Senate Bill sb2108
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Florida Senate - 2004 (Corrected Copy) SB 2108
By Senator Wilson
33-986A-04
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to minority disparities;
3 creating the Florida Commission to Eliminate
4 Minority Disparities; providing legislative
5 intent; providing for membership, meetings, and
6 duties of the commission; requiring the
7 creation of standing committees; providing
8 duties of the committees; requiring an annual
9 report to the Governor and legislative leaders;
10 providing an effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Florida Commission to Eliminate Minority
15 Disparities; intent, creation, membership, standing
16 committees, duties.--
17 (1) The State of Florida is comprised of a diverse
18 population of many different races, cultures, and ethnic
19 backgrounds. The Legislature is aware of the disparities that
20 are endured by some sectors of the state's population relating
21 to the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems, health
22 care, economic development, housing, and the education system.
23 It is the intent of the Legislature to minimize these
24 disparities.
25 (2) In order to facilitate the legislative intent
26 expressed in subsection (1), there is established the Florida
27 Commission to Eliminate Minority Disparities, which is located
28 for administrative purposes in the Executive Office of the
29 Governor. The commission shall independently exercise the
30 responsibilities assigned to it under this section. The
31 commission shall serve as an advisory board to the Governor,
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Florida Senate - 2004 (Corrected Copy) SB 2108
33-986A-04
1 the Cabinet, and the Legislature, to serve the purpose of
2 minimizing disparities among sectors of the population of this
3 state.
4 (3) The Florida Commission to Eliminate Minority
5 Disparities shall consist of 21 members, including:
6 (a) The Lieutenant Governor, who shall be the chair of
7 the commission.
8 (b) The Secretary of Children and Family Services.
9 (c) The Secretary of Health Care Administration.
10 (d) The Secretary of Health.
11 (e) The Secretary of Juvenile Justice.
12 (f) The Secretary of Elderly Affairs.
13 (g) The Secretary of Corrections.
14 (h) The Secretary of Transportation.
15 (i) The Commissioner of Education.
16 (j) The director of the Agency for Workforce
17 Innovation.
18 (k) The Secretary of Community Affairs.
19 (l) Two members from each group listed in the
20 definition of the term "minority person" in section 288.703,
21 Florida Statutes, who represent all regions of the state,
22 whose appointments are made with consideration of gender and
23 nationality subgroups, and who are appointed to serve a 3-year
24 term as members at large. Of these 10 members, the Governor
25 shall appoint two Asian Americans and two native Americans;
26 the President of the Senate shall appoint two women and one
27 Hispanic American; and the Speaker of the House of
28 Representatives shall appoint two African Americans and one
29 Hispanic American. All such appointments must be made before
30 August 1, 2004. Of the initial members of the commission, the
31 Governor's appointees shall be appointed to serve a 2-year
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Florida Senate - 2004 (Corrected Copy) SB 2108
33-986A-04
1 term; the President of the Senate's appointees, to serve a
2 3-year term, and the Speaker of the House's appointees, to
3 serve a 1-year term. At-large members of the commission shall
4 serve without compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement
5 for per diem and travel expenses pursuant to section 112.061,
6 Florida Statutes.
7 (4) The commission shall meet quarterly and at the
8 call of the chair. A meeting of the commission or of a
9 standing committee may be conducted using telecommunications
10 if the meeting is advertised to the public and is conducted in
11 such a manner that the public can either attend or participate
12 via telecommunications.
13 (5) The commission shall:
14 (a) Annually elect a vice chair from the members of
15 the commission.
16 (b) Employ an executive director, who shall initially
17 be designated by the Governor, to administer this section.
18 The executive director shall report directly to the
19 commission. The executive director shall be the chief
20 administrative officer of the commission and shall be
21 responsible for appointing all employees and staff members of
22 the commission, who shall serve under the executive director's
23 direction and control. The executive director shall work with
24 the secretaries of state agencies to coordinate the efforts of
25 employees to implement approved recommendations made by the
26 commission.
27 (6) The commission may:
28 (a) Secure assistance from all state departments and
29 agencies in order for the commission to avail itself of
30 expertise at minimal cost.
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Florida Senate - 2004 (Corrected Copy) SB 2108
33-986A-04
1 (b) Procure information and assistance from the state
2 or any political subdivision, municipal incorporation, public
3 officer, or governmental department or agency thereof.
4 (c) Review various judicial matters that effect
5 disparities.
6 (d) Apply for and accept funds, grants, gifts and
7 services from local or state governments or the Federal
8 Government or from any of their agencies, or from any other
9 public and private source, and use the resources derived from
10 these entities to defray clerical and administrative costs as
11 necessary in carrying out its duties under this section.
12 (e) Contract for necessary goods and services.
13 (7)(a) The commission shall create standing committees
14 that include the:
15 1. Housing committee, which shall be chaired by the
16 Secretary of Community Affairs or his or her designee and
17 shall include the chair of the Affordable Housing Study
18 Commission or his or her designee and the chair of the Florida
19 Housing Finance Corporation board.
20 2. Health care committee, which shall be co-chaired by
21 the Secretary of Health or his or her designee and the
22 Secretary of Health Care Administration or his or her
23 designee, and shall include the chair of the Closing the Gap
24 Advisory Committee or his or her designee.
25 3. Economic development committee, which shall be
26 chaired by the director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation
27 or his or her designee and shall include the chair of the
28 Florida Advisory Council on Small and Minority Business
29 Development or his or her designee and the president of
30 Enterprise Florida, Inc., or his or her designee.
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Florida Senate - 2004 (Corrected Copy) SB 2108
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1 4. Education committee, which shall be chaired by the
2 Commissioner of Education or his or her designee and shall
3 include the chair of the College Board or his or her designee.
4 5. Criminal justice committee, which shall be
5 co-chaired by the Secretary of Juvenile Justice or his or her
6 designee and the Secretary of Corrections or his or her
7 designee.
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9 In addition to the required members specified in subparagraphs
10 1.-5., standing committees must have members of each of the
11 agencies represented on the commission. On each standing
12 committee, there must also be members representing the
13 Commission on the Status of Women and the Florida Commission
14 on Human Relations. The standing committees must include
15 members from the community, who must have appropriate
16 expertise or must have received services from a department or
17 board that is represented on the commission.
18 (b) The standing committees shall:
19 1. Make recommendations to the commission to eliminate
20 duplication of efforts of state agencies and to foster
21 collaboration among community organizations and better use of
22 state and federal funds.
23 2. Identify the socioeconomic factors that influence
24 the existing disparities.
25 3. Review state agencies' functional plans,
26 legislative budget requests, and the master plans and policies
27 of the state agencies on the commission, as well as those of
28 other boards, panels, and commissions appointed by the
29 Governor, and those of local school boards, for their impact
30 on minimizing disparities.
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Florida Senate - 2004 (Corrected Copy) SB 2108
33-986A-04
1 4. Secure assistance from all state departments and
2 agencies in order for the commission to avail itself of
3 expertise at minimal cost.
4 5. Procure information and assistance from the state
5 or any political subdivision, municipal incorporation, public
6 officer, or governmental department or agency thereof.
7 6. Review various judicial matters that effect
8 disparities.
9 (8) The commission shall develop specific strategies
10 and plans to address the minimization of disparities in
11 housing opportunities, economic development, educational
12 outcomes, health outcomes, and the juvenile and adult criminal
13 justice systems. Pursuant thereto, the commission's duties
14 include, but are not limited to:
15 (a) Studying, through the efforts of the standing
16 committees, the extent of disparities in each of the
17 following: the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems,
18 health care, economic development, housing, and the education
19 system.
20 (b) Identifying the socioeconomic factors that
21 influence the existing disparities.
22 (c) Reviewing state agency functional plans,
23 legislative budget requests, and the master plans and policies
24 of the state agencies represented on the commission, as well
25 as other boards, panels, and commissions appointed by the
26 Governor, and those of local school boards, for their impact
27 on minimizing disparities.
28 (d) Establishing, for each state agency represented on
29 the commission, annual goals for the reduction of disparities.
30 (e) Coordinating the work of the standing committees
31 so that a seamless service-delivery system is developed across
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Florida Senate - 2004 (Corrected Copy) SB 2108
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1 agency lines to reach the goals established under this
2 section.
3 (9) Beginning in 2005, the commission shall annually
4 report, no later than January 15, to the Governor, the
5 President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
6 Representatives, the chairs of the Senate Appropriations
7 Committee and the House Fiscal Responsibility Council on the
8 work of the previous year and, to the greatest extent
9 possible, shall compile and synthesize any reports used in its
10 work. The report must also include specific recommendations
11 for any necessary legislative, administrative, or regulatory
12 reform and the commission's assessment of the state of
13 disparities existing in the state.
14 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
15 law.
16
17 *****************************************
18 SENATE SUMMARY
19 Creates the Florida Commission to Eliminate Minority
Disparities. Provides legislative intent. Provides for
20 membership, meetings, and duties of the commission.
Requires the creation of standing committees. Provides
21 duties of the committees. Requires an annual report to
the Governor and legislative leaders.
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