HB 0543 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Board of Professional Surveyors and
3	Mappers; amending s. 472.007, F.S.; delegating to the
4	board the duties and authority of the Department of
5	Business and Professional Regulation to investigate and
6	prosecute the practice and unlicensed practice of
7	surveying and mapping; requiring the board to contract
8	with a corporation or other business entity to provide the
9	headquarters office, administrative services, technology,
10	financial and statistical information, and revenue-
11	receipt, reporting, licensure, testing, legal,
12	investigative, prosecutorial, and other services;
13	providing records requirements; authorizing the board to
14	use funds from the unlicensed activity account to perform
15	certain duties; requiring the board to submit an annual
16	budget request to the Legislature; providing an effective
17	date.
18
19	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21	Section 1. Section 472.007, Florida Statutes, is amended
22	to read:
23	472.007 Board of Professional Surveyors and Mappers.--
24	(1)There is created in the Department of Business and
25	Professional Regulation the Board of Professional Surveyors and
26	Mappers. The board shall consist of nine members, six of whom
27	shall be registered surveyors and mappers primarily engaged in
28	the practice of surveying and mapping, one of whom shall be a
29	registered surveyor and mapper with the designation of
30	photogrammetric mapper, and two of whom shall be laypersons who
31	are not and have never been surveyors and mappers or members of
32	any closely related profession or occupation. Members shall be
33	appointed for 4-year terms.
34	(2)(a) Notwithstanding ss. 455.225, 455.228, and 455.32,
35	the powers and duties of the department to investigate
36	complaints and discipline persons licensed under this part,
37	including the ability to determine legal sufficiency and
38	probable cause; to issue emergency suspension or restriction
39	orders; to initiate proceedings and issue final orders for
40	summary suspension or restriction of a license; to issue notices
41	of noncompliance, notices to cease and desist, subpoenas, and
42	citations; to retain legal counsel, investigators, or
43	prosecutorial staff in connection with the licensed and
44	unlicensed practice of surveying and mapping; and to
45	investigate, deter, and prosecute the unlicensed practice of
46	surveying and mapping are delegated to the board. All complaints
47	and any information obtained pursuant to an investigation
48	authorized by the board are confidential and exempt from s.
49	119.07(1) as provided in s. 455.225(2) and (10).
50	(b) Notwithstanding s. 455.32(3), the board, in lieu of
51	the department, shall contract with a corporation or other
52	business entity pursuant to s. 287.057(3) to provide a
53	headquarters office, administrative services, technology,
54	financial and statistical information, and revenue-receipt,
55	reporting, licensure, testing, investigative, legal,
56	prosecutorial, and other services necessary to perform its
57	duties.
58	(c) The corporation or business entity shall comply with
59	the recordkeeping and reporting requirements of s. 455.32
60	applicable to the scope of the contract and shall report
61	directly to the board. Records of the corporation or other
62	business entity are public records as specified in s.
63	455.32(15).
64	(d) Notwithstanding s. 455.228, the board may use funds in
65	the unlicensed activity account established under s. 455.2281 to
66	perform its duties relating to unlicensed activity.
67	(e) The board shall submit an annual budget request to the
68	Legislature to fund its activities under this subsection, which
69	must be separate from the legislative budget request submitted
70	by the department.
71	Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.