Florida Senate - 2025 SB 364
By Senator Osgood
32-00583-25 2025364__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Council on the Social Status of
3 Black Men and Boys; transferring, renumbering, and
4 amending s. 16.615, F.S.; establishing the council
5 within the Department of Education, rather than the
6 Department of Legal Affairs; requiring the Department
7 of Education, rather than the Office of the Attorney
8 General, to provide staff and administrative support
9 to the council; providing that the council’s meeting
10 times are approved by the Commissioner of Education,
11 rather than the Attorney General; providing that
12 members of the council may be reimbursed for certain
13 expenses by the Department of Education, rather than
14 the Department of Legal Affairs; providing an
15 effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Section 16.615, Florida Statutes, is
20 transferred, renumbered as section 1001.216, Florida Statutes,
21 and amended to read:
22 1001.216 16.615 Council on the Social Status of Black Men
23 and Boys.—
24 (1) The Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys
25 is established within the Department of Education Legal Affairs
26 and shall be composed consist of 19 members appointed as
27 follows:
28 (a) Two members of the Senate who are not members of the
29 same political party, appointed by the President of the Senate
30 with the advice of the Minority Leader of the Senate.
31 (b) Two members of the House of Representatives who are not
32 members of the same political party, appointed by the Speaker of
33 the House of Representatives with the advice of the Minority
34 Leader of the House of Representatives.
35 (c) The Secretary of Children and Families, or his or her
36 designee.
37 (d) The director of the Mental Health Program Office within
38 the Department of Children and Families, or his or her designee.
39 (e) The State Surgeon General, or his or her designee.
40 (f) The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
41 (g) The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee.
42 (h) The Attorney General, or his or her designee.
43 (i) The Secretary of Management Services, or his or her
44 designee.
45 (j) The Secretary of Commerce, or his or her designee.
46 (k) A businessperson who is an African American, as defined
47 in s. 760.80(2)(a), appointed by the Governor.
48 (l) Two persons appointed by the President of the Senate
49 who are not members of the Legislature or employed by state
50 government. One of the appointees must be a clinical
51 psychologist.
52 (m) Two persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of
53 Representatives who are not members of the Legislature or
54 employed by state government. One of the appointees must be an
55 Africana studies professional.
56 (n) The deputy secretary for Medicaid in the Agency for
57 Health Care Administration, or his or her designee.
58 (o) The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
59 designee.
60 (2) Each member of the council shall be appointed to a 4
61 year term; however, for the purpose of providing staggered
62 terms, of the initial appointments, 9 members shall be appointed
63 to 2-year terms and 10 members shall be appointed to 4-year
64 terms. A member of the council may be removed at any time by the
65 member’s appointing authority who shall fill the vacancy on the
66 council.
67 (3)(a) At the first meeting of the council each year, the
68 members shall elect a chair and a vice chair.
69 (b) A vacancy in the office of chair or vice chair must
70 shall be filled by vote of the remaining members.
71 (4)(a) The council shall make a systematic study of the
72 conditions affecting black men and boys, including, but not
73 limited to, homicide rates, arrest and incarceration rates,
74 poverty, violence, drug abuse, death rates, disparate annual
75 income levels, school performance in all grade levels including
76 postsecondary levels, and health issues.
77 (b) The council shall propose measures to alleviate and
78 correct the underlying causes of the conditions described in
79 paragraph (a). These measures may consist of changes to the law
80 or systematic changes that can be implemented without
81 legislative action.
82 (c) The council may study other topics suggested by the
83 Legislature or as directed by the chair of the council.
84 (d) The council shall receive suggestions or comments
85 pertinent to the applicable issues from members of the
86 Legislature, governmental agencies, public and private
87 organizations, and private citizens.
88 (e) The council shall develop a strategic program and
89 funding initiative to establish local Councils on the Social
90 Status of Black Men and Boys.
91 (5) The council may:
92 (a) Access data held by any state departments or agencies,
93 which data is otherwise a public record.
94 (b) Make requests directly to the Joint Legislative
95 Auditing Committee for assistance with research and monitoring
96 of outcomes by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
97 Government Accountability.
98 (c) Request, through council members who are also
99 legislators, research assistance from the Office of Economic and
100 Demographic Research within the Florida Legislature.
101 (d) Request information and assistance from the state or
102 any political subdivision, municipal corporation, public
103 officer, or governmental department thereof.
104 (e) Apply for and accept funds, grants, gifts, and services
105 from the state, the Federal Government or any of its agencies,
106 or any other public or private source for the purpose of
107 defraying clerical and administrative costs as may be necessary
108 for carrying out its duties under this section.
109 (f) Work directly with, or request information and
110 assistance on issues pertaining to education from, Florida’s
111 historically black colleges and universities.
112 (6) The Department of Education Office of the Attorney
113 General shall provide staff and administrative support to the
114 council.
115 (7) The council shall meet quarterly and at other times at
116 the call of the chair or as determined by a majority of council
117 members and approved by the Commissioner of Education Attorney
118 General.
119 (8) Eleven of the members of the council constitute a
120 quorum, and an affirmative vote of a majority of the members
121 present is required for final action.
122 (9) The council shall issue its annual report by December
123 15 each year, stating the findings, conclusions, and
124 recommendations of the council. The council shall submit the
125 report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker
126 of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons of the
127 standing committees of jurisdiction in each chamber.
128 (10) Members of the council shall serve without
129 compensation. Members are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
130 and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. State officers
131 and employees shall be reimbursed from the budget of the agency
132 through which they serve. Other members may be reimbursed by the
133 Department of Education Legal Affairs.
134 (11) The council and any subcommittees it forms are subject
135 to the provisions of chapter 119, related to public records, and
136 the provisions of chapter 286, related to public meetings.
137 (12) Each member of the council who is not otherwise
138 required to file a financial disclosure statement pursuant to s.
139 8, Art. II of the State Constitution or s. 112.3144, must file a
140 disclosure of financial interests pursuant to s. 112.3145.
141 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.