Florida Senate - 2015 SB 1482 By Senator Bean 4-00512-15 20151482__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to the Cold Case Task Force; creating 3 the task force within the Department of Law 4 Enforcement; specifying membership of the task force; 5 authorizing reimbursement for per diem and travel 6 expenses; prescribing duties of the task force; 7 requiring the task force to submit a report to the 8 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date; 9 providing for expiration of the task force; providing 10 for staffing; providing an effective date. 11 12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13 14 Section 1. Cold Case Task Force.—The Cold Case Task Force, 15 a task force as defined in s. 20.03, Florida Statutes, is 16 created within the Department of Law Enforcement. The task force 17 is created for the express purpose of examining policies and 18 procedures used by law enforcement agencies in this state in 19 investigating recent homicides and cold case homicides. 20 (1) The task force is composed of 19 members as follows: 21 (a) The executive director of the Department of Law 22 Enforcement or his or her designee, who shall serve as chair of 23 the task force. 24 (b) The Attorney General or his or her designee. 25 (c) Three state attorneys appointed by the Attorney 26 General, who shall be appointed in a manner that ensures 27 equitable representation of urban, suburban, and rural areas of 28 the state. 29 (d) Two representatives from victim advocacy organizations 30 appointed by the Governor. 31 (e) Two county sheriffs, one appointed by the President of 32 the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the House of 33 Representatives. 34 (f) Two municipal police chiefs, one appointed by the 35 President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the 36 House of Representatives. 37 (g) Three representatives from victims’ families, one 38 appointed by the Governor, one appointed by the President of the 39 Senate, and one appointed by the Speaker of the House of 40 Representatives. 41 (h) A crime scene evidence technician appointed by the 42 executive director of the Department of Law Enforcement. 43 (i) A forensic pathologist appointed by the executive 44 director of the Department of Law Enforcement. 45 (j) A representative of a law enforcement agency with 46 experience investigating and preserving homicides and cold case 47 homicides appointed by the executive director of the Department 48 of Law Enforcement. 49 (k) A representative of the Florida Police Chiefs 50 Association selected by the president of the executive board of 51 the Florida Police Chiefs Association. 52 (l) A representative of the Florida Sheriffs Association 53 selected by the executive director of the Florida Sheriffs 54 Association. 55 (2) Members of the task force shall serve without 56 compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and 57 travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida Statutes. 58 (3) The task force shall convene for its first meeting by 59 September 1, 2015. The task force shall review and evaluate 60 policies and procedures currently used by law enforcement 61 agencies in this state in investigating recent homicides and 62 cold case homicides. The task force shall identify best 63 practices and recommend proposals for legislation that may 64 improve the effectiveness of such investigatory policies and 65 procedures. To accomplish its duties, the task force may take 66 testimony from members of victims' families and members of the 67 public. 68 (4) The task force shall submit a report of its findings 69 and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the 70 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by 71 December 1, 2016. Upon submission of the report, the task force 72 shall expire. 73 (5) The Department of Law Enforcement shall provide the 74 task force with staff necessary to assist the task force in the 75 performance of its duties. 76 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.