Bill Text: FL S7052 | 2020 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Office of Public Counsel
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-03-14 - Died on Calendar [S7052 Detail]
Download: Florida-2020-S7052-Engrossed.html
SB 7052 First Engrossed 20207052e1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to the Office of Public Counsel; 3 amending s. 350.061, F.S.; providing term limits for 4 the Public Counsel; providing an exception for time 5 served before a specified date; providing for the 6 appointment and removal of the Public Counsel; 7 requiring the Committee on Public Counsel Oversight to 8 receive applications, conduct interviews, and appoint 9 a Public Counsel by a specified date every 4 years; 10 providing for the filling of vacancies; providing an 11 effective date. 12 13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14 15 Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 350.061, Florida 16 Statutes, is amended to read: 17 350.061 Public Counsel; appointment; oath; restrictions on 18 Public Counsel and his or her employees.— 19 (1) The committee designated by joint rule of the 20 Legislature or by agreement between the President of the Senate 21 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as the Committee 22 on Public Counsel Oversight shall appoint a Public Counsel to 23 represent the general public of Florida before the Florida 24 Public Service Commission. The Public Counsel shall be an 25 attorney admitted to practice before the Florida Supreme Court, 26andshall be appointed for a term of 4 years, and may be 27 reappointed thereafter, provided that a person appointed as the 28 Public Counsel may not serve more than 12 consecutive years in 29 the position. However, the time served by the Public Counsel 30 before July 1, 2020, may not be considered in applying the 31 limitation on consecutive years of service. The Public Counsel 32 shall be appointed by a majority vote of the committee 33 appointees of each house and may be removed from office by a 34 majority vote of the committee appointees of each house. A 35 person may continue as Public Counsel beyond the 4-year term 36 until his or her successor is appointed and takes office, unless 37 the person is removed by a vote of the committee. The Committee 38 on Public Counsel Oversight shall receive applications, conduct 39 interviews, and appoint a Public Counsel to a 4-year term 40 beginning on March 1, 2021, and every 4 years thereafterserve41at the pleasureof the Committee on Public Counsel Oversight,42subject to biennial reconfirmation by the committee. The Public 43 Counsel shall perform his or her duties independently. Vacancies 44 in the office shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired 45 term in the same manner as the original appointment. 46 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.