Florida Senate - 2024                              CS for SB 894
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability;
       and Senators Bradley and Yarborough
       
       
       
       
       585-03004-24                                           2024894c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to governing body meetings; amending
    3         s. 166.0213, F.S.; authorizing governing bodies of
    4         municipalities to convene meetings and conduct
    5         official business via teleconferencing or other
    6         technological means if certain conditions are met;
    7         providing limitations on such meetings; providing that
    8         certain limitations placed on such meetings may be
    9         suspended by the Governor, for a specified timeframe,
   10         upon a declared state of emergency impacting the
   11         municipality in which the meeting would occur;
   12         providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Subsection (3) is added to section 166.0213,
   17  Florida Statutes, to read:
   18         166.0213 Governing body meetings.—
   19         (3)(a) The governing body of a municipality may convene
   20  meetings and conduct official business via teleconferencing or
   21  other technological means as long as such meetings:
   22         1. Meet all of the requirements for public notice, public
   23  access, and public participation.
   24         2. Do not convene meetings via teleconferencing or other
   25  technological means more than two times per calendar year.
   26         3. Do not include formal action on ordinances.
   27         4. Are not a quasi-judicial hearing.
   28         (b) The limitations placed on meetings conducted via
   29  teleconferencing or other technological means under sub
   30  paragraphs (a)2., (a)3., and (a)4. may be suspended by the
   31  Governor during the first 60 days of a state of emergency
   32  declared by the Governor pursuant to chapter 252 which affects
   33  the municipality in which the meeting would occur.
   34         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.