| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the Walton County Sheriff's Office; |
| 3 | providing the Walton County Sheriff's Office Career |
| 4 | Service Employees' Act; providing applicability; providing |
| 5 | for permanent status; providing for suspension, demotion, |
| 6 | and dismissal; providing authority of the sheriff; |
| 7 | providing for transition to new sheriff; providing |
| 8 | authority of sheriff to adopt rules and regulations; |
| 9 | providing beginning date of employees; providing for |
| 10 | reimbursement of class C travel; providing for |
| 11 | severability; providing an effective date. |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 14 |
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| 15 | Section 1. Walton County Sheriff's Office Career Service |
| 16 | Employees' Act.-- |
| 17 | (1) APPLICABILITY.--The transition provisions of this act |
| 18 | shall apply to all full-time sworn and civilian employees in the |
| 19 | employ of the Walton County Sheriff's Office. Those who hold the |
| 20 | positions of Lieutenant and above as well as the financial |
| 21 | officers and the secretary to the Sheriff shall be excluded from |
| 22 | the provisions of this act. The provisions of this act shall not |
| 23 | apply to the Sheriff or the Sheriff's Reserve and Auxiliary and |
| 24 | the individuals appointed as part-time Deputy Sheriffs as |
| 25 | defined by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training |
| 26 | Commission, unless such person is also employed full-time by the |
| 27 | Walton County Sheriff's Office. As used in this act, the terms |
| 28 | "employee," "employ," and "employment" shall refer to all |
| 29 | persons, whether employed or appointed, to whom the act applies. |
| 30 | It is not, however, the intent of this act to grant the right to |
| 31 | collective bargaining to the persons in the employ of the Walton |
| 32 | County Sheriff's Office who do not otherwise have that right |
| 33 | pursuant to law. |
| 34 | (2) PERMANENT STATUS; CAUSE FOR SUSPENSION, DEMOTION, OR |
| 35 | DISMISSAL.-- |
| 36 | (a) After an employee of the Sheriff to whom the |
| 37 | provisions of this act apply has served in such employment for a |
| 38 | period of 1 calendar year, such employee shall have attained |
| 39 | permanent status with the Walton County Sheriff's Office; |
| 40 | provided that if such an employee is terminated and rehired at a |
| 41 | later date, said employee shall be required to complete 1 |
| 42 | calendar year of service from the date of rehire before being |
| 43 | granted permanent status, regardless of the reason for |
| 44 | termination. |
| 45 | (b) Any employee who has achieved permanent status is not |
| 46 | exempt from the disciplinary provisions as defined in the Walton |
| 47 | County Sheriff's Office Policy and Procedure Manual. Causes for |
| 48 | suspension, demotion, or dismissal will follow the established |
| 49 | procedures outlined in the Walton County Sheriff's Office Policy |
| 50 | and Procedure Manual. It is not a demotion under this act or the |
| 51 | Walton County Sheriff's Office policy to be reassigned from |
| 52 | special duties or from one shift or zone assignment to another |
| 53 | or to be transferred from one division to another for the |
| 54 | betterment of the department, even if a reduction in pay |
| 55 | results. |
| 56 | (c) The Sheriff shall hold the authority to promote, |
| 57 | demote, transfer, and determine disciplinary measures, including |
| 58 | dismissal. |
| 59 | (3) TRANSITION OF CAREER SERVICE EMPLOYEES.--When a newly |
| 60 | elected or appointed Sheriff assumes office, the new Sheriff |
| 61 | shall continue the employment of all currently employed |
| 62 | permanent personnel with the exceptions of those positions |
| 63 | defined in subsection (1), unless there is just cause for |
| 64 | dismissal as outlined in the Walton County Sheriff's Office |
| 65 | Policy and Procedures Manual. |
| 66 | (4) ADMINISTRATION.--The Sheriff shall have the authority |
| 67 | to adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary for the |
| 68 | implementation and administration of this act; however, nothing |
| 69 | in this act shall be construed as affecting the budget-making |
| 70 | powers of the Board of County Commissioners of Walton County. |
| 71 | Section 2. (1) All sworn and civilian persons in the |
| 72 | employ of the Walton County Sheriff's Office on the effective |
| 73 | date of this act who have served for a period of 1 calendar year |
| 74 | or more as of such date shall be permanent employees subject to |
| 75 | the provisions of this act. All other employees shall become |
| 76 | permanent employees subject to the provisions of this act upon |
| 77 | reaching their 1 calendar year service anniversary date. |
| 78 | Promotions, probationary service periods, demotions, transfers, |
| 79 | and suspensions will not and do not affect the determination of |
| 80 | the original career service beginning date (anniversary date) of |
| 81 | employment for Walton County Sheriff's Office employees. The |
| 82 | beginning date (anniversary date) of employment for sworn |
| 83 | officers is and will be the date the Sheriff swears the officers |
| 84 | in as law enforcement officers. The beginning of service for |
| 85 | civilian employees will be the beginning date (anniversary date) |
| 86 | as indicated by personnel and payroll records. |
| 87 | (2) Any provisions of this act shall not add to or detract |
| 88 | from the constitutional authority of the Sheriff. |
| 89 | Section 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of section |
| 90 | 112.061(6)(b), Florida Statutes, the Walton County Board of |
| 91 | County Commissioners may reimburse the Chief of Administration |
| 92 | for the Walton County Sheriff's Office for Class C travel on a |
| 93 | per diem basis or on a subsistence allowable basis. |
| 94 | Section 4. The provisions of this act shall be severable |
| 95 | and if any provision shall be held unconstitutional, the |
| 96 | decision of the court regarding that provision shall not affect |
| 97 | the validity of the remaining provisions. It is hereby declared |
| 98 | to be the intent of the Legislature that the remaining |
| 99 | provisions of the act would have been adopted had such |
| 100 | unconstitutional provisions not been included therein. |
| 101 | Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |