(1) The department shall administer the provisions of this chapter as provided in this chapter.
(a) The department has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this chapter conferring powers or duties upon it.
(b) The department may employ and discharge such employees, examiners, counsel, and other assistants as shall be deemed necessary, and it shall prescribe their duties; their compensation shall be the same as other state employees receive for similar services.
(2) The department shall adopt a seal by which its proceedings are authenticated. Any written instrument purporting to be a copy of any action, proceeding, or finding of fact by the department, or any record of the department authenticated by the seal, shall be accepted by all the courts of this state as prima facie evidence of the contents thereof.
(3) The papers, documents, reports, or any other investigatory records of the department are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) until such investigation is completed or ceases to be active. For the purpose of this section, an investigation is considered “active” while the investigation is being conducted by the department with a reasonable, good faith belief that it may lead to the filing of administrative, civil, or criminal proceedings. An investigation does not cease to be active if the department is proceeding with reasonable dispatch and there is good faith belief that action may be initiated by the department or other administrative or law enforcement agency.
History.—s. 2, ch. 29621, 1955; s. 7, ch. 61-406; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 177, ch. 70-339; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 2, 71, 72, ch. 82-175; ss. 2, 50, 51, ch. 84-103; ss. 3, 5, ch. 87-321; ss. 2, 46, 47, ch. 90-131; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 1, ch. 93-119; s. 6, ch. 93-262; s. 2, ch. 96-372; s. 29, ch. 96-388; s. 401, ch. 96-406; s. 216, ch. 98-200; s. 1651, ch. 2003-261.
Note.—Former s. 903.38.