Florida Senate - 2012 SB 1098 By Senator Ring 32-00304-12 20121098__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to mandatory minimum sentencing of 3 substance abusers and sex offenders; creating the 4 Florida Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Task Force, which 5 shall make recommendations to the Governor and 6 Legislature regarding mandatory minimum sentences for 7 substance abuse offenses and sex offenses; providing 8 for membership on the task force; providing for the 9 appointment of the chair of the task force; providing 10 for organization, meetings, and responsibilities; 11 providing that task force members serve without 12 compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per 13 diem and expenses for attending officially called 14 meetings; providing an effective date. 15 16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 18 Section 1. The Florida Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Task 19 Force.— 20 (1) The Florida Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Task Force is 21 created. 22 (2) The task force shall make recommendations to the 23 Governor and Legislature regarding the effectiveness and utility 24 of mandatory minimum sentences imposed for substance abuse 25 offenses and sex offenses. The task force shall present 26 recommendations, if any, to the Governor and Legislature for 27 needed changes in statutes and rules. 28 (3) The task force shall consist of the Governor or his or 29 her designee, and the following 12 additional members who are 30 residents of this state: 31 (a) The executive director of the Department of Law 32 Enforcement, or his or her designee. 33 (b) The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee. 34 (c) The Attorney General, or his or her designee. 35 (d) A circuit court judge, appointed by the Chief Justice 36 of the Supreme Court. 37 (e) A member of the Senate appointed by the President of 38 the Senate. 39 (f) A member of the House of Representatives appointed by 40 the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 41 (g) A state attorney, appointed by the Governor. 42 (h) A public defender, appointed by the Governor. 43 (i) A member of The Florida Bar, appointed by the President 44 of The Florida Bar. 45 (j) Three citizen members appointed by the Governor, one of 46 whom shall represent victim’s rights advocacy groups. 47 (4) A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the 48 initial appointment. 49 (5) The Governor shall designate one member to serve as 50 chair of the task force. If the Governor rather than his or her 51 designee participates in the activities of the task force, the 52 Governor shall serve as chair. 53 (6) The chair shall schedule and conduct the first meeting 54 of the task force by September 1, 2012. The task force shall 55 meet at least two additional times upon the call of the chair, 56 at the request of a majority of the membership, or at the 57 request of the Governor. Notice of task force meetings and the 58 agenda shall be published in the Florida Administrative Weekly 59 at least 14 days before the meeting. Staff of the Department of 60 Law Enforcement shall provide administrative support to the task 61 force. 62 (7) The task force shall submit an interim progress report 63 and work plan for the remainder of the 2012-2013 fiscal year to 64 the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of 65 the House of Representatives by October 1, 2012, and shall 66 submit a final report by March 1, 2013. 67 (8) Task force members shall serve without compensation, 68 but are entitled to reimbursement for travel and per diem 69 expenses as provided by s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, when 70 attending officially called meetings. 71 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.