Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1038
By Senator Powell
24-01217-23 20231038__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Citizens Collaborative Council;
3 creating s. 944.0232, F.S.; creating the advisory
4 council adjunct to the Department of Corrections;
5 providing for initial appointments to the advisory
6 board by a specified date; providing duties and
7 responsibilities of the council; requiring the council
8 to serve as a liaison between certain persons;
9 specifying the council’s purpose; specifying that
10 council members serve without compensation but are
11 entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel
12 expenses; providing an effective date.
13
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16 Section 1. Section 944.0232, Florida Statutes, is created
17 to read:
18 944.0232 Citizens Collaborative Council.—
19 (1) The Citizens Collaborative Council, an advisory council
20 as defined in s. 20.03(7), is created adjunct to the department.
21 Except as otherwise provided in this section, the council shall
22 operate in a manner consistent with s. 20.052.
23 (2)(a) The council shall consist of the following members:
24 1. Four members appointed by the President of the Senate.
25 2. Four members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
26 Senate.
27 3. Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
28 Representatives.
29 4. Four members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
30 House of Representatives.
31 (b) The initial members of the council shall be appointed
32 by October 1, 2023. Members shall be appointed for terms of 4
33 years. However, to achieve staggered terms, one member of each
34 appointing authority shall be appointed for an initial 2-year
35 term. Members must be appointed equally within each region of
36 the department. The council’s membership shall include, to the
37 greatest extent possible, former prisoners, persons who are
38 directly impacted by the correctional system, and criminal
39 justice or prison reform advocates.
40 (3) The council’s primary duties and responsibilities
41 include:
42 (a) Regularly conducting unannounced visits to adult
43 correctional facilities, including facilities operated by
44 private contractors. Council members may enter any correctional
45 facility in which prisoners are kept, shall be immediately
46 admitted to such facilities upon a member’s request, and may
47 consult and confer with any prisoner. Upon any finding of
48 concern, a council member must immediately contact the warden
49 and the two will work together to resolve the concern.
50 (b) Conducting confidential interviews with administrators,
51 staff, officers, prisoners, prisoners’ families or loved ones,
52 volunteers, and public officials relating to the operations and
53 conditions of correctional facilities as well as the general
54 health and welfare of the prisoners.
55 (c) Conducting telephone interviews with prisoners in a
56 manner similar to that of legal counsel in a private area using
57 a telephone that is not recorded.
58 (d) Making recommendations to the classification teams,
59 including recommendations regarding close management,
60 administrative confinement, and disciplinary hearings.
61 (4) The council may not interfere with the day-to-day
62 operations of the department or any facilities operated by or on
63 behalf of the department, but shall serve as a liaison between
64 administrators, staff, prisoners, and prisoners’ families or
65 loved ones.
66 (5) The council’s purpose is to transcend the turmoil that
67 exists between administrators, staff, officers, prisoners, or
68 prisoners’ families or loved ones, and a council member may not
69 discuss any circumstances or findings with the media or any
70 person who is not a member or an appointing authority of the
71 council.
72 (6) Members of the council shall serve without compensation
73 but are entitled to receive reimbursement for per diem and
74 travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
75 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.