HB 345

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to a task force on workplace safety;
3	creating the Florida Public Task Force on Workplace Safety
4	within the Office of Insurance Regulation; providing
5	legislative intent; providing purposes of the task force;
6	providing for membership and staffing; providing for
7	members to serve without compensation for their service;
8	providing for payment of travel and per diem expenses to
9	members resulting from the performance of their official
10	duties; requiring that the task force address certain
11	issues; authorizing the task force to procure information
12	or assistance from any officer or agency of the state;
13	requiring that such officers or agencies provide
14	information and assistance to the task force; requiring
15	that the task force submit a report and recommendations to
16	the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the President
17	of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
18	Representatives by a specified date; requiring that the
19	report include certain information; providing for
20	dissolution of the task force; providing an effective
21	date.
22
23	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
24
25	Section 1.  It is the intent of the Legislature to require
26	all departments and agencies of the state, and all county
27	governments and municipalities located in the state, to comply
28	with subparts C through T and subpart Z of the Occupational
29	Safety and Health Administration Standards, 29 C.F.R. s. 1910,
30	as revised July 1, 1993, with the exception of those standards
31	pertaining to firefighters and fire departments which are
32	inconsistent with any rules adopted by the Office of Insurance
33	Regulation.
34	Section 2.  (1)  The Florida Public Task Force on Workplace
35	Safety is established within the Office of Insurance Regulation
36	for the purpose of developing findings and issuing
37	recommendations regarding innovative ways by which the state may
38	effectively ensure that all state departments and agencies, and
39	all county governments and municipalities located in the state,
40	may comply with subparts C through T and subpart Z of the
41	Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standards, 29
42	C.F.R. s. 1910, as revised July 1, 1993, with the exception of
43	those standards pertaining to firefighters and fire departments
44	which are inconsistent with any rules adopted by the office.
45	(2)(a)  All members of the task force must be appointed on
46	or before July 15, 2008, and the task force shall hold its first
47	meeting on or before August 15, 2008.
48	(b)  The task force shall be composed of 15 members as
49	follows:
50	1.  Five members appointed by the Governor, one of whom
51	must be a representative of a statewide business organization;
52	one of whom must be a representative of organized labor; one of
53	whom must be a professional whose work focuses on safety,
54	health, and environmental issues; one of whom must be a
55	representative of the executive branch of state government; and
56	one of whom must be an academic having demonstrated knowledge of
57	pertinent issues related to occupational safety and health. The
58	Governor shall name one of the appointees under this
59	subparagraph as chair of the task force.
60	2.  Four members appointed by the President of the Senate,
61	one of whom must be a representative of a statewide business
62	organization; one of whom must be a representative of organized
63	labor; one of whom must be a professional whose work focuses on
64	safety, health, and environmental issues; and one of whom must
65	be active in private-sector business.
66	3.  Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
67	Representatives, one of whom must be a representative of a
68	statewide business organization; one of whom must be a
69	representative of organized labor; one of whom must be a
70	professional whose work focuses on safety, health, and
71	environmental issues; and one of whom must be active in private
72	sector business.
73	4.  Two members appointed from the private sector by the
74	Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer or his or
75	her designee from the Office of Insurance Regulation shall serve
76	as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the task force.
77	(3)  The task force shall address issues, including, but
78	not limited to:
79	(a)  Differences in the workplace safety needs of private
80	sector employers and public-sector employers;
81	(b)  The relationship between federal and state activities
82	related to workplace safety; and
83	(c)  The impact of public-sector workplace safety and
84	health on the economic-development efforts of the state.
85	(4)  The task force shall exist within the Office of
86	Insurance Regulation, and shall be staffed with existing
87	employees of that office.
88	(5)  Members of the task force shall serve without
89	compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
90	travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, while
91	in the performance of their duties.
92	(6)  The task force may procure information and assistance
93	from any officer or agency of the state, or any subdivision
94	thereof. All such officials and agencies shall give the task
95	force all relevant information and assistance on any matter
96	within their knowledge or control.
97	(7)  The task force shall submit a report and
98	recommendations to the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer,
99	the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
100	Representatives by January 1, 2009. The report must include any
101	specific recommendations for legislative action during the 2009
102	Regular Session of the Legislature.
103	(8)  The task force shall be dissolved upon the submission
104	of its report.
105	Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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