Florida Senate - 2020                                     SB 652
       
       
        
       By Senator Pizzo
       
       
       
       
       
       38-00980-20                                            2020652__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Urban Core Gun Violence Task
    3         Force; creating the Urban Core Gun Violence Task
    4         Force; providing for membership; providing for staff
    5         support; providing requirements for meetings;
    6         providing for reimbursement of certain expenses;
    7         specifying duties and powers of the task force;
    8         authorizing the task force to seek assistance from
    9         state agencies; providing for access to certain
   10         information; requiring an initial report; authorizing
   11         annual reports; providing for repeal of the task
   12         force; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Urban Core Gun Violence Task Force.—
   17         (1) There is created within the Department of Law
   18  Enforcement the Urban Core Gun Violence Task Force, a task force
   19  as defined in s. 20.03, Florida Statutes.
   20         (2)(a) The task force shall convene no later than September
   21  1, 2020, and shall be composed of 10 members. Two members shall
   22  be appointed by the President of the Senate, two members shall
   23  be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, two members
   24  shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
   25  Representatives, two members shall be appointed by the Minority
   26  Leader of the House of Representatives, and two members shall be
   27  appointed by the Governor. From the members of the task force,
   28  the Governor shall appoint the chair. Appointments must be made
   29  by August 1, 2020. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the
   30  officer who appointed the member. A vacancy on the task force
   31  shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
   32  At least five of the task force members shall be women and at
   33  least six of the task force members shall be members of racial
   34  minority groups.
   35         (b) The General Counsel of the Department of Law
   36  Enforcement shall serve as the general counsel for the task
   37  force.
   38         (c) The chair shall assign staff from the Department of Law
   39  Enforcement and the Department of Juvenile Justice to assist the
   40  task force in performing its duties.
   41         (d) The task force shall meet on a quarterly basis or as
   42  necessary to conduct its work at the call of the chair and at a
   43  time designated by him or her at a location in this state. The
   44  task force may not conduct its meetings through teleconferences
   45  or other similar means.
   46         (e) Members of the task force are entitled to receive
   47  reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s.
   48  112.061, Florida Statutes.
   49         (3) The task force shall investigate system failures and
   50  the causes of high crime rates and gun violence incidents in
   51  urban core neighborhoods and communities. In addition, the task
   52  force shall develop recommendations for solutions, programs,
   53  services, and strategies for improved interagency communications
   54  between local and state government agencies which will help
   55  facilitate the reduction of crime and gun violence in urban core
   56  neighborhoods and communities.
   57         (4) The task force has the power to investigate. The task
   58  force may delegate to its investigators the authority to
   59  administer oaths and affirmations.
   60         (5) The task force may call upon appropriate state
   61  government agencies for such professional assistance as may be
   62  needed in the discharge of its duties, and such agencies shall
   63  provide such assistance in a timely manner.
   64         (6) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the task
   65  force may request and shall be provided with access to any
   66  information or records that pertain to crime and gun violence
   67  incidents in this state’s urban core neighborhoods and
   68  communities. Information or records obtained by the task force
   69  which are otherwise exempt or confidential and exempt shall
   70  retain such exempt or confidential and exempt status, and the
   71  task force may not disclose any such information or records.
   72         (7) The task force shall submit an initial report on its
   73  findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of
   74  the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
   75  January 1, 2021, and may issue reports annually thereafter.
   76         (8) This section is repealed on December 31, 2025.
   77         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.