Florida 2018 Regular Session Status: In Committee

HB 439 — Public Meetings and Records

Last action — Died in Government Accountability Committee

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2018 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

21 added · 18 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of Bill HB 439 clarifies that it is a public necessity to exempt transcripts from certain public meetings regarding litigation from public records. This change is important because it aims to protect the confidentiality of discussions that help governmental entities better prepare for legal situations, ensuring they can seek legal advice and consider settlements without public scrutiny. It emphasizes that these exemptions are necessary for fair treatment in legal proceedings.

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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 HB 439 2018 A bill to be entitled An act relating to public meetings and records;
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 CS/HB 439 2018 A bill to be entitled An act relating to public meetings and records;
hb0439-00 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 HB 439 2018 political subdivision, and the chief administrative or executive officer of the governmental entity, is exempt from this section and s.
hb0439-01-c1 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 CS/HB 439 2018 political subdivision, and the chief administrative or executive officer of the governmental entity, is exempt from this section and s.
hb0439-00 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 HB 439 2018 the time and date of the attorney-client session and the names of persons who will be attending the session.
hb0439-01-c1 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 CS/HB 439 2018 the time and date of the attorney-client session and the names of persons who will be attending the session.
hb0439-00 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 HB 439 2018 requirements currently applicable to meetings at which any board or commission of any state agency or authority or any agency or authority of any county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision, and the chief administrative or executive officer of the governmental entity, may meet in private with the entity's attorneys to discuss pending litigation to which the entity is presently a party before a court or administrative agency to include private meetings with the entity's attorneys to discuss imminent litigation to which the entity may in the foreseeable future be a party before a court or administrative agency.
hb0439-01-c1 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 CS/HB 439 2018 requirements currently applicable to meetings at which any board or commission of any state agency or authority or any agency or authority of any county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision, and the chief administrative or executive officer of the governmental entity, may meet in private with the entity's attorneys to discuss pending litigation to which the entity is presently a party before a court or administrative agency to include private meetings with the entity's attorneys to discuss imminent litigation to which the entity may in the foreseeable future be a party before a court or administrative agency.
Expanding this exemption is necessary to allow a governmental entity to privately prepare for threatened litigation by obtaining legal advice, exploring and developing relevant facts, and considering an early settlement or discussing other possible resolutions in order to make better- informed decisions.
In addition, the Legislature finds that it is a public necessity to exempt the transcript of such exempt meetings from public records requirements.
The Legislature also finds that expanding this public meetings exemption will help ensure that governmental entities receive fair treatment during the judicial and administrative process.
These public meetings and public records exemptions are necessary to allow a governmental entity to privately prepare for threatened and pending litigation by obtaining legal advice, exploring and developing relevant facts, and considering an early settlement or discussing other possible resolutions in order to make better-informed decisions.
The Legislature also finds that these public meetings and public records exemptions will help ensure that governmental entities receive fair treatment during the judicial and administrative process.
hb0439-00
hb0439-01-c1
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Action History

  1. Died in Government Accountability Committee

  2. Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration

  3. Now in Government Accountability Committee

  4. CS by Oversight, Transparency and Administration Subcommittee read 1st time

  5. Pending review of CS under Rule 7.18(c)

  6. CS by Oversight, Transparency and Administration Subcommittee; YEAS 13 NAYS 0

  7. On Committee agenda-- Oversight, Transparency and Administration Subcommittee, 01/17/18, 8:30 am, Morris Hall

  8. Introduced

  9. Referred to Oversight, Transparency and Administration Subcommittee; Government Accountability Committee

  10. Filed

Sponsors

  • Donalds · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 163 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Donalds

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (163)

163 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 163 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Favorable With Committee Substitute (Oversight, Transparency & Administration Subcommittee)

Passed 13 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 3000
Democrat 1001
Unaffiliated 9000
Total 13001
% of votes cast 93%0%0%7%
How each member voted (14)
Member Party Vote
Sullivan — Yea
Drake — Yea
Edwards-Walpole — Yea
Henry — Yea
Ingoglia — Yea
Pigman — Yea
Rommel — Yea
Stone — Yea
Williamson — Yea
Daniels, Kimberly Democrat Not Voting
Davis, Tracie Democrat Yea
Burgess, Danny Republican Yea
McClure, Lawrence Republican Yea
Yarborough, Clay Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 439?
HB 439 is sponsored by Donalds.
What is the current status of HB 439?
This bill died with 2018 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 439?
Track HB 439 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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