Title: Monroe County

Summary: Authorizes local advisory committee of School Board of Monroe County or Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, or any political subdivision thereof, to conduct public meetings, hearings, & workshops by means of communications media technology; provides for meeting notices.

Full Text:
An act relating to Monroe County; providing definitions; a uthorizing a local advisory committee of the School Board of Monroe County or the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, or any political subdivision thereof, to conduct public meetings,hearings, and workshops by means of communications media technology; authorizing the adoption of rules; providing for notices of public meetings, hearings, and workshops conducted by means of communications media technology; providing applicability and construction; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. (1) As used in th is act, the term:(a) "Communications media technology" has the same meaning as provided in s. 120.54(5)(b)2., Florida Statutes. (b) "Local advisory committee" means a committee created by general law, local ordinance, or resolution that provides advice or recommendations to the School Board of Monroe County or the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, or any political subdivision thereof. (2) The School Board of Monroe County or the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, or any pol itical HB 1351 2016 subdivision thereof, may authorize the public meetings, hearings, and workshops of any local advisory committee to be conducted by means of communications media technology if the board adopts uniform rules a uthorizing the use of communications media technology by any of its local advisory committees. The rules must provide procedures for conducting public meetings, hearings, and workshops, and for taking evidence, testimony, and argument at such public meetings, hearings, and workshops, in person and by means of communications media technology. The rules must provide that all evidence, testimony, and argument presented shall be afforded equal consideration, regardless of the method of communication. (3) If a public meeting, hearing, or workshop of a local advisory committee is to be conducted by means of communications media technology, or if attendance may be provided by such means, the notice shall so state. The notice for public meetings, hearings, and workshops using communications media technolo gy shall state how persons interested in attending may do so and shall name locations, if any, where communications media technology facilities will be available. (4) This act does not limit a person's right to inspect public records under chapter 119, Florida Statutes. Limiting points of access to public meetings, hearings, and workshops subject of s. 286.011, Florida Statutes, to places not normally open to the public is presumed to violate the right of access of the public, and any official action take nunder such HB 1351 2016 circumstances is void. Other laws relating to public meetings, hearings, and workshops, including penal and remedial provisions, apply to public meetings, hearings, and workshops conducted by means of communications media technology, and shall be liberally construed in their application to such public meetings, hearings, and workshops. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.