CS/CS/HB 967

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to workplace safety; creating the Florida
3	Public Task Force on Workplace Safety within the Safety
4	Florida Consultation Program at the University of South
5	Florida; providing the purpose of the task force;
6	providing for membership; requiring that the task force
7	address certain issues concerning workplace safety in the
8	public and private sectors; providing for staffing;
9	providing for members to serve without compensation but to
10	be reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses;
11	authorizing the task force to procure information or
12	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, and the
17	Legislature by a specified date; requiring that the report
18	include certain information; providing for dissolution of
19	the task force; providing an appropriation; providing an
20	effective date.
21
22	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
23
24	Section 1.  (1)  The Florida Public Task Force on Workplace
25	Safety is established within the Safety Florida Consultation
26	Program at the University of South Florida for the purpose of
27	developing findings and issuing recommendations regarding
28	innovative ways by which the state may effectively ensure that
29	each state department and agency and each county government and
30	municipality located in the state complies with subparts C
31	through T and subpart Z of the Occupational Safety and Health
32	Administration Standards, 29 C.F.R. s. 1910, as revised July 1,
33	1993, with the exception of standards pertaining to firefighters
34	and fire departments.
35	(2)(a)  All members of the task force shall be appointed on
36	or before July 15, 2008, and the task force shall hold its first
37	meeting on or before August 15, 2008.
38	(b)  The task force shall be composed of 15 members as
39	follows:
40	1.  Five members appointed by the Governor, one of whom
41	must be a representative of a statewide business organization;
42	one of whom must be a representative of organized labor; one of
43	whom must be a professional whose work focuses on safety,
44	health, and environmental issues; one of whom must be a
45	representative of the executive branch of state government; and
46	one of whom must be an academic having demonstrated knowledge of
47	pertinent issues related to occupational safety and health. The
48	Governor shall name one of the appointees under this
49	subparagraph as chair of the task force.
50	2.  Five members appointed by the President of the Senate,
51	one of whom must be a representative of a statewide business
52	organization; one of whom must be a representative of organized
53	labor; one of whom must be a professional whose work focuses on
54	safety, health, and environmental issues; one of whom must be
55	from the Florida Association of Counties; and one of whom must
56	be active in private-sector business.
57	3.  Five members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
58	Representatives, one of whom must be a representative of a
59	statewide business organization; one of whom must be a
60	representative of organized labor; one of whom must be a
61	professional whose work focuses on safety, health, and
62	environmental issues; one of whom must be from the Florida
63	League of Cities; and one of whom must be active in private-
64	sector business.
65	(3)  The task force shall address issues including, but not
66	limited to:
67	(a)  Differences in the workplace safety needs of private-
68	sector employers and public-sector employers;
69	(b)  The relationship between federal and state activities
70	related to workplace safety; and
71	(c)  The effect of public-sector workplace safety and
72	health on the economic-development efforts of the state.
73	(4)  The task force shall exist within the University of
74	South Florida Safety Florida Consultation Program, and existing
75	employees of that office shall provide staff support.
76	(5)  Members of the task force shall serve without
77	compensation while in the performance of their duties but are
78	entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses in
79	accordance with s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
80	(6)  The task force may procure information and assistance
81	from any officer or agency of the state or any subdivision
82	thereof. All such officers and agencies shall provide the task
83	force with all relevant information and assistance on any matter
84	within their knowledge or control.
85	(7)  The task force shall submit a report and
86	recommendations to the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer,
87	the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
88	Representatives by January 1, 2009. The report must include any
89	specific recommendations for legislative action during the 2009
90	Regular Session of the Legislature.
91	(8)  The task force is dissolved upon the submission of its
92	report.
93	Section 2.  The sum of $100,000 in nonrecurring funds is
94	appropriated from the Worker's Compensation Administration Trust
95	Fund in the Department of Financial Services for transfer to the
96	University of South Florida for the 2008-2009 fiscal year for
97	the purpose of implementing the Florida Public Task Force on
98	Workplace Safety.
99	Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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