Florida Senate - 2020                             CS for SB 1802
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Criminal Justice; and Senator Pizzo
       
       
       
       
       
       591-02750A-20                                         20201802c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public meetings; amending s.
    3         943.6872, F.S.; providing an exemption from public
    4         meetings requirements for portions of the Urban Core
    5         Gun Violence Task Force meetings at which exempt or
    6         confidential and exempt information is discussed;
    7         providing for future legislative review and repeal of
    8         the exemption; providing a statement of public
    9         necessity; providing a contingent effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Present subsections (6) and (7) of section
   14  943.6872, Florida Statutes, as created by SB 652 or similar
   15  legislation, 2020 Regular Session, are redesignated as
   16  subsections (7) and (8), respectively, and a new subsection (6)
   17  is added to that section, to read:
   18         (6) Any portion of a meeting of the Urban Core Gun Violence
   19  Task Force at which exempt or confidential and exempt
   20  information is discussed is exempt from s. 286.011 and s. 24(b),
   21  Art. I of the State Constitution. This subsection is subject to
   22  the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s.
   23  119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2025, unless
   24  reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
   25  Legislature.
   26         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   27  necessity that any portion of a meeting of the Urban Core Gun
   28  Violence Task Force at which exempt or confidential and exempt
   29  information is discussed be made exempt from s. 286.011, Florida
   30  Statutes, and s. 24(b), Article I of the State Constitution. The
   31  purpose of the task force is to investigate system failures and
   32  the causes of high crime rates and gun violence incidents in
   33  urban core neighborhoods and communities. In addition, the task
   34  force shall develop recommendations for solutions, programs,
   35  services, and strategies for improved interagency communications
   36  between local and state government agencies which will help
   37  facilitate the reduction of crime and gun violence in urban core
   38  neighborhoods and communities. In order to fulfill its
   39  directive, the task force must be able to discuss exempt or
   40  confidential and exempt information that it receives as part of
   41  its investigation. The public meetings exemption will allow the
   42  task force to review and discuss exempt or confidential and
   43  exempt information that will be useful in forming meaningful
   44  recommendations for system improvements and improved interagency
   45  communications. As such, it is necessary that those portions of
   46  meetings wherein exempt or confidential and exempt information
   47  is discussed be made exempt from public meetings requirements.
   48  If such portions of the meeting were not closed, the public
   49  records exemptions would be negated. Thus, the Legislature finds
   50  that the public meeting exemption is a public necessity in order
   51  to ensure the effective and efficient administration of the
   52  Urban Core Gun Violence Task Force.
   53         Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that
   54  SB 652 or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation
   55  is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension
   56  thereof and becomes a law.