Florida Cabinet

The Florida Cabinet is a Florida governmental body that engages in collective governance of the state. Created following Reconstruction, when there had been distrust of the military governors appointed by the federal government, it was designed to decentralize authority from the Governor.

History

Until January 7, 2003, Florida was unique among states in that its cabinet consisted of six independently and constitutionally elected members who each held an equal vote with the state Governor in executive decisions. The original Cabinet positions were:
*Attorney General
*Commissioner of Agriculture
*Commissioner of Education
*Comptroller
*Secretary of State
*Treasurer/Insurance Commissioner/Fire Marshal

In 1998, Florida voters voted to amend the Florida Constitution to shrink the Cabinet from these six members to its current three members. This amendment took effect in 2003, following the 2002 election.

Under the reforms adopted, the Secretary of State and Education Commissioner became appointed officials under the Governor who would oversee their respective agencies, while the positions of the Comptroller and the Treasurer/Insurance Commissioner/Fire Marshal were combined into the position of the Chief Financial Officer.

The Cabinet lost its control over the Florida Department of Education; management of K-12 education and community college education which was shifted to the new Florida Board of Education and management of the State University System of Florida to the new Florida Board of Governors. Some environmental policy powers of the Cabinet were shifted to other officials as well. The reforms were seen as ways to strengthen the power of the Governor.

Composition

The Florida Cabinet is chaired by the Governor and consists of three other members:

*Chief Financial Officer
*Attorney General
*Commissioner of Agriculture

Each member is popularly elected by the state and carries one vote in executive decisions. In the case of a tie, the vote cast by the Governor decides the outcome.

Agencies

The Cabinet serves as the board of directors of several state agencies and during their bi-weekly meetings discuss agency business and make policy decisions for the agencies. The members of the Cabinet, all statewide officials, also oversee the separate offices and agencies under their departments. The Cabinet oversees the following agencies:

*State Board of Executive Clemency
*State Board of Administration
*Division of Bond Finance
*Department of Veterans' Affairs
*Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
*Department of Law Enforcement
*Department of Revenue
*Administration Commission
*Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission
*Electrical Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Board
*The Board of Trustees Internal Improvement Trust Fund
*Financial Services Commission

Aides

Each member of the Cabinet has an office dedicated to Cabinet affairs. These issues are headed by a chief cabinet aide, who is assisted by other aides. The week prior to a Cabinet meeting, the Cabinet aides meet to discuss the agenda and conduct preliminary discussion for a variety of issues coming before the full Cabinet. Cabinet aides meetings are considered an important part of the Cabinet process.

Members

*Alex Sink, Chief Financial Officer
*Bill McCollum, Attorney General
*Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner of Agriculture

The Chair of the Cabinet is currently Governor Charlie Crist.

ee also

*Governor of Florida
*Government of Florida

External links

* [http://www.myflorida.com/myflorida/cabinet/ Florida Cabinet]