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Record Group Number: 000151
Series/Collection Number: .S 2018
Creator: Florida. Office of Secretary of State.  --Office of General Counsel.
Title, Dates: Department of State transition and administration records, 1994-2002.
Amount: 3 cubic ft.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement: Arranged by subject.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:     The General Counsel's Office provides legal services for the Department of State, including drafting and reviewing contracts, leases, administrative orders, legal pleadings, rules and grant agreements; provides legal assistance and represents the department in litigation filed against the department and the Secretary of State; and drafts legislation and reviews proposed legislation and rule making. The general counsel also formulates and assists in formulating all major policies and procedures of agencies headed by the Governor and Cabinet.

    The Department of State mission is to serve and enhance Florida’s communities by preserving and promoting Florida’s rich historical and cultural heritage; by supporting local library systems; by ensuring fair and accurate elections; and by issuing corporate charters and recording financial information.  The Department of State vision is to create opportunities to participate in Florida’s culture, history, information, business and elections where all Floridians have an appreciation of and are educated on the Department’s mission through individual relationships and partnerships with Florida communities.
Summary:     This series documents administrative activities of several agency and program heads within the Department of State and General Counsel's Office.  The majority of the records document the various activities and meetings held by the Department of State Constitutional Transition Task Force in 1999, including Task Force files, correspondence, surveys and audio tapes from 1998-2000.  The purpose of the Constitutional Transition Task Force was to analyze various statutory functions of state government, including those performed by the Department of State, and recommend which functions should be performed by the Department of State beginning January 2003 in light of revision #8 (1998) to the state's constitution, which reduced the size of the Florida Cabinet to include only the Attorney General, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Commissioner of Agriculture.

    The series also documents the administration and operations of the Florida History Associates (FHA), the non-profit, citizens support organization for the Museum of Florida History.  These include records of FHA's organizational structure;  operational reviews; by-laws and articles of incorporation; and the Florida History Associates Procedures and Guidelines manual pertaining to the use of the 22nd floor of the Capitol, museum sites, Main Gallery, and the Old Capitol.

    The series contains legal documentation (international certification of documents [apostilles], last will and testaments, codicils, case law, contracts and leases); operational audits and reviews for programs/associations/grant processes; correspondence; memoranda; electronic mail; newspaper articles; reconciliation of expenditures; travel vouchers (George Firestone); senate staff analysis and economic impact statements (regarding state programs such as the Great Floridians program and the renaming of two divisions within the Department of State); and legislative proposals and statutes.
Finding Aids: Folder listing available. 0
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields: Florida. Dept. of State.
Florida. Office of Secretary of State.  --Office of General Counsel.
Museum of Florida History.
Florida History Associates.
Florida. Cabinet.
Constitution revisions.
International relations.
Legislation Florida
Organizational change.
Audio tapes. aat
Electronic mail. aat
Letters. aat
Florida Government
Florida Officials and employees
Florida Politics and government 1951-
Sarasota (Fla.)
Tallahassee (Fla.)
Added Entries