Senate Bill sb1416c1

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 1416

    By the Committee on Domestic Security; and Senator Diaz de la
    Portilla




    583-1787-05

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to public meetings and records;

  3         creating s. 943.0314, F.S.; providing that

  4         portions of meetings of the Domestic Security

  5         Oversight Council are exempt from the

  6         public-meetings law if information is discussed

  7         which concerns active criminal investigations

  8         or intelligence activities; requiring that the

  9         chair of the council disclose the reason for

10         closing a meeting of the council; requiring

11         that the closed session be recorded; providing

12         that a recording or the minutes and notes

13         generated during a closed meeting are exempt

14         from the public-records law until the

15         investigation or intelligence ceases to be

16         active; specifying those persons who are

17         authorized to attend a closed meeting of the

18         council; providing for future repeal and

19         legislative review under the Open Government

20         Sunset Review Act; providing a statement of

21         public necessity; providing a contingent

22         effective date.

23  

24  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

25  

26         Section 1.  Section 943.0314, Florida Statutes, is

27  created to read:

28         943.0314  Public records and meetings exemptions for

29  the Domestic Security Oversight Council.--

30         (1)(a)  That portion of a meeting of the Domestic

31  Security Oversight Council at which the council will hear or

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 1416
    583-1787-05




 1  discuss active criminal investigative information or active

 2  criminal intelligence information as defined in s. 119.011 is

 3  exempt from s. 286.011 and s. 24(b), Art. I of the State

 4  Constitution, if:

 5         1.  The chair of the council announces at a public

 6  meeting that, in connection with the performance of the

 7  council's duties, it is necessary that active criminal

 8  investigative information or active criminal intelligence

 9  information be discussed;

10         2.  The chair declares the specific reasons why it is

11  necessary to close the meeting, or portion thereof, in a

12  document that is a public record and filed with the official

13  records of the council; and

14         3.  The entire closed meeting is recorded. The

15  recording must include the times of commencement and

16  termination of the closed meeting, all discussion and

17  proceedings, and the names of the persons present. No portion

18  of the closed meeting shall be off the record. The recording

19  shall be maintained by the council.

20         (b)  An audio or video recording of, and any minutes

21  and notes generated during, that portion of a closed council

22  meeting are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of

23  the State Constitution until such time as the criminal

24  investigative information or criminal intelligence information

25  ceases to be active, and shall be retained pursuant to the

26  requirements of s. 119.021.

27         (2)  Only members of the council, staff supporting the

28  council's functions, and other persons whose presence has been

29  authorized by the chair of the council shall be allowed to

30  attend the exempted portions of council meetings. The council

31  shall ensure that any closure of its meetings as authorized by

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 1416
    583-1787-05




 1  this section is limited so that the policy of this state in

 2  favor of public meetings is maintained.

 3         (3)  This section is subject to the Open Government

 4  Sunset Review Act of 1995 in accordance with s. 119.15 and

 5  shall stand repealed on October 2, 2010, unless reviewed and

 6  saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

 7         Section 2.  The Legislature finds that it is a public

 8  necessity to close that portion of a meeting of the Domestic

 9  Security Oversight Council at which criminal investigative

10  information or criminal intelligence information is discussed.

11  The council reviews information of a highly sensitive nature

12  involving terrorism activity; counterterrorism methodologies;

13  and planning, training, and operational activities of a

14  coordinated intergovernmental prevention, protection, and

15  response strategy that requires discussion of specific

16  information related to these activities. Public discussion of

17  these activities would result in the sharing of data, methods,

18  and operational techniques that could be used by persons

19  intent on doing harm to the state to perpetrate a terrorist

20  attack. Knowledge of this level of planning and operational

21  information could result in the successful execution of an

22  attack against the residents of this state or nation. This

23  information is exempt from public disclosure pursuant to

24  sections 119.07(6) and 119.071, Florida Statutes, and if the

25  meetings at which this exempt information is discussed were

26  open to the public, the purpose of the exemptions would be

27  defeated. The council must be able to hear and discuss this

28  exempt information in full in order to make sound

29  recommendations to the Governor and Legislature regarding

30  strategies and activities to protect the welfare of the people

31  of this state. The ability to fully understand and discuss the

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 1416
    583-1787-05




 1  details of criminal investigative information or criminal

 2  intelligence information related to terrorist activities and

 3  counterterrorism measures being considered as part of an

 4  overall discussion of strategic planning and funding

 5  recommendations for the purchase of specialized equipment,

 6  training, or services is critical to the ability of the state

 7  to defend against terrorist attacks.

 8         Section 3.  This act shall take effect on the same date

 9  that SB 1414 or similar legislation takes effect, if such

10  legislation is enacted in the same legislative session, or an

11  extension thereof, and becomes law.

12  

13          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
14                         Senate Bill 1416

15                                 

16  This bill deletes references to confidentiality and security
    system plans information in order to conform the bill to its
17  House companion, HB 1801. Security system plans are already
    exempt under s. 286.0113, F.S.
18  
    The bill clarifies that a portion of a Domestic Security
19  Council meeting can be held in public and a portion of the
    meeting closed to the public and also adds a reference to s.
20  119.071, F.S., regarding retention of audio or video records
    of closed meetings.
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