Bill Text: FL S0570 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Alternative Headquarters for District Court of Appeal Judges
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-03-04 - Laid on Table, refer to HB 353 [S0570 Detail]
Download: Florida-2024-S0570-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 570
By Senator Burgess
23-00853-24 2024570__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to alternative headquarters for
3 district court of appeal judges; amending s. 35.051,
4 F.S.; authorizing a district court of appeal judge to
5 have an appropriate facility in a county adjacent to
6 his or her county of residence as the judge’s official
7 headquarters; authorizing subsistence and travel
8 reimbursement to such judges; providing an effective
9 date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13 Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 35.051, Florida
14 Statutes, is amended to read:
15 35.051 Subsistence and travel reimbursement for judges with
16 alternate headquarters.—
17 (1)(a) A district court of appeal judge is eligible for the
18 designation of a county courthouse or another appropriate
19 facility in his or her county of residence, or an adjacent
20 county within the district, as his or her official headquarters
21 for purposes of s. 112.061 if the judge permanently resides more
22 than 50 miles from:
23 1. The appellate district’s headquarters as prescribed
24 under s. 35.05(1), if the judge is assigned to such
25 headquarters; or
26 2. The appellate district’s branch headquarters established
27 under s. 35.05(2), if the judge is assigned to such branch
28 headquarters.
29
30 The official headquarters may serve only as the judge’s private
31 chambers.
32 (b)1. A district court of appeal judge for whom an official
33 headquarters is designated under paragraph (a) in his or her
34 county of residence under this subsection is eligible for
35 subsistence at a rate to be established by the Chief Justice for
36 each day or partial day that the judge is at the headquarters or
37 branch headquarters of his or her appellate district to conduct
38 court business, as authorized by the chief judge of that
39 district court of appeal. The Chief Justice may authorize a
40 judge to choose between subsistence based on lodging at a
41 single-occupancy rate and meal reimbursement as provided in s.
42 112.061 and subsistence at a fixed rate prescribed by the Chief
43 Justice.
44 2. In addition to subsistence, a district court of appeal
45 judge is eligible for reimbursement for travel expenses as
46 provided in s. 112.061(7) and (8) for travel between the judge’s
47 official headquarters and the headquarters or branch
48 headquarters of the appellate district to conduct court
49 business. If the judge’s official headquarters designated under
50 paragraph (a) is located in a county adjacent to the judge’s
51 county of residence, such reimbursement is limited to the lesser
52 of:
53 a. The amount for travel between the judge’s official
54 headquarters and the headquarters or branch headquarters of the
55 appellate district; or
56 b. The amount that would be authorized for travel between
57 an official headquarters maintained in the judge’s county of
58 residence and the headquarters or branch headquarters of the
59 appellate district.
60 (c) Payment of subsistence and reimbursement for travel
61 expenses between the judge’s official headquarters and the
62 headquarters or branch headquarters of his or her appellate
63 district shall be made to the extent that appropriated funds are
64 available, as determined by the Chief Justice.
65 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
