Citizens have no right to speak at public meetings, according to Florida courts

[ensho]

http://floridaindependent.com/11802/citizens-have-no-right-to-speak-at-public-meetings-according-to-florida-courts


The Florida Supreme Court refused an appeal from a lower court ruling that says citizens have no right to participate at public meetings.

-snip-

The Pensacola News Journal reports:

“This will mean no Floridian has the right to speak to the County Commission, City Council, School Board, Water Management District or any other public body under the Sunshine Law,” said Pensacola attorney Sharon Barnett, who represented the plaintiffs in the case.

“For the first time in more than 40 years in Florida, the courts have declined to construe the law broadly in the public’s interest. This is a radical shift in Sunshine Law jurisprudence.”

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we should all go to the meetings and speak up anyway

of course they may throw us on the ground and stomp on us

sigh, its Florida the sunshine state

[mediaman007]

1. This ruling will be great in Arizona! Look for this to appear in their next legislative session.

[deutsey]

2. Funny...Florida is where tens of thousands of voters found they don't have the right to vote either.

Go figure.

:evilfrown:

[arbusto_baboso]

3. So Florida hates the 1st Amendment?

Color me surprised. :sarcasm:

[old guy]

4. Actually, not a surprise.

At our town board meetings they have a citizens comment time, but are not required by law to do so. Also during any discussions citizens are only allowed to speak if recognized by the chairman. As I attend nearly all of these meetings, I have seen certain people ignored because they ask questions that the board does not really want asked. I have never been denied a question, but have received many non answers.

[gratuitous]

6. Yeah, I'm not sure what the legal question was

I'll probably have to actually look at the case, but there is no absolute right for every person with a question, or every question that enters some person's head, to be asked at a public meeting. The folks running the meeting have an obligation to gather citizen input, but individual citizens can't take over a meeting by asking an endless series of questions, and because of time constraints, every citizen with a question may not have a chance to ask it. Usually, a public meeting is just a part of the information-gathering process, and citizens are encouraged to submit written testimony if there isn't time for everyone to give oral testimony.

[RockaFowler]

5. We can vote out those in the Supreme Court

Those that the lovely CharLIE Crist put in.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. How do we begin recalling these judges?

I'm sure the Repubs will help us do it, since this has been identified as a Democratic leaning Supreme Court. That's "Florida" Democratic, meaning, good ole boys & gals.

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. This is devastating!

It will mean that it will be easier for elected officials to break the Sunshine Laws.

Our Florida Supreme Court is worthless! That's why I always say that relief for members of the public is in the Federal Court.