Senate Bill sb0436

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 436

    By Senator Wilson





    33-17-06

  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.

20  

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

22  

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; an average

31  income lower than that of other segments of society, along

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 436
    33-17-06




 1  with a 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 19 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.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 436
    33-17-06




 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 the 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 the appointments must be

10  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 Secretary of Juvenile Justice or his or her

14  designee.

15         (2)  Each member of the council shall be appointed to a

16  4-year term; however, for the purpose of providing staggered

17  terms, of the initial appointments 10 members shall be

18  appointed to 2-year terms and 11 members shall be appointed to

19  4-year terms. A member of the council may be removed at any

20  time by the member's appointing authority, who shall fill the

21  vacancy on the council for the remainder of the unexpired

22  term. The terms of the legislative members expire at the time

23  they cease to hold legislative office, and the vacancy shall

24  be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

25         (3)(a)  At the first meeting of the council each year,

26  the members shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson.

27         (b)  A vacancy in the office of chairperson or vice

28  chairperson shall be filled by vote of the remaining members.

29         (4)(a)  The council shall make a systematic study of

30  the conditions affecting black men and boys, including, but

31  not limited to, the homicide rates, arrest and incarceration

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 436
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 1  rates, poverty, violence, drug abuse, death rates, disparate

 2  annual income levels, and health issues.

 3         (b)  The council shall propose measures to alleviate

 4  and correct the underlying causes of the conditions described

 5  in paragraph (a). These measures may consist of changes to law

 6  or systemic changes that can be implemented without

 7  legislative actions.

 8         (c)  The council may study other topics suggested by

 9  the Legislature or as directed by the chairperson of the

10  council.

11         (d)  The council shall receive suggestions or comments

12  pertinent to the applicable issues from members of the

13  Legislature, governmental agencies, public and private

14  organizations, and private citizens.

15         (5)  The Office of the Attorney General shall provide

16  staff and administrative support to the council.

17         (6)  The council shall meet quarterly and additional

18  meetings may be held at the call of the chairperson and at

19  other times as determined by a majority of council members.

20         (7)  Eleven of the members of the council constitute a

21  quorum, and an affirmative vote of a majority of the members

22  present is required for final action.

23         (8)(a)  The council shall issue its initial annual

24  report by December 15, 2007, and by December 15th of each

25  following year, stating the findings, conclusions, and

26  recommendations of the council. This report shall be submitted

27  to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of

28  the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons of the

29  standing committees of jurisdiction in each chamber.

30         (b)  The initial report must include the findings of an

31  investigation into factors causing black-on-black crime from

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                   SB 436
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 1  the perspective of public health related to mental health,

 2  other health issues, cultural disconnection, and cultural

 3  identity trauma.

 4         (9)  Members of the council shall serve without

 5  compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem

 6  and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061, Florida

 7  Statutes.

 8         (10)  Notwithstanding subsection (6), the Attorney

 9  General shall:

10         (a)  Fix a date for the initial meeting of the council;

11         (b)  Notify each member of the council of the time,

12  date, and place where the initial meeting will be held;

13         (c)  Make any other arrangements concerning the initial

14  meeting of the council; and

15         (d)  Serve as the presiding officer at the initial

16  meeting of the council until a chairperson is elected.

17         (11)  This section expires July 1, 2012, unless

18  reenacted by the Legislature.

19         Section 3.  A sum of $50,000 is appropriated from the

20  General Revenue Fund for the Council on the Social Status of

21  Black Men and Boys.

22         Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

23  

24            *****************************************

25                          SENATE SUMMARY

26    Creates the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and
      Boys to study the conditions affecting black men and boys
27    and to issue an annual report. Provides for the Office of
      the Attorney General to provide administrative support.
28    Provides for the council to expire on July 1, 2012.

29  

30  

31  

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