The Florida Senate

985.401  Juvenile Justice Advisory Board.--

(1)  The Juvenile Justice Advisory Board shall be composed of nine members. Members of the board shall have direct experience and a strong interest in juvenile justice issues. The authority to appoint the board is allocated as follows:

(a)  Three members appointed by the Governor.

(b)  Three members appointed by the President of the Senate.

(c)  Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2)

(a)  A full term shall be 3 years, and the term for each seat on the board commences on October 1 and expires on September 30, without regard to the date of appointment. Each appointing authority shall appoint a member to fill one of the three vacancies that occurs with the expiration of terms on September 30 of each year. A member is not eligible for appointment to more than two full, consecutive terms. A vacancy on the board shall be filled within 60 days after the date on which the vacancy occurs. The appointing authority that made the original appointment shall make the appointment to fill a vacancy that occurs for any reason other than the expiration of a term, and the appointment shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(b)  The board shall annually select a chairperson from among its members.

(c)  The board shall meet at least once each quarter. A member may not authorize a designee to attend a meeting of the board in place of the member. A member who fails to attend two consecutive regularly scheduled meetings of the board, unless the member is excused by the chairperson, shall be deemed to have abandoned the position, and the position shall be declared vacant by the board.

(3)

(a)  The board members shall serve without compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061.

(b)  The board shall appoint an executive director and other personnel who are exempt from part II of chapter 110, relating to the Career Service System.

(c)  The board is assigned, for the purpose of general oversight, to the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee. The board shall develop a budget pursuant to procedures established by the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee.

(d)  The composition of the board shall be broadly reflective of the public and shall include minorities and women. The term "minorities" as used in this paragraph means a member of a socially or economically disadvantaged group that includes African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians. Members of the board shall have direct experience and a strong interest in juvenile justice issues.

(4)  The board shall:

(a)  Review and recommend programmatic and fiscal policies governing the operation of programs, services, and facilities for which the Department of Juvenile Justice is responsible.

(b)  Monitor the development and implementation of long-range juvenile justice policies, including prevention, early intervention, diversion, adjudication, and commitment.

(c)  Monitor all activities of the executive and judicial branch and their effectiveness in implementing policies pursuant to this chapter.

(d)  Establish and operate a comprehensive system to annually measure and report program outcome and effectiveness for each program operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice or operated by a provider under contract with the department. The board shall use its evaluation research to make advisory recommendations to the Legislature, the Governor, and the department concerning the effectiveness and future funding priorities of juvenile justice programs.

(e)  Advise the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Governor, and the department on matters relating to this chapter.

(f)  Serve as a clearinghouse to provide information and assistance to the district juvenile justice boards and county juvenile justice councils.

(g)  Hold public hearings and inform the public of activities of the board and of the Department of Juvenile Justice, as appropriate.

(h)  Monitor the delivery and use of services, programs, or facilities operated, funded, regulated, or licensed by the Department of Juvenile Justice for juvenile offenders or alleged juvenile offenders, and for prevention, diversion, or early intervention of delinquency, and to develop programs to educate the citizenry about such services, programs, and facilities and about the need and procedure for siting new facilities.

(i)  Contract for consultants as necessary and appropriate. The board may apply for and receive grants for the purposes of conducting research and evaluation activities.

(j)  Conduct such other activities as the board may determine are necessary and appropriate to monitor the effectiveness of the delivery of juvenile justice programs and services under this chapter.

(k)  The board shall submit an annual report to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Governor, and the secretary of the department not later than February 15 of each calendar year, summarizing the activities and reports of the board for the preceding year, and any recommendations of the board for the following year.

(5)  Each state agency shall provide assistance when requested by the board. The board shall have access to all records, files, and reports that are material to its duties and that are in the custody of a school board, a law enforcement agency, a state attorney, a public defender, the court, the Department of Children and Family Services, and the department.

History.--s. 4, ch. 94-209; s. 20, ch. 95-267; s. 1, ch. 96-398; s. 1, ch. 96-422; s. 157, ch. 97-101; s. 61, ch. 97-238.

Note.--Former s. 39.003.