Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission; membership; meetings; compensation.

(1)(a) There is created a Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission within the Department of Law Enforcement. The commission shall be composed of 19 members, consisting of the Secretary of Corrections or a designated assistant; the Attorney General or a designee; the Director of the Division of the Florida Highway Patrol; and 16 members appointed by the Governor, consisting of 3 sheriffs; 3 chiefs of police; 5 law enforcement officers who are of the rank of sergeant or below within the employing agency; 2 correctional officers, 1 of whom is an administrator of a state correctional institution and 1 of whom is of the rank of sergeant or below within the employing agency; 1 training center director; 1 person who is in charge of a county correctional institution; and 1 resident of the state who falls into none of the foregoing classifications. Prior to the appointment, the sheriff, chief of police, law enforcement officer, and correctional officer members must have had at least 4 years’ experience as law enforcement officers or correctional officers.

(b) The Governor, in making appointments under this section, shall take into consideration representation by geography, population, and other relevant factors in order that the representation on the commission be apportioned to give representation to the state at large rather than to a particular area. Of the appointed members, and except for correctional officers of a state institution, there may be only one appointment from any employing agency.

1. In appointing the three sheriffs, the Governor shall choose each appointment from a list of six nominees submitted by the Florida Sheriffs Association. The Florida Sheriffs Association shall submit its list of six nominees at least 3 months before the expiration of the term of any sheriff member.

2. In appointing the three chiefs of police, the Governor shall choose each appointment from a list of six nominees submitted by the Florida Police Chiefs Association. The Florida Police Chiefs Association shall submit its list of six nominees at least 3 months before the expiration of the term of any police chief member.

3. In appointing the five law enforcement officers and one correctional officer of the rank of sergeant or below, the Governor shall choose each appointment from a list of six nominees submitted by a committee comprised of three members of the collective bargaining agent for the largest number of certified law enforcement bargaining units, two members of the collective bargaining agent for the second largest number of certified law enforcement bargaining units, and one member of the collective bargaining agent representing the largest number of state law enforcement officers in certified law enforcement bargaining units. At least one of the names submitted for each of the five appointments who are law enforcement officers must be an officer who is not in a collective bargaining unit.

(c) Members appointed by the Governor shall be appointed for terms of 4 years, and no member shall serve beyond the time he or she ceases to hold the office or employment by reason of which the member was eligible for appointment to the commission. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of death, resignation, or ineligibility for membership shall serve only for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor.

(d) Each member appointed by the Governor shall be accountable to the Governor for the proper performance of the duties of his or her office. The Governor may remove from office any such member for malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, incompetence, or permanent inability to perform official duties or for pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, or being found guilty of, a felony.

(e) Membership on the commission shall be construed as an extension of the duties of the office by which the member was appointed to the commission. Membership on the commission does not disqualify a member from holding any other public office or being employed by a public entity, except that no member of the Legislature shall serve on the commission. The Legislature finds that the commission serves a state, county, and municipal purpose and that service on the commission is consistent with a member’s principal service in a public office or employment.

(f) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to be reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses as provided by s. 112.061.

(2) The commission shall annually elect its chair and other officers. The commission shall hold at least four regular meetings each year at the call of the chair or upon the written request of three members of the commission. A majority of the members of the commission constitutes a quorum.

(3) The Department of Legal Affairs shall serve as legal counsel to the commission.