Creation of Higher Educational Facilities Financing Authority.

(1) There is created a public body corporate and politic to be known as the Higher Educational Facilities Financing Authority. The authority is constituted as a public instrumentality and the exercise by the authority of the powers conferred by ss. 243.50-243.77 is considered to be the performance of an essential public function. Chapters 119 and 286 apply to the authority.

(2) The authority shall consist of five members to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. One member shall be a trustee, director, officer, or employee of an institution of higher education. Of the members first appointed, one shall serve for 1 year, one for 2 years, one for 3 years, one for 4 years, and one for 5 years, and in each case until his or her successor is appointed and has qualified. Thereafter, the Governor shall appoint for terms of 5 years each a member or members to succeed those whose terms expire, beginning on the later of the dates on which the current term expires or the date of appointment by the Governor. The Governor shall fill any vacancy for an unexpired term. A member of the authority is eligible for reappointment. Any member of the authority may be removed by the Governor for misfeasance, malfeasance, or willful neglect of duty. Each member of the authority before entering upon his or her duties shall take and subscribe to the oath or affirmation required by the State Constitution. A record of each oath must be filed in the office of the Department of State and with the authority.

(3) The authority shall annually elect one of its members as chair and one as vice chair, and shall also appoint an executive director who is not a member of the authority and who serves at the pleasure of the authority and receives compensation as fixed by the authority. The authority may contract for the services of an executive director.

(4) The executive director shall keep a record of the proceedings of the authority and shall be custodian of all books, documents, and papers filed with the authority and of the minute book or journal of the authority and of its official seal. He or she may cause copies to be made of all minutes and other records and documents of the authority and may give certificates under the official seal of the authority to the effect that the copies are true copies, and all persons dealing with the authority may rely upon those certificates.

(5)(a) As used in this subsection, the term “communications media technology” means telephone conference, video conference, or other communications technology by which all persons attending a public meeting or workshop may audibly communicate.

(b) A majority of the members of the authority constitutes a quorum, and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members participating in the meeting of the authority is necessary for any action taken by the authority. A vacancy in the membership of the authority does not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the authority. Any action taken by the authority under ss. 243.50-243.77 may be authorized by resolution at any regular or special meeting, and each resolution takes effect immediately and does not need to be published or posted. The authority may conduct public meetings and workshops by means of communications media technology. The notice for any such public meeting or workshop must state that the meeting or workshop will be conducted through the use of communications media technology, must specify how persons interested in attending may do so, and must provide a location where communications media technology facilities are available. The participation by an officer, a board member, or any other representative of a member public agency in a meeting or workshop conducted through communications media technology constitutes that individual’s presence at such meeting or workshop.

(6) The members of the authority shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties, but each member is entitled to reimbursement as provided in s. 112.061 for necessary expenses incurred while engaged in the performance of his or her duties.

(7) The authority is assigned to the Department of Education for administrative purposes.