Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 364
By the Committees on Fiscal Policy; and Education Pre-K - 12;
and Senators Osgood and Pizzo
594-03709-25 2025364c2
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 Florida Memorial University, rather than the
6 Department of Legal Affairs; requiring Florida
7 Memorial University, rather than the Office of the
8 Attorney General, to provide staff and administrative
9 support to the council; providing that the council’s
10 meeting times are approved by the president of Florida
11 Memorial University, rather than the Attorney General;
12 revising the quorum requirements to reduce the number
13 of members required for a quorum; authorizing members
14 to appear by communications media technology;
15 providing that members who appear by such technology
16 are considered present and may be counted toward the
17 quorum requirement; providing notice requirements for
18 public meetings or workshops conducted by means of
19 communications media technology; providing that
20 members of the council may be reimbursed for certain
21 expenses by Florida Memorial University, rather than
22 the Department of Legal Affairs; providing an
23 effective date.
24
25 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
26
27 Section 1. Section 16.615, Florida Statutes, is
28 transferred, renumbered as section 1001.216, Florida Statutes,
29 and amended to read:
30 1001.216 16.615 Council on the Social Status of Black Men
31 and Boys.—
32 (1) The Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys
33 is established within Florida Memorial University the Department
34 of Legal Affairs and shall be composed consist of 19 members
35 appointed as follows:
36 (a) Two members of the Senate who are not members of the
37 same political party, appointed by the President of the Senate
38 with the advice of the Minority Leader of the Senate.
39 (b) Two members of the House of Representatives who are not
40 members of the same political party, appointed by the Speaker of
41 the House of Representatives with the advice of the Minority
42 Leader of the House of Representatives.
43 (c) The Secretary of Children and Families, or his or her
44 designee.
45 (d) The director of the Mental Health Program Office within
46 the Department of Children and Families, or his or her designee.
47 (e) The State Surgeon General, or his or her designee.
48 (f) The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
49 (g) The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee.
50 (h) The Attorney General, or his or her designee.
51 (i) The Secretary of Management Services, or his or her
52 designee.
53 (j) The Secretary of Commerce, or his or her designee.
54 (k) A businessperson who is an African American, as defined
55 in s. 760.80(2)(a), appointed by the Governor.
56 (l) Two persons appointed by the President of the Senate
57 who are not members of the Legislature or employed by state
58 government. One of the appointees must be a clinical
59 psychologist.
60 (m) Two persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of
61 Representatives who are not members of the Legislature or
62 employed by state government. One of the appointees must be an
63 Africana studies professional.
64 (n) The deputy secretary for Medicaid in the Agency for
65 Health Care Administration, or his or her designee.
66 (o) The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
67 designee.
68 (2) Each member of the council shall be appointed to a 4
69 year term; however, for the purpose of providing staggered
70 terms, of the initial appointments, 9 members shall be appointed
71 to 2-year terms and 10 members shall be appointed to 4-year
72 terms. A member of the council may be removed at any time by the
73 member’s appointing authority who shall fill the vacancy on the
74 council.
75 (3)(a) At the first meeting of the council each year, the
76 members shall elect a chair and a vice chair.
77 (b) A vacancy in the office of chair or vice chair must
78 shall be filled by vote of the remaining members.
79 (4)(a) The council shall make a systematic study of the
80 conditions affecting black men and boys, including, but not
81 limited to, homicide rates, arrest and incarceration rates,
82 poverty, violence, drug abuse, death rates, disparate annual
83 income levels, school performance in all grade levels including
84 postsecondary levels, and health issues.
85 (b) The council shall propose measures to alleviate and
86 correct the underlying causes of the conditions described in
87 paragraph (a). These measures may consist of changes to the law
88 or systematic changes that can be implemented without
89 legislative action.
90 (c) The council may study other topics suggested by the
91 Legislature or as directed by the chair of the council.
92 (d) The council shall receive suggestions or comments
93 pertinent to the applicable issues from members of the
94 Legislature, governmental agencies, public and private
95 organizations, and private citizens.
96 (e) The council shall develop a strategic program and
97 funding initiative to establish local Councils on the Social
98 Status of Black Men and Boys.
99 (5) The council may:
100 (a) Access data held by any state departments or agencies,
101 which data is otherwise a public record.
102 (b) Make requests directly to the Joint Legislative
103 Auditing Committee for assistance with research and monitoring
104 of outcomes by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
105 Government Accountability.
106 (c) Request, through council members who are also
107 legislators, research assistance from the Office of Economic and
108 Demographic Research within the Florida Legislature.
109 (d) Request information and assistance from the state or
110 any political subdivision, municipal corporation, public
111 officer, or governmental department thereof.
112 (e) Apply for and accept funds, grants, gifts, and services
113 from the state, the Federal Government or any of its agencies,
114 or any other public or private source for the purpose of
115 defraying clerical and administrative costs as may be necessary
116 for carrying out its duties under this section.
117 (f) Work directly with, or request information and
118 assistance on issues pertaining to education from, Florida’s
119 historically black colleges and universities.
120 (6) Florida Memorial University The Office of the Attorney
121 General shall provide staff and administrative support to the
122 council.
123 (7) The council shall meet quarterly and at other times at
124 the call of the chair or as determined by a majority of council
125 members and approved by the president of Florida Memorial
126 University Attorney General.
127 (8) Nine Eleven of the members of the council constitute a
128 quorum, and an affirmative vote of a majority of the members
129 present is required for final action. Members may appear by
130 communications media technology as defined in s. 120.54(5)(b)2.
131 Members who appear by communications media technology are
132 considered present and may be counted toward the quorum
133 requirement. A notice for a public meeting or workshop must
134 state whether the meeting or workshop will be conducted using
135 communications media technology, how an interested person may
136 participate, and the location of facilities where communications
137 media technology will be available during the meeting or
138 workshop.
139 (9) The council shall issue its annual report by December
140 15 each year, stating the findings, conclusions, and
141 recommendations of the council. The council shall submit the
142 report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker
143 of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons of the
144 standing committees of jurisdiction in each chamber.
145 (10) Members of the council shall serve without
146 compensation. Members are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
147 and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. State officers
148 and employees shall be reimbursed from the budget of the agency
149 through which they serve. Other members may be reimbursed by
150 Florida Memorial University the Department of Legal Affairs.
151 (11) The council and any subcommittees it forms are subject
152 to the provisions of chapter 119, related to public records, and
153 the provisions of chapter 286, related to public meetings.
154 (12) Each member of the council who is not otherwise
155 required to file a financial disclosure statement pursuant to s.
156 8, Art. II of the State Constitution or s. 112.3144, must file a
157 disclosure of financial interests pursuant to s. 112.3145.
158 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.