Page 209 - Caribbean-Central America Profile 2018

FLORIDA

CARIBBEAN-CENTRAL AMERICA PROFILE 2018

FINANCIAL SERVICES three branches of Government. The Senate has Department of Children & Families
Through the Office of Financial Regulation 40 members, each elected to a four-year term. 1317 Winewood Blvd.,
(OFR), state-chartered financial institutions Half the senate members are elected every Building 1, Room 202,
are licensed, examined and regulated to two years, providing for staggered terms. The Tallahassee, FL 32399-0700
ensure that private funds invested in Florida’s House of Representatives has 120 members. All Tel: (850) 487-1111
state-chartered financial institutions are are elected every two years during the general Fax: (850) 922-2993
protected from potential loss due to failure elections held in even-numbered years. E-mail: dcf-osc@dcf.state.fl.us
or insolvency. OFR has regulatory authority The Judicial branch is the law interpreting branch.
over state-chartered commercial banks, credit Its powers are exercised primarily through courts Department of Citrus
unions, savings associations, non deposit trust established by the State Constitution. P.O. Box 148,
companies, international banking agencies, Lakeland FL 32802-0148
representative offices and administrative offices. GOVERNMENT LEADERS Tel: (863) 499-2500
OFR processes all applications for new banks, Governor Fax: (863) 284-4300
E-mail: VMSodek@ifas.ufl.edu
savings associations, foreign banks, credit Rick Scott Website: www.floridajuice.com
unions and trust companies. Applications Office of the Governor,
for acquisitions, mergers, cross-industry The Capitol, Department of Community Affairs
conversions, changes of control, requests for trust Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 Sadowski Building,
powers and branches are also processed by OFR. Tel: (850) 488-7146 2555 Shumard Oak Blvd.,
Fax: (850) 487-0801
Florida is home to more than 200 banks, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100
including 50 international banks, 96 state credit Attorney General Tel: (850) 488-8466
unions and more than 100 financial institutions Pam Bondi Fax: (850) 414-8566
providing international banking services. Office of Attorney General,
The Capitol, Department of Corrections
For a complete list of all state-chartered financial Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050 2601 Blair Stone Road,
institutions in Florida, contact: Tel: (850) 414-3300 Tallahassee, FL 32399
Office of Financial Regulation Chief Financial Officer Tel: (850) 488-7480
200 East Gaines Street Jimmy Patronis Fax: (850) 488-4534
E-mail: publicaffairs@mail.dc.state.fl.us
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0371 Department of Financial Services
Tel: (850) 487-9687 200 East Gaines Street, Website: www.dc.state.fl.us
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0300 Department of Education
GOVERNMENT
The Florida State Constitution declares that Tel: (850) 413-3100 Turlington Building,
the powers of state Government be divided Fax: (850) 413-4993 Suite 1514, 325 W. Gaines St.,
into three separate and relatively independent E-mail: cfo@dfs.state.fl.us Tallahassee, FL 32399
branches Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Website: www.fldfs.com Tel: (850) 245-0505
Each branch is sovereign in its own area of Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Fax: (850) 245-9667
responsibility, but the checks and balances Services E-mail: info@doe.state.fl.us
from the other branches also influence it. It is Adam Putnam, Commissioner Website: www.fldoe.org
basically the same governmental model found Department of Agriculture and Consumer
at the national level and in all 50 states The Services, Department of Elder Affairs
Executive branch is the law administering and The Capitol, Tallahassee, 4040 Esplanade Way,
law-enforcing branch of the Government, and FL 32399-0800 Tallahassee, FL 32399-7000
consists of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor Tel: (850) 488-3022 Tel: (850) 414-2000
and Members of Cabinet. The Governor is Fax: (850) 922-4936 Fax: (850) 414-2004
elected for a four-year term and may serve two Website: elderaffirs.state.fl.us
consecutive terms. The Lieutenant Governor BOARDS, COMMISSIONS & Department of Environmental Protection
is elected as a running mate of the Governor. DEPARTMENTS
Members of the Cabinet are also elected to four- Administration Commission 3900 Commonwealth Blvd.,
year terms and may succeed themselves for The Capitol, Room 1802, M.S. 49, Tallahassee, FL, 32399
any number of terms. All the many agencies Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 Tel: (850) 245-2118
and departments responsible for programmes Tel: (850) 487-1884 Fax: (850) 245-2128
in Florida State government are also part of the Department of Business and Professional E-mail: CitizensServices@dep.state.fl.us
Executive Branch. Regulation Website: www.dep.state.fl.us
The Legislative branch is the lawmaking branch DBPR Customer Contact Center Department of Health
and is composed of two houses - the Senate and 1940 North Monroe Street 2585 Merchants Row, Blvd.,
the House of Representatives. The Legislature Tallahassee, FL 32399-1027 Tallahassee, FL 32399
meets for a regular 60-day session each year. Tel: (850) 487-1395 Tel: (850) 245-4444
There may also be special and extended Fax: (850) 488-1830 Fax: (850) 922-9453
sessions if necessary. The Legislative branch is E-mail: Call.Center@dbpr.state.fl.us E-mail: health@doh.state.fl.us
considered to be the most powerful of the state’s Website: www.myflorida.com/dbpr

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