| 1 | The Health & Families Council recommends the following: |
| 2 |
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| 3 | Council/Committee Substitute |
| 4 | Remove the entire bill and insert: |
| 5 | A bill to be entitled |
| 6 | An act relating to the Florida Faith-based and Community- |
| 7 | based Advisory Council; creating s. 14.31, F.S.; providing |
| 8 | legislative findings and intent; creating the Florida |
| 9 | Faith-based and Community-based Advisory Council within |
| 10 | the Executive Office of the Governor for certain purposes; |
| 11 | providing for council membership; providing for terms of |
| 12 | members; providing for successor appointments; providing |
| 13 | for meetings and organization of the council; specifying |
| 14 | serving without compensation; providing for per diem and |
| 15 | travel expenses; specifying required activities of the |
| 16 | council; specifying restricted activities; requiring a |
| 17 | report to the Governor and Legislature; providing for |
| 18 | future repeal and abolition of the council; providing an |
| 19 | effective date. |
| 20 |
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| 21 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 22 |
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| 23 | Section 1. Section 14.31, Florida Statutes, is created to |
| 24 | read: |
| 25 | 14.31 Florida Faith-based and Community-based Advisory |
| 26 | Council.-- |
| 27 | (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.--The Legislature finds that: |
| 28 | (a) Compassionate groups of individuals have selflessly |
| 29 | aided this state in serving our most vulnerable residents and |
| 30 | our most debilitated neighborhoods. |
| 31 | (b) Inspired by faith and civic commitment, these |
| 32 | organizations have accomplished much in changing the lives of |
| 33 | thousands and resurrecting neighborhoods torn by the strife of |
| 34 | crime and poverty. |
| 35 | (c) It is essential that this state cooperate with these |
| 36 | organizations in order to provide an opportunity to participate |
| 37 | on an equal basis, regardless of each organization's |
| 38 | orientation, whether faith-based or secular. |
| 39 | (2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--It is therefore the intent of the |
| 40 | Legislature to recognize the contributions of these |
| 41 | organizations and to encourage opportunities for faith-based and |
| 42 | community-based organizations to work cooperatively with |
| 43 | government entities in order to deliver services more |
| 44 | effectively. The Legislature further intends that the purpose of |
| 45 | the council is to advise the Governor and the Legislature on |
| 46 | policies, priorities, and objectives for the state's |
| 47 | comprehensive effort to enlist, equip, enable, empower, and |
| 48 | expand the work of faith-based, volunteer, and other community |
| 49 | organizations to the full extent permitted by law. |
| 50 | (3) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNCIL.-- |
| 51 | (a) The Florida Faith-based and Community-based Advisory |
| 52 | Council, an advisory council as defined in s. 20.03, is |
| 53 | established and assigned to the Executive Office of the |
| 54 | Governor. The council shall be administratively housed within |
| 55 | the Executive Office of the Governor. |
| 56 | (b) The council shall consist of 25 members. Council |
| 57 | members may include, but need not be limited to, representatives |
| 58 | from various faiths, faith-based organizations, community-based |
| 59 | organizations, foundations, corporations, and municipalities. |
| 60 | (c) The council shall be composed of the following |
| 61 | members: |
| 62 | 1. Seventeen members appointed by and serving at the |
| 63 | pleasure of the Governor. |
| 64 | 2. Four members appointed by and serving at the pleasure |
| 65 | of the President of the Senate. |
| 66 | 3. Four members appointed by and serving at the pleasure |
| 67 | of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. |
| 68 | (d) Council members shall serve 4-year terms, except that |
| 69 | the initial terms shall be staggered as follows: |
| 70 | 1. The Governor shall appoint six members for a term of 3 |
| 71 | years, six members for a term of 2 years, and five members for a |
| 72 | term of 1 year. |
| 73 | 2. The President of the Senate shall appoint two members |
| 74 | for a term of 3 years and two members for a term of 2 years. |
| 75 | 3. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall |
| 76 | appoint two members for a term of 3 years and two members for a |
| 77 | term of 2 years. |
| 78 | (e) A vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the |
| 79 | original appointing authority for the unexpired portion of the |
| 80 | term. |
| 81 | (4) MEETINGS; ORGANIZATION.-- |
| 82 | (a) The first meeting of the council shall be held no |
| 83 | later than August 1, 2006. Thereafter, the council shall meet at |
| 84 | least once per quarter per calendar year. Meetings may be held |
| 85 | via teleconference or other electronic means. |
| 86 | (b) The council shall annually elect from its membership |
| 87 | one member to serve as chair of the council and one member to |
| 88 | serve as vice chair. |
| 89 | (c) Thirteen members of the council shall constitute a |
| 90 | quorum. |
| 91 | (d) Members of the council shall serve without |
| 92 | compensation but may be reimbursed for per diem and travel |
| 93 | expenses pursuant to s. 112.061. |
| 94 | (5) SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES.--The council shall review and |
| 95 | recommend in a report to the Governor, the President of the |
| 96 | Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives: |
| 97 | (a) How faith-based and community-based organizations can |
| 98 | best compete with other organizations for the delivery of state |
| 99 | services, regardless of an organization's orientation, whether |
| 100 | faith-based or secular. |
| 101 | (b) How best to develop and coordinate activities of |
| 102 | faith-based and community-based programs and initiatives, |
| 103 | enhance such efforts in communities, and seek such resources, |
| 104 | legislation, and regulatory relief as may be necessary to |
| 105 | accomplish these objectives. |
| 106 | (c) How best to ensure that state policy decisions take |
| 107 | into account the capacity of faith-based and other community- |
| 108 | based initiatives to assist in the achievement of state |
| 109 | priorities. |
| 110 | (d) How best to identify and promote best practices across |
| 111 | state government relating to the delivery of services by faith- |
| 112 | based and other community-based organizations. |
| 113 | (e) How best to coordinate public awareness of faith-based |
| 114 | and community nonprofit initiatives, such as demonstration pilot |
| 115 | programs or projects, public-private partnerships, volunteerism, |
| 116 | and special projects. |
| 117 | (f) How best to encourage private charitable giving to |
| 118 | support faith-based and community-based initiatives. |
| 119 | (g) How best to bring concerns, ideas, and policy options |
| 120 | to the Governor and Legislature for assisting, strengthening, |
| 121 | and replicating successful faith-based and other community-based |
| 122 | programs. |
| 123 | (h) How best to develop and implement strategic |
| 124 | initiatives to strengthen the institutions of families and |
| 125 | communities in this state. |
| 126 | (i) How best to showcase and herald innovative grassroots |
| 127 | nonprofit organizations and civic initiatives. |
| 128 | (j) How best to eliminate unnecessary legislative, |
| 129 | regulatory, and other bureaucratic barriers that impede |
| 130 | effective faith-based and other community-based efforts to |
| 131 | address social problems. |
| 132 | (k) How best to monitor implementation of state policy |
| 133 | affecting faith-based and other community-based organizations. |
| 134 | (l) How best to ensure that the efforts of faith-based and |
| 135 | other community-based organizations meet objective criteria for |
| 136 | performance and accountability. |
| 137 | (6) RESTRICTED ACTIVITIES.--The council may not make any |
| 138 | recommendation that conflicts with the Establishment Clause of |
| 139 | the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or the |
| 140 | public funding provision of s. 3, Art. I of the State |
| 141 | Constitution. |
| 142 | (7) REPORT.--By February 1 of each year, the council shall |
| 143 | prepare a written report for the Governor, the President of the |
| 144 | Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives |
| 145 | containing an accounting of its activities and recommended |
| 146 | policies, priorities, and objectives for the state's |
| 147 | comprehensive effort to enlist, equip, enable, empower, and |
| 148 | expand the work of faith-based, volunteer, and other community- |
| 149 | based organizations to the full extent permitted by law. |
| 150 | (8) EXPIRATION.--This section is repealed and the council |
| 151 | is abolished June 30, 2011, unless reviewed and saved from |
| 152 | repeal by the Legislature. |
| 153 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |