Section 3.  Section 240.136, Florida Statutes, is

    created to read:

        240.136  Suspension and removal from office of elected

    student government officials; referendum.--Each state
 
    university and community college student government

  1  association shall establish a process within 60 days of this

  2  act becoming a law to provide for the removal from office of

  3  any elected student government official who has been convicted

  4  of a violation of criminal law or has been found civilly

  5  liable for an act of moral turpitude, after all available

  6  rights of judicial appeal have been exercised or waived or

  7  have expired. The process shall include a procedure for the

  8  immediate suspension of the student government official from

  9  elected office following the conviction or civil finding and

10  during any appeal, and shall provide for the temporary

11  successor to the subject office pending completion of any

12  appeal. The process must also include a procedure for

13  registered students to petition for a referendum recommending

14  to the student government association the removal of a student

15  official from elected office. The referendum must be held

16  within 60 days of filing of the petition. The recommendation

17  to remove the subject official from elected office shall be

18  made by majority vote of the students participating in the

19  referendum. The action of a student government association

20  under this section shall be subject to an appeal to the

21  university or community college president or designee.

22         Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

23  law.

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