Florida Senate - 2023                       CS for CS for SB 364
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Fiscal Policy; and Governmental Oversight
       and Accountability; and Senator Avila
       
       
       
       
       594-03817-23                                           2023364c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to bereavement benefits for state
    3         employees; providing a short title; creating s.
    4         110.1205, F.S.; authorizing the head of a law
    5         enforcement agency to grant specified employees a
    6         certain number of hours of administrative leave for a
    7         specified purpose; authorizing the head of a law
    8         enforcement agency to deny such administrative leave
    9         under certain circumstances; amending s. 112.061,
   10         F.S.; authorizing travel expenses for certain members
   11         of a law enforcement agency for a specified purpose;
   12         amending s. 112.19, F.S.; increasing the amount to be
   13         paid toward the funeral and burial expenses of certain
   14         officers killed in the line of duty; amending s.
   15         287.17, F.S.; authorizing the use of a state motor
   16         vehicle to attend a funeral in this state of a law
   17         enforcement officer killed in the line of duty under
   18         specified circumstances; providing effective dates.
   19          
   20  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   21  
   22         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Respecting Their
   23  Sacrifice Act.”
   24         Section 2. Effective October 1, 2023, section 110.1205,
   25  Florida Statutes, is created to read:
   26         110.1205Administrative leave for law enforcement
   27  officers.The head of a law enforcement agency may grant
   28  administrative leave not to exceed 8 hours to a state employee
   29  whose duties are those of a law enforcement officer, as defined
   30  in s. 943.10(1), to attend the funeral service of a law
   31  enforcement officer from the agency who was killed in the line
   32  of duty. The head of the law enforcement agency may deny the use
   33  of administrative leave under this section in order to maintain
   34  minimum or adequate staffing levels.
   35         Section 3. Paragraph (i) is added to subsection (3) of
   36  section 112.061, Florida Statutes, to read:
   37         112.061 Per diem and travel expenses of public officers,
   38  employees, and authorized persons; statewide travel management
   39  system.—
   40         (3) AUTHORITY TO INCUR TRAVEL EXPENSES.—
   41         (i)The head of a law enforcement agency may authorize
   42  travel expenses for a state employee whose duties are those of a
   43  law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 943.10(1), to attend a
   44  funeral service within this state of a law enforcement officer
   45  who was killed in the line of duty.
   46         Section 4. Paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section
   47  112.19, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   48         112.19 Law enforcement, correctional, and correctional
   49  probation officers; death benefits.—
   50         (2)
   51         (f) If a full-time law enforcement, correctional, or
   52  correctional probation officer who is certified pursuant to
   53  chapter 943 and employed by a state agency is killed in the line
   54  of duty while the officer is engaged in the performance of law
   55  enforcement duties or as a result of an assault against the
   56  officer under riot conditions:
   57         1. The sum of $10,000 $1,000 must be paid, as provided for
   58  in paragraph (d), toward the funeral and burial expenses of such
   59  officer. Such benefits are in addition to any other benefits to
   60  which employee beneficiaries and dependents are entitled under
   61  the Workers’ Compensation Law or any other state or federal
   62  statutes; and
   63         2. The officer’s employing agency may pay up to $5,000
   64  directly toward the venue expenses associated with the funeral
   65  and burial services of such officer.
   66         Section 5. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (3) of
   67  section 287.17, Florida Statutes, to read:
   68         287.17 Limitation on use of motor vehicles and aircraft.—
   69         (3)
   70         (c) For motor vehicles used by a state employee whose
   71  duties are those of a law enforcement officer, as defined in s.
   72  943.10(1), the term “official state business” must be construed
   73  to allow the use of the vehicle to attend a funeral service
   74  within this state of a law enforcement officer who was killed in
   75  the line of duty if such use is at the direction or with the
   76  permission of the agency head.
   77         Section 6. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
   78  act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2023.