HB 829

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to prison industries; creating the Prison
3	Industries Task Force within the Office of Legislative
4	Services; requiring the task force to determine how well
5	the prison industries program has fulfilled its statutory
6	mission and purpose; providing for the appointment of
7	members to the task force; requiring the task force to
8	hold a minimum number of public meetings; providing that
9	the meetings and records of the task force are subject to
10	public meetings requirements and the public records law;
11	providing for members of the task force to be reimbursed
12	for per diem and travel expenses; requiring the
13	Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations to
14	provide staff support for the task force; specifying the
15	duties of the task force with respect to taking testimony;
16	requiring the task force to submit a report to the
17	Governor and the Legislature; abolishing the task force on
18	a future date; amending s. 946.505, F.S.; clarifying the
19	state's reversionary interest in the facilities, property,
20	and assets of the corporation operating a correctional
21	work program; providing an effective date.
22
23	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
24
25	Section 1.  Prison Industries Task Force.--
26	(1)(a)  There is created within the Office of Legislative
27	Services the Prison Industries Task Force to review how well
28	PRIDE has fulfilled its statutory missions and purposes and
29	whether the statutory missions of the prison industries program
30	are feasible and relevant today and in the future.
31	(b)  The task force shall consist of the following 14
32	members:
33	1.  The Secretary of Corrections, who shall serve as chair,
34	and two wardens of prisons that have prison industries programs;
35	2.  A representative from the Agency for Workforce
36	Innovation;
37	3.  A representative from the Office of Workforce Education
38	within the Department of Education;
39	4.  A representative from Florida TaxWatch;
40	5.  A member of the Senate, appointed by the President of
41	the Senate;
42	6.  A member of the House of Representatives, appointed by
43	the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
44	7.  A representative from the board of directors of the
45	private nonprofit prison industries corporation, as defined in
46	s. 946.503, Florida Statutes;
47	8.  A representative from a local governmental entity that
48	purchases products that are produced by prison industries;
49	9.  A representative from a private industry that regularly
50	employs former inmates;
51	10.  A representative from a private industry that
52	regularly trains inmates;
53	11.  A representative from the academic community who has
54	expertise in research concerning the reentry of former prisoners
55	into society and the employment of former felons; and
56	12.  A former inmate who has worked in the prison
57	industries program.
58	(c)  The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
59	House of Representatives shall jointly appoint the members of
60	the task force specified in subparagraphs (b)7.-11. by July 1,
61	2006.
62	(d)  The task force shall hold its first meeting by July
63	15, 2006, at which time the members shall select by majority
64	vote a chairperson from among themselves.
65	(e)  All recommendations of the task force shall be by
66	majority vote.
67	(f)  The task force shall meet at the call of the
68	chairperson and shall conduct at least three public meetings.
69	(g)  Meetings of the task force shall be open to the public
70	and are subject to the requirements of s. 286.011, Florida
71	Statutes. Records of the task force are public records and
72	subject to chapter 119, Florida Statutes, except to the extent
73	that public access to any of those records is restricted by law.
74	(h)  Members of the task force shall serve without
75	compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
76	travel expenses in accordance with s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
77	(i)  The Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental
78	Relations shall provide staff support for the task force.
79	(2)(a)  The task force shall receive testimony from the
80	Auditor General, the Chief Inspector General, the Office of
81	Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, PRIDE,
82	and other appropriate officials to address the following:
83	1.  Are the statutory missions of the prison industries
84	program as defined in s. 946.501(2), Florida Statutes, still
85	valid?
86	2.  Should other valid missions be included within the
87	program?
88	3.  How do the current or recommended missions conflict
89	with any other valid missions?
90	4.  Should the missions be ranked in order of priority and,
91	if so, to what extent can accomplishment of a higher-priority
92	mission be reduced in order to accomplish a lower-priority
93	mission?
94	5.  Is the method of addressing the legislative finding in
95	s. 946.501(3), Florida Statutes, which is that it is in the best
96	interest of the state, inmates, and the general public to
97	duplicate as closely as possible free-enterprise production and
98	service operations, also the most effective manner in which to
99	accomplish the missions of the prison industries program?
100	6.  Should the structure for managing the correctional work
101	program be changed in order to facilitate accomplishing the
102	missions of the program?
103	7.  Is operating the prison industries program
104	independently of state government the most effective manner in
105	which to accomplish its valid mission?
106	8.  To what extent can PRIDE fulfill the legislative intent
107	stated in s. 946.502(6), Florida Statutes, which is that prison
108	industries programs use inmates in all levels of custody, with
109	specific emphasis on reducing idleness among inmates in close
110	custody?
111	9.  To what extent, if any, have privatization of
112	governmental functions and changing markets reduced sales by
113	PRIDE or impeded its ability to expand prison industry training?
114	10.  What creative strategies could enhance the prison
115	industries program's ability to meet its valid missions?
116	(b)  The task force shall submit a report of its findings
117	and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the
118	Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
119	February 15, 2007.
120	(3)  All meetings of the task force and all business of the
121	task force for which reimbursement may be requested must be
122	concluded before the report is filed. The task force is
123	abolished July 1, 2007.
124	Section 2.  Subsection (1) of section 946.505, Florida
125	Statutes, is amended to read:
126	946.505  Reversion upon dissolution of corporation or
127	termination of lease.--
128	(1)  In the event the corporation is dissolved or its lease
129	of any correctional work program expires or is otherwise
130	terminated, all property relating to such correctional work
131	program which ceases to function because of such termination or
132	dissolution, including all buildings, land, furnishings,
133	equipment, and other chattels and assets, whether originally
134	leased from the department or, as well as any subsequently
135	constructed or otherwise acquired facilities in connection with
136	its continued operation of that program, automatically reverts
137	to full ownership by the department unless the corporation
138	intends to use utilize such property in another correctional
139	work program. Such a reversionary ownership interest of the
140	state in any and all such after-acquired facilities, property,
141	and assets by the corporation is in furtherance of the goals
142	established in s. 946.502(4), and such a present ownership
143	interest by the state is a continuing and insurable state
144	interest.
145	Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.