City attorney reviews Sunshine Law, public-records obligations and ethics for Dunedin committees

City Attorney Jennifer Cohen delivered a training session for Dunedin board and committee members on the Sunshine Law, the Florida Public Records Act and local ethics rules, emphasizing legal constraints on communications and practical steps committees should take to avoid violations.

“The Sunshine Law was actually enacted in around 1967,” Cohen said, placing the law in its constitutional and statutory context and citing Article I, Section 24(b) of the Florida Constitution and statutory provisions in chapter 286. Cohen explained the law’s three core requirements: meetings must be open to the public, reasonable notice must be provided and minutes must be kept.

Key takeaways: Cohen told attendees that any gathering, deliberation or discussion of two or more members of the same board about matters…