Bar takes legislative positions.

Under Rule 2-9.3 (b)-(e), Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, active members of the Bar may file a specific objection to any legislative position adopted by the Board of Governors.

Objections properly filed within 45 days of this News issue will be considered for a refund of that portion of mandatory-membership fees applicable to the contested legislative position, within an additional 45 days. The Bar's governing board has the option to grant the appropriate refund to an objector or to refer the matter to arbitration.

The arbitration process will determine solely whether the legislative position is within those acceptable activities for which compulsory membership fees may be used under applicable constitutional law. The objecting member's fees allocable to the contested legislative position will be escrowed promptly upon receipt of the objection, and any refund will bear legal interest.

Any active member may provide written notice to the executive director of The Florida Bar, setting forth an objection to a particular legislative position. Failure to object within 45 days of this News issue will constitute a waiver of any right to object to a particular legislative position within this notice.

The policy requires the Bar to notice such legislative positions in the next available News issue following their adoption.

Pursuant to Standing Board Policy 9.20, on December 10, 2005 the Board of Governors approved the following positions of The Florida Bar:

2. Opposes amendments to the Florida Constitution that would alter the authority of the Supreme Court of Florida to regulate the admission of persons to the practice of law or the discipline of persons admitted.

3. Opposes amendment of Article V, Section 2(a) of the Florida Constitution which would alter the Supreme Court's authority to adopt rules for practice and procedure in all courts, or which would change the manner by which such rules may be repealed by the legislature.

4. Supports the most restrictive limitations on lawyer advertising consistent with constitutional requirements.

5. Supports adequate funding of the state courts system, state attorneys' offices, public defenders' offices, and court-appointed counsel.

6. Supports adequate funding for civil legal assistance to indigent persons through the Florida Access to Civil Legal Assistance Act.

7. Supports language in the Legislative Appropriations Act to permit the payment of government attorneys' Florida Bar membership fees and continuing legal education costs from funds within budget entities.

8. Supports federal legislation to amend [section]120 of the Internal Revenue Code to restore, increase, and make permanent the exclusion from an employee's gross income of employer contributions to group legal services plans.

9. Supports adequate funding of the Legal Services Corporation by the federal government, and opposes any funding cuts.

10. Opposes the Federal Trade Commission's interpretation that law firms and attorneys who are "significantly engaged in financial activities" are subject to the customer notice provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (also known as the Financial Industries Modernization Act) regarding the protection and disclosure of individually identifiable personal client information.

11. Supports legislation consistent with the Supreme Court of Florida's November 30, 2004 certification of need for additional judges.