Florida Senate - 2016                                     SB 174
       
       
        
       By Senator Bean
       
       
       
       
       
       4-00254-16                                             2016174__
    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 of 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 evidence of homicides
   47  and cold case homicides, appointed by the executive director of
   48  the Department 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 association.
   52         (l) A representative of the Florida Sheriffs Association,
   53  selected by the executive director of the association.
   54         (2) Members of the task force shall serve without
   55  compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
   56  travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
   57         (3) The task force shall convene for its first meeting by
   58  September 1, 2016. The task force shall review and evaluate
   59  policies and procedures currently used by law enforcement
   60  agencies in this state in investigating recent homicides and
   61  cold case homicides. The task force shall identify best
   62  practices and recommend proposals for legislation that may
   63  improve the effectiveness of such investigatory policies and
   64  procedures. To accomplish its duties, the task force may take
   65  testimony from members of victims’ families and members of the
   66  public.
   67         (4) The task force shall submit a report of its findings
   68  and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the
   69  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
   70  December 1, 2017. Upon submission of the report, the task force
   71  shall expire.
   72         (5) The Department of Law Enforcement shall provide the
   73  task force with staff necessary to assist the task force in the
   74  performance of its duties.
   75         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.