Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 570
       
       
        
       By Senator Burgess
       
       
       
       
       
       23-00853-24                                            2024570__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to alternative headquarters for
    3         district court of appeal judges; amending s. 35.051,
    4         F.S.; authorizing a district court of appeal judge to
    5         have an appropriate facility in a county adjacent to
    6         his or her county of residence as the judge’s official
    7         headquarters; authorizing subsistence and travel
    8         reimbursement to such judges; providing an effective
    9         date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 35.051, Florida
   14  Statutes, is amended to read:
   15         35.051 Subsistence and travel reimbursement for judges with
   16  alternate headquarters.—
   17         (1)(a) A district court of appeal judge is eligible for the
   18  designation of a county courthouse or another appropriate
   19  facility in his or her county of residence, or an adjacent
   20  county within the district, as his or her official headquarters
   21  for purposes of s. 112.061 if the judge permanently resides more
   22  than 50 miles from:
   23         1. The appellate district’s headquarters as prescribed
   24  under s. 35.05(1), if the judge is assigned to such
   25  headquarters; or
   26         2. The appellate district’s branch headquarters established
   27  under s. 35.05(2), if the judge is assigned to such branch
   28  headquarters.
   29  
   30  The official headquarters may serve only as the judge’s private
   31  chambers.
   32         (b)1. A district court of appeal judge for whom an official
   33  headquarters is designated under paragraph (a) in his or her
   34  county of residence under this subsection is eligible for
   35  subsistence at a rate to be established by the Chief Justice for
   36  each day or partial day that the judge is at the headquarters or
   37  branch headquarters of his or her appellate district to conduct
   38  court business, as authorized by the chief judge of that
   39  district court of appeal. The Chief Justice may authorize a
   40  judge to choose between subsistence based on lodging at a
   41  single-occupancy rate and meal reimbursement as provided in s.
   42  112.061 and subsistence at a fixed rate prescribed by the Chief
   43  Justice.
   44         2. In addition to subsistence, a district court of appeal
   45  judge is eligible for reimbursement for travel expenses as
   46  provided in s. 112.061(7) and (8) for travel between the judge’s
   47  official headquarters and the headquarters or branch
   48  headquarters of the appellate district to conduct court
   49  business. If the judge’s official headquarters designated under
   50  paragraph (a) is located in a county adjacent to the judge’s
   51  county of residence, such reimbursement is limited to the lesser
   52  of:
   53         a. The amount for travel between the judge’s official
   54  headquarters and the headquarters or branch headquarters of the
   55  appellate district; or
   56         b. The amount that would be authorized for travel between
   57  an official headquarters maintained in the judge’s county of
   58  residence and the headquarters or branch headquarters of the
   59  appellate district.
   60         (c) Payment of subsistence and reimbursement for travel
   61  expenses between the judge’s official headquarters and the
   62  headquarters or branch headquarters of his or her appellate
   63  district shall be made to the extent that appropriated funds are
   64  available, as determined by the Chief Justice.
   65         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.