(1) There is created within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services the Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park Authority which shall be governed by this section and s. 570.691.

(2) The authority shall be composed of 21 members appointed by the commissioner.

(a) Initially, the commissioner shall appoint 11 members for 4-year terms and 10 members for 2-year terms. Thereafter, each member shall be appointed for a term of 4 years from the date of appointment, except that a vacancy shall be filled by appointment for the remainder of the term.

(b) A member of the authority who fails to attend three consecutive authority meetings without good cause shall be deemed to have resigned from the authority.

(3) The Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park Authority shall:

(a) Appoint, with approval from the commissioner, an executive director for the Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park.

(b) Establish rules of procedure for conducting its meetings and approving matters before the authority pursuant to s. 570.691.

(c) Develop, document, and implement strategies for the planning, construction, and operation of the Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park.

(d) Advise and consult with the commissioner on matters related to the Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park.

(e) Consider all matters submitted to the authority by the commissioner.

(4) The authority shall meet at least semiannually and elect a chair, a vice chair, and a secretary for 1-year terms.

(a) The authority shall meet at the call of its chair, at the request of a majority of its membership, at the request of the commissioner, or at such times as may be prescribed by its rules of procedure.

(b) The department may provide administrative and staff support services relating to the meetings of the authority and may provide suitable space in the offices of the department for the meetings and the storage of records of the authority.

(c) In conducting its meetings, the authority shall use accepted rules of procedure. The secretary shall keep a complete record of the proceedings of each meeting, which shows the names of the members present and the actions taken. These records shall be kept on file with the department, and such records and other documents regarding matters within the jurisdiction of the authority shall be subject to inspection by members of the authority.

History.—s. 2, ch. 94-301; s. 8, ch. 95-220; s. 7, ch. 98-396; s. 9, ch. 99-391; s. 28, ch. 2000-308; s. 17, ch. 2005-210; s. 108, ch. 2014-150; s. 15, ch. 2016-61.

Note.—Former s. 570.952.