House bill would let governor pick administrative judges, limit terms

TALLAHASSEE — One c ase involved a tiny horse track where an employee waved a red rag to start a “race” between two aging nags.

A n o t h e r c e n t e r e d o n whether pari-mutuels could continue to offer popular “designated-player” poker-style games at card rooms throughout the state.

And a third focused on a dispute between a public hospital system and an industry giant over a new medical center in Doral.

The cases are among the skirmishes at the Flor ida Division of Administrative Hearings, where nearly three dozen judges weigh in on state agency actions on matters ranging from the mundane to the colossal.

Now, lawmakers are considering giving Gov. Rick Scott the authority to appoint the judges, who would also be limited to serving a maximum of eight years. The judges currently are hired by the division’s chief judge and treated as career-service employees.

Proponents maintain that the changes would instill “transparency and accountability” into the administrative hearing process, while critics contend the revamp could allow agencies to run roughshod over the public.

House bill sponsor Heather Fitzenhagen, R-Fort Myers, told the House Oversight, Transparency & Administration Subcommittee that the judges serve lifetime terms, regardless of performance.