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



                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

    hbd-22                                     Bill No. CS/HB 1111

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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  5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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10  ______________________________________________________________

11  Representative(s) Roberts offered the following:

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13         Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 9, between lines 28 & 29 of the bill

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16  insert:

17         Section 6.  Section 16.57, Florida Statutes, is amended

18  to read:

19         16.57  Office of Civil Rights.--There is created in the

20  Department of Legal Affairs an Office of Civil Rights.  The

21  office may investigate and initiate actions authorized by s.

22  760.51.  In investigating violations of constitutional rights

23  under s. 760.51, the Attorney General may administer oaths and

24  affirmations, subpoena witnesses or matter, and collect

25  evidence.

26         Section 7.  Subsections (9) and (10) are added to

27  section 760.34, Florida Statutes, to read:

28         760.34  Enforcement.--

29         (9)  Upon timely application, the Attorney General may

30  intervene in a civil enforcement action by a private person,

31  the commission, or any local agency certified as substantially

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    hbd0007                     11:31 am         01111-0108-414911




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

    hbd-22                                     Bill No. CS/HB 1111

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  equivalent, if the Attorney General certifies that the case is

  2  of general public importance. Upon such intervention, the

  3  Attorney General may obtain such relief as would be available

  4  to the Attorney General under subsection (10) in a civil

  5  action to which that section applies.

  6         (10)  Whenever the Attorney General has reasonable

  7  cause to believe that any person or group of persons is

  8  engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full

  9  enjoyment of any of the rights secured by the State

10  Constitution or the laws of this state, that any person or

11  group of persons has been denied any of the rights secured by

12  the State Constitution or the laws of this state, or that any

13  person or group of persons has otherwise attempted to

14  interfere with those rights, and such denial or attempted

15  interference raises an issue of general public importance, the

16  Attorney General may investigate such violations of rights by

17  administering oaths and affirmations, subpoenaing witnesses or

18  matter, and collecting evidence and may commence a civil

19  action in any appropriate state or federal court. In a civil

20  action brought by the Attorney General, the court may award

21  damages or injunctive or other appropriate relief for

22  violations of the rights secured and a civil penalty of not

23  more than $10,000 for each violation. The Attorney General is

24  entitled to an award of reasonable attorney's fees and costs

25  if the Department of Legal Affairs prevails in an action

26  brought under this section.

27         Section 8.  Subsection (1) of section 760.51, Florida

28  Statutes, is amended to read:

29         760.51  Violations of constitutional rights, civil

30  action by the Attorney General; civil penalty.--

31         (1)  Whenever any person, whether or not acting under

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    hbd0007                     11:31 am         01111-0108-414911




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

    hbd-22                                     Bill No. CS/HB 1111

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  color of law, coerces, intimidates, threatens, or interferes

  2  in any manner with or attempts to coerce, intimidate,

  3  threaten, or interfere in any manner interferes by threats,

  4  intimidation, or coercion, or attempts to interfere by

  5  threats, intimidation, or coercion, with the exercise or

  6  enjoyment by any other person of rights secured by the State

  7  Constitution or laws of this state, the Attorney General may

  8  bring a civil or administrative action for damages, and for

  9  injunctive or other appropriate relief for violations of the

10  rights secured.  Any damages recovered under this section

11  shall accrue to the injured person.  The civil action shall be

12  brought in the name of the state and may be brought on behalf

13  of the injured person. The Attorney General is entitled to an

14  award of reasonable attorney's fees and costs if the

15  Department of Legal Affairs prevails in an action brought

16  under this section.

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

20  And the title is amended as follows:

21         On page 1, line 28

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23  after the semicolon insert:

24         amending s. 16.57, F.S.; revising provisions

25         relating to investigations of violations of s.

26         760.51, F.S., by the Office of Civil Rights;

27         amending s. 760.34, F.S.; authorizing

28         intervention by the Attorney General in civil

29         enforcement actions under certain

30         circumstances; authorizing the Attorney General

31         to investigate violations of rights and to

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

    hbd-22                                     Bill No. CS/HB 1111

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1         commence a civil action under certain

  2         circumstances; providing for the award of

  3         damages or relief; providing a civil penalty;

  4         providing for attorney's fees and costs;

  5         amending s. 760.51, F.S.; revising language

  6         relating to violations of constitutional

  7         rights;

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    File original & 9 copies    05/04/00
    hbd0007                     11:31 am         01111-0108-414911