Florida Senate - 2023                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 998
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì741470ÅÎ741470                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  03/27/2023           .                                
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       The Committee on Criminal Justice (Burgess) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete lines 55 - 85
    4  and insert:
    5  prohibit the arbitrary termination of a chief of police without
    6  the chief being provided written notice and an opportunity to
    7  defend himself or herself against termination at a public
    8  meeting or hearing.
    9         (2) A person employed or appointed as a chief of police:
   10         (a) May not be terminated by his or her employing agency
   11  without being provided written notice, including just cause for
   12  the termination, and the opportunity to defend himself or
   13  herself against the termination at a public meeting or hearing.
   14  This paragraph does not supersede any written employment
   15  contract or agreement that provides employment, discipline, or
   16  termination standards or procedures.
   17         (b) May be represented by counsel, including at the public
   18  meeting or hearing under paragraph (a), at his or her request.
   19         (c) May not be discharged; disciplined; demoted; denied a
   20  promotion, transfer, or reassignment; or otherwise discriminated
   21  against in regard to his or her employment or appointment, or be
   22  threatened with any such treatment, for exercising any of the
   23  rights provided in this subsection.
   24         (3) A chief of police who is aggrieved by an alleged
   25  violation of subsection (2) shall provide written notice to his
   26  or her employing agency within 3 days after the alleged
   27  violation which must contain specific information relating to
   28  the alleged violation. The employing agency shall cure the
   29  alleged violation within 5 days after receipt of the written
   30  notification unless a longer time period is agreed to in writing
   31  by both parties or is necessary to satisfy notice requirements
   32  for notice of a public meeting or hearing pursuant to s.
   33  286.011.
   34  
   35  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   36  And the title is amended as follows:
   37         Delete line 10
   38  and insert:
   39         timeframe; providing exceptions; providing an