Senate Bill sb1726
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Florida Senate - 2005 SB 1726
By Senator Wilson
33-256B-05
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the social status of black
3 men and boys; creating the Council on the
4 Social Status of Black Men and Boys; providing
5 for the appointment and qualification of
6 members; providing for the appointment of
7 members to fill vacant positions; providing for
8 terms of office; requiring the council to make
9 a systematic study of conditions affecting
10 black men and boys; requiring the Office of the
11 Attorney General to provide administrative
12 support; requiring the council to submit an
13 annual report to the Governor and Legislature;
14 providing for reimbursement for per diem and
15 travel expenses; requiring the Attorney General
16 to organize the initial meeting of the council;
17 providing for the expiration of the council;
18 providing an appropriation; providing an
19 effective date.
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21 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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23 Section 1. Legislative findings.--The Legislature
24 finds that there is a chronological record of the status of
25 black men and boys in American society, and in this state's
26 society, which reveals startling and disturbing conditions and
27 trends. This record includes a disproportionate share of black
28 men and boys in this state's correctional facilities, a higher
29 rate of black men and boys being victimized by black-on-black
30 crime, a higher drop-out rate from high school, a lower than
31 average income than other segments of society along with a
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Florida Senate - 2005 SB 1726
33-256B-05
1 lowering of the income earned, a higher death rate from
2 illness, and a lower life expectancy than males in other
3 ethnic and racial groups.
4 Section 2. Council on the Social Status of Black Men
5 and Boys.--
6 (1) The Council on the Social Status of Black Men and
7 Boys is established and shall consist of 21 members appointed
8 as follows:
9 (a) Two members of the Senate who are not members of
10 the same political party, appointed by the President of the
11 Senate with the advice of the minority leader of the Senate.
12 (b) Two members of the House of Representatives who
13 are not members of the same political party, appointed by the
14 Speaker of the House of Representatives with the advice of the
15 minority leader of the House of Representatives.
16 (c) The Secretary of Children and Family Services or
17 his or her designee.
18 (d) The director of the Mental Health Program Office
19 within the Department of Children and Family Services or his
20 or her designee.
21 (e) The Secretary of Health or his or her designee.
22 (f) The Commissioner of Education or his or her
23 designee.
24 (g) The Secretary of Corrections or his or her
25 designee.
26 (h) The Attorney General or his or her designee.
27 (i) The Secretary of Management Services or his or her
28 designee.
29 (j) The director of Workforce Innovation or his or her
30 designee.
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Florida Senate - 2005 SB 1726
33-256B-05
1 (k) A business person of African-American origin
2 appointed by the Governor.
3 (l) Two persons appointed by the President of the
4 Senate who are not members of the Legislature or employed by
5 state government. One of these appointments must be a clinical
6 physiologist.
7 (m) Two persons appointed by the Speaker of the House
8 of Representatives who are not members of the Legislature or
9 employed by state government. One of these appointments must
10 be an Africana studies professional.
11 (n) The deputy secretary for Medicaid in the Agency
12 for Health Care Administration or his or her designee.
13 (o) The director of the Office of Economic and
14 Demographic Research or his or her designee.
15 (p) The Secretary of Juvenile Justice or his or her
16 designee.
17 (q) The director of the Office of Program Policy
18 Analysis and Government Accountability or his or her designee.
19 (2) Each member of the council shall be appointed to a
20 4-year term; however, for the purpose of providing staggered
21 terms, of the initial appointments ten members shall be
22 appointed to a 2-year term and eleven members shall be
23 appointed to a 4-year term. A member of the council may be
24 removed at any time by the member's appointing authority who
25 shall fill the vacancy on the council for the remainder of the
26 unexpired term. The terms of the legislative members expire at
27 the time they cease to hold legislative office, and the
28 vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original
29 appointments.
30 (3)(a) At the first meeting of the council each year,
31 the members shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson.
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Florida Senate - 2005 SB 1726
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1 (b) A vacancy in the office of chairperson or vice
2 chairperson shall be filled by vote of the remaining members.
3 (4)(a) The council shall make a systematic study of
4 the conditions affecting black men and boys, including, but
5 not limited to, the homicide rates, arrest and incarceration
6 rates, poverty, violence, drug abuse, death rates, disparate
7 annual income levels, and health issues.
8 (b) The council shall propose measures to alleviate
9 and correct the underlying causes of the conditions described
10 in paragraph (a). These measures may consist of changes to law
11 or systemic changes that can be implemented without
12 legislative actions.
13 (c) The council may study other topics suggested by
14 the Legislature or as directed by the chairperson of the
15 council.
16 (d) The council shall receive suggestions or comments
17 pertinent to the applicable issues from members of the
18 Legislature, governmental agencies, public and private
19 organizations, and private citizens.
20 (5) The Office of the Attorney General shall provide
21 staff and administrative support to the council.
22 (6) The council shall meet quarterly and additional
23 meetings may be held at the call of the chairperson and at
24 other times as determined by a majority of council members.
25 (7) Eleven of the members of the council constitute a
26 quorum, and an affirmative vote of a majority of the members
27 present is required for final action.
28 (8)(a) The council shall issue its initial annual
29 report by December 15, 2006, and by December 15th of each
30 following year, stating the findings, conclusions, and
31 recommendations of the council. This report shall be submitted
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1 to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of
2 the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons of the
3 standing committees of jurisdiction in each chamber.
4 (b) The initial report must include an investigation
5 into factors causing black-on-black crime from the perspective
6 of public health related to mental health, other health
7 issues, cultural disconnection, and cultural identity trauma.
8 (9) Members of the council shall serve without
9 compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
10 and travel expenses as provided in section 112.061, Florida
11 Statutes.
12 (10) Notwithstanding subsection (6), the Attorney
13 General shall:
14 (a) Fix a date for the initial meeting of the council;
15 (b) Notify each member of the council of the time,
16 date, and place where the initial meeting will be held;
17 (c) Make any other arrangements concerning the initial
18 meeting of the council; and
19 (d) Serve as the presiding officer at the initial
20 meeting of the council until a chairperson is elected.
21 (11) This section expires July 1, 2011, unless
22 reenacted by the Legislature.
23 Section 3. A sum of $50,000 is appropriated from the
24 General Revenue Fund for the Council on the Social Status of
25 Black Men and Boys.
26 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.
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Florida Senate - 2005 SB 1726
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2 SENATE SUMMARY
3 Creates the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and
Boys to study the conditions affecting black men and boys
4 and to issue an annual report. Provides for the Office of
the Attorney General to provide administrative support.
5 Provides for the council to expire on July 1, 2011.
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