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Senator Bennett moved the following amendment:

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     Senate Amendment

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     Delete lines 261-307

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and insert:

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     (6)  In carrying out the investigative duties and

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responsibilities specified in this section, each inspector

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general shall initiate, conduct, supervise, and coordinate

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investigations designed to detect, deter, prevent, and eradicate

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fraud, waste, mismanagement, misconduct, and other abuses in

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state government. For these purposes, each inspector general

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state agency shall:

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     (a)  Receive complaints and coordinate all activities of the

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agency as required by the Whistle-blower's Act pursuant to ss.

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112.3187-112.31895.

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     (b)  Receive and consider the complaints which do not meet

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the criteria for an investigation under the Whistle-blower's Act

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and conduct, supervise, or coordinate such inquiries,

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investigations, or reviews as the inspector general deems

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appropriate.

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     (c)  Report expeditiously to the Department of Law

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Enforcement or other law enforcement agencies, as appropriate,

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whenever the inspector general has reasonable grounds to believe

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there has been a violation of criminal law.

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     (d)  Conduct investigations and other inquiries free of

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actual or perceived impairment to the independence of the

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inspector general or the inspector general's office. This shall

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include freedom from any interference with investigations and

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timely access to records and other sources of information.

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     (e) At the conclusion of each investigation in which the

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subject of the investigation is a specific entity contracting

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with the state or an individual substantially affected as defined

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by this section, and if the investigation is not confidential or

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otherwise exempt from disclosure by law, the inspector general

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shall, consistent with s. 119.07(1), submit findings to the

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subject that is a specific entity contracting with the state or

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an individual substantially affected, who shall be advised in

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writing that they may submit a written response within 20 working

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days after receipt of the findings. Such response and the

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inspector general's rebuttal to the response, if any, shall be

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included in the final investigative report.

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     (f)(e) Submit in a timely fashion final reports on

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investigations conducted by the inspector general to the agency

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head, except for whistle-blower's investigations, which shall be

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conducted and reported pursuant to s. 112.3189.

4/25/2008  12:04:00 PM     21-08732-08