Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1206
       
       
        
       By Senator Martin
       
       
       
       
       
       33-00002B-24                                          20241206__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to live performances; providing a
    3         short title; creating s. 760.61, F.S.; prohibiting
    4         public venue owners or operators from canceling
    5         certain live performances on specified bases; defining
    6         the term “public venue”; providing an exception;
    7         providing that venue owners or operators who violate
    8         the prohibition bear the costs enumerated in the
    9         related contract with the artist, performer, or
   10         musical group whose performance was canceled;
   11         providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Right to Rock
   16  Act.”
   17         Section 2. Section 760.61, Florida Statutes, is created to
   18  read:
   19         760.61 Discriminatory practices against artists or
   20  performers prohibited.—
   21         (1)(a) The owner or operator of a public venue may not
   22  cancel a live performance of an artist, a performer, or a
   23  musical group because of the artist’s, performer’s, or musical
   24  group’s lawful exercise of freedom of speech or the artist’s,
   25  performer’s, or musical group members’ personal beliefs. For the
   26  purposes of this section, the term “public venue” means a place,
   27  building, or structure, regardless of whether owned by or rented
   28  to a governmental entity, school, college, or university, which
   29  is funded by or constructed with public or government funds.
   30         (b) This subsection does not apply to an owner or operator
   31  who cancels a live performance based on a reasonable belief that
   32  the performance would violate any applicable state law or rule.
   33         (2) A venue owner or operator who cancels a live
   34  performance of an artist, a performer, or a musical group in
   35  violation of subsection (1) shall bear all costs, fees, and
   36  penalties enumerated in the related contract with the artist,
   37  performer, or musical group.
   38         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.