Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1152



By Senator Wright





8-01332-23 20231152__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to citizen volunteer advisory
3 committees; amending s. 286.011, F.S.; authorizing
4 specified regional citizen volunteer advisory
5 committees to conduct public meetings and workshops by
6 means of communications media technology; providing
7 that the use of such technology by a member
8 constitutes that member’s presence at the meeting or
9 workshop; requiring that such technology allow all
10 persons to audibly communicate; providing notice
11 requirements for public meetings or workshops
12 conducted by means of communications media technology;
13 providing construction; providing an effective date.
14
15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17 Section 1. Subsection (9) is added to section 286.011,
18 Florida Statutes, to read:
19 286.011 Public meetings and records; public inspection;
20 criminal and civil penalties.—
21 (9)(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, regional
22 citizen volunteer advisory committees whose membership is
23 composed solely of representatives from four or more counties
24 may conduct public meetings and workshops by means of
25 communications media technology as defined in s. 120.54(5)(b)2.
26 An advisory committee member who participates in a meeting or
27 workshop by communications media technology is deemed to be
28 present at the meeting or workshop. The use of communications
29 media technology must allow for all persons attending the public
30 meeting or workshop to audibly communicate as if the person is
31 physically present.
32 (b) The notice for a meeting or workshop must state whether
33 the meeting or workshop will be conducted using communications
34 media technology, how an interested person may participate, and
35 the location of any facilities where communications media
36 technology will be available.
37 (c) Any other laws applicable to public meetings or
38 workshops conducted by means of communications media technology
39 must be liberally construed in their application to meetings and
40 workshops conducted as provided in this subsection.
41 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.