Florida Senate - 2015 SB 1482
By Senator Bean
4-00512-15 20151482__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Cold Case Task Force; creating
3 the task force within the Department of Law
4 Enforcement; specifying membership of the task force;
5 authorizing reimbursement for per diem and travel
6 expenses; prescribing duties of the task force;
7 requiring the task force to submit a report to the
8 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date;
9 providing for expiration of the task force; providing
10 for staffing; providing an effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Cold Case Task Force.—The Cold Case Task Force,
15 a task force as defined in s. 20.03, Florida Statutes, is
16 created within the Department of Law Enforcement. The task force
17 is created for the express purpose of examining policies and
18 procedures used by law enforcement agencies in this state in
19 investigating recent homicides and cold case homicides.
20 (1) The task force is composed of 19 members as follows:
21 (a) The executive director of the Department of Law
22 Enforcement or his or her designee, who shall serve as chair of
23 the task force.
24 (b) The Attorney General or his or her designee.
25 (c) Three state attorneys appointed by the Attorney
26 General, who shall be appointed in a manner that ensures
27 equitable representation of urban, suburban, and rural areas of
28 the state.
29 (d) Two representatives from victim advocacy organizations
30 appointed by the Governor.
31 (e) Two county sheriffs, one appointed by the President of
32 the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the House of
33 Representatives.
34 (f) Two municipal police chiefs, one appointed by the
35 President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the
36 House of Representatives.
37 (g) Three representatives from victims’ families, one
38 appointed by the Governor, one appointed by the President of the
39 Senate, and one appointed by the Speaker of the House of
40 Representatives.
41 (h) A crime scene evidence technician appointed by the
42 executive director of the Department of Law Enforcement.
43 (i) A forensic pathologist appointed by the executive
44 director of the Department of Law Enforcement.
45 (j) A representative of a law enforcement agency with
46 experience investigating and preserving homicides and cold case
47 homicides appointed by the executive director of the Department
48 of Law Enforcement.
49 (k) A representative of the Florida Police Chiefs
50 Association selected by the president of the executive board of
51 the Florida Police Chiefs Association.
52 (l) A representative of the Florida Sheriffs Association
53 selected by the executive director of the Florida Sheriffs
54 Association.
55 (2) Members of the task force shall serve without
56 compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
57 travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
58 (3) The task force shall convene for its first meeting by
59 September 1, 2015. The task force shall review and evaluate
60 policies and procedures currently used by law enforcement
61 agencies in this state in investigating recent homicides and
62 cold case homicides. The task force shall identify best
63 practices and recommend proposals for legislation that may
64 improve the effectiveness of such investigatory policies and
65 procedures. To accomplish its duties, the task force may take
66 testimony from members of victims' families and members of the
67 public.
68 (4) The task force shall submit a report of its findings
69 and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the
70 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
71 December 1, 2016. Upon submission of the report, the task force
72 shall expire.
73 (5) The Department of Law Enforcement shall provide the
74 task force with staff necessary to assist the task force in the
75 performance of its duties.
76 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.