Florida Senate - 2012                                    SB 1098
       
       
       
       By Senator Ring
       
       
       
       
       32-00304-12                                           20121098__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to mandatory minimum sentencing of
    3         substance abusers and sex offenders; creating the
    4         Florida Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Task Force, which
    5         shall make recommendations to the Governor and
    6         Legislature regarding mandatory minimum sentences for
    7         substance abuse offenses and sex offenses; providing
    8         for membership on the task force; providing for the
    9         appointment of the chair of the task force; providing
   10         for organization, meetings, and responsibilities;
   11         providing that task force members serve without
   12         compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per
   13         diem and expenses for attending officially called
   14         meetings; providing an effective date.
   15  
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. The Florida Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Task
   19  Force.—
   20         (1) The Florida Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Task Force is
   21  created.
   22         (2) The task force shall make recommendations to the
   23  Governor and Legislature regarding the effectiveness and utility
   24  of mandatory minimum sentences imposed for substance abuse
   25  offenses and sex offenses. The task force shall present
   26  recommendations, if any, to the Governor and Legislature for
   27  needed changes in statutes and rules.
   28         (3) The task force shall consist of the Governor or his or
   29  her designee, and the following 12 additional members who are
   30  residents of this state:
   31         (a) The executive director of the Department of Law
   32  Enforcement, or his or her designee.
   33         (b) The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee.
   34         (c) The Attorney General, or his or her designee.
   35         (d) A circuit court judge, appointed by the Chief Justice
   36  of the Supreme Court.
   37         (e) A member of the Senate appointed by the President of
   38  the Senate.
   39         (f) A member of the House of Representatives appointed by
   40  the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
   41         (g) A state attorney, appointed by the Governor.
   42         (h) A public defender, appointed by the Governor.
   43         (i) A member of The Florida Bar, appointed by the President
   44  of The Florida Bar.
   45         (j) Three citizen members appointed by the Governor, one of
   46  whom shall represent victim’s rights advocacy groups.
   47         (4) A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the
   48  initial appointment.
   49         (5) The Governor shall designate one member to serve as
   50  chair of the task force. If the Governor rather than his or her
   51  designee participates in the activities of the task force, the
   52  Governor shall serve as chair.
   53         (6) The chair shall schedule and conduct the first meeting
   54  of the task force by September 1, 2012. The task force shall
   55  meet at least two additional times upon the call of the chair,
   56  at the request of a majority of the membership, or at the
   57  request of the Governor. Notice of task force meetings and the
   58  agenda shall be published in the Florida Administrative Weekly
   59  at least 14 days before the meeting. Staff of the Department of
   60  Law Enforcement shall provide administrative support to the task
   61  force.
   62         (7) The task force shall submit an interim progress report
   63  and work plan for the remainder of the 2012-2013 fiscal year to
   64  the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
   65  the House of Representatives by October 1, 2012, and shall
   66  submit a final report by March 1, 2013.
   67         (8)Task force members shall serve without compensation,
   68  but are entitled to reimbursement for travel and per diem
   69  expenses as provided by s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, when
   70  attending officially called meetings.
   71         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.