(1) The department shall establish and operate a toll-free telephone hotline to receive complaints and provide information relating to the regulation under this chapter.

(2) The director of the division shall serve as executive director of the board. The director is the agency head of the division. The director shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Chief Financial Officer. The director shall be responsible for preparation of the agenda for each board meeting, and may make presentation to the board of department recommendations and reports, and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chief Financial Officer.

(3) There shall be submitted to the Legislature a biennial budget for the board’s operations at a time and in the manner provided by law.

(4) There shall be developed and implemented a training program for persons newly appointed to membership on the board. The program shall familiarize such persons with the substantive and procedural laws and rules which relate to the regulation under this chapter and with the structure of the department.

(5) There may be informational newsletters, bulletins, and brochures produced and provided to licensees and consumers concerning regulation under this chapter.

(6) The department shall allow applicants for new or renewal licenses and current licensees to be screened by the Title IV-D child support agency pursuant to s. 409.2598 to ensure compliance with a support obligation. The purpose of this subsection is to promote the public policy of this state relating to child support as established in s. 409.2551. The department shall, when directed by the court or the Department of Revenue pursuant to s. 409.2598, suspend or deny the license of any licensee found not to be in compliance with a support order, a subpoena, an order to show cause, or a written agreement with the Department of Revenue. The department shall issue or reinstate the license without additional charge to the licensee when notified by the court or the Department of Revenue that the licensee has complied with the terms of the support order. The department is not liable for any license denial or suspension resulting from the discharge of its duties under this subsection.

(7) Any person retained by the department under contract to review materials, make site visits, or provide expert testimony regarding any complaint or application filed with the department, relating to regulation under this chapter, shall be considered an agent of the department in determining the state insurance coverage and sovereign immunity protection applicability of ss. 284.31 and 768.28.

(8) Funds due from any licensee as a result of disciplinary settlements under this chapter may be directed by the board and department to use in support of training of examiners, investigators, and inspectors concerning examinations, investigations and inspections under this chapter, and to the conduct of examinations and investigations under this chapter, in order to enhance oversight and enforcement of laws and regulations governing the activities of licensees under this chapter.

(9) Any application under this chapter which must be reviewed and acted upon by the board under this chapter shall be acted upon by the board at a regularly scheduled board meeting, and such application must be complete at least 25 days in advance of a regularly scheduled board meeting to be considered by the board at such board meeting. The time for approval of completed applications under s. 120.60 shall be deemed tolled between the date the application is complete and the next regularly scheduled board meeting at which the application may be considered by the board.

(10) The board may establish by rule procedures and requirements for the appearance before the board of any applicant or principal of an applicant, to stand for oral interview by the board at a public meeting of the board, before an application shall be deemed complete. Such rule may require such appearance for all or specified categories of applicants and may provide criteria for determining when such appearance shall be required.

(11) In any instance in which a licensee or applicant under this chapter is required to be in compliance with a particular provision by, on, or before a certain date, and if that date occurs on a Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday, then the licensee or applicant is deemed to be in compliance with the specific date requirement if the required action occurs on the first succeeding day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(12) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, any elected official who is licensed pursuant to this chapter may hold employment for compensation with any public agency concurrent with such public service. Such dual service shall be disclosed according to any disclosure required by applicable law.

(13) No application for any approval by the board may come before the board for final or other action, nor shall action by the board be taken as to any application, except upon presentation and recommendation by the department.

(14) The department shall have standing to appear as a party litigant in any judicial proceeding for the purpose of enforcing this chapter or for the protection of Florida residents from the effects of any violation of this chapter.

(15) The Department of Legal Affairs shall provide legal services to the board within the Department of Financial Services, but the primary responsibility of the Department of Legal Affairs shall be to represent the interests of the citizens of the state by vigorously counseling the board with respect to its obligations under the laws of the state. Subject to the prior approval of the Attorney General, the board may retain independent legal counsel to provide legal advice to the board on a specific matter. Fees and costs of such counsel shall be paid from the Regulatory Trust Fund.

History.—s. 37, ch. 2004-301; s. 94, ch. 2005-2; s. 7, ch. 2008-92.