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HomeEvents11:00 AM, Hot Topics; The Unshine State: A Hazy Forecast for Florida's Sunshine Law

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11:00 AM, Hot Topics; The Unshine State: A Hazy Forecast for Florida's Sunshine Law

When:
Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM
Where:
Winter Park Events Center
Winter Park Events Center
 1050 W Morse Blvd
Winter Park, FL  32789

(407) 599-3571
Additional Info:
Event Contact(s):
Patricia Grierson
407 608 2300 (c)
 
Susan Windmiller
 
Gloria D Pickar
 
Karen Estrin
Category:
Hot Topics Luncheons
Registration is required
Payment In Full In Advance Only
$30.00
$30.00
$30.00
$37.00
$37.00
$37.00
$10.00

The panel will discuss how the 1967 Sunshine law is now "cloudy" with no foreseeable change in the weather.

The law has three basic requirements:
*Public boards or commissions must meet in public
*Reasonable notice of meetings must be given
*Minutes of the meetings must be taken and promptly recorded

Florida’s Sunshine Law on open records and meetings is coming under increasing attack from
exemptions and from state and local governments that refuse to comply with requests in a
timely manner.
The 1967 law once was the envy of the nation. Floridians believe that a transparent
government is also an accountable government. Yet, more than 1,000 exemptions to the law
have been made by different state Legislatures and signed into law by Florida governors.
The exemptions have increased in recent years, and so has the noncompliance. In some cases,
local governments balk at records requests because they lack money and staffing to
accommodate them. A few individuals can make enormous demands under the Sunshine Law.
In some cases, there is confusion about what constitutes an open meeting, or comments from
the public are limited. State government often slow-walks a response and demands large
amounts of money for copies of records.
Our Hot Topics panel and moderator will discuss how journalists and the public can be more
effective in making records and public meetings requests and what Floridians can do to prevent
the Sunshine Law from being eroded further. 


  The League of Women Voters of Orange County, Florida, is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy