Jacksonville Breakfast Briefing: Complying with Florida's Government in the Sunshine Law and Public Records Act
For most public sector employers, complying with Florida’s Government in Sunshine Law and Public Records Act can be a huge headache. Even worse, many public sector employers have been forced to defend themselves against lawsuits brought under these laws. When litigation has occurred, many public employers have been forced to pay substantial civil penalties and awards of attorneys’ fees. In some instances, public officials have even been criminally prosecuted under these laws.
While criminal prosecutions are fortunately few and far between, it is not uncommon for public employers to violate these laws. In many respects, aspects of both the Government in the Sunshine Law and Public Records Act are counter-intuitive, and can be easily violated by those who are unfamiliar with their requirements.
In this Breakfast Briefing we will address the following questions regarding Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law:
- Who is subject to the Government in the Sunshine Law?
- What constitutes a public meeting for purposes of the Government in the Sunshine Law?
- What kind of notice must be provided by law in order to conduct a public meeting?
- Under what circumstances can public boards or commissions meet outside of the sunshine?
- Where must public meetings be held?
- Issues related to public access and voting.
- Penalties for noncompliance.
Additionally, we will address the following questions concerning Florida’s Public Records Act:
- What constitutes a Public Records Act Request under Florida law?
- What documents and records are deemed exempt from public disclosure under the Public Records Act?
- How much time does a public employer have to respond to a Public Records Act request?
- Can an employer charge, and require prepayment, for labor and copying costs incurred in order to comply with the Public Records Act?
- Penalties for noncompliance.
*This program is pending 1.5 hours of SHRM and HRCI credits
