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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to a task force on workplace safety;

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creating the Florida Public Task Force on Workplace Safety

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within the Office of Insurance Regulation; providing

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legislative intent; providing purposes of the task force;

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providing for membership and staffing; providing for

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members to serve without compensation for their service;

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providing for payment of travel and per diem expenses to

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members resulting from the performance of their official

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duties; requiring that the task force address certain

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issues; authorizing the task force to procure information

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or assistance from any officer or agency of the state;

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requiring that such officers or agencies provide

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information and assistance to the task force; requiring

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that the task force submit a report and recommendations to

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the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the President

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of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

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Representatives by a specified date; requiring that the

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report include certain information; providing for

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dissolution of the task force; providing an effective

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date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to require

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all departments and agencies of the state, and all county

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governments and municipalities located in the state, to comply

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with subparts C through T and subpart Z of the Occupational

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Safety and Health Administration Standards, 29 C.F.R. s. 1910, as

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revised July 1, 1993, with the exception of those standards

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pertaining to firefighters and fire departments which are

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inconsistent with any rules adopted by the Office of Insurance

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Regulation.

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     Section 2. (1) The Florida Public Task Force on Workplace

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Safety is established within the Office of Insurance Regulation

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for the purpose of developing findings and issuing

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recommendations regarding innovative ways by which the state may

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effectively ensure that all state departments and agencies, and

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all county governments and municipalities located in the state,

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may comply with subparts C through T and subpart Z of the

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Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standards, 29

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C.F.R. s. 1910, as revised July 1, 1993, with the exception of

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those standards pertaining to firefighters and fire departments

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which are inconsistent with any rules adopted by the office.

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     (2)(a) All members of the task force must be appointed on

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or before July 15, 2008, and the task force shall hold its first

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meeting on or before August 15, 2008.

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     (b) The task force shall be composed of 15 members as

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follows:

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     1. Five members appointed by the Governor, one of whom must

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be a representative of a statewide business organization; one of

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whom must be a representative of organized labor; one of whom

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must be a professional whose work focuses on safety, health, and

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environmental issues; one of whom must be a representative of the

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executive branch of state government; and one of whom must be an

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academic having demonstrated knowledge of pertinent issues

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related to occupational safety and health. The Governor shall

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name one of the appointees under this subparagraph as chair of

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the task force.

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     2. Four members appointed by the President of the Senate,

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one of whom must be a representative of a statewide business

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organization; one of whom must be a representative of organized

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labor; one of whom must be a professional whose work focuses on

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safety, health, and environmental issues; and one of whom must be

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active in private-sector business.

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     3. Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of

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Representatives, one of whom must be a representative of a

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statewide business organization; one of whom must be a

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representative of organized labor; one of whom must be a

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professional whose work focuses on safety, health, and

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environmental issues; and one of whom must be active in

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private-sector business.

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     4. Two members appointed from the private sector by the

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Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer or his or

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her designee from the Office of Insurance Regulation shall serve

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as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the task force.

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     (3) The task force shall address issues, including, but not

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limited to:

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     (a) Differences in the workplace safety needs of

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private-sector employers and public-sector employers;

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     (b) The relationship between federal and state activities

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related to workplace safety; and

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     (c) The impact of public-sector workplace safety and health

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on the economic-development efforts of the state.

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     (4) The task force shall exist within the Office of

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Insurance Regulation, and shall be staffed with existing

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employees of that office.

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     (5) Members of the task force shall serve without

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compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and

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travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, while

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in the performance of their duties.

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     (6) The task force may procure information and assistance

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from any officer or agency of the state, or any subdivision

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thereof. All such officials and agencies shall give the task

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force all relevant information and assistance on any matter

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within their knowledge or control.

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     (7) The task force shall submit a report and

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recommendations to the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the

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President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

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Representatives by January 1, 2009. The report must include any

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specific recommendations for legislative action during the 2009

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Regular Session of the Legislature.

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     (8) The task force shall be dissolved upon the submission

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of its report.

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     Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.