There is created a Department of Business and Professional Regulation.(1) The head of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is the Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation. The secretary shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
(2) The following divisions of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation are established:(a) Division of Administration.
(b) Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
(c) Division of Certified Public Accounting.1. The director of the division shall be appointed by the secretary of the department, subject to approval by a majority of the Board of Accountancy.
2. The offices of the division shall be located in Gainesville.
(d) Division of Drugs, Devices, and Cosmetics.
(e) Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes.
(f) Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
(g) Division of Professions.
(h) Division of Real Estate.1. The director of the division shall be appointed by the secretary of the department, subject to approval by a majority of the Florida Real Estate Commission.
2. The offices of the division shall be located in Orlando.
(i) Division of Regulation.
(j) Division of Technology.
(k) Division of Service Operations.
(3) The secretary shall appoint a director for each division established within this section. Each division director shall directly administer the division and shall be responsible to the secretary. The secretary may appoint deputy and assistant secretaries as necessary to aid the secretary in fulfilling the secretary’s statutory obligations.
(4)(a) The following boards and programs are established within the Division of Professions:1. Board of Architecture and Interior Design, created under part I of chapter 481.
2. Florida Board of Auctioneers, created under part VI of chapter 468.
3. Barbers’ Board, created under chapter 476.
4. Florida Building Code Administrators and Inspectors Board, created under part XII of chapter 468.
5. Construction Industry Licensing Board, created under part I of chapter 489.
6. Board of Cosmetology, created under chapter 477.
7. Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board, created under part II of chapter 489.
8. Board of Employee Leasing Companies, created under part XI of chapter 468.
9. Board of Landscape Architecture, created under part II of chapter 481.
10. Board of Pilot Commissioners, created under chapter 310.
11. Board of Professional Engineers, created under chapter 471.
12. Board of Professional Geologists, created under chapter 492.
13. Board of Veterinary Medicine, created under chapter 474.
14. Home inspection services licensing program, created under part XV of chapter 468.
15. Mold-related services licensing program, created under part XVI of chapter 468.
(b) The following board and commission are established within the Division of Real Estate:1. Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board, created under part II of chapter 475.
2. Florida Real Estate Commission, created under part I of chapter 475.
(c) The following board is established within the Division of Certified Public Accounting: Board of Accountancy, created under chapter 473.
(5) The members of each board established pursuant to subsection (4) shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Consumer members on the board shall be appointed pursuant to subsection (6). Members shall be appointed for 4-year terms, and such terms shall expire on October 31. However, a term of less than 4 years may be utilized to ensure that:(a) No more than two members’ terms expire during the same calendar year for boards consisting of seven or eight members.
(b) No more than 3 members’ terms expire during the same calendar year for boards consisting of 9 to 12 members.
(c) No more than 5 members’ terms expire during the same calendar year for boards consisting of 13 or more members.
A member whose term has expired shall continue to serve on the board until such time as a replacement is appointed. A vacancy on the board shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the same manner as the original appointment. No member may serve for more than the remaining portion of a previous member’s unexpired term, plus two consecutive 4-year terms of the member’s own appointment thereafter.
(6) Each board with five or more members shall have at least two consumer members who are not, and have never been, members or practitioners of the profession regulated by such board or of any closely related profession. Each board with fewer than five members shall have at least one consumer member who is not, and has never been, a member or practitioner of the profession regulated by such board or of any closely related profession.
(7) No board, with the exception of joint coordinatorships, shall be transferred from its present location unless authorized by the Legislature in the General Appropriations Act.
(8) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department is authorized to establish uniform application forms and certificates of licensure for use by the divisions within the department. Nothing in this subsection authorizes the department to vary any substantive requirements, duties, or eligibilities for licensure or certification as provided by law.
(9)(a) All employees authorized by the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco shall have access to, and shall have the right to inspect, premises licensed by the division, to collect taxes and remit them to the officers entitled to them, and to examine the books and records of all licensees. The authorized employees shall require of each licensee strict compliance with the laws of this state relating to the transaction of such business.
(b) Each employee serving as a law enforcement officer for the division must meet the qualifications for employment or appointment as a law enforcement officer set forth under s. 943.13 and must be certified as a law enforcement officer by the Department of Law Enforcement under chapter 943. Upon certification, each law enforcement officer is subject to and has the same authority as provided for law enforcement officers generally in chapter 901 and has statewide jurisdiction. Each officer also has arrest authority as provided for state law enforcement officers in s. 901.15. Each officer possesses the full law enforcement powers granted to other peace officers of this state, including the authority to make arrests, carry firearms, serve court process, and seize contraband and the proceeds of illegal activities.1. The primary responsibility of each officer appointed under this section is to investigate, enforce, and prosecute, throughout the state, violations and violators of parts I and II of chapter 210, part VII of chapter 559, and chapters 561-569, and the rules adopted thereunder, as well as other state laws that the division, all state law enforcement officers, or beverage enforcement agents are specifically authorized to enforce.
2. The secondary responsibility of each officer appointed under this section is to enforce all other state laws, provided that the enforcement is incidental to exercising the officer’s primary responsibility as provided in subparagraph 1., and the officer exercises the powers of a deputy sheriff, only after consultation or coordination with the appropriate local sheriff’s office or municipal police department or when the division participates in the Florida Mutual Aid Plan during a declared state emergency.
