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2023 Florida Statutes (including 2023C)
Chapter 20
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
CHAPTER 20
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
20.02 Declaration of policy.
20.03 Definitions.
20.04 Structure of executive branch.
20.05 Heads of departments; powers and duties.
20.051 Review of programs.
20.052 Advisory bodies, commissions, boards; establishment.
20.055 Agency inspectors general.
20.057 Interagency agreements to delete duplication of inspections.
20.058 Citizen support and direct-support organizations.
20.06 Method of reorganization.
20.10 Department of State.
20.104 Clearing Funds Trust Fund.
20.105 Federal Grants Trust Fund.
20.106 Land Acquisition Trust Fund within Department of State.
20.11 Department of Legal Affairs.
20.111 Operating Trust Fund.
20.112 Federal Grants Trust Fund; Department of Legal Affairs.
20.121 Department of Financial Services.
20.14 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
20.142 Land Acquisition Trust Fund within Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
20.15 Department of Education.
20.155 Board of Governors of the State University System.
20.165 Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
20.166 Florida Business Information Portal.
20.181 Federal Grants Trust Fund.
20.19 Department of Children and Families.
20.195 Department of Children and Families; trust funds.
20.197 Agency for Persons with Disabilities.
20.1971 Agency for Persons with Disabilities; trust funds.
20.201 Department of Law Enforcement.
20.21 Department of Revenue.
20.22 Department of Management Services.
20.221 Federal Grants Trust Fund.
20.23 Department of Transportation.
20.24 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
20.241 Federal Grants Trust Fund; Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
20.255 Department of Environmental Protection.
20.25501 Department of Environmental Protection; trust funds.
20.2551 Citizen support organizations; use of property; audit; public records; partnerships.
20.28 State Board of Administration.
20.29 Department of Citrus; Florida Citrus Commission; executive director.
20.315 Department of Corrections.
20.3151 Administrative Trust Fund.
20.316 Department of Juvenile Justice.
20.3161 Federal Grants Trust Fund; Department of Juvenile Justice.
20.317 Department of the Lottery.
20.32 Florida Commission on Offender Review.
20.331 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
20.3311 Additional powers of commission.
20.3315 Florida Forever Program Trust Fund of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
20.34 Governmental Reorganization Act of 1969; effect on rules.
20.37 Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
20.375 Department of Veterans’ Affairs; trust funds.
20.41 Department of Elderly Affairs.
20.415 Department of Elderly Affairs; trust funds.
20.42 Agency for Health Care Administration.
20.425 Agency for Health Care Administration; trust funds.
20.43 Department of Health.
20.435 Department of Health; trust funds.
20.506 Welfare Transition Trust Fund.
20.60 Department of Commerce; creation; powers and duties.
20.605 Administrative Trust Fund of the Department of Economic Opportunity.
20.02 Declaration of policy.—
(1) The State Constitution contemplates the separation of powers within state government among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the government. The legislative branch has the broad purpose of determining policies and programs and reviewing program performance. The executive branch has the purpose of executing the programs and policies adopted by the Legislature and of making policy recommendations to the Legislature. The judicial branch has the purpose of determining the constitutional propriety of the policies and programs and of adjudicating any conflicts arising from the interpretation or application of the laws.
(2) Within constitutional limitations, the agencies that compose the executive branch must be consolidated into no more than 25 departments, exclusive of those specifically provided for or authorized in the State Constitution, consistent with executive capacity to administer effectively at all levels. The agencies in the executive branch should be integrated into one of the departments of the executive branch to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness as intended by s. 6, Art. IV of the State Constitution.
(3) The administration of any executive branch department or entity placed under the direct supervision of an officer or board appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Governor shall remain at all times under the constitutional executive authority of the Governor, in accordance with ss. 1(a) and 6, Art. IV of the State Constitution, and such officer or board generally remains subject to oversight, direction, and supervision by the Governor.
(4) Structural reorganization must be a continuing process through careful executive and legislative appraisal of the placement of proposed new programs and the coordination of existing programs in response to public needs.
(5) The responsibility within the executive branch of government for the implementation of programs and policies must be clearly fixed and ascertainable.
(6) Departments must be organized along functional or program lines.
(7) The management and coordination of state services must be improved and overlapping activities eliminated.
(8) When a reorganization of state government abolishes positions, the individuals affected, when otherwise qualified, must be given priority consideration for any new positions created by reorganization or for other vacant positions in state government.
History.—s. 2, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 94-235; s. 4, ch. 2012-116.
20.03 Definitions.—To provide uniform nomenclature throughout the structure of the executive branch, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Agency,” as the context requires, means an official, officer, commission, authority, council, committee, department, division, bureau, board, section, or another unit or entity of government.
(2) “Board of trustees,” except with reference to the board created in chapter 253, means a board created by specific statutory enactment and appointed to function adjunctively to a department, the Governor, or the Executive Office of the Governor to administer public property or a public program.
(3) “Cabinet” means collectively the Attorney General, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Commissioner of Agriculture, as specified in s. 4, Art. IV of the State Constitution.
(4) “Commission,” unless otherwise required by the State Constitution, means a body created by specific statutory enactment within a department, the office of the Governor, or the Executive Office of the Governor and exercising limited quasi-legislative or quasi-judicial powers, or both, independently of the head of the department or the Governor.
(5) “Committee” or “task force” means an advisory body created without specific statutory enactment for a time not to exceed 1 year or created by specific statutory enactment for a time not to exceed 3 years and appointed to study a specific problem and recommend a solution or policy alternative with respect to that problem. Its existence terminates upon the completion of its assignment.
(6) “Coordinating council” means an interdepartmental advisory body created by law to coordinate programs and activities for which one department has primary responsibility but in which one or more other departments have an interest.
(7) “Council” or “advisory council” means an advisory body created by specific statutory enactment and appointed to function on a continuing basis for the study of the problems arising in a specified functional or program area of state government and to provide recommendations and policy alternatives.
(8) “Department” means the principal administrative unit within the executive branch of state government.
(9) “Examining and licensing board” means a board authorized to grant and revoke licenses to engage in regulated occupations.
(10) “Executive director” means the chief administrative employee or officer of a department headed by a board or by the Governor and the Cabinet.
(11) “Head of the department” means the individual under whom or the board under which direct administration of the department is placed by statute. Where direct administration of a department is placed under an officer or board appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Governor, that officer or board remains subject to the Governor’s supervision and direction.
(12) “Secretary” means an individual who is appointed by the Governor to head a department and who is not otherwise named in the State Constitution.
(13) “To serve at the pleasure” means the appointee serves in the office until removed by the appointing authority. Consistent with the allotment of executive authority under ss. 1 and 6, Art. IV of the State Constitution, an appointee serving at the pleasure of the appointing authority generally remains subject to the direction and supervision of the appointing authority.
History.—s. 3, ch. 69-106; s. 2, ch. 82-46; s. 5, ch. 83-217; s. 2, ch. 94-235; s. 3, ch. 2000-258; s. 5, ch. 2012-116; s. 8, ch. 2023-8.
20.04 Structure of executive branch.—The executive branch of state government is structured as follows:
(1) The department is the principal administrative unit of the executive branch. Each department must bear a title beginning with the words “State of Florida” and continuing with “Department of .”
(2) For field operations, departments may establish district or area offices that combine division, bureau, section, and subsection functions.
(3) For their internal structure, all departments, except for the Department of Financial Services, the Department of Economic Opportunity, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Management Services, the Department of Revenue, and the Department of Transportation, must adhere to the following standard terms:
(a) The principal unit of the department is the “division.” Each division is headed by a “director.”
(b) The principal unit of the division is the “bureau.” Each bureau is headed by a “chief.”
(c) The principal unit of the bureau is the “section.” Each section is headed by an “administrator.”
(d) If further subdivision is necessary, sections may be divided into “subsections,” which are headed by “supervisors.”
(4) Within the Department of Children and Families there are organizational units called “circuits” and “regions.” Each circuit is aligned geographically with each judicial circuit, and each region comprises multiple circuits which are in geographical proximity to each other.
(5) Within the Department of Corrections the principal policy and program development unit of the department is the “office.” Each “office” is headed by a director.
(6) Within the Department of Transportation the principal policy and program development unit of the department is the “office.” Each “office” is headed by a director.
(7)(a) Unless specifically authorized by law, the head of a department may not reallocate duties and functions specifically assigned by law to a specific unit of the department. Those functions or agencies assigned generally to the department without specific designation to a unit of the department may be allocated and reallocated to a unit of the department at the discretion of the head of the department.
(b) Within the limitations of this subsection, the head of the department may recommend the establishment of additional divisions, bureaus, sections, and subsections of the department to promote efficient and effective operation of the department. However, additional divisions, or offices in the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Economic Opportunity, and the Department of Transportation, may be established only by specific statutory enactment. New bureaus, sections, and subsections of departments may be initiated by a department and established as recommended by the Department of Management Services and approved by the Executive Office of the Governor, or may be established by specific statutory enactment.
(c) For the purposes of such recommendations and approvals, the Department of Management Services and the Executive Office of the Governor, respectively, must adopt and apply specific criteria for assessing the appropriateness of all reorganization requests from agencies. The criteria must be applied to future agency requests for reorganization and must be used to review the appropriateness of bureaus currently in existence. Any current bureau that does not meet the criteria for a bureau must be reorganized into a section or other appropriate unit.
(8) The Executive Office of the Governor must maintain a current organizational chart of each agency of the executive branch, which must identify all divisions, bureaus, units, and subunits of the agency. Agencies must submit such organizational charts in accordance with guidelines established by the Executive Office of the Governor.
History.—s. 4, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 70-384; s. 1, ch. 75-48; s. 5, ch. 75-49; s. 1, ch. 75-275; s. 2, ch. 77-147; s. 2, ch. 78-95; s. 1, ch. 79-3; ss. 28, 61, ch. 79-190; s. 1, ch. 83-230; s. 11, ch. 85-318; s. 1, ch. 88-215; s. 1, ch. 88-235; s. 1, ch. 88-290; s. 2, ch. 91-158; s. 7, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 3, ch. 94-235; ss. 1, 15, ch. 95-272; ss. 2, 3, ch. 96-403; s. 1, ch. 97-287; s. 2, ch. 97-296; s. 3, ch. 99-155; s. 1, ch. 2000-139; s. 1, ch. 2002-404; s. 67, ch. 2003-261; s. 1, ch. 2012-84; ss. 7, 8, 56, ch. 2012-119; s. 18, ch. 2021-25.
20.05 Heads of departments; powers and duties.—
(1) Each head of a department, subject to the allotment of executive power under Article IV of the State Constitution, and except as otherwise provided by law, must:
(a) Plan, direct, coordinate, and execute the powers, duties, and functions vested in that department or vested in a division, bureau, or section of that department; powers and duties assigned or transferred to a division, bureau, or section of the department must not be construed to limit this authority and this responsibility;
(b) Have authority, without being relieved of responsibility, to execute any of the powers, duties, and functions vested in the department or in any administrative unit thereof through administrative units and through assistants and deputies designated by the head of the department from time to time, unless the head of the department is explicitly required by law to perform the same without delegation;
(c) Compile annually a comprehensive program budget reporting all program and fiscal matters related to the operation of his or her department, including each program, subprogram, and activity, and other matters as required by law;
(d) Reimburse the members of advisory bodies, commissions, and boards of trustees for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with s. 112.061;
(e) Subject to the requirements of chapter 120, exercise existing authority to adopt rules pursuant and limited to the powers, duties, and functions transferred to the department;
(f) Exercise authority on behalf of the department to accept gifts, grants, bequests, loans, and endowments for purposes consistent with the powers, duties, and functions of the department. All such funds must be deposited in the State Treasury and appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes for which they were received by the department;
(g) If a department is under the direct supervision of a board, including a board consisting of the Governor and Cabinet, however designated, employ an executive director to serve at its pleasure; and
(h) Make recommendations concerning more effective internal structuring of the department to the Legislature. Unless otherwise required by law, such recommendations must be provided to the Legislature at least 30 days before the first day of the regular session at which they are to be considered, when practicable.
(2) The appointment of a secretary appointed by the Governor to serve as the head of a department must be confirmed by the Senate.
(3) The Governor may assign the Lieutenant Governor, without Senate confirmation, the duty of serving as the head of any one department, the head of which is a secretary appointed by the Governor, notwithstanding any qualifications for appointment as secretary of the department.
(4) Each head of a department may require any officer or employee of the department to give a bond for the faithful performance of his or her duties. The head of a department may determine the amount of the bond and must approve the bond. In determining the amount of the bond, the head of the department may consider the amount of money or property likely to be in custody of the officer or employee at any one time. The premiums for the bonds must be paid out of the funds of the department.
History.—s. 5, ch. 69-106; s. 2, ch. 74-256; s. 8, ch. 77-104; s. 4, ch. 94-235; s. 1314, ch. 95-147; s. 3, ch. 98-34; s. 6, ch. 2012-116.
20.051 Review of programs.—
(1) To achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness of government as intended by s. 6, Art. IV of the State Constitution, and to promote quality management and accountability as required in s. 19, Art. III of the State Constitution, all programs, functions, and entities must be reviewed by the executive and the legislative branches. The review must identify and examine the purpose of each program, function, or entity to ensure that each program, function, or entity is administered in the most effective and efficient manner possible, and to assess the public benefit derived from the program, function, or entity. Reviews must determine whether the function, program, or entity:
(a) Serves an identifiable purpose that benefits the public and accomplishes the purpose for which it was created;
(b) Operates efficiently and effectively within its statutory framework, and whether there are any statutory changes that would likely increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the function, program, or entity;
(c) Is necessary to the public health, safety, or welfare, and what would be the effect of its abolition;
(d) Serves a beneficial purpose to state agencies in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the operations of the state;
(e) Directly or indirectly increases or decreases the costs of any goods or services, and whether any identified increase in cost is more harmful to the state than any of the harm that could occur absent the function, program, or entity;
(f) Is situated within an organizational structure that promotes its efficient and effective administration and does not duplicate activities conducted in other agencies of the state; and
(g) Could be assigned to another state agency or to private enterprise, and if so, the most efficient way of doing so.
(2) Unless other criteria are specifically provided by law, any review of a function, program, or entity scheduled for repeal by law must be conducted in accordance with the criteria specified in subsection (1). In conducting a review of a function, program, or entity scheduled for repeal, the presumption is in favor of the repeal. The need for or benefits derived from a program, function, or entity subject to repeal and prior review must be compelling as measured by these criteria for the function, program, or entity to be continued.
History.—s. 5, ch. 94-235.
20.052 Advisory bodies, commissions, boards; establishment.—Each advisory body, commission, board of trustees, or any other collegial body created by specific statutory enactment as an adjunct to an executive agency must be established, evaluated, or maintained in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) It may be created only when it is found to be necessary and beneficial to the furtherance of a public purpose.
(2) It must be terminated by the Legislature when it is no longer necessary and beneficial to the furtherance of a public purpose. The executive agency to which the advisory body, commission, board of trustees, or other collegial body is made an adjunct must advise the Legislature at the time the advisory body, commission, board of trustees, or other collegial body ceases to be essential to the furtherance of a public purpose.
(3) The Legislature and the public must be kept informed of the numbers, purposes, memberships, activities, and expenses of advisory bodies, commissions, boards of trustees, and other collegial bodies established as adjuncts to executive agencies.
(4) An advisory body, commission, board of trustees, and other collegial body may not be created or reestablished unless:
(a) It meets a statutorily defined purpose;
(b) Its powers and responsibilities conform with the definitions for governmental units in s. 20.03;
(c) Its members, unless expressly provided otherwise in the State Constitution, are appointed for 4-year staggered terms; and
(d) Its members, unless expressly provided otherwise by specific statutory enactment, serve without additional compensation or honorarium, and are authorized to receive only per diem and reimbursement for travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
(5)(a) The private citizen members of an advisory body that is adjunct to an executive agency must be appointed by the Governor, the head of the department, the executive director of the department, or a Cabinet officer.
(b) The private citizen members of a commission or board of trustees that is adjunct to an executive agency must be appointed by the Governor unless otherwise provided by law, must be confirmed by the Senate, and must be subject to the dual-office-holding prohibition of s. 5(a), Art. II of the State Constitution.
(c) Unless an exemption is otherwise specifically provided by law, all meetings of an advisory body, commission, board of trustees, or other collegial body adjunct to an executive agency are public meetings under s. 286.011. Minutes, including a record of all votes cast, must be maintained for all meetings.
(d) If an advisory body, commission, board of trustees, or other collegial body that is adjunct to an executive agency is abolished, its records must be appropriately stored, within 30 days after the effective date of its abolition, by the executive agency to which it was adjunct, and any property assigned to it must be reclaimed by the executive agency. The advisory body, commission, board of trustees, or other collegial body may not perform any activities after the effective date of its abolition.
(6) This section does not affect the right to institute or prosecute any cause of action by or against an abolished advisory body, commission, board of trustees, or other collegial body that was adjunct to an executive agency if the cause of the action accrued before the date it was abolished. Any cause of action pending on the date the advisory body, commission, board of trustees, or other collegial body is abolished, or instituted thereafter, must be prosecuted or defended in the name of the state by the Department of Legal Affairs.
History.—s. 6, ch. 94-235.
20.055 Agency inspectors general.—
(1) As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Agency head” means the Governor, a Cabinet officer, or a secretary or executive director as those terms are defined in s. 20.03, the chair of the Public Service Commission, the Director of the Office of Insurance Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the Director of the Office of Financial Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the board of directors of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the chair of the Florida Gaming Control Commission, and the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court.
(b) “Entities contracting with the state” means for-profit and not-for-profit organizations or businesses that have a legal existence, such as corporations or partnerships, as opposed to natural persons, which have entered into a relationship with a state agency to provide for consideration certain goods or services to the state agency or on behalf of the state agency. The relationship may be evidenced by payment by warrant or purchasing card, contract, purchase order, provider agreement, or other such mutually agreed upon relationship. The term does not apply to entities that are the subject of audits or investigations conducted pursuant to ss. 112.3187-112.31895 or s. 409.913 or which are otherwise confidential and exempt under s. 119.07.
(c) “Individuals substantially affected” means natural persons who have established a real and sufficiently immediate injury in fact due to the findings, conclusions, or recommendations of a final report of a state agency inspector general, who are the subject of the audit or investigation, and who do not have or are not currently afforded an existing right to an independent review process. The term does not apply to employees of the state, including career service, probationary, other personal service, Selected Exempt Service, and Senior Management Service employees; former employees of the state if the final report of the state agency inspector general relates to matters arising during a former employee’s term of state employment; or persons who are the subject of audits or investigations conducted pursuant to ss. 112.3187-112.31895 or s. 409.913 or which are otherwise confidential and exempt under s. 119.07.
(d) “State agency” means each department created pursuant to this chapter and the Executive Office of the Governor, the Department of Military Affairs, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Office of Insurance Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the Office of Financial Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Board of Governors of the State University System, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the Florida Gaming Control Commission, and the state courts system.
(2) An office of inspector general is established in each state agency to provide a central point for coordination of and responsibility for activities that promote accountability, integrity, and efficiency in government. It is the duty and responsibility of each inspector general, with respect to the state agency in which the office is established, to:
(a) Advise in the development of performance measures, standards, and procedures for the evaluation of state agency programs.
(b) Assess the reliability and validity of the information provided by the state agency on performance measures and standards, and make recommendations for improvement, if necessary, before submission of such information pursuant to s. 216.1827.
(c) Review the actions taken by the state agency to improve program performance and meet program standards and make recommendations for improvement, if necessary.
(d) Provide direction for, supervise, and coordinate audits, investigations, and management reviews relating to the programs and operations of the state agency, except that when the inspector general does not possess the qualifications specified in subsection (4), the director of auditing shall conduct such audits.
(e) Conduct, supervise, or coordinate other activities carried out or financed by that state agency for the purpose of promoting economy and efficiency in the administration of, or preventing and detecting fraud and abuse in, its programs and operations.
(f) Keep the agency head or, for state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the Chief Inspector General informed concerning fraud, abuses, and deficiencies relating to programs and operations administered or financed by the state agency, recommend corrective action concerning fraud, abuses, and deficiencies, and report on the progress made in implementing corrective action.
(g) Ensure effective coordination and cooperation between the Auditor General, federal auditors, and other governmental bodies with a view toward avoiding duplication.
(h) Review, as appropriate, rules relating to the programs and operations of such state agency and make recommendations concerning their impact.
(i) Ensure that an appropriate balance is maintained between audit, investigative, and other accountability activities.
(j) Comply with the General Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspector General as published and revised by the Association of Inspectors General.
(3)(a)1. For state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet or the Governor and Cabinet, the inspector general shall be appointed by the agency head. For state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the inspector general shall be appointed by the Chief Inspector General. The agency head or Chief Inspector General shall notify the Governor in writing of his or her intention to hire the inspector general at least 7 days before an offer of employment. The inspector general shall be appointed without regard to political affiliation.
2. Within 60 days after a vacancy or anticipated vacancy in the position of inspector general, the agency head or, for agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the Chief Inspector General, shall initiate a national search for an inspector general and shall set the salary of the inspector general. Effective July 1, 2017, an agency that enters into an employment agreement, or renewal or renegotiation of an existing contract or employment agreement with an inspector general or deputy inspector, may not offer a bonus on work performance in the contract or agreement and the awarding of such bonuses is prohibited. In the event of a vacancy in the position of inspector general, the agency head or, for agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the Chief Inspector General, may appoint other office of inspector general management personnel as interim inspector general until such time as a successor inspector general is appointed.
3. A former or current elected official may not be appointed inspector general within 5 years after the end of such individual’s period of service. This restriction does not prohibit the reappointment of a current inspector general.
(b) The inspector general shall report to and be under the general supervision of the agency head and is not subject to supervision by any other employee of the state agency in which the office is established. For state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the inspector general shall be under the general supervision of the agency head for administrative purposes, shall report to the Chief Inspector General, and may hire and remove staff within the office of the inspector general in consultation with the Chief Inspector General but independently of the agency.
(c) For state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet or the Governor and Cabinet, the inspector general may be removed from office by the agency head. For state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the inspector general may only be removed from office by the Chief Inspector General for cause, including concerns regarding performance, malfeasance, misfeasance, misconduct, or failure to carry out his or her duties under this section. The Chief Inspector General shall notify the Governor in writing of his or her intention to remove the inspector general at least 21 days before the removal. For state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor and Cabinet, the agency head shall notify the Governor and Cabinet in writing of his or her intention to remove the inspector general at least 21 days before the removal. If the inspector general disagrees with the removal, the inspector general may present objections in writing to the Governor within the 21-day period.
(d) The Governor, the Governor and Cabinet, the agency head, or agency staff may not prevent or prohibit the inspector general from initiating, carrying out, or completing any audit or investigation.
(4)(a) To ensure that state agency audits are performed in accordance with applicable auditing standards, the inspector general or the director of auditing within the inspector general’s office shall possess the following qualifications:
1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in accounting, or with a major in business which includes five courses in accounting, and 5 years of experience as an internal auditor or independent postauditor, electronic data processing auditor, accountant, or any combination thereof. The experience shall at a minimum consist of audits of units of government or private business enterprises, operating for profit or not for profit; or
2. A master’s degree in accounting, business administration, or public administration from an accredited college or university and 4 years of experience as required in subparagraph 1.; or
3. A certified public accountant license issued pursuant to chapter 473 or a certified internal audit certificate issued by the Institute of Internal Auditors or earned by examination, and 4 years of experience as required in subparagraph 1.
(b) For agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the inspector general shall be selected on the basis of integrity, leadership capability, and experience in accounting, auditing, financial analysis, law, management analysis, program evaluation, public administration, investigation, criminal justice administration, or other closely related field. The inspector general is subject to a level 2 background screening pursuant to chapter 435. The inspector general shall have a 4-year degree from an accredited institution of higher learning or have at least 5 years of experience in at least one of the following areas:
1. Inspector general.
2. Supervisory experience in an office of inspector general or an investigative public agency similar to an office of inspector general.
3. Local, state, or federal law enforcement officer.
4. Local, state, or federal court judge.
5. Senior-level auditor or comptroller.
6. The administration and management of complex audits and investigations.
7. Managing programs for prevention, examination, detection, elimination of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, malfeasance, or misconduct in government or other organizations.
An advanced degree in law, accounting, public administration, or other relevant field may substitute for 1 year of required experience.
(c) The inspector general shall possess at appointment, or obtain within the first year after appointment, a certification from the Association of Inspectors General as a certified inspector general. The inspector general must have one or more other professional certifications, such as certified inspector general investigator, certified inspector general auditor, certified public accountant, certified internal auditor, certified governmental financial manager, or certified fraud examiner, certified financial crimes investigator or other related certification, or be a licensed attorney.
(d) The inspector general may not hold, or be a candidate for, an elective office of the state or a municipality, county, or other political subdivision of the state while inspector general, and a current officer or employee of an office of inspector general may not hold, or be a candidate for, an elective office of the state or a municipality, county, or other political subdivision of the state. The inspector general may not hold office in a political party or political committee. An employee of an office of inspector general may not hold office in a political party or political committee while employed in the office of inspector general.
(5) It is the duty of every state officer, employee, agency, special district, board, commission, contractor, and subcontractor to cooperate with the inspector general in any investigation, audit, inspection, review, or hearing pursuant to this section. Beginning July 1, 2015, each contract, bid, proposal, and application or solicitation for a contract shall contain a statement that the corporation, partnership, or person understands and will comply with this subsection.
(6) In carrying out the auditing duties and responsibilities of this act, each inspector general shall review and evaluate internal controls necessary to ensure the fiscal accountability of the state agency. The inspector general shall conduct financial, compliance, electronic data processing, and performance audits of the agency and prepare audit reports of his or her findings. The scope and assignment of the audits shall be determined by the inspector general; however, the agency head may at any time request the inspector general to perform an audit of a special program, function, or organizational unit. The performance of the audit shall be under the direction of the inspector general, except that if the inspector general does not possess the qualifications specified in subsection (4), the director of auditing shall perform the functions listed in this subsection.
(a) Such audits shall be conducted in accordance with the current International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing as published by the Institute of Internal Auditors, Inc., or, where appropriate, in accordance with generally accepted governmental auditing standards. All audit reports issued by internal audit staff shall include a statement that the audit was conducted pursuant to the appropriate standards.
(b) Audit workpapers and reports shall be public records to the extent that they do not include information which has been made confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) pursuant to law. However, when the inspector general or a member of the staff receives from an individual a complaint or information that falls within the definition provided in s. 112.3187(5), the name or identity of the individual may not be disclosed to anyone else without the written consent of the individual, unless the inspector general determines that such disclosure is unavoidable during the course of the audit or investigation.
(c) The inspector general and the staff shall have access to any records, data, and other information of the state agency he or she deems necessary to carry out his or her duties. The inspector general may also request such information or assistance as may be necessary from the state agency or from any federal, state, or local government entity.
(d) At the conclusion of each audit, the inspector general shall submit preliminary findings and recommendations to the person responsible for supervision of the program function or operational unit who shall respond to any adverse findings within 20 working days after receipt of the preliminary findings. Such response and the inspector general’s rebuttal to the response shall be included in the final audit report.
(e) At the conclusion of an audit in which the subject of the audit is a specific entity contracting with the state or an individual substantially affected, if the audit is not confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure by law, the inspector general shall, consistent with s. 119.07(1), submit the findings to the entity contracting with the state or the individual substantially affected, who shall be advised in writing that they may submit a written response within 20 working days after receipt of the findings. The response and the inspector general’s rebuttal to the response, if any, must be included in the final audit report.
(f) The inspector general shall submit the final report to the agency head, the Auditor General, and, for state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the Chief Inspector General.
(g) The Auditor General, in connection with the independent postaudit of the same agency pursuant to s. 11.45, shall give appropriate consideration to internal audit reports and the resolution of findings therein. The Legislative Auditing Committee may inquire into the reasons or justifications for failure of the agency head to correct the deficiencies reported in internal audits that are also reported by the Auditor General and shall take appropriate action.
(h) The inspector general shall monitor the implementation of the state agency’s response to any report on the state agency issued by the Auditor General or by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. No later than 6 months after the Auditor General or the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability publishes a report on the state agency, the inspector general shall provide a written response to the agency head or, for state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the Chief Inspector General on the status of corrective actions taken. The inspector general shall file a copy of such response with the Legislative Auditing Committee.
(i) The inspector general shall develop long-term and annual audit plans based on the findings of periodic risk assessments. The plan, where appropriate, should include postaudit samplings of payments and accounts. The plan shall show the individual audits to be conducted during each year and related resources to be devoted to the respective audits. The plan shall include a specific cybersecurity audit plan. The Chief Financial Officer, to assist in fulfilling the responsibilities for examining, auditing, and settling accounts, claims, and demands pursuant to s. 17.03(1), and examining, auditing, adjusting, and settling accounts pursuant to s. 17.04, may use audits performed by the inspectors general and internal auditors. For state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the audit plans shall be submitted to the Chief Inspector General. The plan shall be submitted to the agency head for approval. A copy of the approved plan shall be submitted to the Auditor General.
(7) In carrying out the investigative duties and responsibilities specified in this section, each inspector general shall initiate, conduct, supervise, and coordinate investigations designed to detect, deter, prevent, and eradicate fraud, waste, mismanagement, misconduct, and other abuses in state government. For these purposes, each inspector general shall:
(a) Receive complaints and coordinate all activities of the agency as required by the Whistle-blower’s Act pursuant to ss. 112.3187-112.31895.
(b) Receive and consider the complaints which do not meet the criteria for an investigation under the Whistle-blower’s Act and conduct, supervise, or coordinate such inquiries, investigations, or reviews as the inspector general deems appropriate.
(c) Report expeditiously to the Department of Law Enforcement or other law enforcement agencies, as appropriate, whenever the inspector general has reasonable grounds to believe there has been a violation of criminal law.
(d) Conduct investigations and other inquiries free of actual or perceived impairment to the independence of the inspector general or the inspector general’s office. This shall include freedom from any interference with investigations and timely access to records and other sources of information.
(e) At the conclusion of each investigation in which the subject of the investigation is a specific entity contracting with the state or an individual substantially affected as defined by this section, and if the investigation is not confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure by law, the inspector general shall, consistent with s. 119.07(1), submit findings to the subject that is a specific entity contracting with the state or an individual substantially affected, who shall be advised in writing that they may submit a written response within 20 working days after receipt of the findings. Such response and the inspector general’s rebuttal to the response, if any, shall be included in the final investigative report.
(f) Submit in a timely fashion final reports on investigations conducted by the inspector general to the agency head, except for whistle-blower’s investigations, which shall be conducted and reported pursuant to s. 112.3189.
(8)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), each inspector general shall, not later than September 30 of each year, prepare an annual report summarizing the activities of the office during the immediately preceding state fiscal year.
(b) The inspector general of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation shall, not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, prepare an annual report summarizing the activities of the office of inspector general during the immediately preceding fiscal year.
(c) The final reports prepared pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) shall be provided to the heads of the respective agencies and, for state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the Chief Inspector General. Such reports shall include, but need not be limited to:
1. A description of activities relating to the development, assessment, and validation of performance measures.
2. A description of significant abuses and deficiencies relating to the administration of programs and operations of the agency disclosed by investigations, audits, reviews, or other activities during the reporting period.
3. A description of the recommendations for corrective action made by the inspector general during the reporting period with respect to significant problems, abuses, or deficiencies identified.
4. The identification of each significant recommendation described in previous annual reports on which corrective action has not been completed.
5. A summary of each audit and investigation completed during the reporting period.
(9) The inspector general in each state agency shall provide to the agency head, upon receipt, all written complaints concerning the duties and responsibilities in this section or any allegation of misconduct related to the office of the inspector general or its employees, if received from subjects of audits or investigations who are individuals substantially affected or entities contracting with the state, as defined in this section. For state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, the inspector general shall also provide the complaint to the Chief Inspector General.
(10) Each agency inspector general shall, to the extent both necessary and practicable, include on his or her staff individuals with electronic data processing auditing experience.
History.—ss. 1, 2, ch. 86-131; s. 1, ch. 87-30; ss. 1, 4, ch. 90-247; s. 18, ch. 91-282; s. 2, ch. 91-285; s. 7, ch. 94-235; s. 1, ch. 94-340; s. 1315, ch. 95-147; s. 8, ch. 95-153; s. 8, ch. 95-312; s. 5, ch. 96-406; s. 15, ch. 98-73; s. 62, ch. 99-245; s. 2, ch. 2001-124; s. 21, ch. 2001-266; s. 68, ch. 2003-261; s. 2, ch. 2004-41; s. 1, ch. 2007-217; s. 1, ch. 2008-183; s. 1, ch. 2011-189; s. 2, ch. 2014-144; s. 5, ch. 2014-221; s. 1, ch. 2015-173; s. 1, ch. 2017-49; s. 14, ch. 2019-118; s. 1, ch. 2021-10; s. 1, ch. 2021-234; ss. 8, 16, ch. 2021-269.
20.057 Interagency agreements to delete duplication of inspections.—
(1) The Governor shall direct any department, the head of which is an officer or board appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Governor, to enter into an interagency agreement to eliminate duplication of inspections among departments that inspect the same type of facility or structure. Parties to the agreement may include departments headed by a Cabinet officer, the Governor and Cabinet, or a collegial body. The agreement shall:
(a) Authorize agents of one department to conduct inspections required to be performed by another department.
(b) Specify that agents of the department conducting the inspection have all powers relative to the inspection as the agents of the department on whose behalf the inspection is being conducted.
(c) Require that agents of the department conducting the inspection have sufficient knowledge of statutory and administrative inspection requirements to conduct a proper inspection.
(d) Specify that the departments entering into the agreement may not charge or accept funds with respect to duties performed under the agreement which are in excess of the direct costs of conducting the inspections.
(2) Before taking effect, an agreement entered into under this section must be approved by the Governor. Inspections conducted under an agreement are sufficient for enforcement purposes pursuant to the agreement or as otherwise provided by law.
History.—s. 10, ch. 91-429; s. 32, ch. 2010-102.
20.058 Citizen support and direct-support organizations.—
(1) By August 1 of each year, a citizen support organization or direct-support organization created or authorized pursuant to law or executive order and created, approved, or administered by an agency, shall submit the following information to the appropriate agency:
(a) The name, mailing address, telephone number, and website address of the organization.
(b) The statutory authority or executive order pursuant to which the organization was created.
(c) A brief description of the mission of, and results obtained by, the organization.
(d) A brief description of the plans of the organization for the next 3 fiscal years.
(e) A copy of the organization’s code of ethics.
(f) A copy of the organization’s most recent federal Internal Revenue Service Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax form (Form 990).
(g) An attestation, under penalty of perjury, stating that the organization has complied with subsection (4).
(2) Each agency receiving information from a citizen support organization or direct-support organization pursuant to subsection (1) shall make such information available to the public through the agency’s website. If the organization maintains a website, the agency’s website must provide a link to the organization’s website.
(3) By August 15 of each year, each agency shall report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability the information provided by each citizen support organization and direct-support organization. The report must also include a recommendation by the agency, with supporting rationale, to continue, terminate, or modify the agency’s association with each organization.
(4)(a) As used in this section, the term “pecuniary factor” means a factor that the citizen support organization or direct-support organization prudently determines is expected to have a material effect on the risk or returns of an investment based on appropriate investment horizons consistent with applicable investment objectives and funding policy. The term does not include the consideration of the furtherance of any social, political, or ideological interests.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law, when deciding whether to invest and when investing funds on behalf of an agency, the citizen support organization or direct-support organization must make decisions based solely on pecuniary factors and may not subordinate the interests of the people of this state to other objectives, including sacrificing investment return or undertaking additional investment risk to promote any nonpecuniary factor. The weight given to any pecuniary factor must appropriately reflect a prudent assessment of its impact on risk or returns.
(5) Any contract between an agency and a citizen support organization or direct-support organization must be contingent upon the organization’s submission and posting of information pursuant to subsections (1) and (2) and must include a provision for the orderly cessation of operations and reversion to the state of state funds held in trust by the organization within 30 days after its authorizing statute is repealed, the contract is terminated, or the organization is dissolved. If an organization fails to submit the required information for 2 consecutive years, the agency head shall terminate any contract between the agency and the organization.
(6) A law creating, or authorizing the creation of, a citizen support organization or a direct-support organization must state that the creation of or authorization for the organization is repealed on October 1 of the 5th year after enactment, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
History.—s. 3, ch. 2014-96; s. 1, ch. 2017-75; s. 1, ch. 2021-51; s. 2, ch. 2023-28.
20.06 Method of reorganization.—The executive branch of state government shall be reorganized by transferring the specified agencies, programs, and functions to other specified departments, commissions, or offices. Such a transfer does not affect the validity of any judicial or administrative proceeding pending on the day of the transfer, and any agency or department to which are transferred the powers, duties, and functions relating to the pending proceeding must be substituted as a party in interest for the proceeding. The transfers provided herein are intended to supplement but not supplant the requirements of s. 6, Art. III of the State Constitution. The definitions provided in s. 20.03 apply to this section, and the types of transfers are defined as follows:
(1) TYPE ONE TRANSFER.—A type one transfer is the transferring intact of an existing agency or department so that the agency or department becomes a unit of another agency or a department. Any agency or department transferred to another agency or department by a type one transfer will exercise its powers, duties, and functions as prescribed by law, subject to review and approval by, and under the direct supervision of, the head of the agency or department to which the transfer is made, unless otherwise provided by law. Any agency or department transferred by a type one transfer has all its statutory powers, duties, and functions, and its records, personnel, property, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, or other funds transferred to the agency or department to which it is transferred. The transfer of segregated funds must be made in such manner that the relation between program and revenue source as provided by law is retained. Unless otherwise provided by law, the administrative rules of any agency or department involved in the transfer which are in effect immediately before the transfer remain in effect until specifically changed in the manner provided by law.
(2) TYPE TWO TRANSFER.—A type two transfer is the merging into another agency or department of an existing agency or department or a program, activity, or function thereof or, if certain identifiable units or subunits, programs, activities, or functions are removed from the existing agency or department, or are abolished, it is the merging into an agency or department of the existing agency or department with the certain identifiable units or subunits, programs, activities, or functions removed therefrom or abolished.
(a) Any agency or department or a program, activity, or function thereof transferred by a type two transfer has all its statutory powers, duties, and functions, and its records, personnel, property, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, or other funds, except those transferred elsewhere or abolished, transferred to the agency or department to which it is transferred, unless otherwise provided by law. The transfer of segregated funds must be made in such a manner that the relation between program and revenue source as provided by law is retained.
(b) Unless otherwise provided by law, the head of the agency or department to which an existing agency or department or a program, activity, or function thereof is transferred is authorized to establish units or subunits to which the agency or department is assigned, and to assign administrative authority for identifiable programs, activities, or functions, to the extent authorized in this chapter.
(c) Unless otherwise provided by law, the administrative rules of any agency or department involved in the transfer which are in effect immediately before the transfer remain in effect until specifically changed in the manner provided by law.
History.—s. 6, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 79-36; s. 12, ch. 94-235.
20.10 Department of State.—There is created a Department of State.
(1) The head of the Department of State is the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary of State shall perform the functions conferred by the State Constitution upon the custodian of state records.
(2) The following divisions of the Department of State are established:
(a) Division of Elections.
(b) Division of Historical Resources.
(c) Division of Corporations.
(d) Division of Library and Information Services.
(e) Division of Arts and Culture.
(f) Division of Administration.
(3) The Department of State may adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer the provisions of law conferring duties upon the department.
History.—s. 10, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 70-329; s. 3, ch. 71-355; s. 1, ch. 74-272; s. 15, ch. 75-22; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 77-122; s. 3, ch. 79-164; s. 1, ch. 80-391; s. 3, ch. 86-163; s. 4, ch. 2000-258; ss. 1, 2, ch. 2001-75; s. 2, ch. 2002-295; s. 3, ch. 2021-71.
20.104 Clearing Funds Trust Fund.—
(1) The Clearing Funds Trust Fund is created within the Department of State.
(2) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to account for collections pending distribution to lawful recipients. Funds shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2010-16; s. 2, ch. 2013-8.
20.105 Federal Grants Trust Fund.—
(1) The Federal Grants Trust Fund is created within the Department of State.
(2) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for allowable grant activities funded by restricted program revenues from federal sources. Moneys to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of grants and funding from the Federal Government, interest earnings, and cash advances from other trust funds. Funds shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2010-17; s. 2, ch. 2013-6.
20.106 Land Acquisition Trust Fund within Department of State.—
(1) The Land Acquisition Trust Fund is created within the Department of State. The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds received from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the Department of Environmental Protection and for expenditure of such funds for the purposes set forth in s. 28, Art. X of the State Constitution.
(2) The Department of State must maintain the integrity of such moneys transferred from the Department of Environmental Protection. Any transferred moneys available from reversions or reductions in budget authority shall be transferred back to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the Department of Environmental Protection within 15 days after such reversion or reduction and shall be available for future appropriation for the purposes set forth in s. 28, Art. X of the State Constitution.
(3) If expenditures from the trust fund will result in state ownership of land or related property interests, title shall be vested in the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund as required under chapter 253. Such acquisition of land or related property interests shall be by voluntary, negotiated acquisition and, if title is to be vested in the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, is subject to the acquisition procedures of s. 253.025. Acquisition costs include purchase prices and costs and fees associated with title work, surveys, and appraisals required to complete an acquisition. The Department of State or its designee shall manage such lands or related property interests in accordance with the purposes set forth in s. 28, Art. X of the State Constitution. Other uses, not contrary to such purposes, may be authorized.
(4) Moneys in the trust fund may not be invested as provided in s. 17.61, but shall be retained in the trust fund for investment with interest appropriated to the General Revenue Fund as provided in s. 17.57.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2015-231; s. 2, ch. 2018-113.
20.11 Department of Legal Affairs.—There is created a Department of Legal Affairs. The head of the Department of Legal Affairs is the Attorney General.
History.—s. 11, ch. 69-106; ss. 1, 2, ch. 77-105.
20.111 Operating Trust Fund.—
(1) The Operating Trust Fund is created within the Department of Legal Affairs.
(2) The fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for program operations funded by program revenues. Funds shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2007-10; s. 2, ch. 2011-21.
20.112 Federal Grants Trust Fund; Department of Legal Affairs.—
(1) The Federal Grants Trust Fund is created within the Department of Legal Affairs.
(2) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for allowable grant activities funded by restricted program revenues from federal sources. Moneys to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of grants and funding from the Federal Government, interest earnings, and cash advances from other trust funds. Funds shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2007-11; s. 2, ch. 2011-20.
20.121 Department of Financial Services.—There is created a Department of Financial Services.
(1) DEPARTMENT HEAD.—The head of the Department of Financial Services is the Chief Financial Officer who may also be known as the Treasurer.
(2) DIVISIONS.—The Department of Financial Services shall consist of the following divisions and office:
(a) The Division of Accounting and Auditing.
(b) The Division of Consumer Services.
(c) The Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services.
(d) The Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services.
(e) The Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, which shall function as a criminal justice agency for purposes of ss. 943.045-943.08. The division may initiate and conduct investigations into any matter under the jurisdiction of the Chief Financial Officer and Fire Marshal within or outside of this state as it deems necessary. If, during an investigation, the division has reason to believe that any criminal law of this state or the United States has or may have been violated, it shall refer any records tending to show such violation to state law enforcement and, if applicable, federal prosecutorial agencies and shall provide investigative assistance to those agencies as appropriate. The division shall include the following bureaus and office:
1. The Bureau of Forensic Services;
2. The Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives Investigations;
3. The Office of Fiscal Integrity, which shall have a separate budget;
4. The Bureau of Insurance Fraud; and
5. The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Fraud.
(f) The Division of Public Assistance Fraud, which shall function as a criminal justice agency for purposes of ss. 943.045-943.08. The division shall conduct investigations pursuant to s. 414.411 within or outside of the state as it deems necessary. If, during an investigation, the division has reason to believe that any criminal law of the state has or may have been violated, it shall refer any records supporting such violation to state or federal law enforcement or prosecutorial agencies and shall provide investigative assistance to those agencies as required.
(g) The Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation.
(h) The Division of Risk Management.
(i) The Division of State Fire Marshal.
(j) The Division of Treasury, which shall include a Bureau of Deferred Compensation responsible for administering the Government Employees Deferred Compensation Plan established under s. 112.215 for state employees.
(k) The Division of Unclaimed Property.
(l) The Division of Workers’ Compensation.
(m) The Division of Administration.
(n) The Office of Insurance Consumer Advocate.
(3) FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMISSION.—Effective January 7, 2003, there is created within the Department of Financial Services the Financial Services Commission, composed of the Governor, the Attorney General, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Commissioner of Agriculture, which shall for purposes of this section be referred to as the commission. Commission members shall serve as agency head of the Financial Services Commission. The commission shall be a separate budget entity and shall be exempt from the provisions of s. 20.052. Commission action shall be by majority vote consisting of at least three affirmative votes. The commission shall not be subject to control, supervision, or direction by the Department of Financial Services in any manner, including purchasing, transactions involving real or personal property, personnel, or budgetary matters.
(a) Structure.—The major structural unit of the commission is the office. Each office shall be headed by a director. The following offices are established:
1. The Office of Insurance Regulation, which shall be responsible for all activities concerning insurers and other risk bearing entities, including licensing, rates, policy forms, market conduct, claims, issuance of certificates of authority, solvency, viatical settlements, premium financing, and administrative supervision, as provided under the insurance code or chapter 636. The head of the Office of Insurance Regulation is the Director of the Office of Insurance Regulation, who may also be known as the Commissioner of Insurance Regulation.
2. The Office of Financial Regulation, which shall be responsible for all activities of the Financial Services Commission relating to the regulation of banks, credit unions, other financial institutions, finance companies, and the securities industry. The head of the office is the Director of the Office of Financial Regulation, who may also be known as the Commissioner of Financial Regulation. The Office of Financial Regulation shall include a Bureau of Financial Investigations, which shall function as a criminal justice agency for purposes of ss. 943.045-943.08 and shall have a separate budget. The bureau may conduct investigations within or outside this state as the bureau deems necessary to aid in the enforcement of this section. If, during an investigation, the office has reason to believe that any criminal law of this state has or may have been violated, the office shall refer any records tending to show such violation to state or federal law enforcement or prosecutorial agencies and shall provide investigative assistance to those agencies as required.
(b) Organization.—The commission shall establish by rule any additional organizational structure of the offices. It is the intent of the Legislature to provide the commission with the flexibility to organize the offices in any manner they determine appropriate to promote both efficiency and accountability.
(c) Powers.—Commission members shall serve as the agency head for purposes of rulemaking under ss. 120.536-120.565 by the commission and all subunits of the commission. Each director is agency head for purposes of final agency action under chapter 120 for all areas within the regulatory authority delegated to the director’s office.
(d) Appointment and qualifications of directors.—The commission shall appoint or remove each director by a majority vote consisting of at least three affirmative votes, with both the Governor and the Chief Financial Officer on the prevailing side. The minimum qualifications of the directors are as follows:
1. Prior to appointment as director, the Director of the Office of Insurance Regulation must have had, within the previous 10 years, at least 5 years of responsible private sector experience working full time in areas within the scope of the subject matter jurisdiction of the Office of Insurance Regulation or at least 5 years of experience as a senior examiner or other senior employee of a state or federal agency having regulatory responsibility over insurers or insurance agencies.
2. Prior to appointment as director, the Director of the Office of Financial Regulation must have had, within the previous 10 years, at least 5 years of responsible private sector experience working full time in areas within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Office of Financial Regulation or at least 5 years of experience as a senior examiner or other senior employee of a state or federal agency having regulatory responsibility over financial institutions, finance companies, or securities companies.
(e) Administrative support.—The offices shall have a sufficient number of attorneys, examiners, investigators, other professional personnel to carry out their responsibilities and administrative personnel as determined annually in the appropriations process. The Department of Financial Services shall provide administrative and information systems support to the offices.
(f) Records retention schedules.—The commission and the offices may destroy general correspondence files and also any other records that they deem no longer necessary to preserve in accordance with retention schedules and destruction notices established under rules of the Division of Library and Information Services, records and information management program, of the Department of State. Such schedules and notices relating to financial records of the commission and offices shall be subject to the approval of the Auditor General.
(g) Records storage.—The commission and offices may photograph, microphotograph, or reproduce on film such documents and records as they may select, in such manner that each page will be exposed in exact conformity with the original. After reproduction and filing, original documents and records may be destroyed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (f).
(4) BOARD OF FUNERAL, CEMETERY, AND CONSUMER SERVICES.—The Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services is created within the Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services of the Department of Financial Services.
(5) TRANSITIONAL RULES.—Effective January 7, 2003, the rules of the Department of Banking and Finance and of the Department of Insurance that were in effect on January 6, 2003, shall become rules of the Department of Financial Services or the Financial Services Commission as is appropriate to the corresponding regulatory or constitutional function and shall remain in effect until specifically amended or repealed in the manner provided by law.
History.—ss. 2, 4, ch. 2002-404; s. 69, ch. 2003-261; s. 134, ch. 2004-301; s. 1, ch. 2004-370; ss. 6, 147, ch. 2004-390; s. 2, ch. 2008-132; s. 7, ch. 2010-144; s. 3, ch. 2011-59; s. 1, ch. 2014-123; s. 3, ch. 2016-165; s. 2, ch. 2018-102; s. 1, ch. 2021-113; s. 1, ch. 2023-144.
20.14 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.—There is created a Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
(1) The head of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the Commissioner of Agriculture.
(2) The following divisions of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are established:
(a) Administration.
(b) Agricultural Environmental Services.
(c) Animal Industry.
(d) Aquaculture.
(e) Consumer Services.
(f) Food Safety.
(g) Florida Forest Service.
(h) Fruit and Vegetables.
(i) Licensing.
(j) Marketing and Development.
(k) Plant Industry.
(l) Food, Nutrition, and Wellness.
(3) Bureaus may be established as deemed necessary to promote efficient and effective operation of the department, pursuant to s. 20.04.
History.—s. 14, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 70-309; s. 1, ch. 71-196; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 77-108; s. 9, ch. 81-259; s. 1, ch. 84-165; s. 1, ch. 92-291; s. 9, ch. 99-245; s. 49, ch. 2001-89; s. 3, ch. 2002-295; s. 1, ch. 2008-107; s. 1, ch. 2011-56; ss. 1, 65, ch. 2011-206; s. 1, ch. 2012-67; s. 1, ch. 2012-190.
20.142 Land Acquisition Trust Fund within Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.—
(1) The Land Acquisition Trust Fund is created within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds received from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the Department of Environmental Protection and for expenditure of such funds for the purposes set forth in s. 28, Art. X of the State Constitution.
(2) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services must maintain the integrity of such moneys transferred from the Department of Environmental Protection. Any transferred moneys available from reversions or reductions in budget authority shall be transferred back to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the Department of Environmental Protection within 15 days after such reversion or reduction and shall be available for future appropriation for the purposes set forth in s. 28, Art. X of the State Constitution.
(3) If expenditures from the trust fund will result in state ownership of land or related property interests, title shall be vested in the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund as required under chapter 253. Such acquisition of land or related property interests shall be by voluntary, negotiated acquisition and, if title is to be vested in the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, is subject to the acquisition procedures of s. 253.025. Acquisition costs shall include purchase prices and costs and fees associated with title work, surveys, and appraisals required to complete an acquisition. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or its designee shall manage such lands or related property interests in accordance with the purposes set forth in s. 28, Art. X of the State Constitution. Other uses, not contrary to such purposes, may be authorized.
(4) Moneys in the trust fund may not be invested as provided in s. 17.61, but shall be retained in the trust fund for investment with interest appropriated to the General Revenue Fund as provided in s. 17.57.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2015-230; s. 2, ch. 2018-115.
20.15 Department of Education.—There is created a Department of Education.
(1) STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.—In accordance with s. 2, Art. IX of the State Constitution, the State Board of Education is a body corporate and must supervise the system of free public education as is provided by law. The State Board of Education is the head of the Department of Education.
(2) COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION.—The Commissioner of Education is appointed by the State Board of Education and serves as the Executive Director of the Department of Education.
(3) DIVISIONS.—The following divisions of the Department of Education are established:
(a) Division of Florida Colleges.
(b) Division of Public Schools.
(c) Division of Early Learning.
(d) Division of Career and Adult Education.
(e) Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
(f) Division of Blind Services.
(g) Division of Accountability, Research, and Measurement.
(h) Division of Finance and Operations.
(i) Office of K-20 Articulation.
(j) The Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice, which must include the Office of K-12 School Choice, which shall be administered by an executive director who is fully accountable to the Commissioner of Education.
(k) The Office of Safe Schools.
(4) DIRECTORS.—The directors of all divisions shall be appointed by the commissioner subject to approval by the state board. The director of each division may be designated as “Deputy Commissioner” or “Chancellor.”
(5) POWERS AND DUTIES.—The State Board of Education and the Commissioner of Education shall assign to the divisions such powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions as are necessary to ensure the greatest possible coordination, efficiency, and effectiveness of education for students in Early Learning-20 education under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Education.
(6) COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES.—Notwithstanding anything contained in law to the contrary, the commissioner shall appoint all members of all councils and committees of the Department of Education, except the Commission for Independent Education and the Education Practices Commission.
(7) BOARDS.—Notwithstanding anything contained in law to the contrary, all members of the Florida College System institution boards of trustees must be appointed according to chapter 1001.
(8) SUPPORT SERVICES.—The Department of Education shall continue to provide support to the Board of Governors of the State University System. At a minimum, support services provided to the Board of Governors shall include accounting, printing, computer and Internet support, personnel and human resources support, support for accountability initiatives, and administrative support as needed for trust funds under the jurisdiction of the Board of Governors.
History.—s. 15, ch. 69-106; s. 33, ch. 75-48; s. 1, ch. 75-302; ss. 2, 3, ch. 77-123; s. 1, ch. 77-259; s. 104, ch. 79-222; s. 1, ch. 81-56; s. 10, ch. 81-259; s. 9, ch. 83-326; s. 106, ch. 84-336; s. 25, ch. 86-225; s. 1, ch. 87-76; s. 4, ch. 91-45; s. 1, ch. 91-182; s. 13, ch. 94-232; s. 1316, ch. 95-147; s. 51, ch. 95-280; ss. 2, 3, ch. 95-327; s. 72, ch. 97-190; s. 7, ch. 97-307; s. 14, ch. 98-281; s. 26, ch. 98-421; ss. 2, 42, ch. 99-240; s. 21, ch. 99-398; s. 52, ch. 2000-165; s. 2, ch. 2000-301; s. 3(7), ch. 2000-321; s. 4, ch. 2001-60; s. 1, ch. 2002-22; s. 881, ch. 2002-387; s. 1, ch. 2006-74; s. 2, ch. 2007-217; s. 1, ch. 2007-234; s. 1, ch. 2009-40; s. 1, ch. 2009-228; s. 12, ch. 2011-142; s. 2, ch. 2013-15; s. 2, ch. 2013-51; s. 20, ch. 2013-252; s. 4, ch. 2018-3; s. 2, ch. 2021-10.
Note.—Paragraph (3)(e) former s. 20.171(5)(c).
20.155 Board of Governors of the State University System.—
(1) GENERAL PROVISIONS.—The Board of Governors of the State University System is established by the State Constitution under s. 7, Art. IX and, accordingly, is granted rights and privileges equal to those of departments established under this chapter while preserving the Board of Governors’ constitutional designation and title.
(2) HEAD OF THE BOARD.—The head of the Board of Governors is the board with members appointed by the Governor as provided for in s. 7, Art. IX of the State Constitution.
(3) PERSONNEL.—The Board of Governors may appoint a Chancellor to aid the board in the implementation of its responsibilities.
(4) POWERS AND DUTIES.—
(a) The Board of Governors shall operate, regulate, control, and be responsible for the management of the whole State University System in accordance with s. 7, Art. IX of the State Constitution and law.
(b) The Board of Governors, in exercising its authority under the State Constitution and statutes, shall do so in a manner that supports, promotes, and enhances all of the following:
1. Affordable access to postsecondary educational opportunities for Florida residents.
2. Articulation among state universities and with public schools and other postsecondary educational institutions.
3. Fiscal responsibility.
4. Accountability.
(5) OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.—An Office of Inspector General shall be organized using existing resources and funds to promote accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness and to detect fraud and abuse within state universities.
(a) If the Board of Governors determines that a state university board of trustees is unwilling or unable to address substantiated allegations made by any person relating to waste, fraud, or financial mismanagement, the office must conduct, coordinate, or request investigations into substantiated allegations made by any person relating to waste, fraud, or financial mismanagement within a state university. The office shall have access to all information and personnel necessary to perform its duties and shall have all of its current powers, duties, and responsibilities authorized in s. 20.055.
(b) In exercising its authority under this section, the office may do any of the following:
1. Issue and serve subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum, for the Board of Governors or universities under the jurisdiction of the State University System, to compel the appearance of witnesses and the production of documents, reports, answers, records, accounts, and other data in any medium.
2. Require or authorize a person to file a written statement, under oath if required, as to all the facts and circumstances concerning the matter to be audited, examined, or investigated.
(c) In the event of noncompliance with a subpoena issued under paragraph (b), the office may petition the circuit court of the county in which the person subpoenaed resides or has his or her principal place of business for an order requiring the subpoenaed person to appear and testify and to produce documents, reports, answers, records, accounts, or other data as specified in the subpoena.
History.—s. 3, ch. 2007-217; s. 1, ch. 2023-218.
20.165 Department of Business and Professional Regulation.—There is created a Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
(1) The head of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is the Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation. The secretary shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
(2) The following divisions of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation are established:
(a) Division of Administration.
(b) Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
(c) Division of Certified Public Accounting.
1. The director of the division shall be appointed by the secretary of the department, subject to approval by a majority of the Board of Accountancy.
2. The offices of the division shall be located in Gainesville.
(d) Division of Drugs, Devices, and Cosmetics.
(e) Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes.
(f) Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
(g) Division of Professions.
(h) Division of Real Estate.
1. The director of the division shall be appointed by the secretary of the department, subject to approval by a majority of the Florida Real Estate Commission.
2. The offices of the division shall be located in Orlando.
(i) Division of Regulation.
(j) Division of Technology.
(k) Division of Service Operations.
(3) The secretary shall appoint a director for each division established within this section. Each division director shall directly administer the division and shall be responsible to the secretary. The secretary may appoint deputy and assistant secretaries as necessary to aid the secretary in fulfilling the secretary’s statutory obligations.
(4)(a) The following boards and programs are established within the Division of Professions:
1. Board of Architecture and Interior Design, created under part I of chapter 481.
2. Florida Board of Auctioneers, created under part VI of chapter 468.
3. Barbers’ Board, created under chapter 476.
4. Florida Building Code Administrators and Inspectors Board, created under part XII of chapter 468.
5. Construction Industry Licensing Board, created under part I of chapter 489.
6. Board of Cosmetology, created under chapter 477.
7. Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board, created under part II of chapter 489.
8. Board of Employee Leasing Companies, created under part XI of chapter 468.
9. Board of Landscape Architecture, created under part II of chapter 481.
10. Board of Pilot Commissioners, created under chapter 310.
11. Board of Professional Engineers, created under chapter 471.
12. Board of Professional Geologists, created under chapter 492.
13. Board of Veterinary Medicine, created under chapter 474.
14. Home inspection services licensing program, created under part XV of chapter 468.
15. Mold-related services licensing program, created under part XVI of chapter 468.
(b) The following board and commission are established within the Division of Real Estate:
1. Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board, created under part II of chapter 475.
2. Florida Real Estate Commission, created under part I of chapter 475.
(c) The following board is established within the Division of Certified Public Accounting: Board of Accountancy, created under chapter 473.
(5) The members of each board established pursuant to subsection (4) shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Consumer members on the board shall be appointed pursuant to subsection (6). Members shall be appointed for 4-year terms, and such terms shall expire on October 31. However, a term of less than 4 years may be utilized to ensure that:
(a) No more than two members’ terms expire during the same calendar year for boards consisting of seven or eight members.
(b) No more than 3 members’ terms expire during the same calendar year for boards consisting of 9 to 12 members.
(c) No more than 5 members’ terms expire during the same calendar year for boards consisting of 13 or more members.
A member whose term has expired shall continue to serve on the board until such time as a replacement is appointed. A vacancy on the board shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the same manner as the original appointment. No member may serve for more than the remaining portion of a previous member’s unexpired term, plus two consecutive 4-year terms of the member’s own appointment thereafter.
(6) Each board with five or more members shall have at least two consumer members who are not, and have never been, members or practitioners of the profession regulated by such board or of any closely related profession. Each board with fewer than five members shall have at least one consumer member who is not, and has never been, a member or practitioner of the profession regulated by such board or of any closely related profession.
(7) No board, with the exception of joint coordinatorships, shall be transferred from its present location unless authorized by the Legislature in the General Appropriations Act.
(8) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department is authorized to establish uniform application forms and certificates of licensure for use by the divisions within the department. Nothing in this subsection authorizes the department to vary any substantive requirements, duties, or eligibilities for licensure or certification as provided by law.
(9)(a) All employees authorized by the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco shall have access to, and shall have the right to inspect, premises licensed by the division, to collect taxes and remit them to the officers entitled to them, and to examine the books and records of all licensees. The authorized employees shall require of each licensee strict compliance with the laws of this state relating to the transaction of such business.
(b) Each employee serving as a law enforcement officer for the division must meet the qualifications for employment or appointment as a law enforcement officer set forth under s. 943.13 and must be certified as a law enforcement officer by the Department of Law Enforcement under chapter 943. Upon certification, each law enforcement officer is subject to and has the same authority as provided for law enforcement officers generally in chapter 901 and has statewide jurisdiction. Each officer also has arrest authority as provided for state law enforcement officers in s. 901.15. Each officer possesses the full law enforcement powers granted to other peace officers of this state, including the authority to make arrests, carry firearms, serve court process, and seize contraband and the proceeds of illegal activities.
1. The primary responsibility of each officer appointed under this section is to investigate, enforce, and prosecute, throughout the state, violations and violators of parts I and II of chapter 210, part VII of chapter 559, and chapters 561-569, and the rules adopted thereunder, as well as other state laws that the division, all state law enforcement officers, or beverage enforcement agents are specifically authorized to enforce.
2. The secondary responsibility of each officer appointed under this section is to enforce all other state laws, provided that the enforcement is incidental to exercising the officer’s primary responsibility as provided in subparagraph 1., and the officer exercises the powers of a deputy sheriff, only after consultation or coordination with the appropriate local sheriff’s office or municipal police department or when the division participates in the Florida Mutual Aid Plan during a declared state emergency.
History.—s. 4, ch. 93-220; s. 1, ch. 94-119; s. 2, ch. 94-218; s. 1, ch. 95-346; s. 9, ch. 96-403; s. 1, ch. 97-162; s. 9, ch. 99-254; s. 5, ch. 2004-17; s. 135, ch. 2004-301; s. 2, ch. 2006-1; s. 1, ch. 2006-222; s. 8, ch. 2008-240; s. 2, ch. 2009-66; s. 62, ch. 2009-195; s. 1, ch. 2010-106; s. 1, ch. 2012-143; s. 9, ch. 2021-269; s. 5, ch. 2022-7.
20.166 Florida Business Information Portal.—
(1) The Florida Business Information Portal is established within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
(2) By June 30, 2017, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, in collaboration with the state agencies identified in subsection (4), shall implement the Florida Business Information Portal. The Florida Business Information Portal shall provide the information needed to start and operate a business in Florida, including information regarding licenses, permits, or registrations that are issued by the state agencies in subsection (4).
(3) The Florida Business Information Portal must provide at least the following:
(a) A downloadable guide on how to start and operate a business in Florida.
(b) A list of business types and a checklist for starting each type of business.
(c) Links to guide users to the websites of appropriate state licensing, permitting, and registration agencies.
(d) Information regarding business tax registration and filing.
(e) Information regarding registering with the Department of State.
(4) The state agencies that must cooperate with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation in the development, implementation, and ongoing content updates of the Florida Business Information Portal include, but are not limited to:
(a) The Agency for Health Care Administration.
(b) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
(c) The Department of Economic Opportunity.
(d) The Department of Environmental Protection.
(e) The Department of Financial Services, including the Office of Financial Regulation and the Office of Insurance Regulation.
(f) The Department of Health.
(g) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
(h) The Department of the Lottery.
(i) The Department of Management Services.
(j) The Department of Revenue.
(k) The Department of State.
(l) The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
(5) By October 1, 2017, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report containing recommendations and estimated costs for the inclusion of local government information in the Florida Business Information Portal.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2015-224.
20.181 Federal Grants Trust Fund.—
(1) The Federal Grants Trust Fund is created within the Department of Economic Opportunity.
(2) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for allowable grant activities funded by restricted program revenues from federal sources. Moneys to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of grants and funding from the Federal Government, interest earnings, and cash advances from other trust funds. Funds shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2010-21; s. 41, ch. 2011-142; s. 2, ch. 2013-7.
20.19 Department of Children and Families.—There is created a Department of Children and Families.
(1) MISSION AND PURPOSE.—
(a) The mission of the Department of Children and Families is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.
(b) The department shall develop a strategic plan for fulfilling its mission and establish a set of measurable goals, objectives, performance standards and metrics, and quality assurance requirements to ensure that the department is accountable to the people of Florida. Such goals shall, at a minimum, include those specified in s. 409.986(2).
(c) To the extent allowed by law and within specific appropriations, the department shall deliver services by contract through private providers.
(2) SECRETARY OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES; DEPUTY SECRETARY.—
(a) The head of the department is the Secretary of Children and Families. The secretary is appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The secretary serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
(b) The secretary shall appoint a deputy secretary who shall act in the absence of the secretary. The deputy secretary is directly responsible to the secretary, performs such duties as are assigned by the secretary, and serves at the pleasure of the secretary.
(3) ASSISTANT SECRETARIES.—
(a) Child welfare.—
1. The secretary shall appoint an Assistant Secretary for Child Welfare to lead the department in carrying out its duties and responsibilities for child protection and child welfare. The assistant secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary.
2. The assistant secretary must have at least 7 years of experience working in organizations that deliver child protective or child welfare services.
(b) Substance abuse and mental health.—
1. The secretary shall appoint an Assistant Secretary for Substance Abuse and Mental Health. The assistant secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary and must have expertise in both areas of responsibility.
2. The secretary shall appoint a Director for Substance Abuse and Mental Health who has the requisite expertise and experience to head the state’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Program Office.
(4) SERVICES PROVIDED.—
(a) The department, through offices, shall provide services relating to:
1. Adult protection.
2. Child care regulation.
3. Child welfare.
4. Domestic violence.
5. Economic self-sufficiency.
6. Homelessness.
7. Mental health.
8. Refugees.
9. Substance abuse.
(b) Offices of the department may be consolidated, restructured, or rearranged by the secretary, in consultation with the Executive Office of the Governor, provided any such consolidation, restructuring, or rearranging is capable of meeting functions and activities and achieving outcomes as delineated in state and federal laws, rules, and regulations. The secretary may appoint additional managers and administrators as he or she determines are necessary for the effective management of the department.
(c) Each fiscal year the secretary shall, in consultation with the relevant employee representatives, develop projections of the number of child abuse and neglect cases and shall include in the department’s legislative budget request a specific appropriation for funds and positions for the next fiscal year in order to provide an adequate number of full-time equivalent:
1. Child protection investigation workers so that caseloads do not exceed the Child Welfare League Standards by more than two cases; and
2. Child protection case workers so that caseloads do not exceed the Child Welfare League Standards by more than two cases.
(5) COMMUNITY ALLIANCES.—
(a) The department shall, in consultation with local communities, establish a community alliance or similar group of the stakeholders, community leaders, client representatives and funders of human services in each county to provide a focal point for community participation and governance of community-based services. An alliance may cover more than one county when such arrangement is determined to provide for more effective representation. The community alliance shall represent the diversity of the community.
(b) The duties of the community alliance include, but are not limited to:
1. Joint planning for resource utilization in the community, including resources appropriated to the department and any funds that local funding sources choose to provide.
2. Needs assessment and establishment of community priorities for service delivery.
3. Determining community outcome goals to supplement state-required outcomes.
4. Serving as a catalyst for community resource development, including, but not limited to, identifying existing programs and services delivered by and assistance available from community-based and faith-based organizations, and encouraging the development and availability of such programs, services, and assistance by such organizations. The community alliance shall ensure that the community-based care lead agency is aware of such programs, services, and assistance and work to facilitate the lead agency’s appropriate use of these resources.
5. Providing for community education and advocacy on issues related to delivery of services.
6. Promoting prevention and early intervention services.
(c) The department shall ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that the formation of each community alliance builds on the strengths of the existing community human services infrastructure.
(d) The membership of the community alliance in a county shall at a minimum be composed of the following:
1. A representative from the department.
2. A representative from county government.
3. A representative from the school district.
4. A representative from the county United Way.
5. A representative from the county sheriff’s office.
6. A representative from the circuit court corresponding to the county.
7. A representative from the county children’s board, if one exists.
8. A representative of a faith-based organization involved in efforts to prevent child maltreatment, strengthen families, or promote adoption.
(e) The community alliance shall adopt bylaws and may increase the membership of the alliance to include the state attorney for the judicial circuit in which the community alliance is located, or his or her designee, the public defender for the judicial circuit in which the community alliance is located, or his or her designee, and other individuals and organizations who represent funding organizations, are community leaders, have knowledge of community-based service issues, or otherwise represent perspectives that will enable them to accomplish the duties listed in paragraph (b), if, in the judgment of the alliance, such change is necessary to adequately represent the diversity of the population within the community alliance service circuits.
(f) A member of the community alliance, other than a member specified in paragraph (d), may not receive payment for contractual services from the department or a community-based care lead agency.
(g) Members of the community alliances shall serve without compensation, but are entitled to receive reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses, as provided in s. 112.061. Payment may also be authorized for preapproved child care expenses or lost wages for members who are consumers of the department’s services and for preapproved child care expenses for other members who demonstrate hardship.
(h) Members of a community alliance are subject to the provisions of part III of chapter 112, the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees.
(i) Actions taken by a community alliance must be consistent with department policy and state and federal laws, rules, and regulations.
(j) Alliance members shall annually submit a disclosure statement of services interests to the department’s inspector general. Any member who has an interest in a matter under consideration by the alliance must abstain from voting on that matter.
(k) All alliance meetings are open to the public pursuant to s. 286.011 and the public records provision of s. 119.07(1).
(6) CONSULTATION WITH COUNTIES ON MANDATED PROGRAMS.—It is the intent of the Legislature that when county governments are required by law to participate in the funding of programs, the department shall consult with designated representatives of county governments in developing policies and service delivery plans for those programs.
History.—s. 19, ch. 69-106; ss. 1, 2, ch. 70-441; ss. 1, 4, ch. 71-213; s. 1, ch. 73-99; s. 1, ch. 73-114; s. 1, ch. 74-107; ss. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 29, 31, 32, 34, ch. 75-48; ss. 1, 2, ch. 76-115; s. 1, ch. 77-174; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 77-212; s. 4, ch. 78-323; s. 2, ch. 79-10; s. 1, ch. 79-26; s. 63, ch. 79-190; s. 1, ch. 79-265; ss. 1, 2, 5, ch. 79-287; s. 8, ch. 80-187; s. 1, ch. 80-202; s. 8, ch. 80-374; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 81-83; ss. 7, 8, 9, ch. 81-184; ss. 1, 4, 5, ch. 81-237; s. 12, ch. 81-259; s. 1, ch. 81-290; ss. 1, 4, ch. 82-46; ss. 1, 2, ch. 82-100; s. 5, ch. 82-213; s. 1, ch. 83-89; ss. 1, 11, ch. 83-177; s. 1, ch. 83-181; s. 2, ch. 83-215; s. 3, ch. 83-216; s. 2, ch. 83-230; ss. 2, 3, ch. 83-265; ss. 13, 17, ch. 84-226; s. 3, ch. 85-80; s. 1, ch. 85-270; s. 1, ch. 86-66; s. 1, ch. 86-220; ss. 1, 2, ch. 87-140; s. 2, ch. 88-235; s. 9, ch. 88-337; s. 15, ch. 88-398; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 89-1; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 89-92; s. 4, ch. 89-215; s. 2, ch. 89-296; s. 2, ch. 90-247; s. 1, ch. 90-339; s. 1, ch. 91-14; s. 1, ch. 91-158; s. 5, ch. 91-429; ss. 9, 110, ch. 92-33; s. 3, ch. 92-58; s. 1, ch. 92-174; s. 1, ch. 93-200; s. 3, ch. 94-124; s. 7, ch. 94-209; s. 1317, ch. 95-147; s. 9, ch. 95-153; s. 50, ch. 96-175; s. 5, ch. 96-403; s. 6, ch. 97-237; s. 28, ch. 97-286; s. 1, ch. 98-25; s. 1, ch. 98-137; s. 1, ch. 98-280; s. 120, ch. 98-403; s. 5, ch. 99-2; s. 1, ch. 99-7; s. 2, ch. 2000-135; s. 2, ch. 2000-139; s. 4, ch. 2000-158; s. 1, ch. 2001-68; s. 1, ch. 2002-63; ss. 3, 5, ch. 2003-279; s. 29, ch. 2003-399; s. 69, ch. 2004-267; s. 12, ch. 2004-269; s. 1, ch. 2004-356; s. 1, ch. 2005-3; s. 2, ch. 2005-152; s. 3, ch. 2006-50; s. 8, ch. 2006-171; s. 2, ch. 2012-84; s. 1, ch. 2014-224; s. 1, ch. 2020-152.
20.195 Department of Children and Families; trust funds.—The following trust funds shall be administered by the Department of Children and Families:
(1) ADMINISTRATIVE TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 215.32.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(2) ALCOHOL, DRUG ABUSE, AND MENTAL HEALTH TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of federal mental health or substance abuse block grant funds, and shall be used for the purpose of providing mental health or substance abuse treatment and support services to department clients and for other such purposes as may be appropriate.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(3) CHILD WELFARE TRAINING TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 402.40.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(4) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 28.101, part XII of chapter 39, and chapter 741.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(5) FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 215.32.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(6) GRANTS AND DONATIONS TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 215.32.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(7) OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 215.32.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(8) SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of federal social services block grant funds, and shall be used for the purpose of providing health care and support services to department clients and for other such purposes as may be appropriate.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(9) TOBACCO SETTLEMENT TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of funds disbursed, by nonoperating transfer, from the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund in amounts equal to the annual appropriations made from this trust fund.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any unencumbered balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year and any encumbered balance remaining undisbursed on September 30 of the same calendar year shall revert to the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund.
(10) WELFARE TRANSITION TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 20.506.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(11) STATE OPIOID SETTLEMENT TRUST FUND.—
(a) The State Opioid Settlement Trust Fund is created within the Department of Children and Families. The purpose of the trust fund is to abate the opioid epidemic in accordance with the settlement agreements reached by the state in opioid-related litigation or bankruptcy proceedings.
(b) The Department of Financial Services shall annually transfer, by nonoperating transfer, the amount specified in the General Appropriations Act from its Opioid Settlement Clearing Trust Fund to the department’s State Opioid Settlement Trust Fund.
(c) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any unencumbered balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year and any encumbered balance remaining undisbursed on September 30 of the same calendar year shall revert to the Department of Financial Services Opioid Settlement Clearing Trust Fund.
(d) In accordance with s. 19(f)(2), Art. III of the State Constitution, the State Opioid Settlement Trust Fund, unless terminated sooner, shall be terminated on July 1, 2027. Before its scheduled termination, the trust fund shall be reviewed as provided in s. 215.3206(1) and (2).
History.—s. 1, ch. 99-199; s. 2, ch. 2000-10; s. 70, ch. 2003-261; s. 4, ch. 2008-16; s. 39, ch. 2011-213; s. 5, ch. 2014-19; s. 4, ch. 2016-29; s. 1, ch. 2023-265.
20.197 Agency for Persons with Disabilities.—There is created the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, housed within the Department of Children and Families for administrative purposes only. The agency shall be a separate budget entity not subject to control, supervision, or direction by the Department of Children and Families in any manner, including, but not limited to, personnel, purchasing, transactions involving real or personal property, and budgetary matters.
(1) The director of the agency shall be the agency head for all purposes and shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The director shall administer the affairs of the agency and may, within available resources, employ assistants, professional staff, and other employees as necessary to discharge the powers and duties of the agency.
(2) The agency shall include a Division of Budget and Planning and a Division of Operations. In addition, and in accordance with s. 20.04, the director of the agency may recommend establishing additional divisions, bureaus, sections, and subsections of the agency in order to promote efficient and effective operation of the agency.
(3) The agency is responsible for providing all services provided to persons with developmental disabilities under chapter 393, including the operation of all state institutional programs and the programmatic management of Medicaid waivers established to provide services to persons with developmental disabilities.
(4) The agency shall engage in such other administrative activities as are deemed necessary to effectively and efficiently address the needs of the agency’s clients.
(5) The agency shall enter into an interagency agreement that delineates the responsibilities of the Agency for Health Care Administration for the following:
(a) The terms and execution of contracts with Medicaid providers for the provision of services provided through Medicaid, including federally approved waiver programs.
(b) The billing, payment, and reconciliation of claims for Medicaid services reimbursed by the agency.
(c) The implementation of utilization management measures, including the prior authorization of services plans and the streamlining and consolidation of waiver services, to ensure the cost-effective provision of needed Medicaid services and to maximize the number of persons with access to such services.
(d) A system of approving each client’s plan of care to ensure that the services on the plan of care are those that without which the client would require the services of an intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled.
History.—s. 70, ch. 2004-267; s. 1, ch. 2006-227; s. 6, ch. 2014-19.
20.1971 Agency for Persons with Disabilities; trust funds.—The following trust funds shall be administered by the Agency for Persons with Disabilities:
(1) The Administrative Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of federal matching funds provided for the administration of Medicaid services. Funds shall be used for the purpose of supporting the agency’s administration of Medicaid programs and for other such purposes as may be appropriate and shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the agency’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(2) The Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of receipts from third-party payors of health care services such as Medicaid. Funds shall be used for the purpose of providing health care services to agency clients and for other such purposes as may be appropriate and shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the agency’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(3) The Social Services Block Grant Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of federal social services block grant funds. These shall be used for the purpose of providing health care and support services to agency clients and for other such purposes as may be appropriate and shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the agency’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(4) The Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of funds disbursed, by nonoperating transfer, from the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund in amounts equal to the annual appropriations made from this trust fund.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any unencumbered balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year and any encumbered balance remaining undisbursed on September 30 of the same calendar year shall revert to the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund.
(5) The Federal Grants Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of receipts from federal grants. Funds shall be used for the purpose of providing health care services to agency clients and for other such purposes as may be appropriate and shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the agency’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2005-21; s. 1, ch. 2005-22; s. 1, ch. 2005-23; s. 1, ch. 2005-24; s. 1, ch. 2005-142; s. 2, ch. 2008-10; s. 2, ch. 2008-11; s. 2, ch. 2008-12; s. 2, ch. 2008-13; s. 2, ch. 2008-14.
20.201 Department of Law Enforcement.—
(1) There is created a Department of Law Enforcement. The head of the department is the Governor and Cabinet. The executive director of the department shall be appointed by the Governor subject to a majority vote of the Governor and Cabinet, with the Governor on the prevailing side. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate. The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor and Cabinet. The executive director may establish a command, operational, and administrative services structure to assist, manage, and support the department in operating programs and delivering services.
(2) The following programs of the Department of Law Enforcement are established:
(a) Criminal Justice Investigations and Forensic Science Program.
(b) Criminal Justice Information Program.
(c) Criminal Justice Professionalism Program.
(d) Capitol Police.
History.—ss. 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, ch. 74-386; s. 11, ch. 77-104; s. 2, ch. 77-111; s. 1, ch. 78-347; s. 19, ch. 81-24; s. 2, ch. 87-30; s. 5, ch. 89-3; s. 1, ch. 98-94; s. 1, ch. 2002-21; s. 1, ch. 2022-14.
20.21 Department of Revenue.—There is created a Department of Revenue.
(1) The head of the Department of Revenue is the Governor and Cabinet.
(2)(a) The administrative responsibilities of the Department of Revenue are to plan, organize, and control the administrative support services for the department. Administrative functions include, but are not limited to, finance and accounting, revenue accounting, personnel, and office services.
(b) The ad valorem tax responsibilities of the department are to carry out the relevant provisions of ad valorem tax law. Ad valorem tax functions include, but are not limited to, ad valorem administration, assessment standards and review, central property valuation, and field operations.
(c) The audit responsibilities of the department are to plan, organize, administer, and control tax auditing activities. Audit functions include, but are not limited to, audit selection and standards development for those taxes collected by the department. The standards development function shall include development of standard audit criteria and provision of functional direction to field audit staff.
(d) The collection and enforcement responsibilities of the department are to conduct tax collection and enforcement activities. Collection and enforcement functions include, but are not limited to, investigative services and central and field operations.
(e) The information systems and services responsibilities of the department are to develop, maintain, and manage all information systems for tax return processing and taxpayer registration activities. Information systems and services functions include, but are not limited to, automation of all information systems.
(f) The taxpayer assistance responsibilities of the department are to render advice to department personnel and the public on tax matters. Taxpayer assistance functions include, but are not limited to, the preparation of departmental rules for all taxes, the rendition of opinions pursuant to s. 213.22, and the provision of informal assistance to the public on tax matters.
(g) The tax processing responsibilities of the department include, but are not limited to, receipts processing, tax returns processing, license registration, and taxpayer registration.
(h) The child support enforcement responsibilities of the department include the administration of the child support enforcement program established by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. ss. 651 et seq.
(3) The position of taxpayers’ rights advocate is created within the Department of Revenue. The taxpayers’ rights advocate shall be appointed by the Chief Inspector General but is under the general supervision of the executive director for administrative purposes. The taxpayers’ rights advocate must report to the Chief Inspector General and may be removed from office only by the Chief Inspector General. The responsibilities of the taxpayers’ rights advocate include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) Facilitating the resolution of taxpayer complaints and problems which have not been resolved through normal administrative channels within the department, including any taxpayer complaints regarding unsatisfactory treatment of taxpayers by employees of the department.
(b) Issuing a stay action on behalf of a taxpayer who has suffered or is about to suffer irreparable loss as a result of action by the department.
(c) On or before January 1 of each year, the taxpayers’ rights advocate shall furnish to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Inspector General a report that must include the following:
1. The objectives of the taxpayers’ rights advocate for the upcoming fiscal year.
2. The number of complaints filed in the previous fiscal year.
3. A summary of resolutions or outstanding issues from the previous fiscal year report.
4. A summary of the most common problems encountered by taxpayers, including a description of the nature of the problems, and the number of complaints for each such problem.
5. The initiatives the taxpayers’ rights advocate has taken or is planning to take to improve taxpayer services and the department’s responsiveness.
6. Recommendations for administrative or legislative action as appropriate to resolve problems encountered by taxpayers.
7. Other information as the taxpayers’ rights advocate may deem advisable.
The report must contain a complete and substantive analysis in addition to statistical information.
(4) Necessary legal services, pursuant to chapter 16, including litigation shall be provided to the Department of Revenue by the Department of Legal Affairs, except for the establishment of paternity or support obligations, and the modification, enforcement, and collection of support obligations, for which legal services may be provided under a contract entered into by the Department of Revenue as the Title IV-D agency.
(5) Notwithstanding any other law, the department may process taxes, fines, or license or regulatory fees for the benefit of any other state agency. Such processing may be done only pursuant to a written agreement between the department and the agency requesting this service.
(6) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 110.123, relating to the state group insurance program, the department may pay, or participate in the payment of, premiums for health, accident, and life insurance for its full-time out-of-state employees, pursuant to such rules as it may adopt, and such payments shall be in addition to the regular salaries of such full-time out-of-state employees.
History.—s. 21, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 72-266; s. 1, ch. 75-211; s. 1, ch. 77-102; ss. 1, 2, ch. 78-390; s. 3, ch. 79-10; s. 2, ch. 80-391; s. 1, ch. 81-50; s. 11, ch. 84-170; s. 1, ch. 86-124; s. 31, ch. 90-203; s. 1, ch. 91-112; s. 17, ch. 92-315; s. 4, ch. 94-124; ss. 2, 16, ch. 95-272; s. 2, ch. 97-287; s. 1, ch. 2018-118.
20.22 Department of Management Services.—There is created a Department of Management Services.
(1) The head of the Department of Management Services is the Secretary of Management Services, who shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
(2) The following divisions, programs, and services within the Department of Management Services are established:
(a) Facilities Program.
(b) The Florida Digital Service.
(c) Workforce Program.
(d)1. Support Program.
2. Federal Property Assistance Program.
(e) Administration Program.
(f) Division of Administrative Hearings.
(g) Division of Retirement.
(h) Division of State Group Insurance.
(i) Division of Telecommunications.
(3) The duties of the Chief Labor Negotiator shall be determined by the Secretary of Management Services, and must include, but need not be limited to, the representation of the Governor as the public employer in collective bargaining negotiations pursuant to the provisions of chapter 447.
History.—s. 22, ch. 69-106; ss. 1, 2, ch. 70-146; s. 1, ch. 71-43; s. 2, ch. 71-286; s. 1, ch. 74-256; ss. 1, 2, ch. 75-70; s. 1, ch. 76-247; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 77-112; s. 5, ch. 83-92; s. 3, ch. 84-274; s. 25, ch. 85-349; s. 1, ch. 91-54; s. 4, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 4, ch. 94-113; s. 1, ch. 94-226; s. 20, ch. 94-249; s. 2, ch. 94-340; s. 1, ch. 97-92; s. 3, ch. 97-296; s. 6, ch. 99-2; s. 2, ch. 99-7; s. 1, ch. 99-255; s. 1, ch. 99-399; s. 1, ch. 2001-261; s. 2, ch. 2007-105; s. 55, ch. 2018-10; ss. 74, 82, 115, ch. 2019-116; s. 3, ch. 2019-118; s. 1, ch. 2020-161.
20.221 Federal Grants Trust Fund.—
(1) The Federal Grants Trust Fund is created within the Department of Management Services.
(2) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for allowable grant activities funded by restricted program revenues from federal sources. Moneys to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of grants and funding from the Federal Government, interest earnings, and cash advances from other trust funds. Funds shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2010-12; s. 2, ch. 2013-10.
20.23 Department of Transportation.—There is created a Department of Transportation which shall be a decentralized agency.
(1)(a) The head of the Department of Transportation is the Secretary of Transportation. The secretary shall be appointed by the Governor from among three persons nominated by the Florida Transportation Commission and shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate. The secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
(b) The secretary shall be a proven, effective administrator who by a combination of education and experience shall clearly possess a broad knowledge of the administrative, financial, and technical aspects of the development, operation, and regulation of transportation systems and facilities or comparable systems and facilities.
(c) The secretary shall provide to the Florida Transportation Commission or its staff, such assistance, information, and documents as are requested by the commission or its staff to enable the commission to fulfill its duties and responsibilities.
(d) The secretary may appoint up to three assistant secretaries who shall be directly responsible to the secretary and who shall perform such duties as are assigned by the secretary. The secretary shall designate to an assistant secretary the duties related to enhancing economic prosperity, including, but not limited to, the responsibility of liaison with the head of economic development in the Executive Office of the Governor. Such assistant secretary shall be directly responsible for providing the Executive Office of the Governor with investment opportunities and transportation projects that expand the state’s role as a global hub for trade and investment and enhance the supply chain system in the state to process, assemble, and ship goods to markets throughout the eastern United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The secretary may delegate to any assistant secretary the authority to act in the absence of the secretary.
(e) Any secretary appointed after July 5, 1989, and the assistant secretaries shall be exempt from the provisions of part III of chapter 110 and shall receive compensation commensurate with their qualifications and competitive with compensation for comparable responsibility in the private sector.
(2)(a)1. The Florida Transportation Commission is hereby created and shall consist of nine members appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the Senate. Members of the commission shall serve terms of 4 years each.
2. Members shall be appointed in such a manner as to equitably represent all geographic areas of the state. Each member must be a registered voter and a citizen of the state. Each member of the commission must also possess business managerial experience in the private sector.
3. A member of the commission shall represent the transportation needs of the state as a whole and may not subordinate the needs of the state to those of any particular area of the state.
4. The commission is assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation for administrative and fiscal accountability purposes, but it shall otherwise function independently of the control and direction of the department.
(b) The commission shall:
1. Recommend major transportation policies for the Governor’s approval and assure that approved policies and any revisions are properly executed.
2. Periodically review the status of the state transportation system, including highway, transit, rail, seaport, intermodal development, and aviation components of the system, and recommend improvements to the Governor and the Legislature.
3. Perform an in-depth evaluation of the annual department budget request, the Florida Transportation Plan, and the tentative work program for compliance with all applicable laws and established departmental policies. Except as specifically provided in s. 339.135(4)(c)2., (d), and (f), the commission may not consider individual construction projects but shall consider methods of accomplishing the goals of the department in the most effective, efficient, and businesslike manner.
4. Monitor the financial status of the department on a regular basis to assure that the department is managing revenue and bond proceeds responsibly and in accordance with law and established policy.
5. Monitor on at least a quarterly basis the efficiency, productivity, and management of the department using performance and production standards developed by the commission pursuant to s. 334.045.
6. Perform an in-depth evaluation of the factors causing disruption of project schedules in the adopted work program and recommend to the Governor and the Legislature methods to eliminate or reduce the disruptive effects of these factors.
7. Recommend to the Governor and the Legislature improvements to the department’s organization in order to streamline and optimize the efficiency of the department. In reviewing the department’s organization, the commission shall determine if the current district organizational structure is responsive to this state’s changing economic and demographic development patterns. The report by the commission must be delivered to the Governor and the Legislature by December 15 each year, as appropriate. The commission may retain experts as necessary to carry out this subparagraph, and the department shall pay the expenses of the experts.
8. Monitor the efficiency, productivity, and management of the agencies and authorities created under chapters 348 and 349; the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority re-created pursuant to chapter 2000-411, Laws of Florida; and any authority formed under chapter 343. The commission shall also conduct periodic reviews of each agency’s and authority’s operations and budget, acquisition of property, management of revenue and bond proceeds, and compliance with applicable laws and generally accepted accounting principles.
(c) The commission or a member thereof may not enter into the day-to-day operation of the department or a monitored authority and is specifically prohibited from taking part in:
1. The awarding of contracts.
2. The selection of a consultant or contractor or the prequalification of any individual consultant or contractor. However, the commission may recommend to the secretary standards and policies governing the procedure for selection and prequalification of consultants and contractors.
3. The selection of a route for a specific project.
4. The specific location of a transportation facility.
5. The acquisition of rights-of-way.
6. The employment, promotion, demotion, suspension, transfer, or discharge of any department personnel.
7. The granting, denial, suspension, or revocation of any license or permit issued by the department.
(d)1. The chair of the commission shall be selected by the commission members and shall serve a 1-year term.
2. The commission shall hold a minimum of 4 regular meetings annually, and other meetings may be called by the chair upon giving at least 1 week’s notice to all members and the public pursuant to chapter 120. Other meetings may also be held upon the written request of at least four other members of the commission, with at least 1 week’s notice of such meeting being given to all members and the public by the chair pursuant to chapter 120. Emergency meetings may be held without notice upon the request of all members of the commission. At each meeting of the commission, the secretary or his or her designee shall submit a report of major actions taken by him or her as the official representative of the department.
3. A majority of the membership of the commission constitutes a quorum at any meeting of the commission. An action of the commission is not binding unless the action is taken pursuant to an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present, but not fewer than four members of the commission at a meeting held pursuant to subparagraph 2., and the vote is recorded in the minutes of that meeting.
4. The chair shall cause to be made a complete record of the proceedings of the commission, which record shall be open for public inspection.
(e) The meetings of the commission shall be held in the central office of the department in Tallahassee unless the chair determines that special circumstances warrant meeting at another location.
(f) Members of the commission are entitled to per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061.
(g) A member of the commission may not have any interest, direct or indirect, in any contract, franchise, privilege, or other benefit granted or awarded by the department during the term of his or her appointment and for 2 years after the termination of such appointment.
(h) The commission shall appoint an executive director and assistant executive director, who shall serve under the direction, supervision, and control of the commission. The executive director, with the consent of the commission, shall employ such staff as are necessary to perform adequately the functions of the commission, within budgetary limitations. All employees of the commission are exempt from part II of chapter 110 and shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. The salaries and benefits of all employees of the commission shall be set in accordance with the Selected Exempt Service; provided, however, that the commission shall have complete authority for fixing the salary of the executive director and assistant executive director.
(i) The commission shall develop a budget pursuant to chapter 216. The budget is not subject to change by the department, but such budget shall be submitted to the Governor along with the budget of the department.
(3)(a) The central office shall establish departmental policies, rules, procedures, and standards and shall monitor the implementation of such policies, rules, procedures, and standards in order to ensure uniform compliance and quality performance by the districts and central office units that implement transportation programs. Major transportation policy initiatives or revisions shall be submitted to the commission for review.
(b) The secretary may appoint positions at the level of deputy assistant secretary or director which the secretary deems necessary to accomplish the mission and goals of the department, including, but not limited to, the areas of program responsibility provided in this paragraph, each of whom shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the secretary. The secretary may combine, separate, or delete offices as needed in consultation with the Executive Office of the Governor. The department’s areas of program responsibility include, but are not limited to:
1. Administration;
2. Planning;
3. Public transportation;
4. Design;
5. Highway operations;
6. Right-of-way;
7. Toll operations;
8. Information systems;
9. Motor carrier weight inspection;
10. Management and budget;
11. Comptroller;
12. Construction;
13. Maintenance; and
14. Materials.
(c) Other offices may be established in accordance with s. 20.04(7). The heads of such offices are exempt from part II of chapter 110.
(d) The secretary shall appoint an inspector general pursuant to s. 20.055 who shall be directly responsible to the secretary and shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary.
(e) The secretary shall appoint a general counsel who shall be directly responsible to the secretary. The general counsel is responsible for all legal matters of the department. The department may employ as many attorneys as it deems necessary to advise and represent the department in all transportation matters.
(4)(a) The operations of the department shall be organized into seven districts, each headed by a district secretary, and a turnpike enterprise and a rail enterprise, each enterprise headed by an executive director. The district secretaries and the executive directors shall be registered professional engineers in accordance with the provisions of chapter 471 or the laws of another state, or, in lieu of professional engineer registration, a district secretary or executive director may hold an advanced degree in an appropriate related discipline, such as a Master of Business Administration. The headquarters of the districts shall be located in Polk, Columbia, Washington, Broward, Volusia, Miami-Dade, and Hillsborough Counties. The headquarters of the turnpike enterprise shall be located in Orange County. The headquarters of the rail enterprise shall be located in Leon County. In order to provide for efficient operations and to expedite the decisionmaking process, the department shall provide for maximum decentralization to the districts.
(b) Each district secretary may appoint up to three district directors. These positions are exempt from part II of chapter 110.
(c) Within each district, offices shall be established for managing major functional responsibilities of the department. The heads of these offices shall be exempt from part II of chapter 110.
(d) The district director for the Fort Myers Urban Office of the Department of Transportation is responsible for developing the 5-year Transportation Plan for Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, and Lee Counties. The Fort Myers Urban Office also is responsible for providing policy, direction, local government coordination, and planning for those counties.
(e)1. The responsibility for the turnpike system shall be delegated by the secretary to the executive director of the turnpike enterprise, who shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary. The executive director shall report directly to the secretary, and the turnpike enterprise shall operate pursuant to ss. 338.22-338.241.
2. To facilitate the most efficient and effective management of the turnpike enterprise, including the use of best business practices employed by the private sector, the turnpike enterprise, except as provided in s. 287.055, shall be exempt from departmental policies, procedures, and standards, subject to the secretary having the authority to apply any such policies, procedures, and standards to the turnpike enterprise from time to time as deemed appropriate.
(f)1. The responsibility for developing and operating the high-speed and passenger rail systems established in chapter 341, directing funding for passenger rail systems under s. 341.303, and coordinating publicly funded passenger rail operations in the state, including freight rail interoperability issues, shall be delegated by the secretary to the executive director of the rail enterprise, who shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary. The executive director shall report directly to the secretary, and the rail enterprise shall operate pursuant to ss. 341.8201-341.842.
2. To facilitate the most efficient and effective management of the rail enterprise, including the use of best business practices employed by the private sector, the rail enterprise, except as provided in s. 287.055, shall be exempt from departmental policies, procedures, and standards, subject to the secretary having the authority to apply any such policies, procedures, and standards to the rail enterprise from time to time as deemed appropriate.
(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 110.205, the Department of Management Services is authorized to exempt positions within the Department of Transportation which are comparable to positions within the Senior Management Service pursuant to s. 110.205(2)(j) or positions which are comparable to positions in the Selected Exempt Service under s. 110.205(2)(m).
(6) The department is authorized to contract with local governmental entities and with the private sector if the department first determines that:
(a) Consultants can do the work at less cost than state employees;
(b) State employees can do the work at less cost, but sufficient positions have not been approved by the Legislature as requested in the department’s most recent legislative budget request;
(c) The work requires specialized expertise, and it would not be economical for the state to acquire, and then maintain, the expertise after the work is done;
(d) The workload is at a peak level, and it would not be economical to acquire, and then keep, extra personnel after the workload decreases; or
(e) The use of such entities is clearly in the public’s best interest.
Such contracts shall require compliance with applicable federal and state laws, and clearly specify the product or service to be provided.
History.—s. 23, ch. 69-106; ss. 1, 2, 4, 5, ch. 72-186; s. 1, ch. 77-44; s. 1, ch. 77-273; s. 1, ch. 78-90; s. 4, ch. 79-10; s. 1, ch. 81-209; s. 1, ch. 84-309; s. 7, ch. 85-180; s. 1, ch. 86-243; ss. 1, 2, ch. 87-360; s. 2, ch. 88-215; s. 25, ch. 88-557; s. 8, ch. 89-301; s. 40, ch. 90-136; s. 2, ch. 90-192; s. 14, ch. 90-227; s. 1, ch. 91-418; s. 5, ch. 91-429; ss. 151, 152, ch. 92-152; s. 8, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 4, ch. 94-237; s. 1318, ch. 95-147; s. 10, ch. 95-153; s. 1, ch. 95-257; s. 2, ch. 97-280; s. 4, ch. 98-34; s. 7, ch. 99-2; ss. 1, 66, ch. 99-385; s. 1, ch. 2000-266; s. 1, ch. 2000-325; s. 1, ch. 2001-43; s. 7, ch. 2002-1; s. 1, ch. 2002-20; s. 5, ch. 2003-286; s. 1, ch. 2004-366; s. 1, ch. 2007-196; s. 7, ch. 2008-4; s. 18, ch. 2009-111; s. 1, ch. 2009-271; s. 1, ch. 2011-66; s. 1, ch. 2011-164; s. 6, ch. 2012-174; s. 2, ch. 2014-223; s. 1, ch. 2019-169; s. 3, ch. 2020-2.
20.24 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.—There is created a Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
(1) The head of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is the Governor and Cabinet.
(2) The following divisions, and bureaus within the divisions, of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles are established:
(a) Division of the Florida Highway Patrol.
(b) Division of Motorist Services.
(3) The Office of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement is established within the Division of the Florida Highway Patrol.
History.—s. 24, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 76-281; s. 5, ch. 79-10; s. 64, ch. 79-190; s. 1, ch. 79-324; s. 1, ch. 2009-183; s. 2, ch. 2011-66; s. 1, ch. 2012-181.
20.241 Federal Grants Trust Fund; Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.—
(1) The Federal Grants Trust Fund is created within the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
(2) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for allowable grant activities funded by restricted program revenues from federal sources. Moneys to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of grants and funding from the Federal Government, interest earnings, and cash advances from other trust funds. Funds shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2007-22; s. 2, ch. 2011-31.
20.255 Department of Environmental Protection.—There is created a Department of Environmental Protection.
(1) Notwithstanding s. 20.05(2), the head of the Department of Environmental Protection shall be a secretary, who shall be appointed by the Governor, with the concurrence of three members of the Cabinet or subject to confirmation by the Senate.
(a) Upon appointment, the Governor shall, in writing, notify the Cabinet and the President of the Senate that he or she will seek either the concurrence of three members of the Cabinet or confirmation of the appointee by the Senate.
(b) If the Governor seeks the concurrence of three members of the Cabinet for the appointment, such concurrence must be obtained at the first scheduled meeting of the Cabinet following the appointment. If concurrence of three members of the Cabinet is not obtained at such meeting, the appointee may be held over until his or her successor is appointed and qualified, but the period of such holdover may not exceed 30 days from the date of the Cabinet meeting at which the appointment was considered. An appointee who does not receive the concurrence of three members of the Cabinet is not eligible for appointment to the same office for 1 year after the date of the Cabinet meeting at which the appointment was considered.
(c) If the Governor seeks confirmation of the appointee by the Senate, s. 114.05 applies.
(d) The secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
(2)(a) There shall be three deputy secretaries who are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the secretary. The secretary may assign any deputy secretary the responsibility to supervise, coordinate, and formulate policy for any division, office, or district.
(b) The Office of the Secretary is established. The secretary may establish offices within the Office of the Secretary or within the divisions established under subsection (3) to promote the efficient and effective operation of the department.
(c) The secretary shall appoint a general counsel who is directly responsible to and serves at the pleasure of the secretary. The general counsel is responsible for all legal matters of the department.
(d) There shall be six administrative districts involved in regulatory matters of waste management, water resource management, wetlands, and air resources, which shall be headed by managers, each of whom shall be appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the secretary. Divisions of the department may have one assistant or two deputy division directors, as required to facilitate effective operation.
(e) The directors of all divisions, and the managers of all offices and districts, are exempt from part II of chapter 110 and are included in the Senior Management Service in accordance with s. 110.205(2)(j).
(3) The following divisions of the Department of Environmental Protection are established:
(a) Division of Administrative Services.
(b) Division of Air Resource Management.
(c) Division of Water Resource Management.
(d) Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration.
(e) Division of Waste Management.
(f) Division of Recreation and Parks.
(g) Division of State Lands, the director of which is appointed by the secretary of the department, subject to confirmation by the Governor and Cabinet sitting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.
(h) Division of Water Restoration Assistance.
(i) Division of Law Enforcement.
In order to ensure statewide and intradepartmental consistency, the department’s divisions shall direct the district offices and bureaus on matters of interpretation and applicability of the department’s rules and programs.
(4) Records and documents of the Department of Environmental Protection shall be retained by the department as specified in record retention schedules established under the general provisions of chapters 119 and 257. Further, the department is authorized to:
(a) Destroy, or otherwise dispose of, those records and documents in conformity with the approved retention schedules.
(b) Photograph, microphotograph, or reproduce such records and documents on film, as authorized and directed by the approved retention schedules, whereby each page will be exposed in exact conformity with the original records and documents retained in compliance with the provisions of this section. Photographs or microphotographs in the form of film or print of any records, made in compliance with the provisions of this section, shall have the same force and effect as the originals thereof would have and shall be treated as originals for the purpose of their admissibility in evidence. Duly certified or authenticated reproductions of such photographs or microphotographs shall be admitted in evidence equally with the original photographs or microphotographs. The impression of the seal of the Department of Environmental Protection on a certificate made by the department and signed by the Secretary of Environmental Protection entitles the certificate to be received in all courts and in all proceedings in this state and is prima facie evidence of all factual matters set forth in the certificate. A certificate may relate to one or more records as set forth in the certificate or in a schedule attached to the certificate.
(5) The Department of Environmental Protection may require that bond be given by any employee of the department, payable to the Governor of the state and the Governor’s successor in office, for the use and benefit of those whom it concerns, in such penal sums and with such good and sufficient surety or sureties as are approved by the department, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of the employee.
(6) There is created as a part of the Department of Environmental Protection an Environmental Regulation Commission. The commission shall be composed of seven residents of this state appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. In making appointments, the Governor shall provide reasonable representation from all sections of the state. Membership shall be representative of agriculture, the development industry, local government, the environmental community, lay citizens, and members of the scientific and technical community who have substantial expertise in the areas of the fate and transport of water pollutants, toxicology, epidemiology, geology, biology, environmental sciences, or engineering. The Governor shall appoint the chair, and the vice chair shall be elected from among the membership. All appointments shall be for 4-year terms. The Governor may at any time fill a vacancy for the unexpired term. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be paid travel and per diem as provided in s. 112.061 while in the performance of their official duties. Administrative, personnel, and other support services necessary for the commission shall be furnished by the department. The commission may employ independent counsel and contract for the services of outside technical consultants.
(7) The department is the agency of state government responsible for collecting and analyzing information concerning energy resources in this state; for coordinating the energy conservation programs of state agencies; and for coordinating the development, review, and implementation of the state’s energy policy.
(8) The department may adopt rules requiring or incentivizing electronic submission of forms, documents, fees, or reports required under chapter 161, chapter 253, chapter 373, chapter 376, chapter 377, or chapter 403. The rules must reasonably accommodate technological or financial hardship and must provide procedures for obtaining an exemption due to such a hardship.
(9) The department shall act as the lead agency of the executive branch for the development and review of policies, practices, and standards related to geospatial data managed by state agencies and water management districts. The department shall coordinate and promote geospatial data sharing throughout state government and serve as the primary point of contact for statewide geographic information systems projects, grants, and resources. The department may adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this subsection.
(10) Law enforcement officers of the Department of Environmental Protection who meet the requirements of s. 943.13 are constituted law enforcement officers of this state with full power to investigate and arrest for any violation of the laws of this state and the rules of the department and the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. The general laws applicable to investigations, searches, and arrests by peace officers of this state apply to such law enforcement officers.
History.—ss. 3, 4, ch. 93-213; ss. 1, 5, ch. 94-356; s. 1319, ch. 95-147; s. 1, ch. 95-295; s. 3, ch. 96-410; s. 21, ch. 97-95; s. 1, ch. 98-146; s. 8, ch. 99-245; s. 7, ch. 2000-133; s. 1, ch. 2000-197; s. 8, ch. 2002-1; s. 6, ch. 2004-243; s. 1, ch. 2008-150; s. 7, ch. 2012-88; s. 1, ch. 2013-92; s. 3, ch. 2015-2; s. 1, ch. 2016-85; s. 56, ch. 2018-10; ss. 75, 82, 115, ch. 2019-116; s. 4, ch. 2019-118; s. 5, ch. 2019-141; s. 2, ch. 2022-14.
20.25501 Department of Environmental Protection; trust funds.—The following trust funds shall be administered by the Department of Environmental Protection:
(1) The Federal Grants Trust Fund.
(a) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for allowable grant activities funded by restricted program revenues from federal sources. Moneys to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of grants and funding from the Federal Government, interest earnings, and cash advances from other trust funds.
(b) Funds shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(2) The Administrative Trust Fund.
(a) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for management activities that are departmental in nature and is funded by assessments against trust funds.
(b) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund and shall be available for carrying out the purpose of the trust fund.
(3) The Working Capital Trust Fund.
(a) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for the operation of the department’s information technology services and is funded by assessments against trust funds.
(b) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund and shall be available for carrying out the purpose of the trust fund.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2007-23; s. 2, ch. 2011-26; s. 1, ch. 2015-8; s. 2, ch. 2017-159.
20.2551 Citizen support organizations; use of property; audit; public records; partnerships.—
(1) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section, a “citizen support organization” means an organization which is:
(a) A Florida corporation not for profit incorporated under the provisions of chapter 617 and approved by the Department of State;
(b) Organized and operated to conduct programs and activities; raise funds; request and receive grants, gifts, and bequests of money; acquire, receive, hold, invest, and administer, in its own name, securities, funds, objects of value, or other property, real or personal; and make expenditures to or for the direct or indirect benefit of the Department of Environmental Protection or individual units of the department. The citizen support organization may not receive funds from the department by grant, gift, or contract unless specifically authorized by the Legislature;
(c) Determined by the appropriate division of the Department of Environmental Protection to be consistent with the goals of the department and in the best interests of the state; and
(d) Approved in writing by the department to operate for the direct or indirect benefit of the individual units of the department. Such approval shall be given in a letter of agreement from the department.
(2) USE OF PROPERTY.—
(a) The department may permit, without charge, appropriate use of fixed property and facilities of the department by a citizen support organization subject to the provisions of this section. Such use shall be directly in keeping with the approved purposes of the citizen support organization and may not be made at times or places that would unreasonably interfere with normal department operations.
(b) The department may prescribe any condition with which a citizen support organization shall comply in order to use fixed property or facilities of the department.
(c) The department shall not permit the use of any fixed property or facilities by a citizen support organization which does not provide equal membership and employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin.
(3) ANNUAL AUDIT.—Each citizen support organization shall provide for an annual financial audit in accordance with s. 215.981.
(4) PUBLIC RECORDS.—All records of the citizen support organization constitute public records for the purposes of chapter 119.
(5) PARTNERSHIPS.—
(a) The Legislature recognizes that many of the lands managed by the department need a variety of facilities to enhance the use and potential of such lands and that many of the department’s programs are of interest to, and could benefit from the support of, local citizen groups. Such facilities and programs include, but are not limited to, improved access, camping areas, picnicking shelters, management offices and facilities, environmental education facilities and programs, and cleanup and restoration projects. The need for such facilities and programs has exceeded the ability of the state to provide funding in a timely manner with available moneys. The Legislature finds it to be in the public interest to provide incentives for partnerships with private entities whose intent is the production of additional revenues to help enhance the use and potential of state property and environmental programs and projects funded by the department.
(b) The Legislature may annually appropriate funds, to be used as matching funds in conjunction with private donations, for capital improvement facilities development on state lands or the enhancement of department sponsored environmental programs or projects of local interest to citizen support organizations formed under this section. Citizen support organizations organized and operating for the benefit of the department may acquire private donations pursuant to this section, and matching state funds for approved projects or programs may be provided in accordance with this subsection. The department is authorized to properly recognize and honor a private donor by placing a plaque or other appropriate designation noting the contribution to project or program facilities or by naming project or program facilities after the person or organization that provided matching funds.
History.—s. 2, ch. 88-353; s. 196, ch. 94-356; s. 2, ch. 96-389; s. 3, ch. 96-395; s. 2, ch. 97-205; s. 2, ch. 2000-197; s. 22, ch. 2001-266; s. 2, ch. 2004-264; s. 4, ch. 2014-96; s. 1, ch. 2018-112; s. 1, ch. 2019-93; s. 2, ch. 2021-51.
Note.—Former s. 370.0205.
20.28 State Board of Administration.—The State Board of Administration, continued by s. 4, Art. IV of the State Constitution, retains all of its powers, duties, and functions as prescribed by law.
History.—s. 28, ch. 69-106; s. 7, ch. 79-10; s. 3, ch. 2013-15.
20.29 Department of Citrus; Florida Citrus Commission; executive director.—
(1) The head of the Department of Citrus is the Florida Citrus Commission created under s. 601.04.
(2) The executive director of the Department of Citrus shall be appointed by a majority vote of, and serves at the pleasure of, the Florida Citrus Commission. The Florida Citrus Commission shall fix the executive director’s compensation and, in addition to any powers and duties assigned to the executive director by law, shall assign the executive director’s powers and duties.
History.—s. 29, ch. 69-106; s. 8, ch. 79-10; s. 1, ch. 2009-112; s. 1, ch. 2012-182.
20.315 Department of Corrections.—There is created a Department of Corrections.
(1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Department of Corrections is to protect the public through the incarceration and supervision of offenders and to rehabilitate offenders through the application of work, programs, and services. The goals of the department shall be:
(a) To protect society by providing incarceration that will support the intentions of established criminal law.
(b) To ensure that inmates work while they are incarcerated and that the department makes every effort to collect restitution and other monetary assessments from inmates while they are incarcerated or under supervision.
(c) To work in partnerships with local communities to further efforts toward crime prevention.
(d) To provide a safe and humane environment for offenders and staff in which rehabilitation is possible. This should include the protection of the offender from victimization within the institution and the development of a system of due process, where applicable.
(e) To provide appropriate supervision for offenders released on community supervision, based on public safety risks and offender needs, and, in conjunction with the judiciary, public safety agencies, and local communities, develop safe, community-based alternatives.
(f) To provide programs, which may include academic, vocational, and treatment, to incarcerated offenders and supervised offenders which will prepare them for occupations available in the community.
(g) To provide library services at correctional institutions, which includes general and law library services.
(h) To provide judges with effective evaluative tools and information for use in sentencing decisions.
(i) To provide the level of security in institutions commensurate with the custody requirements and management needs of inmates.
(j) To ensure that the rights and needs of crime victims are recognized and met, including the need for the victim to be timely notified of the release or escape of an inmate.
(2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature that:
(a) The department focus its attention on the removal of barriers that could prevent the inmate’s successful return to society while supervising and incarcerating offenders at a level of security commensurate with the danger they present to the public.
(b) The department work in partnership with communities in the construction of facilities and the development of programs to offenders.
(c) The department develop a comprehensive program for the treatment of youthful offenders and other special needs offenders committed to the department, including female, elderly, and disabled offenders.
(d) The department pursue partnerships with other governmental entities and private industry for the purpose of furthering mutual goals and expanding work and educational opportunities for offenders.
(3) SECRETARY OF CORRECTIONS.—The head of the Department of Corrections is the Secretary of Corrections. The secretary is appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The secretary is responsible for planning, coordinating, and managing the corrections system of the state. The secretary shall ensure that the programs and services of the department are administered in accordance with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations, with established program standards, and consistent with legislative intent. The secretary shall identify the need for and recommend funding for the secure and efficient operation of the state correctional system.
(a) The secretary shall appoint a deputy secretary. The deputy secretary shall be directly responsible to the secretary and shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary.
(b) The secretary shall appoint a general counsel and an inspector general, who are exempt from part II of chapter 110 and are included in the Senior Management Service.
(c) The secretary may appoint assistant secretaries, directors, or other such persons that he or she deems are necessary to accomplish the mission and goals of the department, including, but not limited to, the following areas of program responsibility:
1. Security and institutional operations, which shall provide inmate work programs, offender programs, security administration, emergency operations response, and operational oversight of the regions.
2. Health services, which shall be headed by a physician licensed under chapter 458 or an osteopathic physician licensed under chapter 459, or a professionally trained health care administrator with progressively responsible experience in health care administration. This individual shall be responsible for the delivery of health services to offenders within the system and shall have direct professional authority over such services.
3. Community corrections, which shall provide for coordination of community alternatives to incarceration and operational oversight of community corrections regions.
4. Administrative services, which shall provide budget and accounting services within the department, including the construction and maintenance of correctional institutions, human resource management, research, planning and evaluation, and technology.
5. Program, transition, and postrelease services, which shall provide for the direct management and supervision of all departmental programs, including the coordination and delivery of education and job training to the offenders in the custody of the department. In addition, this program shall provide for the direct management and supervision of all programs that furnish transition assistance to inmates who are or have recently been in the custody of the department, including the coordination, facilitation, and contract management of prerelease and postrelease transition services provided by governmental and private providers, including faith-based service groups.
(4) REGIONS.—The department shall plan and administer its program of services for community corrections, security, and institutional operations through regions.
(5) ANNUAL REPORTING.—The department shall report annually to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives recounting its activities and making recommendations for improvements to the performance of the department. The annual report shall include information published under s. 945.041.
(6) DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS.—
(a) The secretary shall develop and submit annually to the Legislature a comprehensive departmental budget request.
(b) The department, consistent with chapter 216, may transfer, as necessary, funds and positions among budget entities to realign appropriations with the revised budget entity designations. Such authorized revisions must be consistent with the intent of the approved operating budget. The department shall periodically review the appropriateness of the budget entity designations and the adequacy of its delegated authority to transfer funds between entities and submit the reviews to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. To fulfill this responsibility, the secretary shall have the authority to review, amend, and approve the annual budget requests of all departmental activities.
(7) PLACEMENT OF OFFENDERS.—The department shall classify its programs according to the character and range of services available for its clients. The department shall place each offender in the program or facility most appropriate to the offender’s needs, subject to budgetary limitations and the availability of space.
(8) DISCHARGE FROM COMMITMENT.—When the law grants to an agent, officer, or administrator of the Department of Corrections the authority to make a discharge from commitment, such authority shall be vested in the Secretary of Corrections or in any agent who, in his or her discretion, the secretary may authorize.
(9) FORM OF COMMITMENT; NOTICE OF PAROLE VIOLATION.—All commitments shall state the statutory authority therefor. The Secretary of Corrections shall have the authority to prescribe the form to be used for commitments. This act does not abridge the authority and responsibility of the Florida Commission on Offender Review with respect to the granting and revocation of parole. The Department of Corrections shall notify the Florida Commission on Offender Review of all violations of parole conditions and provide reports connected thereto as may be requested by the commission. The commission shall have the authority to issue orders dealing with supervision of specific parolees, and such orders shall be binding on all parties.
(10) SINGLE INFORMATION AND RECORDS SYSTEM.—Only one offender-based information and records computer system shall be maintained by the Department of Corrections for the joint use of the department and the Florida Commission on Offender Review. The data system shall be managed through the department’s office of information technology. The department shall develop and maintain, in consultation with the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Information Systems Council under s. 943.08, such offender-based information, including clemency administration information and other computer services to serve the needs of both the department and the Florida Commission on Offender Review. The department shall notify the commission of all violations of parole and the circumstances thereof.
(11) TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY.—All statutory functions of the department not otherwise herein assigned to a specific unit of the department are assigned generally to the department and may be allocated and reallocated by the secretary to an authorized unit of the department.
(12) PURCHASE OF SERVICES.—Whenever possible, the department, in accordance with the established program objectives and performance criteria, may contract for the provision of services by counties, municipalities, nonprofit corporations, and other entities capable of providing needed services, if services so provided are more cost-efficient, cost-effective, or timely than those provided by the department or available to it under existing law.
History.—ss. 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, ch. 75-49; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 1, ch. 78-53; s. 4, ch. 78-323; s. 6, ch. 79-7; s. 65, ch. 79-190; s. 1, ch. 82-46; s. 1, ch. 82-171; s. 3, ch. 83-85; s. 2, ch. 83-265; s. 1, ch. 85-330; s. 6, ch. 85-340; s. 16, ch. 86-183; s. 1, ch. 87-224; s. 1, ch. 87-298; ss. 1, 28, 84, ch. 88-122; s. 3, ch. 90-247; s. 67, ch. 91-45; s. 2, ch. 91-281; s. 3, ch. 92-173; s. 2, ch. 92-310; s. 7, ch. 93-262; s. 1, ch. 94-117; s. 8, ch. 94-209; s. 1320, ch. 95-147; s. 8, ch. 95-325; s. 1, ch. 96-278; s. 6, ch. 96-388; s. 9, ch. 97-194; ss. 20, 21, ch. 98-136; s. 3, ch. 98-251; s. 8, ch. 99-2; s. 1, ch. 99-271; s. 5, ch. 2001-60; s. 1, ch. 2001-110; s. 1, ch. 2004-248; s. 1, ch. 2006-32; s. 3, ch. 2009-80; s. 2, ch. 2011-50; s. 3, ch. 2014-191; s. 1, ch. 2018-127.
20.3151 Administrative Trust Fund.—
(1) The Administrative Trust Fund is created within the Department of Corrections.
(2) The fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for management activities that are department-wide in nature and funded by indirect cost earnings or assessments against trust funds. Moneys to be credited to the trust fund include indirect cost reimbursements from grantors, administrative assessments against trust funds, interest earnings, and other appropriate administrative fees.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2006-19; s. 2, ch. 2009-25.
20.316 Department of Juvenile Justice.—There is created a Department of Juvenile Justice.
(1) SECRETARY OF JUVENILE JUSTICE.—
(a) The head of the Department of Juvenile Justice is the Secretary of Juvenile Justice. The secretary of the department shall be appointed by the Governor and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
(b) The Secretary of Juvenile Justice is responsible for planning, coordinating, and managing the delivery of all programs and services within the juvenile justice continuum. For purposes of this section, the term “juvenile justice continuum” means all children-in-need-of-services programs; families-in-need-of-services programs; other prevention, early intervention, and diversion programs; detention centers and related programs and facilities; community-based residential commitment and nonresidential programs; and delinquency institutions provided or funded by the department.
(c) The Secretary of Juvenile Justice shall:
1. Ensure that juvenile justice continuum programs and services are implemented according to legislative intent; state and federal laws, rules, and regulations; statewide program standards; and performance objectives by reviewing and monitoring regional and circuit program operations and providing technical assistance to those programs.
2. Identify the need for and recommend the funding and implementation of an appropriate mix of programs and services within the juvenile justice continuum, including prevention, diversion, nonresidential and residential commitment programs, training schools, and conditional release programs and services, with an overlay of educational, career and technical education, alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services where appropriate.
3. Oversee the establishment of the Florida Scholars Academy created under s. 985.619.
4. Provide for program research, development, and planning.
5. Develop staffing and workload standards and coordinate staff development and training.
6. Develop budget and resource allocation methodologies and strategies.
7. Establish program policies and rules and ensure that those policies and rules encourage cooperation, collaboration, and information sharing with community partners in the juvenile justice system to the extent authorized by law.
8. Develop funding sources external to state government.
9. Obtain, approve, monitor, and coordinate research and program development grants.
10. Enter into contracts.
11. Monitor all state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or activities that are designed to prevent juvenile crime, delinquency, gang membership, or status offense behaviors and all state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or activities that are designed to prevent a child from becoming a “child in need of services,” as defined in chapter 984, in order to effect the goals and policies of the State Comprehensive Plan regarding children and regarding governmental efficiency, and in order to determine:
a. The number of youth served by such state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or activities.
b. The number of youth who complete such state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or activities.
c. The number and percentage of youth who are referred for delinquency while participating in such state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or activities.
d. The number and percentage of youth who are referred for delinquency within 6 months after completing such state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or activities.
(2) DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS.—The following programs are established within the Department of Juvenile Justice:
(a) Accountability and Program Support.
(b) Administration.
(c) Intake and Detention.
(d) Prevention Services.
(e) Probation and Community Corrections.
(f) Residential and Correctional Facilities.
The secretary may establish assistant secretary positions and a chief of staff position as necessary to administer the requirements of this section.
(3) JUVENILE JUSTICE OPERATING CIRCUITS.—The department shall plan and administer its programs through a substate structure that conforms to the boundaries of the judicial circuits prescribed in s. 26.021. A county may seek placement in a juvenile justice operating circuit other than as prescribed in s. 26.021 for participation in the Prevention Services Program and the Probation and Community Corrections Program by making a request of the chief circuit judge in each judicial circuit affected by such request. Upon a showing that geographic proximity, community identity, or other legitimate concern for efficiency of operations merits alternative placement, each affected chief circuit judge may authorize the execution of an interagency agreement specifying the alternative juvenile justice operating circuit in which the county is to be placed and the basis for the alternative placement. Upon the execution of said interagency agreement by each affected chief circuit judge, the secretary may administratively place a county in an alternative juvenile justice operating circuit pursuant to the agreement.
(4) INFORMATION SYSTEMS.—
(a) The Department of Juvenile Justice shall develop, in consultation with the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Information Systems Council under s. 943.08, a juvenile justice information system which shall provide information concerning the department’s activities and programs.
(b) In establishing the computing and network infrastructure for the development of the information system, the department shall develop a system design to set the direction for the information system. That design shall include not only department system requirements but also data exchange requirements of other state and local juvenile justice system organizations.
(c) The department shall implement a distributed system architecture which shall be defined in its agency strategic plan.
(d) The management information system shall, at a minimum:
1. Facilitate case management of juveniles referred to or placed in the department’s custody.
2. Provide timely access to current data and computing capacity to support outcome evaluation, legislative oversight, and other research.
3. Provide automated support to the quality assurance and program review functions.
4. Provide automated support to the contract management process.
5. Provide automated support to the facility operations management process.
6. Provide automated administrative support to increase efficiency, provide the capability of tracking expenditures of funds by the department or contracted service providers that are eligible for federal reimbursement, and reduce forms and paperwork.
7. Facilitate connectivity, access, and utilization of information among various state agencies, and other state, federal, local, and private agencies, organizations, and institutions.
8. Provide electronic public access to juvenile justice information, which is not otherwise made confidential by law or exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1).
9. Provide a system for the training of information system users and user groups.
History.—s. 1, ch. 94-209; s. 1321, ch. 95-147; ss. 2, 30, ch. 95-267; s. 7, ch. 96-388; s. 29, ch. 97-286; s. 4, ch. 98-251; s. 2, ch. 98-280; s. 9, ch. 99-2; s. 1, ch. 2000-135; s. 5, ch. 2000-158; s. 6, ch. 2001-60; s. 1, ch. 2001-125; s. 2, ch. 2001-185; s. 3, ch. 2005-152; s. 33, ch. 2010-102; ss. 64, 65, ch. 2020-114; ss. 32, 33, 76, ch. 2021-37; s. 1, ch. 2021-219; s. 1, ch. 2023-59.
20.3161 Federal Grants Trust Fund; Department of Juvenile Justice.—
(1) The Federal Grants Trust Fund is created within the Department of Juvenile Justice.
(2) The trust fund is established for use as a depository for funds to be used for allowable grant activities funded by restricted program revenues from federal sources. Moneys to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of grants and funding from the Federal Government, interest earnings, and cash advances from other trust funds. Funds shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2007-12; s. 2, ch. 2011-22.
20.317 Department of the Lottery.—There is created a Department of the Lottery.
(1)(a) The head of the Department of the Lottery is the Secretary of the Department of the Lottery. The secretary shall be appointed by the Governor subject to the confirmation of the Senate. The secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The compensation of the secretary shall be set annually by executive order of the Governor.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that, prior to appointing a secretary of the department, the Governor conduct a thorough search to find the most qualified appointee available. In conducting such search, the Governor shall emphasize such considerations as business management experience, marketing experience, computer experience, and lottery management experience.
(2) Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the secretary may create divisions and bureaus within the department and allocate the various functions of the department among such divisions and bureaus. However, in order to promote and protect the integrity of and the public confidence in the state lottery, there is created a Division of Security within the department.
(3) The headquarters of the department shall be located in Tallahassee. However, the department may establish such regional offices throughout the state as the secretary deems necessary to the efficient operation of the state lottery.
History.—s. 4, ch. 87-65.
20.32 Florida Commission on Offender Review.—
(1) The Parole and Probation Commission, authorized by s. 8(c), Art. IV of the State Constitution, is continued and renamed the Florida Commission on Offender Review. The commission retains its powers, duties, and functions with respect to the granting and revoking of parole and shall exercise powers, duties, and functions relating to investigations of applications for clemency as directed by the Governor and Cabinet.
(2) All powers, duties, and functions relating to the appointment of the Florida Commission on Offender Review as provided in s. 947.02 or s. 947.021 shall be exercised and performed by the Governor and Cabinet. Except as provided in s. 947.021, each appointment shall be made from among the first three eligible persons on the list of the persons eligible for said position.
(3) The commission may require any employee of the commission to give a bond for the faithful performance of his or her duties. The commission may determine the amount of the bond and must approve the bond. In determining the amount of the bond, the commission may consider the amount of money or property likely to be in custody of the officer or employee at any one time. The premiums for the bonds must be paid out of the funds of the commission.
History.—s. 33, ch. 69-106; s. 33, ch. 83-131; s. 36, ch. 86-183; s. 7, ch. 88-122; ss. 15, 16, ch. 89-531; s. 20, ch. 90-337; s. 320, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 1, ch. 93-2; s. 16, ch. 96-422; s. 5, ch. 98-34; s. 4, ch. 2014-191.
20.331 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.—
(1) RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES.—The Legislature, recognizing the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as being specifically authorized by the State Constitution under s. 9, Art. IV, grants rights and privileges to the commission, as contemplated by s. 6, Art. IV of the State Constitution. These rights and privileges are equal to those of departments established under this chapter while preserving the commission’s constitutional designation and title.
(2) HEAD OF THE COMMISSION.—The head of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is the commission, with commissioners appointed by the Governor as provided for in s. 9, Art. IV of the State Constitution.
(3) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—
(a) To aid the commission in the implementation of its constitutional and statutory responsibilities, the Legislature authorizes the commission to appoint and fix the salary of a person who is not a member of the commission to serve as the executive director and to remove such person at its pleasure. The executive director shall supervise, direct, coordinate, and administer all activities necessary to fulfill the commission’s constitutional and statutory responsibilities. The executive director shall be reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the discharge of official duties as provided in s. 112.061. The executive director shall maintain headquarters in and reside in Tallahassee.
(b) Each executive director must be confirmed by the Senate during the regular legislative session immediately following his or her appointment by the commission.
(4) PROGRAM AND RESEARCH SERVICES.—Within the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the principal unit for program services is a “division” headed by a “director.” The principal subunit of the division is a “section” headed by a “leader.” The principal subunit of the section is a “subsection” headed by an “administrator.”
(a) The following divisions and section are created within the commission:
1. Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management.
2. Division of Habitat and Species Conservation.
3. Division of Hunting and Game Management.
4. Division of Law Enforcement. There is created within the division the Boating and Waterways Section with duties and responsibilities as provided in paragraph (7)(e).
5. Division of Marine Fisheries Management.
(b) The principal unit for research services within the commission is the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, which shall be headed by a director.
(5) ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICES.—The principal unit for administrative and support services is the Office of Executive Direction and Administrative Support Services, headed by the executive director of the commission. Each office within this principal unit shall be headed by a “director”. The following administrative and support offices are created within the Office of Executive Direction and Administrative Support Services:
(a) Finance and Budget.
(b) Human Resources.
(c) Information Technology.
(d) Inspector General.
(e) Legal.
(f) Regional Operations. Within the Regional Operations office, the executive director may establish regional offices for each of the administrative regions established by the commission. Each regional office shall be headed by a “director.”
(6) GENERAL PROVISIONS.—
(a) Section leader positions are classified at a level equal to bureau chiefs, and subsection administrator positions are classified at a level equal to section administrators, as established in s. 20.04. At the discretion of the executive director, director positions shall be classified at a level equal to division directors, bureau chiefs, or section administrators, as established in s. 20.04.
(b) Unless specifically authorized by law, the commission may not reallocate duties and functions assigned by law to a specific unit of the commission. Functions assigned generally to the commission without specific designation to a unit of the commission may be allocated at the discretion of the commission.
(c) Divisions, sections, and offices created by this act may be abolished only by general law. Additional divisions in the commission may only be established by general law. New sections, subsections, and offices of the commission may be initiated by the commission and established as recommended by the Department of Management Services and approved by the Executive Office of the Governor, or may be established by general law.
(7) ASSIGNMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The commission, and the Legislature as provided in s. 9, Art. IV of the State Constitution, shall assign to the:
(a) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute such powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions as are necessary to accomplish its mission, which is to:
1. Serve as the primary source of research and technical information and expertise on the status of marine life, freshwater aquatic life, and wild animal life resources in this state;
2. Monitor the status and health of marine life, freshwater aquatic life, and wild animal life species and their habitat;
3. Develop restoration and management techniques for habitat and enhancement of plant and animal populations;
4. Respond to and provide critical technical support for catastrophes including oil spills, ship groundings, major species die-offs, hazardous spills, and natural disasters;
5. Identify and monitor harmful algal blooms including red tides, evaluate their impacts, and provide technical support concerning state and local public health concerns; and
6. Provide state and local governments with technical information and research results concerning fish and wild animal life.
(b) Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management such powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions as are necessary to facilitate the responsible and sustained use of freshwater aquatic life resources. The division shall provide expertise on freshwater fish populations or other aspects of freshwater fisheries needed for recreational and commercial use management decisions. The division also shall assess impacts of decisions made by others to ensure quality fisheries and fishing in lakes, fish management areas, rivers, and streams in this state.
(c) Division of Habitat and Species Conservation such powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions as are necessary to protect and conserve the state’s diverse and unique fish and wild animal life. Powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions of the division must be focused at the ecosystem or landscape level and must include the management of public lands, habitat restoration on public lands, development and implementation of nongame species management plans, development and implementation of imperiled species recovery plans, providing scientific support and assistance on habitat-related issues to public and private landowners, aquatic habitat restoration, habitat management assistance, land acquisition, and exotic species coordination focused on measures that prevent and control the introduction of exotic species. The division shall utilize scientific data to develop resource management plans that maintain stable or increasing populations of fish and wild animal life.
(d) Division of Hunting and Game Management such powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions as are necessary to facilitate the responsible and sustained use of wild animal life resources. The division must develop scientifically based recommendations that support effective regulation and sound management of game wild animal life resources. The division must also coordinate the development and management of public hunting opportunities and provide hunter safety training and certification.
(e) Division of Law Enforcement such powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions as are necessary to ensure enforcement of laws and rules governing the management, protection, conservation, improvement, and expansion of wild animal life, freshwater aquatic life, and marine life resources. In performance of their duties as sworn law enforcement officers for the State of Florida, the division’s officers also shall enforce all laws relating to boating, provide public safety services for citizens on lands and waters of the state particularly in remote areas, provide search-and-rescue and disaster response services when necessary, assist in the enforcement of all general laws, and coordinate with local, state, and federal entities on law enforcement issues.
1. The Boating and Waterways Section such powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions as are necessary to manage and promote the use of state waterways for safe and enjoyable boating. Duties and responsibilities of the section include oversight and coordination of waterway markers on state waters, providing boating education and boating safety programs, improving boating access, coordinating the removal of derelict vessels from state waters, implementing economic development initiatives to promote boating in the state, and coordinating the submission of state comments on marine events.
(f) Division of Marine Fisheries Management such powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions as are necessary to facilitate the responsible and sustained use of marine life resources. The division shall develop recommendations for managing and enhancing commercial and recreational saltwater fisheries resources, implement marine fisheries management programs, and assist in the development and monitoring of artificial reefs in state waters.
(8) LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY.—The constitutional power granted to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission does not include any authority over marine life retained by the Legislature or vested in any agency other than the Marine Fisheries Commission on March 1, 1998, or any authority over marine aquaculture retained by the Legislature and vested in any other agency as of July 1, 1999.
(9) ADEQUATE DUE PROCESS PROCEDURES.—
(a) The commission shall adopt a rule establishing due process procedures to be accorded to any party, as defined in s. 120.52, whose substantial interests are affected by any action of the commission in the performance of its constitutional duties or responsibilities, and the adequate due process procedures adopted by rule shall be published in the Florida Administrative Code.
(b) The Legislature encourages the commission to incorporate into its process the provisions of s. 120.54(3)(c) when adopting rules in the performance of its constitutional duties or responsibilities.
(c) The commission shall follow the provisions of chapter 120 when adopting rules in the performance of its statutory duties or responsibilities. The commission’s statutory duties or responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
1. Research and management responsibilities for marine species listed as endangered or threatened, including manatees and marine turtles.
2. Establishment and enforcement of boating safety regulations.
3. Land acquisition.
4. Enforcement and collection of fees for all commercial and recreational hunting or fishing licenses or permits.
5. Aquatic plant removal using fish as a biological control agent.
6. Enforcement of penalties for violations of commission rules and state laws, including, but not limited to, the seizure and forfeiture of vessels and other equipment used to commit those violations.
7. Establishment of free fishing days.
8. Regulation of off-road vehicles on state lands.
9. Establishment and coordination of a statewide hunter safety course.
10. Establishment of programs and activities to develop and distribute public education materials.
11. Police powers of sworn law enforcement officers.
12. Establishment of citizen support organizations to provide assistance, funding, and promotional support for programs of the commission.
13. Creation of the voluntary authorized hunter identification program.
14. Regulation of required clothing of persons hunting deer.
(10) PERMIT COMMENTING AUTHORITY.—Comments submitted by the commission to a permitting agency regarding applications for permits, licenses, or authorizations affecting the commission’s jurisdiction must be based on credible, factual scientific data, and must be received by the permitting agency within the time specified by applicable statutes or rules, or within 30 days, whichever is sooner. Comments provided by the commission are not binding on any permitting agency. Comments by the commission shall be considered for consistency with the Florida Coastal Management Program and ss. 373.428 and 380.23. If the commission comments are used by a permitting agency as a condition of denial, approval, or modification of a proposed permit, license, or authorization, any party to an administrative proceeding involving such proposed action may require the commission to join as a party in determining the validity of the condition. In any action in which the commission is joined as a party, the commission shall bear only the actual cost of defending the validity of the credible, factual scientific data used as a basis for comments.
(11) LAND ACQUISITION AUTHORITY.—The commission shall acquire, in the name of the state, lands and waters suitable for the protection, improvement, and restoration of the state’s wild animal life, freshwater aquatic life, and marine life resources. Lands may be acquired by purchase, lease, gift, or otherwise, using state, federal, or other sources of funding. Lands acquired under this section shall be managed for recreational and other multiple-use activities that do not impede the commission’s ability to perform its constitutional and statutory duties and responsibilities.
(12) EMPLOYEE BONDS.—The commission may require any commission employee to give a bond for the faithful performance of duties. The commission may determine the amount of the bond and must approve the bond. In determining the amount of the bond, the commission may consider the amount of money or property likely to be in the custody of the officer or employee at any one time. The premium for the bond must be paid out of the funds of the commission, and the bond must be payable to the Governor of the state and the Governor’s successors in office.
History.—s. 1, ch. 99-245; s. 4, ch. 2000-151; s. 3, ch. 2000-197; s. 7, ch. 2001-60; s. 2, ch. 2003-156; s. 1, ch. 2004-264; s. 1, ch. 2007-223; s. 1, ch. 2008-106.
20.3311 Additional powers of commission.—
(1) The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is assigned all powers, duties, responsibilities, functions, positions, and property necessary for enforcement of the laws and rules governing:
(a) Management, protection, conservation, improvement, and expansion of the state-owned lands managed by the Department of Environmental Protection, including state parks, coastal and aquatic managed areas, and greenways and trails.
(b) Conservation and recreation lands and commercial aquaculture managed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
(2) Law enforcement officers of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are conferred full power to investigate and arrest for any violation of the rules of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.
History.—s. 4, ch. 2012-88.
20.3315 Florida Forever Program Trust Fund of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.—
(1) There is created a Florida Forever Program Trust Fund within the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to carry out the duties of the commission under the Florida Forever Act as specified in s. 259.105(3)(g). The trust fund shall receive funds pursuant to s. 259.105(3)(g).
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2000-280; s. 2, ch. 2001-25; s. 8, ch. 2001-60; s. 2, ch. 2005-3.
20.34 Governmental Reorganization Act of 1969; effect on rules.—Except when it is inconsistent with the other provisions of this chapter, all rules and regulations of the agencies involved in this reorganization that are in effect on June 30, 1969, shall remain in effect until they are specifically altered, amended or revoked in the manner provided by law.
History.—s. 36, ch. 69-106.
20.37 Department of Veterans’ Affairs.—There is created a Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
(1) The head of the department is the Governor and Cabinet. The executive director of the department shall be appointed by the Governor subject to a majority vote of the Governor and Cabinet, with the Governor on the prevailing side. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate. The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor and Cabinet.
(2) The following divisions, and bureaus within these divisions, of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs are established:
(a) Division of Administration and Public Information.
1. Bureau of Information and Research.
(b) Division of Veterans’ Benefits and Assistance.
1. Bureau of Veteran Claims Services.
2. Bureau of Veteran Field Services.
3. Bureau of State Approving for Veterans’ Training.
(c) Division of Long-term Care.
History.—s. 13, ch. 88-290; s. 2, ch. 99-255; s. 3, ch. 2022-14; s. 1, ch. 2023-162.
20.375 Department of Veterans’ Affairs; trust funds.—The following trust funds shall be administered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs:
(1) Federal Grants Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 215.32.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(2) Grants and Donations Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of ss. 215.32, 296.11, 296.38, and 320.089.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(3) Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with ss. 215.32, 296.11, 296.38, 320.08058, 320.089, and 320.0891.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2008-18; s. 2, ch. 2017-157.
20.41 Department of Elderly Affairs.—There is created a Department of Elderly Affairs.
(1) The head of the department is the Secretary of Elderly Affairs. The secretary must be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The secretary serves at the pleasure of the Governor. The secretary shall administer the affairs of the department and may employ assistants, professional staff, and other employees as necessary to discharge the powers and duties of the department.
(2) The department shall plan and administer its programs and services through planning and service areas as designated by the department.
(3) The department shall maintain its headquarters in Tallahassee.
(4) The department shall administer the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, created by s. 400.0063, and shall, as required by s. 712 of the federal Older Americans Act of 1965, ensure that the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program operates in compliance with the Older Americans Act.
(5) The department shall be the state unit on aging as defined in the federal Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, and shall exercise all responsibilities pursuant to that act.
(6) In accordance with the federal Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, the department shall designate and contract with area agencies on aging in each of the department’s planning and service areas. Area agencies on aging, as nongovernmental, independent, not-for-profit corporations under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, shall ensure a coordinated and integrated provision of long-term care services to the elderly and shall ensure the provision of prevention and early intervention services. The department shall have overall responsibility for information system planning. The department shall ensure, through the development of equipment, software, data, and connectivity standards, the ability to share and integrate information collected and reported by the area agencies in support of their contracted obligations to the state. The department shall contract with area agencies on aging to fulfill programmatic and funding requirements.
(7) The area agency on aging shall, in consultation with the secretary, appoint a chief executive officer, hereafter referred to as the “executive director,” who shall be accountable for the agency’s performance.
(8) Area agencies on aging are subject to chapter 119, relating to public records, and, when considering any contracts requiring the expenditure of funds, are subject to ss. 286.011-286.012, relating to public meetings.
(9) Upon request, the department shall provide the Agency for Health Care Administration with any documents and information needed for the agency’s regulation of hospices, assisted living facilities, adult family-care homes, and adult day care centers.
History.—s. 1, ch. 91-115; s. 17, ch. 93-177; s. 13, ch. 94-235; s. 45, ch. 95-418; s. 30, ch. 97-286; s. 5, ch. 99-377; s. 15, ch. 99-393; s. 203, ch. 99-397; s. 119, ch. 2000-349; s. 39, ch. 2000-367; s. 9, ch. 2002-1; s. 19, ch. 2002-223; s. 1, ch. 2009-46; s. 19, ch. 2015-31; s. 2, ch. 2019-11.
20.415 Department of Elderly Affairs; trust funds.—The following trust funds shall be administered by the Department of Elderly Affairs:
(1) Administrative Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with ss. 215.32, 744.534, and 744.2001.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(2) Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of funds disbursed, by nonoperating transfer, from the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund in amounts equal to the annual appropriations made from this trust fund.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any unencumbered balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year and any encumbered balance remaining undisbursed on September 30 of the same calendar year shall revert to the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund.
(3) Federal Grants Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with s. 215.32.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(4) Grants and Donations Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall include all public and private grants and donations to the department, except for grants provided by the Federal Government and other earnings that are deposited into the Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund of the department. Funds from the Grants and Donations Trust Fund shall be used to fulfill agreements made with grantors and contributors and such other purposes as may be appropriate and shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to chapter 216.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance of any general revenue appropriation to the Grants and Donations Trust Fund that is not disbursed but that is obligated pursuant to contract or committed to be expended may be certified by the Governor for up to 3 years following the effective date of the original appropriation.
(5) Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with s. 215.32.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2008-20; s. 34, ch. 2016-40.
20.42 Agency for Health Care Administration.—
(1) There is created a department that, notwithstanding the provisions of s. 20.04(1), shall be called the Agency for Health Care Administration.
(2) The head of the department is the Secretary of Health Care Administration, who shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The secretary shall serve at the pleasure of and report to the Governor.
(3) The department shall be the chief health policy and planning entity for the state. The department is responsible for health facility licensure, inspection, and regulatory enforcement; investigation of consumer complaints related to health care facilities and managed care plans; the implementation of the certificate of need program; the operation of the Florida Center for Health Information and Transparency; the administration of the Medicaid program; the administration of the contracts with the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation; the certification of health maintenance organizations and prepaid health clinics as set forth in part III of chapter 641; and any other duties prescribed by statute or agreement. The department is the lead agency responsible for the regulation of hospices, assisted living facilities, adult day care centers, and adult family-care homes.
History.—s. 1, ch. 92-33; s. 2, ch. 93-129; s. 3, ch. 94-218; s. 10, ch. 96-403; s. 2, ch. 97-92; s. 1, ch. 98-89; s. 8, ch. 2000-209; s. 2, ch. 2000-305; s. 6, ch. 2006-261; s. 10, ch. 2016-234; s. 3, ch. 2019-11.
20.425 Agency for Health Care Administration; trust funds.—The following trust funds shall be administered by the Agency for Health Care Administration:
(1) Administrative Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 215.32.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(2) Grants and Donations Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of ss. 215.32, 400.179, and 409.916.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(3) Health Care Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of ss. 400.063 and 408.16.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(4) Medical Care Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of receipts from federal grants and shall be used for the purpose of providing health care services to individuals eligible pursuant to the requirement and limitation of Titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act, as amended, and for other such purposes as may be appropriate.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(5) Public Medical Assistance Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of ss. 394.4786 and 409.918.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(6) Quality of Long-Term Care Facility Improvement Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 400.0239.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(7) Refugee Assistance Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of federal grant funds under the Refugee Resettlement Program and the Cuban/Haitian Entrant Program and shall be used for the purpose of providing medical assistance to individuals eligible pursuant to the requirements and limitations of 45 C.F.R. parts 400 and 401, as amended, or any other applicable federal requirement or limitation.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(8) Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund.
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of funds disbursed, by nonoperating transfer, from the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund in amounts equal to the annual appropriations made from this trust fund.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any unencumbered balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year and any encumbered balance remaining undisbursed on September 30 of the same calendar year shall revert to the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund.
History.—s. 1, ch. 99-195; s. 2, ch. 2000-58; s. 71, ch. 2003-261; s. 3, ch. 2008-9; s. 1, ch. 2009-47.
20.43 Department of Health.—There is created a Department of Health.
(1) The purpose of the Department of Health is to protect and promote the health of all residents and visitors in the state through organized state and community efforts, including cooperative agreements with counties. The department shall:
(a) Identify, diagnose, and conduct surveillance of diseases and health conditions in the state and accumulate the health statistics necessary to establish trends.
(b) Implement interventions that prevent or limit the impact or spread of diseases and health conditions.
(c) Collect, manage, and analyze vital statistics and other health data to inform the public and formulate public health policy and planning.
(d) Maintain and coordinate preparedness for and responses to public health emergencies in the state.
(e) Provide or ensure the provision of quality health care and related services to identified populations in the state.
(f) Regulate environmental activities that have a direct impact on public health in the state.
(g) Regulate health practitioners for the preservation of the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
(2) The head of the Department of Health is the State Surgeon General and State Health Officer. The State Surgeon General must be a physician licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459 who has advanced training or extensive experience in public health administration. The State Surgeon General is appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the Senate. The State Surgeon General serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
(3) The following divisions of the Department of Health are established:
(a) Division of Administration.
(b) Division of Emergency Preparedness and Community Support.
(c) Division of Disease Control and Health Protection.
(d) Division of Community Health Promotion.
(e) Division of Children’s Medical Services.
(f) Division of Public Health Statistics and Performance Management.
(g) Division of Medical Quality Assurance, which is responsible for the following boards and professions established within the division:
1. The Board of Acupuncture, created under chapter 457.
2. The Board of Medicine, created under chapter 458.
3. The Board of Osteopathic Medicine, created under chapter 459.
4. The Board of Chiropractic Medicine, created under chapter 460.
5. The Board of Podiatric Medicine, created under chapter 461.
6. Naturopathy, as provided under chapter 462.
7. The Board of Optometry, created under chapter 463.
8. The Board of Nursing, created under part I of chapter 464.
9. Nursing assistants, as provided under part II of chapter 464.
10. The Board of Pharmacy, created under chapter 465.
11. The Board of Dentistry, created under chapter 466.
12. Midwifery, as provided under chapter 467.
13. The Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, created under part I of chapter 468.
14. The Board of Nursing Home Administrators, created under part II of chapter 468.
15. The Board of Occupational Therapy, created under part III of chapter 468.
16. Respiratory therapy, as provided under part V of chapter 468.
17. Dietetics and nutrition practice, as provided under part X of chapter 468.
18. The Board of Athletic Training, created under part XIII of chapter 468.
19. The Board of Orthotists and Prosthetists, created under part XIV of chapter 468.
20. Electrolysis, as provided under chapter 478.
21. The Board of Massage Therapy, created under chapter 480.
22. The Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel, created under part I of chapter 483.
23. Medical physicists, as provided under part II of chapter 483.
24. The Board of Opticianry, created under part I of chapter 484.
25. The Board of Hearing Aid Specialists, created under part II of chapter 484.
26. The Board of Physical Therapy Practice, created under chapter 486.
27. The Board of Psychology, created under chapter 490.
28. School psychologists, as provided under chapter 490.
29. The Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling, created under chapter 491.
30. Emergency medical technicians and paramedics, as provided under part III of chapter 401.
(h) Division of Disability Determinations.
(4)(a) The members of each board within the department shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Consumer members on the board shall be appointed pursuant to paragraph (b). Members shall be appointed for 4-year terms, and such terms shall expire on October 31. However, a term of less than 4 years may be used to ensure that:
1. No more than two members’ terms expire during the same calendar year for boards consisting of seven or eight members.
2. No more than 3 members’ terms expire during the same calendar year for boards consisting of 9 to 12 members.
3. No more than 5 members’ terms expire during the same calendar year for boards consisting of 13 or more members.
A member whose term has expired shall continue to serve on the board until such time as a replacement is appointed. A vacancy on the board shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the same manner as the original appointment. No member may serve for more than the remaining portion of a previous member’s unexpired term, plus two consecutive 4-year terms of the member’s own appointment thereafter.
(b) Each board with five or more members shall have at least two consumer members who are not, and have never been, members or practitioners of the profession regulated by such board or of any closely related profession. Each board with fewer than five members shall have at least one consumer member who is not, and has never been, a member or practitioner of the profession regulated by such board or of any closely related profession.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department is authorized to establish uniform application forms and certificates of licensure for use by the boards within the department. Nothing in this paragraph authorizes the department to vary any substantive requirements, duties, or eligibilities for licensure or certification as provided by law.
(5) The department shall plan and administer its public health programs through its county health departments and may, for administrative purposes and efficient service delivery, establish up to 15 service areas to carry out such duties as may be prescribed by the State Surgeon General. The boundaries of the service areas shall take into consideration the boundaries of the jobs and education regional boards.
(6) The State Surgeon General is authorized to appoint ad hoc advisory committees as necessary. The issue or problem that the ad hoc committee shall address, and the timeframe within which the committee is to complete its work, shall be specified at the time the committee is appointed. Ad hoc advisory committees shall include representatives of groups or entities affected by the issue or problem that the committee is asked to examine. Members of ad hoc advisory committees shall receive no compensation, but may, within existing departmental resources, receive reimbursement for travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
(7) To protect and improve the public health, the department may use state or federal funds to:
(a) Provide incentives, including, but not limited to, the promotional items listed in paragraph (b), food and including food coupons, and payment for travel expenses, for encouraging healthy lifestyle and disease prevention behaviors and patient compliance with medical treatment, such as tuberculosis therapy and smoking cessation programs. Such incentives shall be intended to cause individuals to take action to improve their health. Any incentive for food, food coupons, or travel expenses may not exceed the limitations in s. 112.061.
(b) Plan and conduct health education campaigns for the purpose of protecting or improving public health. The department may purchase promotional items, such as, but not limited to, t-shirts, hats, sports items such as water bottles and sweat bands, calendars, nutritional charts, baby bibs, growth charts, and other items printed with health promotion messages, and advertising, such as space on billboards or in publications or radio or television time, for health information and promotional messages that recognize that the following behaviors, among others, are detrimental to public health: unprotected sexual intercourse, other than with one’s spouse; cigarette and cigar smoking, use of smokeless tobacco products, and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; alcohol consumption or other substance abuse during pregnancy; alcohol abuse or other substance abuse; lack of exercise and poor diet and nutrition habits; and failure to recognize and address a genetic tendency to suffer from sickle-cell anemia, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or cancer. For purposes of activities under this paragraph, the Department of Health may establish requirements for local matching funds or in-kind contributions to create and distribute advertisements, in either print or electronic format, which are concerned with each of the targeted behaviors, establish an independent evaluation and feedback system for the public health communication campaign, and monitor and evaluate the efforts to determine which of the techniques and methodologies are most effective.
(c) Plan and conduct promotional campaigns to recruit health professionals to be employed by the department or to recruit participants in departmental programs for health practitioners, such as scholarship, loan repayment, or volunteer programs. To this effect the department may purchase promotional items and advertising.
(8) The department may hold copyrights, trademarks, and service marks and enforce its rights with respect thereto, except such authority does not extend to any public records relating to the department’s responsibilities for health care practitioners regulated under chapter 456.
(9) There is established within the Department of Health the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, which shall be headed by a Senior Health Equity Officer. The Senior Health Equity Officer shall administer the Closing the Gap grant program established under ss. 381.7351-381.7356 in a manner that maximizes the impact of the grants in achieving health equity. The Senior Health Equity Officer shall evaluate the awarded grants to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the use of funds and to determine best practices. The Senior Health Equity Officer shall disseminate information on best practices to stakeholders and shall ensure that the assessments inform future grant award decisions.
(10)(a) The department shall initiate or commence new programs only when the Legislative Budget Commission or the Legislature expressly authorizes the department to do so.
(b) Before applying for any continuation of or new federal or private grants that are for an amount of $50,000 or greater, the department shall provide written notification to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The notification must include detailed information about the purpose of the grant, the intended use of the funds, and the number of full-time permanent or temporary employees needed to administer the program funded by the grant.
History.—s. 8, ch. 96-403; s. 7, ch. 97-237; s. 2, ch. 97-261; s. 160, ch. 97-264; s. 1, ch. 97-273; s. 3, ch. 98-137; ss. 12, 250, ch. 98-166; s. 121, ch. 98-403; s. 9, ch. 99-349; ss. 2, 139, ch. 99-397; s. 12, ch. 2000-139; s. 81, ch. 2000-318; s. 50, ch. 2000-349; s. 1, ch. 2000-367; s. 45, ch. 2002-400; s. 2, ch. 2004-350; s. 1, ch. 2007-40; s. 15, ch. 2010-161; s. 3, ch. 2012-84; s. 1, ch. 2012-184; s. 1, ch. 2016-230; s. 1, ch. 2018-24; s. 3, ch. 2019-3; s. 55, ch. 2020-156; s. 3, ch. 2021-133.
20.435 Department of Health; trust funds.—The following trust funds shall be administered by the Department of Health:
(1) ADMINISTRATIVE TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with s. 215.32.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(2) FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of grants and funding from the Federal Government and funds from the Medicaid program. Funds shall be used for the purposes of providing health and support services to department clients, supporting regulatory activities of the department, and funding disease surveillance and for other such purposes as may be appropriate and shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(3) GRANTS AND DONATIONS TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of restricted contractual revenue from public or private sources such as receipts from Medicaid, funds from federal environmental laws such as the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Superfund, funds from other health and environmental programs, and funds from private sources such as foundations. Funds shall be used for the purpose of supporting the activities of the department and shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(4) MEDICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of fees and fines related to the licensing of health care professionals. Funds shall be used for the purpose of providing administrative support for the regulation of health care professionals and for other such purposes as may be appropriate and shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(5) SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of federal social services block grant funds. Funds shall be used for the purpose of providing health care and support services to department clients and for other such purposes as may be appropriate and shall be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(6) TOBACCO SETTLEMENT TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of funds disbursed, by nonoperating transfer, from the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund in amounts equal to the annual appropriations made from this trust fund.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any unencumbered balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year and any encumbered balance remaining undisbursed on September 30 of the same calendar year shall revert to the Department of Financial Services Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund.
(7) BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of funds appropriated by the Legislature. Funds shall be used for the purposes of the James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program; the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program; 1and the William G. “Bill” Bankhead, Jr., and David Coley Cancer Research Program as specified in ss. 215.5602, 381.915, and 381.922, 2respectively; and other cancer research initiatives as appropriated by the Legislature. The trust fund is exempt from the service charges imposed by s. 215.20.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund. The department may invest these funds independently through the Chief Financial Officer or may negotiate a trust agreement with the State Board of Administration for the investment management of any balance in the trust fund.
(c) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance of any appropriation from the Biomedical Research Trust Fund which is not disbursed but which is obligated pursuant to contract or committed to be expended may be carried forward for up to 5 years following the effective date of the original appropriation.
(8) BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURY PROGRAM TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 381.79.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(9) COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with s. 154.02.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(10) DONATIONS TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of state and federal grant funds and fees collected and shall be used for the purpose of providing health care and support services to department clients and for other such purposes as may be appropriate.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(11) EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with ss. 318.14, 318.18, 318.21, 395.403, and 395.4036 and parts I and II of chapter 401.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(12) EPILEPSY SERVICES TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 385.207.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(13) MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH BLOCK GRANT TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of federal maternal and child block grant funds and shall be used for the purpose of providing health care and support services to department clients and for other such purposes as may be appropriate.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(14) PLANNING AND EVALUATION TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of ss. 381.0202 and 382.0255.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(15) PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES BLOCK GRANT TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of federal preventive health services block grant funds and shall be used for the purpose of providing health care and support services to department clients and for other such purposes as may be appropriate.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(16) RADIATION PROTECTION TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of chapter 404 and part IV of chapter 468.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(17) RAPE CRISIS PROGRAM TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. 794.056.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
(18) UNITED STATES TRUST FUND.—
(a) Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall consist of federal funds from the Social Security Administration and shall be used for the purpose of determining the eligibility of Florida citizens applying for disability benefits under the federal Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Programs.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
History.—s. 1, ch. 97-112; s. 1, ch. 97-113; s. 1, ch. 97-114; s. 1, ch. 97-115; s. 1, ch. 97-116; s. 1, ch. 97-119; s. 1, ch. 99-196; s. 2, ch. 2000-38; s. 2, ch. 2000-39; s. 2, ch. 2000-45; s. 2, ch. 2000-46; s. 2, ch. 2000-47; s. 2, ch. 2000-50; s. 2, ch. 2000-54; s. 1, ch. 2000-307; s. 2, ch. 2001-73; s. 10, ch. 2002-1; s. 72, ch. 2003-261; s. 2, ch. 2003-414; s. 2, ch. 2003-420; s. 2, ch. 2003-421; s. 2, ch. 2004-282; s. 1, ch. 2004-363; s. 5, ch. 2006-122; s. 2, ch. 2006-182; s. 4, ch. 2007-13; s. 2, ch. 2008-17; s. 2, ch. 2008-19; s. 1, ch. 2010-161; s. 10, ch. 2011-220; s. 1, ch. 2012-20; s. 2, ch. 2012-184; s. 1, ch. 2014-165; s. 18, ch. 2015-222; s. 5, ch. 2016-29; s. 1, ch. 2017-4; s. 9, ch. 2021-5; s. 3, ch. 2021-43; s. 8, ch. 2022-150; s. 9, ch. 2023-173; s. 1, ch. 2023-246.
1Note.—The word “and” as stricken by s. 1, ch. 2023-246, was reinserted by the editors to facilitate correct interpretation.
20.506 Welfare Transition Trust Fund.—The Welfare Transition Trust Fund is created within the Department of Children and Families for the purposes of receiving federal funds under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program. Trust fund moneys shall be used exclusively for the purpose of providing services to individuals eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families pursuant to the requirements and limitations of part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act, as amended, or any other applicable federal requirement or limitation. Funds credited to the trust fund consist of those funds collected from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2004-364; s. 2, ch. 2008-15; s. 7, ch. 2014-19.
20.60 Department of Commerce; creation; powers and duties.—
(1) There is created the Department of Commerce.
(2) The head of the department is the Secretary of Commerce, who shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The secretary shall serve at the pleasure of and report to the Governor and shall serve as the Governor’s chief negotiator for business recruitment and expansion and economic development. The secretary may appoint deputy and assistant secretaries as necessary to aid the secretary in fulfilling his or her statutory obligations.
(3)(a) The following divisions and offices of the Department of Commerce are established:
1. The Division of Economic Development.
2. The Division of Community Development.
3. The Division of Workforce Services.
4. The Division of Finance and Administration.
5. The Division of Information Technology.
6. The Office of the Secretary.
7. The Office of Economic Accountability and Transparency, which shall:
a. Oversee the department’s critical objectives as determined by the secretary and make sure that the department’s key objectives are clearly communicated to the public.
b. Organize department resources, expertise, data, and research to focus on and solve the complex economic challenges facing the state.
c. Provide leadership for the department’s priority issues that require integration of policy, management, and critical objectives from multiple programs and organizations internal and external to the department; and organize and manage external communication on such priority issues.
d. Promote and facilitate key department initiatives to address priority economic issues and explore data and identify opportunities for innovative approaches to address such economic issues.
e. Promote strategic planning for the department.
(b) The secretary:
1. May create offices within the Office of the Secretary and within the divisions established in paragraph (a) to promote efficient and effective operation of the department.
2. Shall appoint a director for each division, who shall directly administer his or her division and be responsible to the secretary.
(4) The purpose of the department is to assist the Governor in working with the Legislature, state agencies, business leaders, and economic development professionals to formulate and implement coherent and consistent policies and strategies designed to promote economic opportunities for all Floridians. The department is the state’s chief agency for business recruitment and expansion and economic development. To accomplish such purposes, the department shall:
(a) Facilitate the direct involvement of the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor in economic development and workforce development projects designed to create, expand, and retain businesses in this state; to recruit business from around the world; to promote the state as a pro-business location for new investment; and to facilitate other job-creating efforts.
(b) Recruit new businesses to this state and promote the expansion of existing businesses by expediting permitting and location decisions, worker placement and training, and incentive awards.
(c) Promote viable, sustainable communities by providing technical assistance and guidance on growth and development issues, grants, and other assistance to local communities.
(d) Ensure that the state’s goals and policies relating to economic development, workforce development, community planning and development, and affordable housing are fully integrated with appropriate implementation strategies.
(e) Manage the activities of public-private partnerships and state agencies in order to avoid duplication and promote coordinated and consistent implementation of programs in areas including, but not limited to, tourism; international trade and investment; business recruitment, creation, retention, and expansion; minority and small business development; defense, space, and aerospace development; rural community development; and the development and promotion of professional and amateur sporting events.
(f) Coordinate with state agencies on the processing of state development approvals or permits to minimize the duplication of information provided by the applicant and the time before approval or disapproval.
(g) Contract with the Florida Sports Foundation to guide, stimulate, and promote the sports industry in this state; to promote the participation of residents of this state in amateur athletic competition; and to promote this state as a host for national and international amateur athletic competitions.
(h) Encourage and oversee the coordination of international trade development efforts of public institutions, business associations, economic development councils, and private industry.
(i) Contract with the direct-support organization created in s. 288.012, to assist with coordination described in paragraph (h); provide services through State of Florida international offices; and assist in developing and carrying out the 5-year statewide strategic plan as it relates to foreign investment, international partnerships, and other international business and trade development.
(j) Support Florida’s defense, space, and aerospace industries, including research and development, and strengthen this state’s existing leadership in defense, space, and aerospace activity and economic growth.
(k) Assist, promote, and enhance economic opportunities for this state’s minority-owned businesses and rural and urban communities.
(l) Contract with the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation to execute tourism promotion and marketing services, functions, and programs for the state and advise the department on the development of domestic and international tourism marketing campaigns featuring this state.
(5) The divisions within the department have specific responsibilities to achieve the duties, responsibilities, and goals of the department. Specifically:
(a) The Division of Economic Development shall:
1. Analyze and evaluate business prospects identified by the Governor and the secretary.
2. Administer certain tax refund, tax credit, and grant programs created in law. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may expend interest earned from the investment of program funds deposited in the Grants and Donations Trust Fund to contract for the administration of those programs, or portions of the programs, assigned to the department by law, by the appropriations process, or by the Governor. Such expenditures shall be subject to review under chapter 216.
3. Develop measurement protocols for the state incentive programs and for the contracted entities which will be used to determine their performance and competitive value to the state. Performance measures, benchmarks, and sanctions must be developed in consultation with the legislative appropriations committees and the appropriate substantive committees, and are subject to the review and approval process provided in s. 216.177. The approved performance measures, standards, and sanctions shall be included and made a part of the strategic plan for contracts entered into for delivery of programs authorized by this section.
4. Develop a 5-year statewide strategic plan. The strategic plan must include, but need not be limited to:
a. Strategies for the promotion of business formation, expansion, recruitment, and retention through aggressive marketing, attraction of venture capital and finance development, domestic trade, international development, and export assistance, which lead to more and better jobs and higher wages for all geographic regions, disadvantaged communities, and populations of the state, including rural areas, minority businesses, and urban core areas.
b. The development of realistic policies and programs to further the economic diversity of the state, its regions, and their associated industrial clusters.
c. Specific provisions for the stimulation of economic development and job creation in rural areas and midsize cities and counties of the state, including strategies for rural marketing and the development of infrastructure in rural areas.
d. Provisions for the promotion of the successful long-term economic development of the state with increased emphasis in market research and information.
e. Plans for the generation of foreign investment in the state which create jobs paying above-average wages and which result in reverse investment in the state, including programs that establish viable overseas markets, assist in meeting the financing requirements of export-ready firms, broaden opportunities for international joint venture relationships, use the resources of academic and other institutions, coordinate trade assistance and facilitation services, and facilitate availability of and access to education and training programs that assure requisite skills and competencies necessary to compete successfully in the global marketplace.
f. The identification of business sectors that are of current or future importance to the state’s economy and to the state’s global business image, and development of specific strategies to promote the development of such sectors.
g. Strategies for talent development necessary in the state to encourage economic development growth, taking into account factors such as the state’s talent supply chain, education and training opportunities, and available workforce.
h. Strategies and plans to support this state’s defense, space, and aerospace industries and the emerging complementary business activities and industries that support the development and growth of defense, space, and aerospace in this state.
5. Update the strategic plan every 5 years.
6. Involve CareerSource Florida, Inc.; direct-support organizations of the department; local governments; the general public; local and regional economic development organizations; other local, state, and federal economic, international, and workforce development entities; the business community; and educational institutions to assist with the strategic plan.
7. Coordinate with the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation in the development of the 4-year marketing plan pursuant to s. 288.1226(13).
8. Administer and manage relationships, as appropriate, with the entities and programs created pursuant to the Florida Capital Formation Act, ss. 288.9621-288.96255.
(b) The Division of Community Development shall:
1. Assist local governments and their communities in finding creative planning solutions to help them foster vibrant, healthy communities, while protecting the functions of important state resources and facilities.
2. Administer state and federal grant programs as provided by law to provide community development and project planning activities to maintain viable communities, revitalize existing communities, and expand economic development and employment opportunities, including:
a. The Community Services Block Grant Program.
b. The Community Development Block Grant Program in chapter 290.
c. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program in chapter 409.
d. The Weatherization Assistance Program in chapter 409.
e. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
f. The local comprehensive planning process and the development of regional impact process.
g. The Front Porch Florida Initiative through the Office of Urban Opportunity, which is created within the division. The purpose of the office is to administer the Front Porch Florida initiative, a comprehensive, community-based urban core redevelopment program that enables urban core residents to craft solutions to the unique challenges of each designated community.
3. Assist in developing the 5-year statewide strategic plan required by this section.
(c) The Division of Workforce Services shall:
1. Prepare and submit a unified budget request for workforce development in accordance with chapter 216 for, and in conjunction with, the state board as defined in s. 445.002.
2. Ensure that the state appropriately administers federal and state workforce funding by administering plans and policies of the state board as defined in s. 445.002. The operating budget and midyear amendments thereto must be part of such contract.
a. All program and fiscal instructions to local workforce development boards shall emanate from the Department of Commerce pursuant to plans and policies of the state board as defined in s. 445.002, which shall be responsible for all policy directions to the local workforce development boards.
b. Unless otherwise provided by agreement with the state board as defined in s. 445.002, administrative and personnel policies of the Department of Commerce apply.
3. Implement the state’s reemployment assistance program. The Department of Commerce shall ensure that the state appropriately administers the reemployment assistance program pursuant to state and federal law.
4. Assist in developing the 5-year statewide strategic plan required by this section, including identifying education and training programs to ensure that the state has the skilled and competent workforce necessary to attract and grow business in this state and allow them to compete successfully in domestic and global markets.
(6)(a) The Department of Commerce is the administrative agency designated for receipt of federal workforce development grants and other federal funds. The department shall administer the duties and responsibilities assigned by the Governor under each federal grant assigned to the department. The department shall expend each revenue source as provided by federal and state law and as provided in plans developed by and agreements with the state board as defined in s. 445.002. The department may serve as the contract administrator for contracts entered into by the state board under s. 445.004(5).
(b) The Department of Commerce shall serve as the designated agency for purposes of each federal workforce development grant assigned to it for administration. The department shall carry out the duties assigned to it by the Governor, under the terms and conditions of each grant. The department shall have the level of authority and autonomy necessary to be the designated recipient of each federal grant assigned to it and shall disburse such grants pursuant to the plans and policies of the state board as defined in s. 445.002. The secretary may, upon delegation from the Governor and pursuant to agreement with the state board, sign contracts, grants, and other instruments as necessary to execute functions assigned to the department. Notwithstanding other provisions of law, the department shall administer other programs funded by federal or state appropriations, as determined by the Legislature in the General Appropriations Act or other law.
(7) The department may provide or contract for training for employees of administrative entities and case managers of any contracted providers to ensure they have the necessary competencies and skills to provide adequate administrative oversight and delivery of the full array of client services.
(8) The Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission, authorized by s. 443.012, is not subject to control, supervision, or direction by the department in the performance of its powers and duties but shall receive any and all support and assistance from the department which is required for the performance of its duties.
(9) The secretary shall:
(a) Manage all activities and responsibilities of the department.
(b) Serve as the manager for the state with respect to contracts with Space Florida 1and all applicable direct-support organizations. To accomplish the provisions of this section and applicable provisions of chapters 288 and 331, and notwithstanding the provisions of part I of chapter 287, the secretary shall enter into specific contracts with Space Florida 2and other appropriate direct-support organizations. Such contracts may be for multiyear terms and must include specific performance measures for each year. For purposes of this section, the Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology is not an appropriate direct-support organization.
(c) Serve as a member of the board of directors of the Florida Development Finance Corporation. The secretary may designate an employee of the department to serve in this capacity.
(10) The department shall, by November 1 of each year, submit an annual report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the condition of the business climate and economic development in the state.
(a) The report must include the identification of problems and a prioritized list of recommendations.
(b) The department shall collect and maintain data on the development and utilization of the international trade development program for inclusion in the report.
(c) The report must incorporate annual reports of other programs, including:
1. A detailed report of the performance of the Black Business Loan Program and a cumulative summary of quarterly report data required under s. 288.714.
2. The Rural Economic Development Initiative established under s. 288.0656.
3. The Florida Unique Abilities Partner Program.
4. A detailed report of the performance of the Florida Development Finance Corporation and a summary of the corporation’s report required under s. 288.9610.
5. Information provided by Space Florida under s. 331.3051 and an analysis of the activities and accomplishments of Space Florida.
(11) The department shall establish annual performance standards for CareerSource Florida, Inc.; the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation; Space Florida; the Florida Development Finance Corporation; and any other direct-support organization of the department and report annually on how these performance measures are being met in the annual report required under subsection (10).
(12) The department shall have an official seal by which its records, orders, and proceedings are authenticated. The seal shall be judicially noticed.
(13) The department shall administer the role of state government under part I of chapter 421, relating to public housing; chapter 422, relating to housing cooperation law; and chapter 423, tax exemption of housing authorities. The department is the agency of state government responsible for the state’s role in housing and urban development.
History.—s. 13, ch. 2011-142; s. 30, ch. 2012-30; s. 1, ch. 2012-96; s. 2, ch. 2013-39; s. 2, ch. 2013-42; s. 3, ch. 2014-17; s. 2, ch. 2015-98; s. 2, ch. 2016-3; s. 1, ch. 2016-216; s. 6, ch. 2017-233; s. 1, ch. 2018-139; s. 1, ch. 2020-30; s. 1, ch. 2021-25; s. 10, ch. 2023-173; s. 1, ch. 2023-200.
20.605 Administrative Trust Fund of the Department of Economic Opportunity.—
(1) The Administrative Trust Fund is created within the Department of Economic Opportunity.
(2) Funds shall be used for the purpose of supporting the administrative functions of the department as required by law, pursuant to legislative appropriation or an approved amendment to the department’s operating budget pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
History.—s. 1, ch. 2001-138; s. 2, ch. 2004-211; s. 475, ch. 2011-142.
Note.—Former s. 20.505.