HB 1091CS

CHAMBER ACTION




1The Education Council recommends the following:
2
3     Council/Committee Substitute
4     Remove the entire bill and insert:
5
A bill to be entitled
6An act relating to public records and public meetings
7exemptions for investigations by the Commission for
8Independent Education; amending s. 1005.38, F.S.; creating
9an exemption from public records requirements for
10investigatory records, including minutes and findings of
11an exempt probable cause panel meeting, relating to
12suspected violations of ch. 1005, F.S., or commission
13rules; creating an exemption from public meetings
14requirements for certain portions of meetings of a
15probable cause panel; providing for limited duration of
16the exemptions; providing for future review and repeal;
17providing a statement of public necessity; providing a
18contingent effective date.
19
20Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22     Section 1.  Paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (e) of subsection
23(6) of section 1005.38, Florida Statutes, as amended by HB 1089
24or similar legislation during the 2005 Regular Session or an
25extension thereof, are redesignated as paragraphs (c), (d), (e),
26and (f), respectively, and a new paragraph (b) is added to said
27subsection to read:
28     1005.38  Actions against a licensee and other penalties.--
29     (6)  The commission may conduct disciplinary proceedings
30through an investigation of any suspected violation of this
31chapter or any rule of the commission, including a finding of
32probable cause and making reports to any law enforcement agency
33or regulatory agency.
34     (b)1.  All investigatory records held by the commission in
35conjunction with an investigation conducted pursuant to this
36subsection, including minutes and findings of an exempt probable
37cause panel meeting convened in conjunction with such
38investigation, are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I
39of the State Constitution for a period not to exceed 10 days
40after the panel makes a determination regarding probable cause.
41     2.  Those portions of meetings of the probable cause panel
42at which records made exempt pursuant to subparagraph 1. are
43discussed are exempt from s. 286.011 and s. 24(b), Art. I of the
44State Constitution.
45     3.  This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset
46Review Act of 1995 in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand
47repealed on October 2, 2010, unless reviewed and saved from
48repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
49     Section 2.  The Legislature finds that it is a public
50necessity that investigatory records held by the Commission for
51Independent Education in conjunction with an investigation
52conducted pursuant to section 1005.38(6), Florida Statutes,
53including minutes and findings of an exempt probable cause panel
54meeting convened in conjunction with such investigation, be made
55exempt from public records requirements for a period not to
56exceed 10 days after a panel makes a determination regarding
57probable cause. The Legislature further finds that it is a
58public necessity that those portions of meetings of any probable
59cause panel convened in conjunction with such investigations at
60which exempt investigatory records are discussed be made exempt
61from public meetings requirements. The exemptions created by
62this act relating to investigations conducted by the Commission
63for Independent Education prevent unfounded complaints and
64investigations from being used to damage the good name of an
65institution or persons associated with the institution. Because
66the information made exempt under this act will be available to
67the public after a determination regarding probable cause is
68made, public oversight will be maintained.
69     Section 3.  This act shall take effect on the same date
70that HB 1089 or similar legislation takes effect, if such
71legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an
72extension thereof and becomes law.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.