Senate Bill sb2922e1

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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to public records exemptions;

  3         amending s. 1004.43, F.S.; clarifying the

  4         public records exemption for proprietary

  5         confidential business information owned or

  6         controlled by the not-for-profit corporation

  7         operating the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and

  8         Research Institute and its subsidiaries

  9         relating to trade secrets; expanding the public

10         records exemption to include information

11         received from a person in this or another state

12         or nation or the Federal Government which is

13         otherwise exempt or confidential pursuant to

14         the laws of this or another state or nation or

15         pursuant to federal law; providing for future

16         review and repeal; providing a statement of

17         public necessity; amending s. 1004.445, F.S.;

18         creating a public records exemption for

19         proprietary confidential business information

20         owned or controlled by the Florida Alzheimer's

21         Center and Research Institute; specifying types

22         of information that are deemed proprietary

23         confidential business information; defining

24         "managed care" for purposes of the act;

25         creating a public meetings exemption for

26         specified meetings or portions of meetings of

27         the governing board of the Florida Alzheimer's

28         Center and Research Institute; providing for

29         future review and repeal; providing a statement

30         of public necessity; providing severability;

31         providing an effective date.


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

 2  

 3         Section 1.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (8) of section

 4  1004.43, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 5         1004.43  H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research

 6  Institute.--There is established the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer

 7  Center and Research Institute at the University of South

 8  Florida.

 9         (8)

10         (b)  Proprietary confidential business information is

11  confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1)

12  and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.  However, the

13  Auditor General, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and

14  Government Accountability, and the State Board of Education,

15  pursuant to their oversight and auditing functions, must be

16  given access to all proprietary confidential business

17  information upon request and without subpoena and must

18  maintain the confidentiality of information so received. As

19  used in this paragraph, the term "proprietary confidential

20  business information" means information, regardless of its

21  form or characteristics, which is owned or controlled by the

22  not-for-profit corporation or its subsidiaries; is intended to

23  be and is treated by the not-for-profit corporation or its

24  subsidiaries as private and the disclosure of which would harm

25  the business operations of the not-for-profit corporation or

26  its subsidiaries; has not been intentionally disclosed by the

27  corporation or its subsidiaries unless pursuant to law, an

28  order of a court or administrative body, a legislative

29  proceeding pursuant to s. 5, Art. III of the State

30  Constitution, or a private agreement that provides that the

31  


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1  information may be released to the public; and which is

 2  information concerning:

 3         1.  Internal auditing controls and reports of internal

 4  auditors;

 5         2.  Matters reasonably encompassed in privileged

 6  attorney-client communications;

 7         3.  Contracts for managed-care arrangements, including

 8  preferred provider organization contracts, health maintenance

 9  organization contracts, and exclusive provider organization

10  contracts, and any documents directly relating to the

11  negotiation, performance, and implementation of any such

12  contracts for managed-care arrangements;

13         4.  Bids or other contractual data, banking records,

14  and credit agreements the disclosure of which would impair the

15  efforts of the not-for-profit corporation or its subsidiaries

16  to contract for goods or services on favorable terms;

17         5.  Information relating to private contractual data,

18  the disclosure of which would impair the competitive interest

19  of the provider of the information;

20         6.  Corporate officer and employee personnel

21  information;

22         7.  Information relating to the proceedings and records

23  of credentialing panels and committees and of the governing

24  board of the not-for-profit corporation or its subsidiaries

25  relating to credentialing;

26         8.  Minutes of meetings of the governing board of the

27  not-for-profit corporation and its subsidiaries, except

28  minutes of meetings open to the public pursuant to subsection

29  (9);

30  

31  


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1         9.  Information that reveals plans for marketing

 2  services that the corporation or its subsidiaries reasonably

 3  expect to be provided by competitors;

 4         10.  Trade secrets as defined in s. 688.002, including

 5  information relating to methods of manufacture or production,

 6  potential trade secrets, potentially patentable materials, or

 7  proprietary information received, generated, ascertained, or

 8  discovered during the course of research conducted by the

 9  not-for-profit corporation or its subsidiaries and business

10  transactions resulting from such research, and reimbursement

11  methodologies or rates; or

12         11.  The identity of donors or prospective donors of

13  property who wish to remain anonymous or any information

14  identifying such donors or prospective donors.  The anonymity

15  of these donors or prospective donors must be maintained in

16  the auditor's report; or.

17         12.  Any information received by the not-for-profit

18  corporation or its subsidiaries from a person in this or

19  another state or nation or the Federal Government which is

20  otherwise exempt or confidential pursuant to the laws of this

21  or another state or nation or pursuant to federal law.

22  

23  As used in this paragraph, the term "managed care" means

24  systems or techniques generally used by third-party payors or

25  their agents to affect access to and control payment for

26  health care services. Managed-care techniques most often

27  include one or more of the following:  prior, concurrent, and

28  retrospective review of the medical necessity and

29  appropriateness of services or site of services; contracts

30  with selected health care providers; financial incentives or

31  disincentives related to the use of specific providers,


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1  services, or service sites; controlled access to and

 2  coordination of services by a case manager; and payor efforts

 3  to identify treatment alternatives and modify benefit

 4  restrictions for high-cost patient care.

 5         Section 2.  Subparagraph 1004.43(8)(b)12., Florida

 6  Statutes, is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act

 7  of 1995 in accordance with section 119.15, Florida Statutes,

 8  and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2009, unless reviewed

 9  and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

10         Section 3.  (1)  The Legislature finds that it is a

11  public necessity that trade secrets of the H. Lee Moffitt

12  Cancer Center or its subsidiaries, as defined in section

13  688.002, Florida Statutes, be confidential and exempt from

14  public disclosure. In accordance with that definition, a

15  "trade secret" consists of information that derives economic

16  value, actual or potential, from not being readily

17  ascertainable by others and that is the subject of reasonable

18  efforts to maintain its secrecy. The Legislature has

19  determined that the disclosure of such information would

20  adversely affect the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research

21  Institute and its subsidiaries, which are resources of the

22  State of Florida, and would create an unfair competitive

23  advantage to a person receiving such information.

24         (2)  Pursuant to section 119.15, Florida Statutes, the

25  Legislature finds that the amendment to subparagraph

26  1004.43(8)(b)10., Florida Statutes, referencing information

27  relating to methods of manufacture or production, potential

28  trade secrets, potentially patentable materials, or

29  proprietary information received, generated, ascertained, or

30  discovered during the course of research conducted by the H.

31  Lee Moffit Cancer Center and Research Institute or any of its


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1  subsidiaries, and business transactions resulting from such

 2  research, does not substantially amend the existing exemption.

 3  The Legislature finds and declares that each of the classes of

 4  information specified meets the test of being a "trade secret"

 5  within the meaning of term as defined in section 688.002,

 6  Florida Statutes. To fulfill its legislative mandate of

 7  research, education, treatment, prevention, and the early

 8  detection of cancer, an exemption of confidential and

 9  proprietary information relating to business transactions will

10  allow the not-for-profit corporation and its subsidiaries to

11  more effectively partner with other researchers. Although

12  information relating to business transactions may not qualify

13  as intellectual property, the terms and pricing of a research

14  transaction and, in some cases, the very fact of a research

15  transaction may be considered confidential information

16  concerning an entity. This exemption will assure collaborating

17  partners that their confidential business information will

18  remain confidential and exempt from public disclosure if

19  shared with the not-for-profit corporation or its

20  subsidiaries. The Legislature finds that the ability of the

21  not-for-profit corporation and its subsidiaries to conduct

22  meaningful scientific research and meet their obligations will

23  be significantly impaired if certain proprietary business

24  information or scientific research is not made confidential

25  and exempt from public disclosure. Specifically, the

26  Legislature finds that it is a public necessity to make exempt

27  and confidential proprietary business information or

28  scientific research that relates to methods of manufacture or

29  production, potential trade secrets, patentable material,

30  actual trade secrets as defined in section 688.002, Florida

31  Statutes, or proprietary information received, generated,


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1  ascertained, or discovered by or through the not-for-profit

 2  corporation or its subsidiaries because the disclosure of this

 3  information would negate the benefit expected by exposing

 4  valuable proprietary work to competitors. Business

 5  transactions resulting from scientific research must be held

 6  confidential and exempt from public records requirements

 7  because the disclosure of such information would create an

 8  unfair competitive advantage for the person receiving such

 9  information. Such an advantage would adversely impact the

10  not-for-profit corporation and its subsidiaries. If

11  confidential and exempt information regarding research in

12  progress were released pursuant to a public records request,

13  others would be allowed to derive benefit from the research

14  without compensation or reimbursement to the not-for-profit

15  corporation or its subsidiaries. Without the exemptions

16  provided for in this act, the disclosure of confidential and

17  exempt information would place the not-for-profit corporation

18  or its subsidiaries on an unequal footing in the marketplace

19  as compared with other research competitors whose information

20  is kept confidential and exempt. The Legislature finds that

21  disclosure of confidential and exempt information would

22  adversely impact the not-for-profit corporation or its

23  subsidiaries in fulfilling the mission of research.

24         (3)  The Legislature further finds that information

25  received by the not-for-profit corporation or its subsidiaries

26  from a person in this or another state or nation or the

27  Federal Government which is otherwise exempt or confidential

28  pursuant to the laws of this or another state or nation or

29  pursuant to federal law should remain exempt or confidential

30  because the highly confidential nature of cancer-related

31  research necessitates that the not-for-profit corporation or


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1  its subsidiaries be authorized to maintain the status of

 2  exempt or confidential information it receives from the

 3  sponsors of research. Without the exemptions provided for in

 4  this act, the disclosure of exempt and confidential

 5  information would place the not-for-profit corporation on an

 6  unequal footing in the marketplace as compared with its

 7  private health care and medical research competitors that are

 8  not required to disclose such exempt and confidential

 9  information. The Legislature finds that the disclosure of such

10  exempt and confidential information would adversely impact the

11  not-for-profit corporation or its subsidiaries in fulfilling

12  their mission of cancer treatment, research, and education.

13         Section 4.  Subsection (9) of section 1004.445, Florida

14  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (10) is added to said

15  section, to read:

16         1004.445  Florida Alzheimer's Center and Research

17  Institute.--

18         (9)(a)  The following information is confidential and

19  exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24, Art. I

20  of the State Constitution:

21         1.(a)  Personal identifying information relating to

22  clients of programs created or funded through the Florida

23  Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute which is held by the

24  institute, the University of South Florida, or the State Board

25  of Education or by persons who provide services to clients of

26  programs created or funded through contracts with the Florida

27  Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute;

28         2.(b)  Any medical or health records relating to

29  patients which may be created or received by the institute;

30         3.  Proprietary confidential business information.  As

31  used in this subparagraph, the term "proprietary confidential


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1  business information" means information, regardless of its

 2  form or characteristics, which is owned or controlled by the

 3  institute; is intended to be and is treated by the institute

 4  as private and the disclosure of which would harm the business

 5  operations of the institute; has not been intentionally

 6  disclosed by the institute unless pursuant to law, an order of

 7  a court or administrative body, a legislative proceeding

 8  pursuant to s. 5, Art. III of the State Constitution, or a

 9  private agreement that provides that the information may be

10  released to the public; and which is information concerning:

11         a.  Trade secrets as defined in s. 688.002, including

12  information relating

13         (c)  Materials that relate to methods of manufacture or

14  production, potential trade secrets, potentially patentable

15  material, actual trade secrets as defined in s. 688.002, or

16  proprietary information received, generated, ascertained, or

17  discovered during the course of research conducted by or

18  through the institute and business transactions resulting from

19  such research, and reimbursement methodologies or rates.;

20         b.(d)  The identity of a donor or prospective donor to

21  the Florida Alzheimer's Center and Research institute who

22  wishes to remain anonymous, and all information identifying

23  such donor or prospective donor.;

24         c.(e)  Any information received by the institute in the

25  performance of its duties and responsibilities which is

26  otherwise confidential and exempt by law.; and

27         d.(f)  Any information received by the institute from a

28  person from another state or nation or the Federal Government

29  which is otherwise confidential or exempt pursuant to that

30  state's or nation's laws or pursuant to federal law.

31  


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1         e.  Internal auditing controls and reports of internal

 2  auditors.

 3         f.  Contracts for managed-care arrangements, including

 4  preferred provider organization contracts, health maintenance

 5  organization contracts, and exclusive provider organization

 6  contracts, and any documents directly relating to the

 7  negotiation, performance, and implementation of any such

 8  contracts for managed-care arrangements.

 9         g.  Bids or other contractual data, banking records,

10  and credit agreements the disclosure of which would impair the

11  efforts of the institute to contract for goods or services on

12  favorable terms.

13         h.  Information relating to private contractual data,

14  the disclosure of which would impair the competitive interest

15  of the provider of the information.

16         i.  Corporate officer and employee personnel

17  information.

18         j.  Information relating to the proceedings and records

19  of the credentialing panels and committees and of the

20  governing board of the institute relating to credentialing.

21         k.  Minutes of exempt meetings of the governing board

22  of the institute.

23         l.  Information that reveals plans for marketing

24  services that the institute reasonably expects to be provided

25  by competitors.

26  

27  

28  As used in this subparagraph, the term "managed care" means

29  systems or techniques generally used by third-party payors or

30  their agents to affect access to and control payment for

31  health care services.  Managed-care techniques most often


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1  include one or more of the following: prior, concurrent, and

 2  retrospective review of the medical necessity and

 3  appropriateness of services or site of services; contracts

 4  with selected health care providers; financial incentives or

 5  disincentives related to the use of specific providers,

 6  services, or service sites; controlled access to and

 7  coordination of services by a case manager; and payor efforts

 8  to identify treatment alternatives and modify benefit

 9  restrictions for high-cost patient care.

10         (b)  The Auditor General, the Office of Program Policy

11  Analysis and Government Accountability, and the State Board of

12  Education, pursuant to their oversight and auditing functions,

13  shall be given access to all proprietary confidential business

14  information upon request and without subpoena and must

15  maintain the confidentiality of information so received.

16         (c)  Any governmental entity that demonstrates a need

17  to access such confidential and exempt information in order to

18  perform its duties and responsibilities shall have access to

19  such information and shall otherwise keep such information

20  confidential and exempt.

21         (d)  This subsection section is subject to the Open

22  Government Sunset Review Act of 1995 in accordance with s.

23  119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2009 2006,

24  unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by

25  the Legislature.

26         (10)(a)  Meetings or portions of meetings of the

27  governing board of the Florida Alzheimer's Center and Research

28  Institute at which information is discussed that is made

29  confidential and exempt pursuant to subsection (9) are exempt

30  from s. 286.011 and s. 24(b), Art. I of the State

31  Constitution.


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1         (b)  This subsection is subject to the Open Government

 2  Sunset Review Act of 1995 in accordance with s. 119.15 and

 3  shall stand repealed on October 2, 2009, unless reviewed and

 4  saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

 5         Section 5.  The Legislature finds that it is a public

 6  necessity that proprietary confidential business information

 7  owned or controlled by the Florida Alzheimer's Center and

 8  Research Institute, which includes reimbursement methodologies

 9  or rates; internal auditing controls and reports of internal

10  auditors; contracts for managed-care arrangements and any

11  documents directly relating to the negotiation, performance,

12  and implementation of any such contracts for managed-care

13  arrangements; bids or other contractual data, banking records,

14  and credit agreements; information relating to private

15  contractual data; corporate officer and employee personnel

16  information; information relating to the proceedings and

17  records of the credentialing panels and committees and of the

18  governing board of the institute relating to credentialing;

19  minutes of meetings of the governing board of the institute;

20  and information that reveals plans for marketing services that

21  the institute reasonably expects to be provided by competitors

22  be held confidential and exempt from public disclosure. The

23  institute must compete directly with its private-sector

24  counterparts. Its economic survival depends on the institute s

25  ability to so compete. As such, these exemptions are necessary

26  because release of this information would adversely impact the

27  institute in the competitive health care and medical research

28  environment. Disclosure of such information would place the

29  institute on an unequal footing in the marketplace as compared

30  with private health care providers that are not required to

31  disclose such confidential and exempt information. The highly


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    SB 2922                                        First Engrossed



 1  confidential nature of Alzheimer-related research discoveries

 2  necessitates that the institute be authorized to maintain

 3  confidential information it receives from, or generates for,

 4  the sponsors of its research. Accordingly, disclosure of such

 5  information would impede the effective and efficient

 6  administration of the Florida Alzheimer's Center and Research

 7  Institute and would create an unfair competitive advantage for

 8  persons or entities receiving such information. Also, such

 9  information is of a sensitive, personal nature regarding

10  corporate officers and employees. Disclosure of such

11  information could be harmful to the officer or employee. It is

12  likewise a public necessity that certain meetings or portions

13  of meetings of the governing board of the institute be closed

14  in order to protect the competitive interest of the institute

15  and to guarantee the ability of the governing board to fulfill

16  its Alzheimer's disease research and teaching mission for the

17  benefit of the public. Furthermore, disclosing information

18  made confidential and exempt pursuant to the institute s

19  public records exemption via an open meeting defeats the

20  purpose of the public records exemption.

21         Section 6.  If any provision of this act or its

22  application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the

23  invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of

24  the act which can be given effect without the invalid

25  provision or application, and to this end the provisions of

26  this act are declared severable.

27         Section 7.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

28  law.

29  

30  

31  


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