Meeting; when commission may act.

The commission shall meet at regularly scheduled intervals and from time to time as may otherwise be determined by the chair. The making of recommendations to the Governor and Cabinet in matters relating to modifications of acts and decisions of the chair as provided in s. 947.04(1) shall be by a majority vote of the commission. No prisoner shall be placed on parole except as provided in ss. 947.172 and 947.174 by a panel of no fewer than two commissioners appointed by the chair. All matters relating to the granting, denying, or revoking of parole shall be decided in a meeting at which the public shall have the right to be present. Victims of the crime committed by the inmate shall be permitted to make an oral statement or submit a written statement regarding their views as to the granting, denying, or revoking of parole. Persons not members or employees of the commission or victims of the crime committed by the inmate may be permitted to participate in deliberations concerning the granting and revoking of paroles only upon the prior written approval of the chair of the commission. To facilitate the ability of victims and other persons to attend commission meetings, the commission shall meet in various counties including, but not limited to, Broward, Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough, Leon, Miami-Dade, Orange, and Palm Beach, with the location chosen being as close as possible to the location where the parole-eligible inmate committed the offense for which the parole-eligible inmate was sentenced. The commission shall adopt rules governing the oral participation of victims and the submission of written statements by victims.