Senate Bill sb0736c1

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 736

    By the Committees on Governmental Oversight and Productivity;
    and Commerce and Consumer Services




    585-2352-06

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to a review under the Open

  3         Government Sunset Review Act regarding

  4         temporary cash assistance; amending s. 414.106,

  5         F.S., which provides an exemption from

  6         public-meetings requirements for that portion

  7         of a meeting held by the Department of Children

  8         and Family Services, Workforce Florida, Inc.,

  9         or a regional workforce board or local

10         committee at which personal identifying

11         information contained in records relating to

12         temporary cash assistance is discussed;

13         removing the scheduled repeal of the exemption;

14         amending s. 414.295, F.S., which provides an

15         exemption from public-records requirements for

16         personal identifying information of a temporary

17         cash assistance program participant, a

18         participant's family, or a participant's family

19         or household member, except for information

20         identifying a noncustodial parent, held by the

21         Department of Children and Family Services, the

22         Agency for Workforce Innovation, Workforce

23         Florida, Inc., the Department of Health, the

24         Department of Revenue, the Department of

25         Education, or a regional workforce board or

26         local committee; narrowing the exemption;

27         making editorial changes; revising provisions

28         relating to the authorized release of such

29         confidential and exempt information; removing

30         superfluous provisions; removing the scheduled

31         repeal of the exemption; amending s. 445.007,

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 736
    585-2352-06




 1         F.S.; removing the exemption from

 2         public-meetings requirements for any meeting or

 3         portion of a meeting held by Workforce Florida,

 4         Inc., or a regional workforce board or local

 5         committee at which specified personal

 6         identifying information contained in records

 7         relating to temporary cash assistance is

 8         discussed; providing an effective date.

 9  

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

11  

12         Section 1.  Section 414.106, Florida Statutes, is

13  amended to read:

14         414.106  Exemption from public meetings law.--That Any

15  meeting or portion of a meeting held by the department,

16  Workforce Florida, Inc., or a regional workforce board or

17  local committee created pursuant to s. 445.007 at which

18  personal identifying information contained in records relating

19  to temporary cash assistance is discussed is exempt from s.

20  286.011 and s. 24(b), Art. I of the State Constitution if the

21  information identifies a participant, a participant's family,

22  or a participant's family or household member. This section is

23  subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act of 1995 in

24  accordance with s. 119.15, and shall stand repealed on October

25  2, 2006, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through

26  reenactment by the Legislature.

27         Section 2.  Section 414.295, Florida Statutes, is

28  amended to read:

29         414.295  Temporary cash assistance programs; public

30  records exemption.--

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 736
    585-2352-06




 1         (1)  Personal identifying information of a contained in

 2  records relating to temporary cash assistance program which

 3  identifies a participant, a participant's family, or a

 4  participant's family or household member, except for

 5  information identifying a noncustodial parent, and which is

 6  held by the department, the Agency for Workforce Innovation,

 7  Workforce Florida, Inc., the Department of Management

 8  Services, the Department of Health, the Department of Revenue,

 9  the Department of Education, or a regional workforce board or

10  local committee created pursuant to s. 445.007 is, or service

11  providers under contract with any of these entities shall be

12  held confidential and exempt from the requirements of s.

13  119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. Such

14  information made confidential and exempt information may be

15  released for purposes directly connected with:

16         (a)  The administration of the temporary assistance for

17  needy families plan under Title IV-A of the Social Security

18  Act, as amended, by which may include disclosure of

19  information within and among the department, the Agency for

20  Workforce Innovation, Workforce Florida, Inc., the Department

21  of Military Affairs Management Services, the Department of

22  Health, the Department of Revenue, the Department of

23  Education, a regional workforce board or local committee

24  created pursuant to s. 445.007, or a school district service

25  providers under contract with any of these entities.

26         (b)  The administration of the state's plan or program

27  approved under Title IV-B, Title IV-D, or Title IV-E of the

28  Social Security Act, as amended, or under Title I, Title X,

29  Title XIV, Title XVI, Title XIX, Title XX, or Title XXI of the

30  Social Security Act, as amended.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 736
    585-2352-06




 1         (c)  Any investigation, prosecution, or any criminal,

 2  civil, or administrative proceeding conducted in connection

 3  with the administration of any of the plans or programs

 4  specified in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) by. Such

 5  information shall be disclosed to a federal, state, or local

 6  governmental entity, upon request by that entity, when such

 7  request is made pursuant to the proper exercise of that

 8  entity's duties and responsibilities.

 9         (d)  The administration of any other state, federal, or

10  federally assisted program that provides assistance or

11  services on the basis of need, in cash or in kind, directly to

12  a participant.

13         (e)  Any audit or similar activity, such as a review of

14  expenditure reports or financial review, conducted in

15  connection with the administration of any of the plans or

16  programs specified in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) by a

17  governmental entity authorized by law to conduct such audit or

18  activity.

19         (f)  The administration of the unemployment

20  compensation program.

21         (g)  The reporting to the appropriate agency or

22  official of information about known or suspected instances of

23  physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or

24  negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child or elderly

25  person receiving assistance, if circumstances indicate that

26  the health or welfare of the child or elderly person is

27  threatened.

28         (h)  The administration of services to elderly persons

29  under ss. 430.601-430.606.

30         (2)  If a subpoena is received for any information made

31  confidential and exempt by this section, the public record or

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 736
    585-2352-06




 1  part thereof in question shall be submitted to the court for

 2  an inspection in camera. The court may make such provision as

 3  it finds necessary to maintain appropriate confidentiality.

 4  Except pursuant to court order, the receiving entities shall

 5  retain the confidential and exempt status of such personal

 6  identifying information as otherwise provided for in this

 7  section.

 8         (2)(3)  If information is obtained from a participant

 9  through an integrated eligibility process so that the

10  requirements of more than one state or federal program apply

11  to the information, the requirements of the program that is

12  the provider of the information shall prevail. If the

13  department cannot determine which program is the provider of

14  the information, the requirements of each applicable state or

15  federal program shall be met.

16         (4)  This section is subject to the Open Government

17  Sunset Review Act of 1995 in accordance with s. 119.15, and

18  shall stand repealed on October 2, 2006, unless reviewed and

19  saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

20         Section 3.  Section 445.007, Florida Statutes, is

21  amended to read:

22         445.007  Regional workforce boards; exemption from

23  public meetings law.--

24         (1)  One regional workforce board shall be appointed in

25  each designated service delivery area and shall serve as the

26  local workforce investment board pursuant to Pub. L. No.

27  105-220. The membership of the board shall be consistent with

28  Pub. L. No. 105-220, Title I, s. 117(b), and contain one

29  representative from a nonpublic postsecondary educational

30  institution that is an authorized individual training account

31  provider within the region and confers certificates and

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 736
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 1  diplomas, one representative from a nonpublic postsecondary

 2  educational institution that is an authorized individual

 3  training account provider within the region and confers

 4  degrees, and three representatives of organized labor. The

 5  board shall include one nonvoting representative from a

 6  military installation if a military installation is located

 7  within the region and the appropriate military command or

 8  organization authorizes such representation. It is the intent

 9  of the Legislature that membership of a regional workforce

10  board include persons who are current or former recipients of

11  welfare transition assistance as defined in s. 445.002(3) or

12  workforce services as provided in s. 445.009(1) or that such

13  persons be included as ex officio members of the board or of

14  committees organized by the board. The importance of minority

15  and gender representation shall be considered when making

16  appointments to the board. The board, its committees,

17  subcommittees, and subdivisions, and other units of the

18  workforce system, including units that may consist in whole or

19  in part of local governmental units, may use any method of

20  telecommunications to conduct meetings, including establishing

21  a quorum through telecommunications, provided that the public

22  is given proper notice of the telecommunications meeting and

23  reasonable access to observe and, when appropriate,

24  participate. Regional workforce boards are subject to chapters

25  119 and 286 and s. 24, Art. I of the State Constitution. If

26  the regional workforce board enters into a contract with an

27  organization or individual represented on the board of

28  directors, the contract must be approved by a two-thirds vote

29  of the entire board, and the board member who could benefit

30  financially from the transaction must abstain from voting on

31  the contract. A board member must disclose any such conflict

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 736
    585-2352-06




 1  in a manner that is consistent with the procedures outlined in

 2  s. 112.3143.

 3         (2)  The regional workforce board shall elect a chair

 4  from among the representatives described in Pub. L. No.

 5  105-220, Title I, s. 117(b)(2)(A)(i) to serve for a term of no

 6  more than 2 years and shall serve no more than two terms.

 7         (3)  Workforce Florida, Inc., shall assign staff to

 8  meet with each regional workforce board annually to review the

 9  board's performance and to certify that the board is in

10  compliance with applicable state and federal law.

11         (4)  In addition to the duties and functions specified

12  by Workforce Florida, Inc., and by the interlocal agreement

13  approved by the local county or city governing bodies, the

14  regional workforce board shall have the following

15  responsibilities:

16         (a)  Develop, submit, ratify, or amend the local plan

17  pursuant to Pub. L. No. 105-220, Title I, s. 118, and the

18  provisions of this act.

19         (b)  Conclude agreements necessary to designate the

20  fiscal agent and administrative entity. A public or private

21  entity, including an entity established pursuant to s. 163.01,

22  which makes a majority of the appointments to a regional

23  workforce board may serve as the board's administrative entity

24  if approved by Workforce Florida, Inc., based upon a showing

25  that a fair and competitive process was used to select the

26  administrative entity.

27         (c)  Complete assurances required for the charter

28  process of Workforce Florida, Inc., and provide ongoing

29  oversight related to administrative costs, duplicated

30  services, career counseling, economic development, equal

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 736
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 1  access, compliance and accountability, and performance

 2  outcomes.

 3         (d)  Oversee the one-stop delivery system in its local

 4  area.

 5         (5)  Workforce Florida, Inc., shall implement a

 6  training program for the regional workforce boards to

 7  familiarize board members with the state's workforce

 8  development goals and strategies. The regional workforce board

 9  shall designate all local service providers and shall not

10  transfer this authority to a third party.  In order to

11  exercise independent oversight, the regional workforce board

12  shall not be a direct provider of intake, assessment,

13  eligibility determinations, or other direct provider services.

14         (6)  Regional workforce boards shall adopt a committee

15  structure consistent with applicable federal law and state

16  policies established by Workforce Florida, Inc.

17         (7)  The importance of minority and gender

18  representation shall be considered when appointments are made

19  to any committee established by the regional workforce board.

20         (8)  For purposes of procurement, regional workforce

21  boards and their administrative entities are not state

22  agencies and are exempt from chapters 120 and 287. The

23  regional workforce boards shall apply the procurement and

24  expenditure procedures required by federal law for the

25  expenditure of federal funds. Regional workforce boards, their

26  administrative entities, committees, and subcommittees, and

27  other workforce units may authorize expenditures to award

28  suitable framed certificates, pins, or other tokens of

29  recognition for performance by units of the workforce system.

30  Regional workforce boards; their administrative entities,

31  committees, and subcommittees; and other workforce units may

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 736
    585-2352-06




 1  authorize expenditures for promotional items, such as

 2  t-shirts, hats, or pens printed with messages promoting

 3  Florida's workforce system to employers, job seekers, and

 4  program participants. However, such expenditures are subject

 5  to federal regulations applicable to the expenditure of

 6  federal funds. All contracts executed by regional workforce

 7  boards must include specific performance expectations and

 8  deliverables.

 9         (9)  Any meeting or portion of a meeting held by

10  Workforce Florida, Inc., or a regional workforce board or

11  local committee created under this section at which personal

12  identifying information contained in records relating to

13  temporary cash assistance, as defined in s. 414.0252, is

14  discussed is exempt from s. 286.011 and s. 24(b), Art. I of

15  the State Constitution if the information identifies a

16  participant, a participant's family, or a participant's family

17  or household member, as defined in s. 414.0252. This

18  subsection is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act

19  of 1995 in accordance with s. 119.15, and shall stand repealed

20  on October 2, 2006, unless reviewed and saved from repeal

21  through reenactment by the Legislature.

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

23  

24          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
25                         Senate Bill 736

26                                 

27  Corrects references to agencies that are authorized to receive
    confidential and exempt information.
28  
    Standardizes the exemption.
29  

30  

31  

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