(1)As used in this section, the term:(a) “Agency head” means the Governor, a Cabinet officer, or a secretary or executive director as those terms are defined in s. 20.03, the chair of the Public Service Commission, the Director of the Office of Insurance Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the Director of the Office of Financial Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the board of directors of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the chair of the Florida Gaming Control Commission, and the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court.
(b)“Entities contracting with the state” means for-profit and not-for-profit organizations or businesses that have a legal existence, such as corporations or partnerships, as opposed to natural persons, which have entered into a relationship with a state agency to provide for consideration certain goods or services to the state agency or on behalf of the state agency. The relationship may be evidenced by payment by warrant or purchasing card, contract, purchase order, provider agreement, or other such mutually agreed upon relationship. The term does not apply to entities that are the subject of audits or investigations conducted pursuant to ss. 112.3187-112.31895 or s. 409.913 or which are otherwise confidential and exempt under s. 119.07.
(c)“Individuals substantially affected” means natural persons who have established a real and sufficiently immediate injury in fact due to the findings, conclusions, or recommendations of a final report of a state agency inspector general, who are the subject of the audit or investigation, and who do not have or are not currently afforded an existing right to an independent review process. The term does not apply to employees of the state, including career service, probationary, other personal service, Selected Exempt Service, and Senior Management Service employees; former employees of the state if the final report of the state agency inspector general relates to matters arising during a former employee's term of state employment; or persons who are the subject of audits or investigations conducted pursuant to ss. 112.3187-112.31895 or s. 119.07.
(d)“State agency” means each department created pursuant to this chapter and the Executive Office of the Governor, the Department of Military Affairs, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Office of Insurance Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the Office of Financial Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Board of Governors of the State University System, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the Florida Gaming Control Commission, and the state courts system.
(2)An office of inspector general is established in each state agency to provide a central point for coordination of and responsibility for activities that promote accountability, integrity, and efficiency in government. It is the duty and responsibility of each inspector general, with respect to the state agency in which the office is established, to:(a) Advise in the development of performance measures, standards, and procedures for the evaluation of state agency programs.
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