Florida Senate - 2013                                    SB 1042
       
       
       
       By Senator Abruzzo
       
       
       
       
       25-00858A-13                                          20131042__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public meetings; providing
    3         definitions; providing an exemption from public
    4         meeting requirements for that portion of a meeting of
    5         a duly constituted criminal justice commission at
    6         which specified members of the commission discuss
    7         active criminal intelligence information or active
    8         criminal investigative information currently being
    9         considered by, or which may foreseeably come before,
   10         the commission; providing for future review and repeal
   11         of the exemption; providing a statement of public
   12         necessity; providing an effective date.
   13  
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Criminal justice commissions; public meetings
   17  exemption.—
   18         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   19         (a) “Active” has the same meaning as provided in s.
   20  119.011, Florida Statutes.
   21         (b) “Criminal intelligence information” has the same
   22  meaning as provided in s. 119.011, Florida Statutes.
   23         (c) “Criminal investigative information” has the same
   24  meaning as provided in s. 119.011, Florida Statutes.
   25         (d) “Duly constituted criminal justice commission” means an
   26  advisory commission created by municipal or county ordinance
   27  whose membership is comprised of private and public sector
   28  persons and whose purpose is to examine local criminal justice
   29  issues.
   30         (2) That portion of a meeting of a duly constituted
   31  criminal justice commission at which members of the commission
   32  discuss active criminal intelligence information or active
   33  criminal investigative information that is currently being
   34  considered by, or which may foreseeably come before, the
   35  commission is exempt from s. 286.011, Florida Statutes, and s.
   36  24(b), Art. I of the State Constitution, provided that at any
   37  public meeting of the criminal justice commission at which such
   38  matter is being considered, the commission members publicly
   39  disclose the fact that the matter has been discussed.
   40         (3) This section is subject to the Open Government Sunset
   41  Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15, Florida Statutes, and
   42  shall stand repealed on October 2, 2018, unless reviewed and
   43  saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
   44         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   45  necessity that the portion of a meeting of a duly constituted
   46  criminal justice commission at which members of the commission
   47  discuss active criminal intelligence information or active
   48  criminal investigative information currently being considered
   49  by, or which may foreseeably come before, the criminal justice
   50  commission be made exempt from public meeting requirements. If
   51  the meetings at which exempt information is discussed were open
   52  to the public, the purpose of the exemption from public records
   53  requirements found in chapter 119, Florida Statutes, would be
   54  defeated. The members of a criminal justice commission must be
   55  able to hear and discuss exempt information freely in order to
   56  make sound recommendations regarding strategies and activities
   57  that are best suited to protect the welfare of the people of
   58  this state. The ability to conduct meetings at which members can
   59  freely discuss and fully understand the details of active
   60  criminal intelligence information and active criminal
   61  investigative information is critical to the ability of a
   62  criminal justice commission to operate effectively.
   63         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.