Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 354
       
       
        
       By Senator Osgood
       
       
       
       
       
       32-00452-24                                            2024354__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Task Force on Missing and
    3         Murdered African-American Women; creating the task
    4         force within the Department of Law Enforcement;
    5         providing the purpose of the task force; requiring
    6         that members be appointed by a specified date;
    7         providing for membership of the task force; specifying
    8         that members serve at the pleasure of the appointing
    9         authority; requiring that a vacancy be filled in the
   10         same manner as the appointment; requiring the members
   11         to elect a chair and a vice chair; authorizing the
   12         members to elect other officers; requiring the task
   13         force to meet at least quarterly and if called by the
   14         chair; authorizing the task force to hold meetings
   15         throughout the state; requiring the task force to seek
   16         out and enlist the assistance of specified entities;
   17         requiring the task force to initially meet before a
   18         specified date; requiring the department to provide
   19         meeting space and administrative assistance; requiring
   20         the task force to examine and report on specified
   21         issues; requiring the task force to submit a report
   22         containing specified information to certain
   23         legislative committees by a specified date; providing
   24         for expiration of the task force; providing an
   25         appropriation; providing an effective date.
   26          
   27  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   28  
   29         Section 1. Task Force on Missing and Murdered African
   30  American Women.—
   31         (1) CREATION; PURPOSE.—The Task Force on Missing and
   32  Murdered African-American Women, a task force as defined in s.
   33  20.03(5), Florida Statutes, is created within the Department of
   34  Law Enforcement to advise the executive director of the
   35  department and report to the Legislature on recommendations to
   36  address and reduce violence against African-American women and
   37  girls in this state. The task force may also serve as a liaison
   38  between the executive director, agencies, and nongovernmental
   39  organizations that provide services to victims, victims’
   40  families, and victims’ communities. Except as otherwise provided
   41  in this section, the task force shall operate in a manner
   42  consistent with s. 20.052, Florida Statutes.
   43         (2) MEMBERSHIP.—
   44         (a) Task force members must be appointed by September 1,
   45  2024. The task force shall be composed of the following persons,
   46  or the persons’ designees, who are knowledgeable in crime
   47  victims’ rights or violence prevention and, unless otherwise
   48  specified, are appointed by the executive director of the
   49  department:
   50         1. Two members of the Senate, one appointed by the
   51  President of the Senate and one appointed by the Minority Leader
   52  of the Senate.
   53         2. Two members of the House of Representatives, one
   54  appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one
   55  appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
   56  Representatives.
   57         3. Two representatives from among the following:
   58         a. The Florida Police Chiefs Association.
   59         b. The Florida Sheriffs Association.
   60         4. One or more representatives from among the following:
   61         a. The Florida Association of County Attorneys;
   62         b. A United States Attorney’s Office in this state; or
   63         c. A judge or attorney working in juvenile court.
   64         5. A medical examiner, a representative from a statewide
   65  medical examiner’s association, or a representative of the
   66  Department of Health.
   67         6. Three or more representatives from among the following:
   68         a. A statewide or local organization that provides legal
   69  services to African-American women and girls;
   70         b. A statewide or local organization that provides advocacy
   71  or counseling for African-American women and girls who have been
   72  victims of violence;
   73         c. A statewide or local organization that provides services
   74  to African-American women and girls; or
   75         d. An African-American woman who is a survivor of gender
   76  based violence.
   77         (b) Members of the task force serve at the pleasure of the
   78  appointing authority or until the task force expires. Vacancies
   79  must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
   80         (3) OFFICERS; MEETINGS.—
   81         (a) The task force members shall annually elect a chair and
   82  vice chair from among the task force’s members and may elect
   83  other officers as necessary. The task force shall meet at least
   84  quarterly, or upon the call of its chair, and may hold meetings
   85  throughout this state. The task force shall meet as often as it
   86  deems necessary to complete the duties provided in subsection
   87  (4).
   88         (b) The task force shall seek out and enlist the
   89  cooperation and assistance of nongovernmental organizations,
   90  community and advocacy organizations working with the African
   91  American community, and academic researchers and experts,
   92  specifically those specializing in violence against African
   93  American women and girls, those representing diverse communities
   94  disproportionately affected by violence against women and girls,
   95  or those focusing on issues relating to gender-based violence
   96  and violence against African-American women and girls.
   97         (c) The first meeting of the task force must convene no
   98  later than October 1, 2024. The department shall provide meeting
   99  space and administrative assistance as necessary for the task
  100  force to conduct its work.
  101         (4) DUTIES.—The task force shall examine and report on the
  102  following:
  103         (a) The systemic causes behind violence against African
  104  American women and girls, including patterns and underlying
  105  factors that explain why disproportionately high levels of
  106  violence occur against African-American women and girls,
  107  including underlying historical, social, economic,
  108  institutional, and cultural factors that may contribute to such
  109  violence.
  110         (b) Appropriate methods for tracking and collecting data on
  111  violence against African-American women and girls, including
  112  data on missing and murdered African-American women and girls.
  113         (c) Institutions such as police, child welfare agencies,
  114  coroners, and other governmental institutions and their policies
  115  and practices that impact violence against African-American
  116  women and girls and the investigation and prosecution of crimes
  117  of gender-based violence against African-Americans.
  118         (d) Measures necessary to address and reduce or eliminate
  119  violence against African-American women and girls.
  120         (e) Measures to help victims, victims’ families, and
  121  victims’ communities prevent and heal from violence that occurs
  122  against African-American women and girls.
  123         (5) REPORT.—The task force shall report to the chairs and
  124  ranking minority members, if applicable, of the legislative
  125  committees with jurisdiction over public safety, human services,
  126  and state government on the work of the task force, including,
  127  but not limited to, the issues to be examined as specified in
  128  this section, and the report must include institutional policies
  129  and practices or proposed institutional policies and practices
  130  that are effective in reducing gender-based violence and
  131  increasing the safety of African-American women and girls. The
  132  report must include recommendations to reduce or eliminate
  133  violence against African-American women and girls and to help
  134  victims and communities heal from gender violence and violence
  135  against African-American women and girls. The report must be
  136  submitted to the legislative committees by December 15, 2025.
  137         (6) EXPIRATION.—The task force and this section expire on
  138  December 31, 2025.
  139         Section 2. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the sum of
  140  $150,000 in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund is
  141  appropriated to the Department of Law Enforcement to implement
  142  this act.
  143         Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.