F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 325 2024
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to Task Force on Missing and Murdered
3 African-American Women; creating the task force;
4 specifying purpose; specifying duties; providing
5 membership; providing for officers and meetings;
6 requiring a report; providing for expiration of the
7 task force; providing an appropriation; providing an
8 effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12 Section 1. Task Force on Missing and Murdered African-
13 American Women.—
14 (1) CREATION; PURPOSE.—The Task Force on Missing and
15 Murdered African-American Women, a task force as defined in s.
16 20.03(8), Florida Statutes, is created within the Department of
17 Law Enforcement to advise the executive director of the
18 Department of Law Enforcement and report to the Legislature on
19 recommendations to address and reduce violence against African-
20 American women and girls in Florida. The task force may also
21 serve as a liaison between the executive director, agencies, and
22 nongovernmental organizations that provide services to victims,
23 victims' families, and victims' communities. Except as otherwise
24 provided in this section, the task force shall operate in a
25 manner consistent with s. 20.052, Florida Statutes.
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26 (2) MEMBERSHIP.—
27 (a) Task force members shall be appointed by September 1,
28 2024. The task force shall be composed of the following persons,
29 or the persons' designees, who are knowledgeable in crime
30 victims' rights or violence prevention and, unless otherwise
31 specified, shall be appointed by the executive director of the
32 department:
33 1. Two members of the Senate, one appointed by the
34 President of the Senate and one appointed by the minority
35 leader.
36 2. Two members of the House of Representatives, one
37 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one
38 appointed by the minority leader.
39 3. Two representatives from among the following:
40 a. The Florida Police Chiefs Association.
41 b. The Florida Sheriffs Association.
42 4. One or more representatives from among the following:
43 a. The Florida Association of County Attorneys;
44 b. A United States Attorney's Office in this state; or
45 c. A judge or attorney working in juvenile court.
46 5. A county coroner, a representative from a statewide
47 coroner's association, or a representative of the Department of
48 Health.
49 6. Three or more representatives from among the following:
50 a. A statewide or local organization that provides legal
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51 services to African-American women and girls;
52 b. A statewide or local organization that provides
53 advocacy or counseling for African-American women and girls who
54 have been victims of violence;
55 c. A statewide or local organization that provides
56 services to African-American women and girls; or
57 d. An African-American woman who is a survivor of gender
58 violence.
59 (b) Members of the task force serve at the pleasure of the
60 appointing authority or until the task force expires. Vacancies
61 shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
62 (3) OFFICERS; MEETINGS.—
63 (a) The task force members shall annually elect a chair
64 and vice chair from among the task force's members and may elect
65 other officers as necessary. The task force shall meet at least
66 quarterly, or upon the call of its chair, and may hol d meetings
67 throughout the state. The task force shall meet as many times as
68 it deems necessary to complete the duties provided in subsection
69 (4).
70 (b) The task force shall seek out and enlist the
71 cooperation and assistance of nongovernmental organizations,
72 community and advocacy organizations working with the African -
73 American community, and academic researchers and experts,
74 specifically those specializing in violence against African-
75 American women and girls, those representing diverse communities
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76 disproportionately affected by violence against women and girls,
77 or those focusing on issues relating to gender violence and
78 violence against African-American women and girls.
79 (c) The first meeting of the task force shall convene no
80 later than October 1, 2024. The Department of Law Enforcement
81 shall provide meeting space and administrative assistance as
82 necessary for the task force to conduct its work.
83 (4) DUTIES.—The task force must examine and report on the
84 following:
85 (a) The systemic causes behind violence against African-
86 American women and girls, including patterns and underlying
87 factors that explain why disproportionately high levels of
88 violence occur against African-American women and girls,
89 including underlying historical, social, economic,
90 institutional, and cultural factors that may contribute to such
91 violence.
92 (b) Appropriate methods for tracking and collecting data
93 on violence against African-American women and girls, including
94 data on missing and murdered African-American women and girls.
95 (c) Institutions such as police, child welfare agencies,
96 coroners, and other governmental institutions and their policies
97 and practices that impact violence against African-American
98 women and girls and the investigation and prosecution of crimes
99 of gender violence against African-Americans.
100 (d) Measures necessary to address and reduce or eliminate
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101 violence against African-American women and girls.
102 (e) Measures to help victims, victims' families, and
103 victims' communities prevent and heal from violence that occu rs
104 against African-American women and girls.
105 (5) REPORT.—The task force shall report to the chairs and
106 ranking minority members of the legislative committees with
107 jurisdiction over public safety, human services, and state
108 government on the work of the task force, including, but not
109 limited to, the issues to be examined as specified in this
110 section, and shall include in the report institutional policies
111 and practices or proposed institutional policies and practices
112 that are effective in reducing gender violence and increasing
113 the safety of African-American women and girls. The report shall
114 include recommendations to reduce or eliminate violence against
115 African-American women and girls and help victims and
116 communities heal from gender violence and violence against
117 African-American women and girls. The report shall be submitted
118 to the legislative committees by December 15, 2025.
119 (6) EXPIRATION.—The task force and this section expire on
120 December 31, 2025.
121 Section 2. For Fiscal Year 2024-2025, the sum of $150,000
122 is appropriated to the Department of Law Enforcement from the
123 General Revenue Fund to implement this act.
124 Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
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