving on a probable cause panel shall be exempt from civil

24  liability for any act or omission when acting in the member's

25  official capacity, and the board, through its legal counsel

26  department, or the Department of Legal Affairs shall defend

27  any such member in any action against any board  or member of

28  a board arising from any such act or omission. In addition,

29  board, through its legal counsel department or the Department

30  of Legal Affairs may defend the member's company or business

31  in any action against the company or business if the board

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 2448

    Amendment No. 3





 1  department or the Department of Legal Affairs determines that

 2  the actions from which the suit arises are actions taken by

 3  the member in the member's official capacity and were not

 4  beyond the member's statutory authority. In providing such

 5  defense, the board department or the Department of Legal

 6  Affairs may employ or utilize additional the legal services

 7  pursuant to s. 287.059 of outside counsel. Fees and costs of

 8  such counsel by the Department of Legal Affairs or independent

 9  legal counsel approved pursuant to s. 287.059, F.S., shall be

10  paid from the Professional Regulation Trust Fund, subject to

11  the provisions of ss. 455.219 and 215.37, F.S.

12         Section 20.  Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1)

13  of section 455.221, Florida Statutes, are created to read:

14         455.221  Legal and investigative services.--

15         (1)  A board shall retain, through the department's

16  contract procedures, board counsel from the Department of

17  Legal Affairs. The Department of Legal Affairs shall provide

18  legal services to each board within the Department of Business

19  and Professional Regulation, but the primary responsibility of

20  the Department of Legal Affairs shall be to represent the

21  interests of the citizens of the state by vigorously

22  counseling the boards with respect to their obligations under

23  the laws of the state. A board shall provide for the periodic

24  review and evaluation of the services provided by its board

25  counsel. Subject to the prior approval of the Attorney

26  General, any board may retain, through the department's

27  contract procedures, independent legal counsel to provide

28  legal advice to the board on a specific matter. Fees and costs

29  of such counsel by the Department of Legal Affairs or

30  independent legal counsel approved by the Attorney General

31  shall be paid from the Professional Regulation Trust Fund. All

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 2448

    Amendment No. 3





 1  contracts for independent counsel shall provide for periodic

 2  review and evaluation by the board and the department of

 3  services provided.

 4         (a)  If the Attorney General agrees to represent a

 5  board, that board shall retain board counsel from the

 6  Department of Legal Affairs. In the event the Attorney General

 7  declines to provide legal representation to that board either

 8  generally or as to a specific matter, then, subject to the

 9  provisions of s. 287.059, F.S., the board may retain

10  independent legal counsel to provide legal representation to

11  the board generally or as to the specific matter, as

12  authorized. When the Department of Legal Affairs or

13  independent legal counsel contracts to provide legal services

14  to the boards as set forth herein, the primary responsibility

15  of counsel shall be to represent the interests of the citizens

16  of the state. A board shall provide for the periodic review

17  and evaluation of the services provided by its board counsel.

18         (b)  Fees and costs of such counsel by the Department

19  of Legal Affairs or independent legal counsel approved

20  pursuant to s. 287.059, F.S., shall be paid from the

21  Professional Regulation Trust Fund, subject to the provisions

22  of ss. 455.219 and 215.37, F.S.

23         Section 21.  Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1)

24  of section 455.594, Florida Statutes, are created to read:

25         455.594  Legal and investigative services.--

26         (1)  A board shall retain, through the department's

27  contract procedures, board counsel from the Department of

28  Legal Affairs. The Department of Legal Affairs shall provide

29  legal services to each board within the Department of Health,

30  but the primary responsibility of the Department of Legal

31  Affairs shall be to represent the interests of the citizens of

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 2448

    Amendment No. 3





 1  the state by vigorously counseling the boards with respect to

 2  their obligations under the laws of the state. A board shall

 3  provide for the periodic review and evaluation of the services

 4  provided by its board counsel. Subject to the prior approval

 5  of the Attorney General, any board may retain, through the

 6  department's contract procedures, independent legal counsel to

 7  provide legal advice to the board on a specific matter. Fees

 8  and costs of such counsel by the Department of Legal Affairs

 9  or independent legal counsel approved by the Attorney General

10  shall be paid from a trust fund used by the department to

11  implement this part. All contracts for independent counsel

12  shall provide for periodic review and evaluation by the board

13  and the department of services provided.

14         (a)  If the Attorney General agrees to represent a

15  board, that board shall retain board counsel from the

16  Department of Legal Affairs. In the event the Attorney General

17  declines to provide legal representation to the board either

18  generally or as to a specific matter, then, subject to the

19  provisions of s. 287.059, F.S., the board may retain

20  independent legal counsel to provide legal representation to

21  the board generally or as to the specific matter, as

22  authorized. When the Department of Legal Affairs or

23  independent legal counsel contracts to provide legal services

24  to the boards as set forth herein, the primary responsibility

25  of counsel shall be to represent the interests of the citizens

26  of the state. A board shall provide for the periodic review

27  and evaluation of the services provided by its board counsel.

28         (b)  Fees and costs of such counsel by the Department

29  of Legal Affairs or independent legal counsel approved

30  pursuant to s. 287.059, F.S., shall be paid from a trust fund

31  used by the Department to implement this part.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 2448

    Amendment No. 3





 1         Section 22.  Subsection (2) of section 455.541, Florida

 2  Statutes, is amended to read:

 3         455.541  Accountability and liability of board

 4  members.--

 5         (2)  Each board member and each former board member

 6  serving on a probable cause panel shall be exempt from civil

 7  liability for any act or omission when acting in the member's

 8  official capacity, and the board, through its legal counsel

 9  department or the Department of Legal Affairs shall defend any

10  such member in any action against any board or member of a

11  board arising from any such act or omission. In addition, the

12  board, through its legal counsel department or the Department

13  of Legal Affairs may defend the member's company or business

14  in any action against the company or business if the board

15  department or the Department of Legal Affairs determines that

16  the actions from which the suit arises are actions taken by

17  the member in the member's official capacity and were not

18  beyond the member's statutory authority. In providing such

19  defense, the board department or the Department of Legal

20  Affairs may employ or utilize additional the legal services

21  pursuant to s. 287.059 of outside counsel. Fees and costs of

22  such counsel by the Department of Legal Affairs or independent

23  legal counsel approved pursuant to s. 287.059, F.S., shall be

24  paid from a trust fund used by the Department to implement

25  this part.

26

27  (Redesignate subsequent sections.)

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29

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

31  And the title is amended as follows:

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 2448

    Amendment No. 3





 1         On page 3, line 10, after the semicolon

 2

 3  insert:

 4         amending s. 455,209, F.S., eliminating a

 5         requirement for a board to contract for legal

 6         services with the Department of Legal Affairs;

 7         amending s. 455.221, F.S.; providing that if

 8         the Department of Legal Affairs does not

 9         provide counsel to a board that a board may

10         retain independent legal counsel; amending s.

11         455.594, F.S., providing that if the Department

12         of Legal Affairs does not provide counsel to a

13         board that the board may retain independent

14         legal counsel; amending s. 455.541, F.S.,

15         eliminating a requirement for a board to

16         contract for legal services with the Department

17         of Legal Affairs;

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