(1) There is created the Medical Examiners Commission within the Department of Law Enforcement. The commission shall consist of nine persons appointed or selected as follows:

(a) The Governor shall appoint:

1. Two members who are physicians licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459 and who are active district medical examiners;

2. One member who is a funeral director licensed pursuant to chapter 497;

3. One member who is a state attorney;

4. One member who is a public defender;

5. One member who is a sheriff; and

6. One member who is a county commissioner.

(b) One member shall be the Attorney General or her or his designated representative.

(c) One member shall be the State Surgeon General or her or his designated representative.

(2) The term of office of the physicians appointed to the commission shall be 4 years. The term of office of the state attorney, public defender, sheriff, and county commissioner each shall be 4 years unless she or he leaves that office sooner, in which case her or his appointment will terminate. The term of office of the funeral director shall be 4 years. Upon the expiration of the present terms of office, the Governor shall appoint two members for terms of 4 years, two members for terms of 3 years, two members for terms of 2 years, and one member for a term of 1 year. An appointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired portion of the term.

(3) Members of the commission shall not receive any compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for travel and expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in s. 112.061.

(4) The Medical Examiners Commission shall:

(a) Initiate cooperative policies with any agency of the state or political subdivision thereof.

(b) Remove or suspend district medical examiners pursuant to this act and have the authority to investigate violations of this act.

(c) Oversee the distribution of state funds for the medical examiner districts and may make such agreements and contracts, subject to approval of the executive director of the Department of Law Enforcement, as may be necessary to effect the provisions of this chapter.

(5) All staffing and budgetary decisions involving the commission shall be subject to the approval of the executive director of the department.

(6) The Department of Law Enforcement shall employ staff for the commission pursuant to subsection (5).

History.—s. 2, ch. 70-232; s. 1, ch. 70-439; s. 1, ch. 72-392; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 4, ch. 78-323; s. 15, ch. 79-8; ss. 1, 5, 6, 7, ch. 81-89; ss. 1, 4, ch. 82-46; s. 2, ch. 83-265; s. 16, ch. 86-220; ss. 1, 7, 8, ch. 87-359; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 25, ch. 97-103; s. 174, ch. 99-8; s. 140, ch. 2004-301; s. 55, ch. 2008-6; s. 113, ch. 2010-102.