Florida Senate - 2019                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 196
       
       
       
       
       
       
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                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
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       The Committee on Innovation, Industry, and Technology (Powell)
       recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 350.061, Florida
    6  Statutes, is amended to read:
    7         350.061 Public Counsel; appointment; oath; restrictions on
    8  Public Counsel and his or her employees.—
    9         (1) The committee designated by joint rule of the
   10  Legislature or by agreement between the President of the Senate
   11  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as the Committee
   12  on Public Counsel Oversight shall appoint a Public Counsel to
   13  represent the general public of Florida before the Florida
   14  Public Service Commission. The Public Counsel must shall be an
   15  attorney admitted to practice before the Florida Supreme Court,
   16  and shall be appointed for a term of 4 years serve at the
   17  pleasure of the Committee on Public Counsel Oversight, and may
   18  be reappointed thereafter, provided that a person appointed as
   19  the Public Counsel may not serve more than 12 consecutive years
   20  in the position. The Public Counsel may be removed from office
   21  by a majority vote of the committee appointees of each house. A
   22  person may continue as Public Counsel beyond the 4-year limit
   23  until his or her successor is appointed and takes office, unless
   24  the person is removed as Public Counsel by a vote of the
   25  committee. The Committee on Public Counsel Oversight shall
   26  receive applications, conduct interviews, and appoint a Public
   27  Counsel to a 4-year term beginning on January 15, 2021, and
   28  every 4 years thereafter, subject to biennial reconfirmation by
   29  the committee. The Public Counsel shall perform his or her
   30  duties independently. Vacancies in the office shall be filled
   31  for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as
   32  the original appointment.
   33  
   34  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   35  And the title is amended as follows:
   36         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   37  and insert:
   38                        A bill to be entitled                      
   39         An act relating to Office of Public Counsel; amending
   40         s. 350.061, F.S.; providing term limits for the Public
   41         Counsel; requiring the Committee on Public Counsel
   42         Oversight to receive applications, conduct interviews,
   43         and appoint a Public Counsel by a specified date every
   44         4 years; providing for the filling of vacancies;
   45         providing an effective date.