Florida Senate - 2009 CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 44-A
Barcode 129370
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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Floor: AD/2R .
01/14/2009 11:33 AM .
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The Conference Committee on CS for SB 44-A recommended the
following:
1 Senate Conference Committee Amendment (with title
2 amendment)
3
4 Delete everything after the enacting clause
5 and insert:
6 Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
7 contrary, each state agency shall review existing and proposed
8 contracts with private providers and public-private providers in
9 an effort to reduce contract payments. It is the statewide goal
10 to achieve substantial savings; however, it is the intent of the
11 Legislature that the level and quality of services not be
12 affected. Each agency may renegotiate contracts consistent with
13 this section. The Legislature intends that its substantive and
14 fiscal committees will review the results of this effort and the
15 effectiveness of each agency in meeting the goal. This section
16 expires July 1, 2009.
17 Section 2. It is the policy of the state that funds
18 appropriated to each state agency which may be used for travel
19 by state employees be limited, until July 1, 2009, to travel for
20 activities that are critical to the state agency's mission.
21 Funds may not be used to pay for travel by state employees to
22 foreign countries, other states, conferences, staff-training
23 activities, or other administrative functions unless the
24 respective agency head has determined that such activities are
25 critical to the agency's mission. Travel for law enforcement
26 purposes, military purposes, emergency management activities,
27 and public health activities is not covered by this section. The
28 agency head, or his or her designee, must consider the use of
29 teleconferencing and other forms of electronic communication to
30 meet the needs of the proposed activity before approving
31 mission-critical travel.
32 Section 3. (1) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
33 Government Accountability, in consultation with the Department
34 of Management Services, shall develop recommendations regarding
35 the prudent issuance and use of state-owned wireless
36 communications devices, including wireless telephones, personal
37 digital assistants, and other electronic devices. In developing
38 these recommendations, the office shall consider, at a minimum:
39 (a) The need for the wireless communications device;
40 (b) The need for the employee to be available via such
41 wireless communications device;
42 (c) The accountability for issuance of wireless
43 communications devices;
44 (d) The possibility of sharing wireless communications
45 devices;
46 (e) Methods to reduce the issuance and use of wireless
47 communications devices;
48 (f) Whether reimbursing employees for calls on personal
49 wireless telephones might be cost-effective in some instances;
50 (g) What controls are necessary for the prudent management
51 of such wireless communications devices; and
52 (h) Any available cost-saving measures that could be
53 considered.
54 (2) The office shall report its findings and estimated cost
55 savings to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
56 House of Representatives by March 3, 2009.
57 Section 4. The Department of Management Services shall
58 compile a list of all state-owned surplus real property that has
59 a value greater than $1,000 in order to determine potential cost
60 savings and revenue opportunities from the sale or lease of
61 assets. The review shall include a cost-benefit analysis of any
62 proposed facility disposition, including the facility’s current
63 operating expenses, condition, projected capital depreciation
64 costs, and market value, and the effect of the proposed
65 facility’s disposition on the state’s financial status,
66 including the effect on rental rates and the coverage
67 requirement for bonds. In addition, the review shall identify
68 current contracts for leased office space in which the leased
69 space is not fully used or occupied and include a plan for
70 contract renegotiation or subletting unoccupied space. The
71 department shall submit a report of its findings and
72 recommendations to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of
73 the House of Representatives, and the Executive Office of the
74 Governor by March 3, 2009.
75 Section 5. (1) The Chief Financial Officer, as head of the
76 Department of Financial Services, shall consider methods to
77 ensure that state agencies receive the maximum amount of federal
78 funds to which the state is entitled based on the services it
79 currently provides. The Chief Financial Officer shall make
80 initial recommendations to the Office of Policy and Budget and
81 the legislative appropriations committees by March 3, 2009.
82 (2) Each state agency shall review its operations to ensure
83 that the state receives the maximum amount of federal funds to
84 which it is entitled based on the services the agency currently
85 provides.
86 Section 6. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
87 Government Accountability shall examine the option of
88 contracting with a private entity to identify and recover
89 fraudulent Medicaid claims on a contingency-fee basis and submit
90 its findings and recommendations to the President of the Senate
91 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by March 3,
92 2009.
93 Section 7. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
94 Government Accountability shall conduct a review to assess the
95 feasibility of consolidating statewide pharmaceutical services
96 for state agencies, including the purchasing, repackaging, and
97 dispensing of pharmaceuticals. The office shall submit its
98 report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
99 House of Representatives by March 3, 2009.
100 Section 8. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
101 Government Accountability shall examine the option of expanding
102 the use of alternative inmate placements, such as work-release
103 and work camps, for low-risk inmates and submit its findings and
104 recommendations to the President of the Senate and the Speaker
105 of the House of Representatives by March 3, 2009.
106 Section 9. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
107
108 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
109 And the title is amended as follows:
110 Delete everything before the enacting clause
111 and insert:
112 A bill to be entitled
113 An act relating to governmental operations; requiring state
114 agencies to review existing and proposed contracts for the
115 purpose of reducing contract payments; authorizing agencies to
116 renegotiate contracts; providing for future expiration of such
117 provisions; establishing the policy of the state concerning
118 limitations on travel by state employees for a specified period;
119 providing for certain exceptions; requiring that agencies
120 consider using electronic communications; requiring the Office
121 of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, in
122 consultation with the Department of Management Services, to
123 develop recommendations regarding the prudent issuance and use
124 of state-owned wireless communications devices; requiring a
125 report to the Legislature; requiring the Department of
126 Management Services to compile a list of and review state-owned
127 surplus real property of greater than a specified value;
128 providing requirements for the review; requiring a report to the
129 Legislature and the Executive Office of the Governor; requiring
130 that the Chief Financial Officer consider methods to ensure that
131 state agencies receive the maximum federal funds to which the
132 state is entitled; requiring the Chief Financial Officer to make
133 recommendations to the Office of Policy and Budget and the
134 legislative appropriations committees; requiring each state
135 agency to ensure the receipt of maximum federal funds to which
136 the agency is entitled based on its current services; requiring
137 the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
138 Accountability to examine whether a private entity should be
139 used to recover fraudulent Medicaid claims; requiring the office
140 to assess the feasibility of consolidating statewide
141 pharmaceutical services for state agencies; requiring the office
142 to examine the use of alternative placements for low-risk
143 inmates; requiring that the office submit reports to the
144 President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
145 Representatives by a specified date; providing an effective
146 date.