Bill Text: FL S1060 | 2020 | Regular Session | Enrolled


Bill Title: Public Records and Meetings/911, E911, or Public Safety Radio Communication System

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (? 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2020-04-09 - Chapter No. 2020-13 [S1060 Detail]

Download: Florida-2020-S1060-Enrolled.html
       ENROLLED
       2020 Legislature                           CS for CS for SB 1060
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                             20201060er
    1  
    2         An act relating to public records and meetings;
    3         amending s. 119.071, F.S.; providing an exemption from
    4         public records requirements for certain documents
    5         which depict the structural elements of certain 911,
    6         E911, or public safety radio communication system
    7         infrastructure, structures, or facilities; providing
    8         an exemption from public records requirements for
    9         geographical maps indicating the actual or proposed
   10         locations of certain 911, E911, or public safety radio
   11         communication system infrastructure, structures, or
   12         facilities; providing for retroactive application;
   13         authorizing disclosure under certain circumstances;
   14         defining the term “public safety radio”; providing for
   15         future legislative review and repeal of the
   16         exemptions; amending s. 286.0113, F.S.; providing an
   17         exemption from public meetings requirements for
   18         portions of meetings that would reveal certain
   19         documents depicting the structural elements of certain
   20         911, E911, or public safety radio communication system
   21         infrastructure, structures, or facilities, or
   22         geographical maps indicating the locations or proposed
   23         locations of certain 911, E911, or public safety radio
   24         communication system infrastructure, structures, or
   25         facilities; requiring the recording and transcription
   26         of exempt portions of such meetings; providing an
   27         exemption from public records requirements for such
   28         recordings and transcripts; providing an exception;
   29         defining the term “public safety radio”; providing for
   30         future legislative review and repeal of the exemption;
   31         providing a statement of public necessity; providing
   32         an effective date.
   33          
   34  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   35  
   36         Section 1. Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (3) of
   37  section 119.071, Florida Statutes, to read:
   38         119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of
   39  public records.—
   40         (3) SECURITY AND FIRESAFETY.—
   41         (e)1.a.Building plans, blueprints, schematic drawings, and
   42  diagrams, including draft, preliminary, and final formats, which
   43  depict the structural elements of 911, E911, or public safety
   44  radio communication system infrastructure, including towers,
   45  antennae, equipment or facilities used to provide 911, E911, or
   46  public safety radio communication services, or other 911, E911,
   47  or public safety radio communication structures or facilities
   48  owned and operated by an agency are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and
   49  s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.
   50         b.Geographical maps indicating the actual or proposed
   51  locations of 911, E911, or public safety radio communication
   52  system infrastructure, including towers, antennae, equipment or
   53  facilities used to provide 911, E911, or public safety radio
   54  services, or other 911, E911, or public safety radio
   55  communication structures or facilities owned and operated by an
   56  agency are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the
   57  State Constitution.
   58         2.This exemption applies to building plans, blueprints,
   59  schematic drawings, and diagrams, including draft, preliminary,
   60  and final formats, which depict the structural elements of 911,
   61  E911, or public safety radio communication system infrastructure
   62  or other 911, E911, or public safety radio communication
   63  structures or facilities owned and operated by an agency, and
   64  geographical maps indicating actual or proposed locations of
   65  911, E911, or public safety radio communication system
   66  infrastructure or other 911, E911, or public safety radio
   67  communication structures or facilities owned and operated by an
   68  agency, before, on, or after the effective date of this act.
   69         3.Information made exempt by this paragraph may be
   70  disclosed:
   71         a.To another governmental entity if disclosure is
   72  necessary for the receiving entity to perform its duties and
   73  responsibilities;
   74         b.To a licensed architect, engineer, or contractor who is
   75  performing work on or related to the 911, E911, or public safety
   76  radio communication system infrastructure, including towers,
   77  antennae, equipment or facilities used to provide 911, E911, or
   78  public safety radio communication services, or other 911, E911,
   79  or public safety radio communication structures or facilities
   80  owned and operated by an agency; or
   81         c.Upon a showing of good cause before a court of competent
   82  jurisdiction.
   83         4.The entities or persons receiving such information must
   84  maintain the exempt status of the information.
   85         5.For purposes of this paragraph, the term “public safety
   86  radio” is defined as the means of communication between and
   87  among 911 public safety answering points, dispatchers, and first
   88  responder agencies using those portions of the radio frequency
   89  spectrum designated by the Federal Communications Commission
   90  under 47 C.F.R. 90 for public safety purposes.
   91         6.This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset
   92  Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed
   93  on October 2, 2025, unless reviewed and saved from repeal
   94  through reenactment by the Legislature.
   95         Section 2. Subsection (4) is added to section 286.0113,
   96  Florida Statutes, to read:
   97         286.0113 General exemptions from public meetings.—
   98         (4)(a)Any portion of a meeting that would reveal building
   99  plans, blueprints, schematic drawings, or diagrams, including
  100  draft, preliminary, and final formats, which depict the
  101  structural elements of 911, E911, or public safety radio
  102  communication system infrastructure, including towers, antennae,
  103  equipment or facilities used to provide 911, E911, or public
  104  safety radio communication services, or other 911, E911, or
  105  public safety radio communication structures or facilities made
  106  exempt by s. 119.071(3)(e)1.a. is exempt from s. 286.011 and s.
  107  24, Art. I of the State Constitution.
  108         (b)Any portion of a meeting that would reveal geographical
  109  maps indicating the actual or proposed locations of 911, E911,
  110  or public safety radio communication system infrastructure,
  111  including towers, antennae, equipment or facilities used to
  112  provide 911, E911, or public safety radio communication
  113  services, or other 911, E911, or public safety radio
  114  communication structures or facilities made exempt by s.
  115  119.071(3)(e)1.b. is exempt from s. 286.011 and s. 24, Art. I of
  116  the State Constitution.
  117         (c)No portion of an exempt meeting under paragraphs (a) or
  118  (b) may be off the record. All exempt portions of such meeting
  119  shall be recorded and transcribed. Such recordings and
  120  transcripts are confidential and exempt from disclosure under s.
  121  119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution unless
  122  a court of competent jurisdiction, after an in-camera review,
  123  determines that the meeting was not restricted to the discussion
  124  of the information made exempt by s. 119.071(3)(e)1.a. or b. In
  125  the event of such a judicial determination, only that portion of
  126  the recording and transcript which reveals nonexempt information
  127  may be disclosed to a third party.
  128         (d)For purposes of this subsection, the term “public
  129  safety radio” is defined as the means of communication between
  130  and among 911 public safety answering points, dispatchers, and
  131  first responder agencies using those portions of the radio
  132  frequency spectrum designated by the Federal Communications
  133  Commission under 47 C.F.R. 90 for public safety purposes.
  134         (e)This subsection is subject to the Open Government
  135  Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand
  136  repealed on October 2, 2025, unless reviewed and saved from
  137  repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
  138         Section 3. The Legislature finds that it is a public
  139  necessity that building plans, blueprints, schematic drawings,
  140  and diagrams, including draft, preliminary, and final formats,
  141  which depict the structural elements of 911, E911, or public
  142  safety radio communication system infrastructure, including
  143  towers, antennae, equipment or facilities used to provide 911,
  144  E911, or public safety radio communication services, and other
  145  911, E911, or public safety radio communication structures or
  146  facilities owned and operated by an agency, and geographical
  147  maps indicating the actual or proposed locations of such
  148  communication system infrastructure, structures, or facilities
  149  should be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and
  150  s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution to ensure the
  151  security of emergency communication infrastructure, structures,
  152  and facilities. In addition, the Legislature finds that it is a
  153  public necessity that any portion of a meeting revealing such
  154  documents and maps that are held by an agency should be made
  155  exempt from s. 286.011, Florida Statutes, and s. 24(b), Article
  156  I of the State Constitution. Building plans, blueprints,
  157  schematic drawings, and diagrams, including draft, preliminary,
  158  and final formats, received and held by counties,
  159  municipalities, and other governmental agencies that depict the
  160  structural elements of 911, E911, or public safety radio
  161  communication system infrastructure, structures, and facilities
  162  are currently subject to release as public records upon request.
  163  Similarly, geographical maps showing the present or proposed
  164  locations of such 911, E911, or public safety radio
  165  communication system infrastructure, structures, and facilities
  166  that are in the possession of counties, municipalities, and
  167  other governmental agencies are also subject to release as
  168  public records upon request. Counties, municipalities, and other
  169  governmental agencies may review the building plans or
  170  geographical maps to ensure compliance with land development
  171  regulations, building codes, agency rules, and standards to
  172  protect the public health and safety. These building plans
  173  include diagrams and schematic drawings of emergency
  174  communication systems, electrical systems, and other physical
  175  plant and security details which depict the structural elements
  176  of such emergency communications facilities and structures. 911,
  177  E911, and public safety radio communication facilities,
  178  including towers and antennae, are a vital link in the chain of
  179  survival. Such critical infrastructure must be protected as any
  180  disruption during an active shooter or other terror event is
  181  very likely to result in greater loss of life and property
  182  damage. To function properly, towers and antennae need to be
  183  visible, increasing the security risk of such facilities.
  184  Because architectural and engineering plans reviewed and held by
  185  counties, municipalities, and other government agencies include
  186  information about towers, equipment, ancillary facilities,
  187  critical systems, and restricted areas, these plans could be
  188  used by criminals or terrorists to examine the physical plant
  189  for vulnerabilities. Information contained in these documents
  190  could aid in the planning of, training for, and execution of
  191  criminal actions, including cybercrime, arson, and terrorism.
  192  Consequently, the Legislature finds that it is a public
  193  necessity to exempt such information from public records
  194  requirements to reduce exposure to security threats and protect
  195  the public.
  196         Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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