Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet approved a year-long dig for human remains at a closed Panhandle reform school, saying the state cannot ignore abuse that went on for decades.
They approved a land-use agreement on Tuesday, allowing University of South Florida researchers to search for the bodies of boys who may have died between 1900 and 1952 at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna.
The Legislature had allocated $190,000 to fund the research, determine the causes of death, identify remains, locate potential family members and cover the costs for any re-internment. But the excavation work has been on hold as researchers have been unable to get approval to dig.
Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater says it's time for the state to step up.
"We are accepting today with our vote, our responsibility that whatever is necessary, that we accomplish the goals laid out", Atwater said.
But some Jackson County residents expressed concern that exhuming bodies around the one-time reform school would have a negative effect on the local community and its economy.
They've opposed the efforts of USF researchers, whose ground-penetrating radar has identified potential graves.