Florida Senate - 2025 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 364
Ì1283183Î128318
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
03/17/2025 .
.
.
.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 (Osgood) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 16.615, Florida Statutes, is
6 transferred, renumbered as section 1001.216, Florida Statutes,
7 and amended to read:
8 1001.216 16.615 Council on the Social Status of Black Men
9 and Boys.—
10 (1) The Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys
11 is established within Florida Memorial University the Department
12 of Legal Affairs and shall be composed consist of 19 members
13 appointed as follows:
14 (a) Two members of the Senate who are not members of the
15 same political party, appointed by the President of the Senate
16 with the advice of the Minority Leader of the Senate.
17 (b) Two members of the House of Representatives who are not
18 members of the same political party, appointed by the Speaker of
19 the House of Representatives with the advice of the Minority
20 Leader of the House of Representatives.
21 (c) The Secretary of Children and Families, or his or her
22 designee.
23 (d) The director of the Mental Health Program Office within
24 the Department of Children and Families, or his or her designee.
25 (e) The State Surgeon General, or his or her designee.
26 (f) The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
27 (g) The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee.
28 (h) The Attorney General, or his or her designee.
29 (i) The Secretary of Management Services, or his or her
30 designee.
31 (j) The Secretary of Commerce, or his or her designee.
32 (k) A businessperson who is an African American, as defined
33 in s. 760.80(2)(a), appointed by the Governor.
34 (l) Two persons appointed by the President of the Senate
35 who are not members of the Legislature or employed by state
36 government. One of the appointees must be a clinical
37 psychologist.
38 (m) Two persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of
39 Representatives who are not members of the Legislature or
40 employed by state government. One of the appointees must be an
41 Africana studies professional.
42 (n) The deputy secretary for Medicaid in the Agency for
43 Health Care Administration, or his or her designee.
44 (o) The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
45 designee.
46 (2) Each member of the council shall be appointed to a 4
47 year term; however, for the purpose of providing staggered
48 terms, of the initial appointments, 9 members shall be appointed
49 to 2-year terms and 10 members shall be appointed to 4-year
50 terms. A member of the council may be removed at any time by the
51 member’s appointing authority who shall fill the vacancy on the
52 council.
53 (3)(a) At the first meeting of the council each year, the
54 members shall elect a chair and a vice chair.
55 (b) A vacancy in the office of chair or vice chair must
56 shall be filled by vote of the remaining members.
57 (4)(a) The council shall make a systematic study of the
58 conditions affecting black men and boys, including, but not
59 limited to, homicide rates, arrest and incarceration rates,
60 poverty, violence, drug abuse, death rates, disparate annual
61 income levels, school performance in all grade levels including
62 postsecondary levels, and health issues.
63 (b) The council shall propose measures to alleviate and
64 correct the underlying causes of the conditions described in
65 paragraph (a). These measures may consist of changes to the law
66 or systematic changes that can be implemented without
67 legislative action.
68 (c) The council may study other topics suggested by the
69 Legislature or as directed by the chair of the council.
70 (d) The council shall receive suggestions or comments
71 pertinent to the applicable issues from members of the
72 Legislature, governmental agencies, public and private
73 organizations, and private citizens.
74 (e) The council shall develop a strategic program and
75 funding initiative to establish local Councils on the Social
76 Status of Black Men and Boys.
77 (5) The council may:
78 (a) Access data held by any state departments or agencies,
79 which data is otherwise a public record.
80 (b) Make requests directly to the Joint Legislative
81 Auditing Committee for assistance with research and monitoring
82 of outcomes by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
83 Government Accountability.
84 (c) Request, through council members who are also
85 legislators, research assistance from the Office of Economic and
86 Demographic Research within the Florida Legislature.
87 (d) Request information and assistance from the state or
88 any political subdivision, municipal corporation, public
89 officer, or governmental department thereof.
90 (e) Apply for and accept funds, grants, gifts, and services
91 from the state, the Federal Government or any of its agencies,
92 or any other public or private source for the purpose of
93 defraying clerical and administrative costs as may be necessary
94 for carrying out its duties under this section.
95 (f) Work directly with, or request information and
96 assistance on issues pertaining to education from, Florida’s
97 historically black colleges and universities.
98 (6) Florida Memorial University The Office of the Attorney
99 General shall provide staff and administrative support to the
100 council.
101 (7) The council shall meet quarterly and at other times at
102 the call of the chair or as determined by a majority of council
103 members and approved by the president of Florida Memorial
104 University Attorney General.
105 (8) Eleven of the members of the council constitute a
106 quorum, and an affirmative vote of a majority of the members
107 present is required for final action.
108 (9) The council shall issue its annual report by December
109 15 each year, stating the findings, conclusions, and
110 recommendations of the council. The council shall submit the
111 report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker
112 of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons of the
113 standing committees of jurisdiction in each chamber.
114 (10) Members of the council shall serve without
115 compensation. Members are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
116 and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. State officers
117 and employees shall be reimbursed from the budget of the agency
118 through which they serve. Other members may be reimbursed by
119 Florida Memorial University the Department of Legal Affairs.
120 (11) The council and any subcommittees it forms are subject
121 to the provisions of chapter 119, related to public records, and
122 the provisions of chapter 286, related to public meetings.
123 (12) Each member of the council who is not otherwise required to
124 file a financial disclosure statement pursuant to s. 8, Art. II
125 of the State Constitution or s. 112.3144, must file a disclosure
126 of financial interests pursuant to s. 112.3145.
127 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
128
129 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
130 And the title is amended as follows:
131 Delete everything before the enacting clause
132 and insert:
133 A bill to be entitled
134 An act relating to the Council on the Social Status of
135 Black Men and Boys; transferring, renumbering, and
136 amending s. 16.615, F.S.; establishing the council
137 within Florida Memorial University, rather than the
138 Department of Legal Affairs; requiring Florida
139 Memorial University, rather than the Office of the
140 Attorney General, to provide staff and administrative
141 support to the council; providing that the council’s
142 meeting times are approved by the president of Florida
143 Memorial University, rather than the Attorney General;
144 providing that members of the council may be
145 reimbursed for certain expenses by Florida Memorial
146 University, rather than the Department of Legal
147 Affairs; providing an effective date.