(1) Before July 1 of each even-numbered year, the Governor and Cabinet shall select a chair who shall serve for a period of 2 years and until a successor is selected and qualified. The Governor and Cabinet shall, at the same time that a chair is selected, select a vice chair to serve during the same 2-year period as the chair, in the absence of the chair. The chair may succeed himself or herself. The chair, as chief administrative officer of the commission, has the authority and responsibility to plan, direct, coordinate, and execute the powers, duties, and responsibilities assigned to the commission, except those of granting and revoking parole as provided for in this chapter. Subject to approval by the Governor and the Cabinet, the chair may assign consenting retired commissioners or former commissioners to temporary duty when there is a workload need. Any such commissioner shall be paid $100 for each day or portion of a day spent on the work of the commission and shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. The chair is authorized to provide or disseminate information relative to parole by means of documents, seminars, programs, or otherwise as he or she determines necessary. The chair shall establish, execute, and be held accountable for all administrative policy decisions. However, decisions to grant or revoke parole shall be made in accordance with the provisions of ss. 947.172, 947.174, and 947.23. The commissioners shall be directly accountable to the chair in the execution of their duties as commissioners, and the chair has authority to recommend to the Governor suspension of a commissioner who fails to perform the duties provided for by statute.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 20.05(1)(g), the chair shall appoint administrators with responsibility for the management of commission activities in the following functional areas:

(a) Administration.

(b) Operations.

(c) Clemency.

(3) The commissioners shall select from their number a secretary who shall serve for a period of 1 year or until a successor is elected and qualified.

(4) The commission may establish and maintain field offices within existing administration buildings at facilities and institutions operated by the department. Headquarters shall be located in Tallahassee. The business of the commission shall be transacted anywhere in the state as provided in s. 947.06. The commission shall keep its official records and papers at the headquarters, which it shall furnish and equip.

(5) Acts and decisions of the chair may be modified as provided in s. 947.06.

History.—s. 2, ch. 20519, 1941; s. 6, ch. 78-417; s. 2, ch. 79-42; s. 3, ch. 82-171; ss. 22, 34, ch. 83-131; s. 1, ch. 85-295; ss. 27, 37, ch. 86-183; ss. 1, 2, ch. 87-300; s. 67, ch. 88-122; s. 17, ch. 89-531; s. 15, ch. 90-211; ss. 20, 21, ch. 90-337; s. 1, ch. 93-2; s. 2, ch. 93-61; s. 18, ch. 96-422; s. 24, ch. 97-78; s. 1871, ch. 97-102; s. 4, ch. 2001-124.