F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 497 2023
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to public meetings; providing an
3 exemption from public meetings requirements for
4 portions of meetings of the Commission on Public
5 Safety in Urban and Inner-City Communities at which
6 exempt or confidential and exempt information is
7 discussed; providing for future legislative review and
8 repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of
9 public necessity; providing a contingent effective
10 date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Any portion of a meeting of the Commission on
15 Public Safety in Urban and Inner-City Communities, as created by
16 HB 495, 2023 Regular Session, or similar legislation, at which
17 exempt or confidential and exempt information is discussed is
18 exempt from s. 286.011, Florida Statutes, and s. 24(b), Art. I
19 of the State Constitution. This section is subject to the Open
20 Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15,
21 Florida Statutes, and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2028,
22 unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
23 Legislature.
24 Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
25 necessity that any portion of a meeting of the Commission on
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26 Public Safety in Urban and Inner-City Communities at which
27 exempt or confidential and exempt information is discussed be
28 made exempt from s. 286.011, Florida Statutes, and s. 24(b),
29 Article I of the State Constitution. The purpose of the
30 commission is to investigate system failures and the causes and
31 reasons for high crime and gun violence incidents in urban and
32 inner-city neighborhoods and communities and to develop
33 recommendations for system improvements. In order to fulfill its
34 directive, the commission must be able to discuss exempt or
35 confidential and exempt information that it receives as part of
36 its investigation. The public meetings exemption will allow the
37 commission to review and discuss exempt or confidential and
38 exempt information that will be useful in forming m eaningful
39 recommendations for system improvements. As such, it is a
40 necessity that those portions of meetings at which exempt or
41 confidential and exempt information is discussed be made exempt
42 from public meetings requirements. If such portions of those
43 meetings are not closed, the public records exemption would be
44 negated. Thus, the Legislature finds that the public meetings
45 exemption is a public necessity in order to ensure the effective
46 and efficient administration of the Commission on Public Safety
47 in Urban and Inner-City Communities.
48 Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date
49 that HB 495 or similar legislation takes effect, if such
50 legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an
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51 extension thereof and becomes a law.
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