Senate Bill sb1886

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    Florida Senate - 2001                                  SB 1886

    By Senator Sanderson





    31-1146A-01

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to governmental reorganization;

  3         amending s. 20.04, F.S.; providing an exception

  4         to departmental structure requirements;

  5         creating s. 20.121, F.S.; creating the

  6         Department of State Finance; providing duties

  7         of the Chief Financial Officer as head of the

  8         department; creating s. 20.131, F.S.; creating

  9         the Department of Insurance and Financial

10         Services; providing for an executive director;

11         providing for departmental structure; creating

12         the offices of Commissioner of Insurance,

13         Commissioner of Financial Institutions, and

14         Commissioner of Securities; providing for

15         appointment and specifying qualifications for

16         each commissioner; providing jurisdiction of

17         the commissioners' offices; providing for

18         exercise of executive authority; prescribing

19         rulemaking authority; transferring certain

20         powers, duties, functions, and assets of the

21         Comptroller, Treasurer, Department of Banking

22         and Finance, and Department of Insurance to the

23         Office of Chief Financial Officer; transferring

24         certain powers, duties, functions, and assets

25         of the Department of Banking and Finance and

26         Department of Insurance to the Department of

27         Insurance and Financial Services; specifying

28         those rules of the Department of Banking and

29         Finance and the Department of Insurance that

30         become rules of the Department of Insurance and

31         Financial Services and those that become rules

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    Florida Senate - 2001                                  SB 1886
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  1         of the Office of Chief Financial Officer;

  2         providing for preservation of validity of

  3         judicial and administrative actions; providing

  4         for substitution of parties; creating the

  5         Office of Transition Management; specifying its

  6         powers and duties; providing for

  7         appropriations; requiring reports to the

  8         Governor and Legislature; providing for

  9         conforming legislation; repealing ss. 20.12,

10         20.13, F.S., relating to the Department of

11         Banking and Finance and the Department of

12         Insurance; providing effective dates.

13

14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

15

16         Section 1.  Effective January 7, 2003, subsection (3)

17  of section 20.04, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

18         20.04  Structure of executive branch.--The executive

19  branch of state government is structured as follows:

20         (3)  For their internal structure, all departments,

21  except for the Department of Insurance and Financial Services

22  Banking and Finance, the Department of State Finance, the

23  Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of

24  Corrections, the Department of Management Services, the

25  Department of Revenue, and the Department of Transportation,

26  must adhere to the following standard terms:

27         (a)  The principal unit of the department is the

28  "division." Each division is headed by a "director."

29         (b)  The principal unit of the division is the

30  "bureau." Each bureau is headed by a "chief."

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    Florida Senate - 2001                                  SB 1886
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  1         (c)  The principal unit of the bureau is the "section."

  2  Each section is headed by an "administrator."

  3         (d)  If further subdivision is necessary, sections may

  4  be divided into "subsections," which are headed by

  5  "supervisors."

  6         Section 2.  Sections 20.121 and 20.131, Florida

  7  Statutes, are created to read:

  8         20.121  Department of State Finance.--Effective January

  9  7, 2003, there is created the Department of State Finance. The

10  head of the department is the Chief Financial Officer.

11  Pursuant to s. 4, Art. IV of the State Constitution, the

12  duties of the Chief Financial Officer are to serve as the

13  chief fiscal officer of the state, to settle and approve

14  accounts against the state, and to keep all state funds and

15  securities. The Chief Financial Officer is also the

16  administrator of the Government Employees Deferred

17  Compensation Plan and is responsible for carrying out laws

18  relating to unclaimed property and security for public

19  deposits.

20         20.131  Department of Insurance and Financial

21  Services.--Effective January 7, 2003, there is created the

22  Department of Insurance and Financial Services. The head of

23  the Department of Insurance and Financial Services is the

24  Governor and Cabinet.

25         (1)  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.--The Executive Director of the

26  Department of Insurance and Financial Services is the chief

27  administrator of the department and shall be appointed by the

28  Governor and Cabinet, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

29  The executive director serves at the pleasure of the Governor

30  and Cabinet. The functions of the executive director are

31  limited to personnel, administrative, and budgetary matters,

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  1  including administrative coordination of issues that affect

  2  areas under the offices of more than one commissioner and

  3  coordination of legislative activities.

  4         (2)  DEPARTMENTAL STRUCTURE.--The Governor and Cabinet,

  5  as department head, shall adopt rules establishing the

  6  organizational structure of the department. It is the intent

  7  of the Legislature to provide the Governor and Cabinet with

  8  the flexibility to organize the department in any manner they

  9  determine appropriate to promote both efficiency and

10  accountability, subject to the following requirements:

11         (a)  The major structural unit of the department is the

12  "office." Each office is headed by a "commissioner." The

13  offices are established as follows:

14         1.  Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.--The

15  Office of the Commissioner of Insurance is responsible for all

16  activities relating to the regulation of insurance and

17  insurance fraud.  The head of the office is the Commissioner

18  of Insurance, who is also the State Fire Marshal.

19         2.  Office of the Commissioner of Financial

20  Institutions.--The Office of the Commissioner of Financial

21  Institutions is responsible for all activities relating to the

22  regulation of banks, credit unions, other financial

23  institutions, and finance companies. The head of the office is

24  the Commissioner of Financial Institutions. The office

25  includes a Division of Financial Investigations, which is

26  headed by a director who is appointed by and serves at the

27  pleasure of the commissioner.

28         3.  Office of the Commissioner of Securities.--The

29  Office of the Commissioner of Securities is responsible for

30  all activities relating to the regulation of securities.  The

31  head of the office is the Commissioner of Securities.

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  1         (b)1.  For purposes of chapter 120, each commissioner

  2  is the agency head for all units within that commissioner's

  3  jurisdiction, as provided in paragraph (a) and rules adopted

  4  pursuant to this subsection, except as provided in

  5  subparagraph 2. Each commissioner shall be responsible for,

  6  and take final agency action related to, the implementation

  7  and enforcement of all statutes and the adoption,

  8  implementation, and enforcement of all rules within the

  9  regulatory authority delegated to that commissioner's office.

10         2.  The department may initiate rulemaking by

11  publishing a notice of intended action. However, before a

12  notice of intended action is published, the department must

13  submit the proposed notice, including the proposed rule text,

14  to the Governor and each member of the Cabinet. Upon the

15  written request of the Governor or any member of the Cabinet,

16  the department shall submit the proposed rules for action by

17  the Governor and Cabinet at the next appropriate Cabinet

18  meeting. If, after being given 10 working days to review the

19  department's proposed notice of intended action and rule text,

20  neither the Governor nor any Cabinet member notifies the

21  department of his or her objection to such publication, the

22  department may proceed to initiate rulemaking under s.

23  120.54(3)(a)1. The power to determine whether proposed rules

24  should be approved for final adoption is reserved to the

25  Governor and Cabinet acting as head of the department.

26         (3)  APPOINTMENT AND QUALIFICATIONS OF

27  COMMISSIONERS.--Each commissioner shall be appointed by, and

28  shall serve at the pleasure of, the executive director.

29  Appointment of a commissioner is subject to the approval of

30  the Governor and Cabinet. The minimum qualifications of the

31  commissioners are as follows:

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  1         (a)  Prior to appointment as commissioner, the

  2  Commissioner of Insurance must have had, within the previous

  3  10 years, at least 5 years of experience as a senior officer

  4  of an insurer as defined in s. 624.03, as a senior officer of

  5  an insurance agency as defined in s. 626.094, or as a senior

  6  examiner or other senior employee of a state or federal agency

  7  having regulatory responsibility over insurers or insurance

  8  agencies.

  9         (b)  Prior to appointment as commissioner, the

10  Commissioner of Financial Institutions must have had, within

11  the previous 10 years, at least 5 years of experience as an

12  executive officer or director of a financial institution as

13  defined in s. 655.005(1) or of a finance company or as a

14  senior examiner or other senior employee of a state or federal

15  agency having regulatory responsibility over financial

16  institutions or finance companies.

17         (c)  Prior to appointment as commissioner, the

18  Commissioner of Securities must have had, within the previous

19  10 years, at least 5 years of experience as a senior officer

20  of a securities company or as a senior examiner or other

21  senior employee of a state or federal agency having regulatory

22  responsibility over securities.

23         Section 3.  Transfers.--

24         (1)  TRANSFERS TO THE OFFICE OF CHIEF FINANCIAL

25  OFFICER.--

26         (a)  All powers, duties, functions, rules, records,

27  personnel, property, and unexpended balances of

28  appropriations, allocations, and other funds of the Office of

29  the Comptroller;

30         (b)  All powers, duties, functions, rules, records,

31  personnel, property, and unexpended balances of

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  1  appropriations, allocations, and other funds of the Department

  2  of Banking and Finance that relate to the constitutional

  3  functions of the Comptroller or to duties relating to

  4  unclaimed property;

  5         (c)  All powers, duties, functions, rules, records,

  6  personnel, property, and unexpended balances of

  7  appropriations, allocations, and other funds of the Office of

  8  the Treasurer, including the Government Employees Deferred

  9  Compensation Plan and duties relating to security for public

10  deposits; and

11         (d)  All powers, duties, functions, rules, records,

12  personnel, property, and unexpended balances of

13  appropriations, allocations, and other funds of the Department

14  of Insurance that relate to the constitutional functions of

15  the Treasurer

16

17  are transferred by a type two transfer, as defined in section

18  20.06(2), Florida Statutes, to the Office of Chief Financial

19  Officer.

20         (2) TRANSFERS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE AND

21  FINANCIAL SERVICES.--

22         (a)  All powers, duties, functions, rules, records,

23  personnel, property, and unexpended balances of

24  appropriations, allocations, and other funds of the Department

25  of Banking and Finance not otherwise transferred by this act;

26  and

27         (b)  All powers, duties, functions, rules, records,

28  personnel, property, and unexpended balances of

29  appropriations, allocations, and other funds of the Department

30  of Insurance not otherwise transferred by this act

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  1  are transferred by a type two transfer, as defined in section

  2  20.06(2), Florida Statutes, to the Department of Insurance and

  3  Financial Services.

  4         (3)  EFFECTIVE DATE.--This section shall take effect

  5  January 7, 2003.

  6         Section 4.  Effective January 7, 2003, the

  7  administrative rules of the Department of Banking and Finance

  8  and of the Department of Insurance that were in effect

  9  immediately prior to January 7, 2003, shall become rules of

10  the Department of Insurance and Financial Services and shall

11  remain in effect until specifically changed in the manner

12  provided by law. However, any such rules that relate to the

13  constitutional functions of the Comptroller or the Treasurer

14  shall instead become rules of the Office of Chief Financial

15  Officer and shall remain in effect until amended or repealed

16  in the manner provided by law.

17         Section 5.  This act shall not affect the validity of

18  any judicial or administrative action involving the Department

19  of Banking and Finance or the Department of Insurance pending

20  on January 7, 2003, and the Department of Insurance and

21  Financial Services shall be substituted as a party in interest

22  in any such action. However, if the action involves the

23  constitutional functions of the Comptroller or Treasurer, the

24  Office of Chief Financial Officer shall instead be substituted

25  as a party in interest.

26         Section 6.  Transitional provisions.--

27         (1)  The office of Executive Director of the Department

28  of Insurance and Financial Services is created effective

29  August 1, 2001.  The Governor and Cabinet shall, no later than

30  August 1, 2001, appoint a person pursuant to section

31  20.131(1), Florida Statutes, to serve as the Executive

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  1  Director of the department. Until the creation of the

  2  department takes effect on January 7, 2003, the Executive

  3  Director shall serve as the head of the Office of Transition

  4  Management under subsection (2).

  5         (2)(a)  There is created the Office of Transition

  6  Management. The office shall function independently, but shall

  7  for administrative purposes be treated as an office of the

  8  Executive Office of the Governor.

  9         (b)  The head of the office is the Executive Director

10  appointed pursuant to subsection (1).

11         (c)  The office shall manage the transition to the new

12  Department of Insurance and Financial Services and the new

13  Office of Chief Financial Officer. The management duties of

14  the office include, but are not limited to:

15         1.  Assuring that the offices of Commissioner of

16  Insurance, Commissioner of Financial Institutions,

17  Commissioner of Securities, and all senior management

18  positions are occupied by qualified persons no later than

19  January 7, 2003.

20         2.  Providing recommendations to the Legislature no

21  later than January 1, 2002, as to statutory changes that are

22  necessary or desirable to implement a successful transition.

23         3.  Providing a report that specifies,

24  position-by-position, those positions that are subject to

25  transfer to the Office of Chief Financial Officer under this

26  act.  Except as revised by the General Appropriations Act or

27  other legislation, the report under this subparagraph shall be

28  used to determine which employees of the Department of Banking

29  and Finance or the Department of Insurance will become

30  employees of the Office of Chief Financial Officer on January

31  7, 2003. The office shall provide the report to the Governor,

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  1  the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of

  2  Representatives, and the chair of each fiscal committee or

  3  council of the Senate or the House of Representatives.

  4         4.  Taking action in advance on personnel, purchasing,

  5  and administrative matters.

  6         5.  Submitting to the Governor and Cabinet a proposed

  7  organizational plan for the Department of Insurance and

  8  Financial Services and revisions thereto, which plans and

  9  revisions the Governor and Cabinet may adopt by rule.

10         6.  Providing status reports and other information as

11  requested by members or staff of the Legislature.

12         (d)  The Department of Banking and Finance, the

13  Department of Insurance, the Office of the Comptroller, and

14  the Office of the Treasurer shall fully cooperate with the

15  Office of Transition Management and shall promptly provide the

16  office with any requested information.

17         (e)1.  Funding for the Office of Transition Management

18  shall be as provided in the General Appropriations Act.

19         2.  As provided in section 216.351, Florida Statutes,

20  notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the

21  Legislature may appropriate moneys from the Financial

22  Institutions Trust Fund of the Department of Banking and

23  Finance and the Insurance Commissioner's Regulatory Trust Fund

24  of the Department of Insurance to fund the activities of the

25  Office of Transition Management.

26         Section 7.  No later than January 31, 2002, the

27  Division of Statutory Revision of the Office of Legislative

28  Services, in consultation with the appropriate substantive

29  committee staffs of the Senate and the House of

30  Representatives, shall submit to the President of the Senate

31  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives proposed

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  1  substantive legislation to conform the Florida Statutes to the

  2  provisions of this act. The proposed legislation shall include

  3  provisions:

  4         (1)  Changing the term "Comptroller" or "Treasurer" to

  5  "Chief Financial Officer" with respect to functions of the

  6  Chief Financial Officer.

  7         (2)  Changing references to the Department of Banking

  8  and Finance or the Department of Insurance to the Department

  9  of Insurance and Financial Services, except with respect to

10  functions of the Chief Financial Officer.

11         (3)  Otherwise conforming the Florida Statutes to the

12  abolition of the offices of Comptroller and Treasurer, the

13  creation of the Office of Chief Financial Officer, the

14  abolition of the Department of Banking and Finance and the

15  Department of Insurance, the creation of the Department of

16  Insurance and Financial Services, and the creation of the

17  offices of Commissioner of Insurance, Commissioner of

18  Financial Institutions, and Commissioner of Securities within

19  the Department of Insurance and Financial Services.

20         Section 8.  Effective January 7, 2003, sections 20.12

21  and 20.13, Florida Statutes, are repealed.

22         Section 9.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in

23  this act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

24

25            *****************************************

26                          SENATE SUMMARY

27    Pursuant to constitutional mandate, creates the Office of
      Chief Financial Officer and the Department of Insurance
28    and Financial Services; abolishes the Department of
      Banking and Finance and the Department of Insurance; and
29    provides for the assumption of the powers, duties,
      functions, and assets of the latter by the former. (See
30    bill for details.)

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