(1) The department shall provide board counsel for boards within the department by contracting with the Department of Legal Affairs, by retaining private counsel pursuant to s. 287.059, or by providing department staff counsel. The primary responsibility of board counsel shall be to represent the interests of the citizens of the state. A board shall provide for the periodic review and evaluation of the services provided by its board counsel. Fees and costs of such counsel shall be paid from the Professional Regulation Trust Fund, subject to the provisions of ss. 215.37 and 455.219. All contracts for independent counsel shall provide for periodic review and evaluation by the board and the department of services provided.
(2) The Department of Business and Professional Regulation may employ or utilize the legal services of outside counsel and the investigative services of outside personnel. However, no attorney employed or used by the department shall prosecute a matter and provide legal services to the board with respect to the same matter.
(3) Any person retained by the department under contract to review materials, make site visits, or provide expert testimony regarding any complaint or application filed with the department relating to a profession under the jurisdiction of the department shall be considered an agent of the department in determining the state insurance coverage and sovereign immunity protection applicability of ss. 284.31 and 768.28.
History.—s. 30, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 73-97; s. 3, ch. 77-115; s. 5, ch. 79-36; s. 288, ch. 81-259; s. 31, ch. 81-302; s. 51, ch. 92-33; s. 23, ch. 93-129; s. 7, ch. 94-119; ss. 74, 75, ch. 94-218; s. 16, ch. 97-261; s. 152, ch. 99-251.
Note.—Former s. 455.007(3), (4).