The Florida Historic Capitol Museum Council is created within the legislative branch of state government.(1) The council is composed of 13 members. Council members shall be selected based on their dedication to preserving the Florida Historic Capitol and advancing the mission of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum. Council members must demonstrate an interest in documenting the institutional knowledge and historic traditions of state governance with an emphasis on legislative history, the advancement of civics education, and the encouragement of residents of this state to engage with state government. To serve on the council, prospective members should be experts in, or hold credentials in, the fields most directly related to the mission of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum, including, but not limited to, history, education, historic preservation, legal history, or political science, or be leaders in their respective communities or statewide, with demonstrated success in building community support for cultural institutions. The council consists of the following members:(a) The Secretary of the Senate.
(b) The Clerk of the House of Representatives.
(c) The Sergeants at Arms of both houses of the Legislature.
(d) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint three members, two of whom must be former legislators or officers of the Legislature and one of whom must be a representative of the general public.
(e) The board of directors of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum’s direct-support organization shall appoint three members from its membership.
(2) A council member shall:(a) Serve without compensation, except that he or she is entitled to receive reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses in accordance with s. 112.061. Such expenses must be paid out of funds of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum’s direct-support organization. (b) Attend a majority of the council’s quarterly meetings.
(c) Serve as an advocate and ambassador for the museum.
(d) Lend expertise for the advancement of the museum.
(e) Participate in key museum events.
(f) Become a member of the museum.
(3) The council shall:(a) Designate a chair.
(b) Provide guidance and support to assist the Florida Historic Capitol Museum Director and staff in developing a strategic plan to guide the activities of the museum.
(c) Periodically review the museum’s strategic plan.
(d) Ensure that the museum retains an emphasis on preserving legislative history and traditions by cultivating relationships with current and former legislators, collecting historic materials, and encouraging public participation in the museum’s programs.
(e) Ensure that the museum operates as a public trust in accordance with the Ethics, Standards, and Best Practices and the Code of Ethics for Museums adopted by the American Alliance of Museums.
(f) Meet annually with the board of directors of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum’s direct-support organization to jointly review the museum’s strategic plan before it is presented to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and evaluate the direct-support organization’s long-term development goals and near-term strategies.
(g) Assist museum staff in planning the Biennial Joint Legislative Reunion.
