HB 497 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0497-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to public meetings; providing an 2
exemption from public meetings requirements for 3
portions of meetings of the Commission on Public 4
Safety in Urban and Inner-City Communities at which 5
exempt or confidential and exempt information is 6
discussed; providing for future legislative review and 7
repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of 8
public necessity; providing a contingent effective 9
date. 10
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12
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Section 1. Any portion of a meeting of the Commission on 14
Public Safety in Urban and Inner -City Communities, as created by 15
HB 495, 2023 Regular Session, or similar legislation, at which 16
exempt or confidential and exempt information is discussed is 17
exempt from s. 286.011, Florida Statutes, and s. 24(b), Art. I 18
of the State Constitution. This section is subject to the Open 19
Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15, 20
Florida Statutes, an d shall stand repealed on October 2, 2028, 21
unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the 22
Legislature. 23
Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public 24
necessity that any portion of a meeting of the Commission on 25
HB 497 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0497-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Public Safety in Urban and Inner-City Communities at which 26
exempt or confidential and exempt information is discussed be 27
made exempt from s. 286.011, Florida Statutes, and s. 24(b), 28
Article I of the State Constitution. The purpose of the 29
commission is to investigate system failures and the causes and 30
reasons for high crime and gun violence incidents in urban and 31
inner-city neighborhoods and communities and to develop 32
recommendations for system improvements. In order to fulfill its 33
directive, the commission must be able to d iscuss exempt or 34
confidential and exempt information that it receives as part of 35
its investigation. The public meetings exemption will allow the 36
commission to review and discuss exempt or confidential and 37
exempt information that will be useful in forming m eaningful 38
recommendations for system improvements. As such, it is a 39
necessity that those portions of meetings at which exempt or 40
confidential and exempt information is discussed be made exempt 41
from public meetings requirements. If such portions of those 42
meetings are not closed, the public records exemption would be 43
negated. Thus, the Legislature finds that the public meetings 44
exemption is a public necessity in order to ensure the effective 45
and efficient administration of the Commission on Public Safety 46
in Urban and Inner-City Communities. 47
Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date 48
that HB 495 or similar legislation takes effect , if such 49
legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an 50
HB 497 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0497-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
extension thereof and becomes a law. 51