| 1 | The State Administration 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 agency inspectors general; creating s. |
| 7 | 14.325, F.S.; providing definitions; providing legislative |
| 8 | intent; creating the Council on State Agency Inspectors |
| 9 | General; providing for the purpose and membership of the |
| 10 | council; providing duties and responsibilities of the |
| 11 | council; requiring the council to hold meetings at least |
| 12 | monthly; authorizing the council to develop |
| 13 | recommendations relating to inspector general |
| 14 | investigations; providing minimum requirements for the |
| 15 | recommendations developed by the council; providing |
| 16 | administrative support for the council; requiring the |
| 17 | council to issue a report on its findings; providing for |
| 18 | repeal of the section; providing an effective date. |
| 19 |
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| 20 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 21 |
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| 22 | Section 1. Section 14.325, Florida Statutes, is created to |
| 23 | read: |
| 24 | 14.325 Council on State Agency Inspectors General.-- |
| 25 | (1) For purposes of this section: |
| 26 | (a) "State agency" has the same meaning as defined in s. |
| 27 | 20.055(1)(a). |
| 28 | (b) "Council" means the Council on State Agency Inspectors |
| 29 | General, which is a council as defined in s. 20.03. |
| 30 | (2) To enhance public trust in government and provide |
| 31 | leadership in the promotion of accountability and integrity in |
| 32 | state agencies, there is created the Council on State Agency |
| 33 | Inspectors General in the Office of Chief Inspector General |
| 34 | within the Executive Office of the Governor. |
| 35 | (3) The council shall consist of five members: |
| 36 | (a) The Chief Inspector General, who shall serve as chair. |
| 37 | (b) Four inspectors general from other state agencies, |
| 38 | appointed by the Governor or his or her designee. |
| 39 | (4) A member of the council may not delegate his or her |
| 40 | membership to a designee. |
| 41 | (5) A quorum shall consist of at least three members. |
| 42 | (6) The council shall convene at least monthly for the |
| 43 | purpose of developing recommendations relating to the creation |
| 44 | of an independent review process for state agency inspector |
| 45 | general investigations and audits. |
| 46 | (7) The state agency inspector general review process |
| 47 | developed and recommended by the council shall, at a minimum: |
| 48 | (a) Offer entities contracting with state agencies a |
| 49 | meaningful opportunity to challenge in writing the findings, |
| 50 | conclusions, and recommendations contained in a state agency |
| 51 | inspector general's final report. |
| 52 | (b) Specifically identify the entities entitled to submit |
| 53 | a response and identify the circumstances under which the |
| 54 | entity's response must be attached to the state agency inspector |
| 55 | general's final report. |
| 56 | (c) Provide for a hearing process entitling entities |
| 57 | contracting with state agencies to an opportunity to present to |
| 58 | the Chief Inspector General any additional material relevant to |
| 59 | the state agency inspector general's final report. The review |
| 60 | process must permit the Chief Inspector General to independently |
| 61 | investigate the state agency inspector general's report and the |
| 62 | original investigation. |
| 63 | (d) Identify ancillary issues to be addressed, including, |
| 64 | but not limited to, public records concerns, special conditions |
| 65 | for whistle-blower investigations, and exemptions for specific |
| 66 | categories of audits or investigations. |
| 67 | (8) On or before January 1, 2007, the council shall issue |
| 68 | a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the |
| 69 | Speaker of the House of Representatives containing its |
| 70 | recommendations and proposed state agency inspector general |
| 71 | review process. The report may contain suggested statutory |
| 72 | amendments, proposals for administrative rulemaking to be |
| 73 | implemented pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54, and any other |
| 74 | guidelines, procedures, and suggestions relevant to the creation |
| 75 | of a state agency inspector general review process. |
| 76 | (9) Administrative support for the council shall be |
| 77 | provided by the Office of Chief Inspector General. |
| 78 | (10) This section is repealed June 30, 2007. |
| 79 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |