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.