Florida Sunshine Law
Florida's Government in the Sunshine Law, also called the Sunshine Law, provides a right of access to governmental proceedings of public boards or commissions at both the state and local levels. It requires meetings of public boards or commissions must be open to the public, reasonable notice of such meetings must be given, and minutes of the meetings must be taken and promptly recorded.[1]
History
The Government in the Sunshine Law was passed in 1967. The law is codified within Chapter 286 of the Florida Statutes.[2]
The Sunshine Review Act of 1995 applies to meetings. According to that Act, also called the Open Government Sunset Review Act, an exemption must fit within one of three categories of identifiable public purposes, and must be seen as compelling enough to override a strong presumption of openness.[3]
References
- ^ "Government in the Sunshine Manual". Juno Beach Government. Florida Office of the Attorney General. 2023.
- ^ Fla. Stat. § 286.011 (2026)
- ^ "119.15 Legislative review of exemptions from public meeting and public records requirements". Florida Statutes. Archived from the original on May 27, 2026. Retrieved August 24, 2026 – via Florida Legislature.
Further reading
- May, Randolph. Reforming the Sunshine Act. Administrative Law Review, vol. 49, no. 2, 1997, pp. 415–19. JSTOR. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
- Weiss, M. J., Esq. (n.d.). Florida Sunshine and Public Record Laws. Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Archived on January 15, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2026.