Dedicated to Florida’s Public Safety
Clerk leadership provided the following statements in response to Governor Scott’s $1M federal funding request on Monday.
Franklin County Clerk and Comptroller & Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers president, Marcia M. Johnson:
“We appreciate Governor Scott’s acknowledgment and support. Like him, the safety of our state’s citizens and visitors is of paramount importance. Unfortunately, funding shortages at the state level have led to this request and we are counting on federal dollars to shore up our resources before a tragedy occurs.”
Pinellas County Clerk and Comptroller & Clerks of Court Operation Corporation chair, Ken Burke:
“Florida’s Clerks of Court are laser-focused on finding a solution to this issue. Like many of the core services we provide, this is one of the critical functions our offices are struggling to fund. Recognizing its importance, we are taking immediate action to be part of the overall solution. We look forward to partnering with the legislature to develop a permanent and sustainable funding model addressing all necessary Clerk functions, including this one.”
Background
Florida’s Clerks and Comptrollers have long been committed to satisfying the statutorily-mandated reporting requirements for gun ownership and work with justice partners statewide to strengthen reporting systems and practices.
In 2006, Florida’s Clerks were tasked with the eligibility reporting responsibility regarding gun purchases. When the law was further strengthened in 2013, Florida’s Clerks worked with FDLE to identify best practices when entering records into the Mental Competency Database (MECOM). In June 2014, FDLE acknowledged Florida Clerks’ challenges in meeting database entry requirements. Following a state Auditor General’s report on FDLE in 2016, Clerks worked with the agency to develop an improvement plan which was published in an April 2017 Inspector General’s six-month follow-up report which stated no further action was needed.
Despite a budget reduction of more than $60 million over the last five years, Florida’s Clerks of Court strive to provide critical services in every county amid serious budget constraints.
The Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers (FCCC) is a statewide, non-profit member association comprised of the Florida Clerks of the Circuit Court and Comptrollers. FCCC provides local government support services, technical assistance and accreditation opportunities for all members of the association. For more information visit flclerks.com.
