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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to correctional officers; amending s.

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943.10, F.S.; revising the definition of "correctional

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officer" to include security personnel employed in secure

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facilities housing sexually violent predators and

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institutional security personnel employed in forensic

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facilities; amending ss. 394.221 and s. 916.1091, F.S., to

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conform cross-references; providing an effective date.

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

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     Section 1.  Subsection (2) of section 943.10, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     943.10  Definitions; ss. 943.085-943.255.--The following

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words and phrases as used in ss. 943.085-943.255 are defined as

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follows:

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     (2)  "Correctional officer" means any person who is

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appointed or employed full time by the state or any political

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subdivision thereof, or by any private entity contracting which

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has contracted with the state or political subdivision county,

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and whose primary responsibility is the supervision, protection,

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care, custody, and control, or investigation, of inmates within a

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correctional institution. The term also includes certified

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correctional officers employed as facility security personnel to

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operate a secure facility for sexually violent predators pursuant

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to s. 394.9221 and employed as institutional security personnel

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to operate a forensic facility pursuant to s. 916.1091(2);

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however, the term "correctional officer" does not include any

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secretarial, clerical, or professionally trained personnel.

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     Section 2.  Section 394.9221, Florida Statutes, is amended

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to read:

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     394.9221 Certified Security personnel.--The department or a

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private an entity contracting with the department to operate a

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secure facility under this part is considered an employing agency

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as that term is defined in s. 943.10 and is authorized to employ

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certified correctional officers as facility security personnel.

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     Section 3.  Subsection (2) of section 916.1091, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     916.1091  Duties, functions, and powers of institutional

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security personnel.--

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     (2) The department, the agency, or a private an entity

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contracting with the department or agency to operate a forensic

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facility under this chapter is considered an employing agency as

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that term is defined in s. 943.10 and is authorized to employ

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certified correctional officers as institutional security

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personnel. This authority applies retroactively to all certified

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officers employed in such capacity beginning January 1, 1974.

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     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.