Bill frees counties from funding regional conflict counsels!
Friday, March 19, 2010
After the Article V Revision was approved by voters in 1998, the state began the process of implementing the new constitutional provision and its division of funding responsibilities between the state and the counties. After this transition was completed and not until 2008, the state created the Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel (OCCRC) to handle conflict cases. When the state created the OCCRC it required counties to pay for the infrastructure related to those offices.
The Florida Association of Counties and 27 counties challenged the state on the grounds that the funding provision was a violation of Florida’s Constitution. Two different Florida courts have sided with the challenging the funding allocation. Today, the Legislature has acknowledged that the courts have validated the arguments made by the counties. The Senate has eliminated the statute that requires counties to pay for the Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel. This is a big win for counties. Please thank Senators Crist, Dean, Joyner, Wilson and Villalobos
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