Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 6-B
       
       
        
       By Senator Hutson
       
       
       
       
       
       7-00003-21B                                             20216B__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Florida Occupational Safety and
    3         Health State Plan; providing legislative intent and
    4         findings; defining the term “state plan”; requiring
    5         the Executive Office of the Governor to develop a
    6         proposal for a state plan to assert state jurisdiction
    7         over occupational safety and health issues for
    8         government and private employees; requiring the office
    9         to designate or hire necessary staff to develop the
   10         proposal; requiring the Division of Risk Management
   11         and the Division of Workers’ Compensation within the
   12         Department of Financial Services, the Department of
   13         Health, and the Department of Business and
   14         Professional Regulation to assist the office with
   15         development of the proposal upon request; requiring
   16         the office to submit a status report to the
   17         Legislature by a specified date; requiring that the
   18         status report contain specified information; providing
   19         an appropriation; providing an effective date.
   20  
   21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   22  
   23         Section 1. (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to
   24  provide for the establishment of the Florida Occupational Safety
   25  and Health State Plan. The Legislature finds that such a plan
   26  would enhance occupational safety and health in this state
   27  through the implementation and maintenance of policies,
   28  procedures, practices, rules, and standards that reduce the
   29  incidence of employee accidents, occupational diseases, and
   30  fatalities, while providing the state with the flexibility to
   31  adequately address the needs of businesses and employees in this
   32  state.
   33         (2) As used in this section, the term “state plan” refers
   34  to a Florida Occupational Safety and Health State Plan.
   35         (3) The Executive Office of the Governor shall develop a
   36  proposal for a state plan to assert state jurisdiction over
   37  occupational safety and health issues for government and private
   38  employees and shall designate or hire appropriate staff as
   39  necessary to develop the proposal.
   40         (4) The Division of Risk Management and the Division of
   41  Workers’ Compensation within the Department of Financial
   42  Services, the Department of Health, and the Department of
   43  Business and Professional Regulation shall assist the Executive
   44  Office of the Governor with the development of the proposal upon
   45  request of the office.
   46         (5) On or before January 17, 2022, the Executive Office of
   47  the Governor shall submit a status report to the President of
   48  the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The
   49  status report must contain, at a minimum, all of the following
   50  information:
   51         (a) Timelines for the completion of the proposal and for
   52  the completion of the state plan, including the establishment of
   53  an agency to oversee the state plan, legislation necessary to
   54  implement the state plan, and the scope of coverage with respect
   55  to employees covered under, and excluded from, the state plan.
   56         (b) An explanation of whether additional employees,
   57  consultants, or contractors need to be hired to assist with the
   58  development of the proposal and the state plan and whether
   59  additional funds need to be appropriated for that purpose.
   60         Section 2. For the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the nonrecurring
   61  sum of $1 million is appropriated to the Executive Office of the
   62  Governor from the General Revenue Fund for the purpose of
   63  implementing this act.
   64         Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.