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« | Home | »

UFC information secrecy bill sent to Florida Gov. Rick Scott to sign into law

By Zach Arnold | June 7, 2014

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What is the UFC trying to hide from the media in Florida by buying Governor Rick Scott’s loyalty?

Zuffa paid the man a lot of a cash for his re-election campaign against Charlie Crist. They got what they wanted:

PUBLIC RECORDS/GENERAL BILL by Regulatory Affairs Committee ; Government Operations Subcommittee ; Business and Professional Regulation Subcommittee ; Hutson

Pub. Rec./Florida State Boxing Commission; Provides exemption from public records requirements for proprietary confidential business information in reports required to be filed with Florida State Boxing Commission by promoter or obtained by commission through audit of promoter’s records; defines term “proprietary confidential business information”; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption; provides statement of public necessity; provides for contingent effect.

Here is the official bill text as constituted…

Section 1. Section 548.062, Florida Statutes, is created to read:

548.062 Public records exemption.-

(1) As used in this section, the term “proprietary confidential business information” means information that:
(a) Is owned or controlled by the promoter;
(b) The promoter intends to be and treats as private;
(c) If disclosed, would cause harm to the promoter or its business operations;
(d) Has not been disclosed, except for any disclosure pursuant to a statutory provision, an order of a court or administrative body, or a private agreement that provides that the information not be released to the public; and

(e) Concerns any of the following:
1. The number of ticket sales for a match;
2. The amount of gross receipts after a match;
3. A trade secret, as defined in s. 688.002;
4. Business plans;
5. Internal auditing controls and reports of internal auditors; or
6. Reports of external auditors.

(2) Proprietary confidential business information provided in the written report required to be filed with the commission after a match or obtained by the commission through an audit of the promoter’s books and records pursuant to s. 548.06 is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. Information made confidential and exempt by this subsection may be disclosed to another governmental entity in the performance of its duties and responsibilities.

(3) This section is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2019, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public necessity that proprietary confidential business information be protected from disclosure. The disclosure of proprietary confidential business information could injure a promoter in the marketplace by giving the promoter’s competitors insights into the promoter’s financial status and business plan, thereby putting the promoter at a competitive disadvantage. The Legislature also finds that the harm to a promoter in disclosing proprietary confidential business information significantly outweighs any public benefit derived from the disclosure of such information. For these reasons, the Legislature declares that any proprietary confidential business information provided in the written report required to be filed with the Florida State Boxing Commission by a promoter after a match or obtained by the commission through an audit of the promoter’s books and records pursuant to s. 548.06, Florida Statutes, is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution.

Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that HB 773 or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension thereof and becomes law.

There were two votes on this bill: one in the House (April 24th) and one in the Senate (May 1st). In the House, it passed 105-12. In the Senate, it passed 34-0. The 12 Nays in the House were:

Bruce Antone (Democrat – Orlando)
Randolph Bracy (Democrat – Orlando)
Karen Castor Dentel (Democrat – Maitland)
Matt Gaetz (Republican – Fort Walton Beach)
Mark Pafford (Democrat – West Palm Beach)
Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda (Democrat – Tallahassee)
Joe Saunders (Democrat – Orlando)
Carl Zimmermann (Democrat – Palm Harbor)
Elaine Schwartz (Democrat – Hollywood)
Barbara Watson (Democrat – Miami Gardens)
Cynthia Stafford (Democrat – Miami)
Jose Javier Rodriguez (Democrat – Miami)

The new piece of legislation will go into effect on July 1st.

Topics: Florida, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

11 Responses to “UFC information secrecy bill sent to Florida Gov. Rick Scott to sign into law”

  1. Jason says:

    Seriously, time to let it go. Your bias is making you look pathetic.

  2. NotZuffaEmployed says:

    Your ignorance makes me laugh, Jason. You sound a Botter or a Snowden.

  3. Jason says:

    You are the one who is ignorant. UFC is a PRIVATE Company, all this bill does is allow them to protect their rights as a private company. They’re not hiding anything.

    • 45 Huddle says:

      What do you expect from from the same company that has a 2nd time steroid abuser… And instead of making sure he doesn’t fight for a year…. They rally support around him and put him in a #1 contender’s fight.

      Corruption is the UFC’s way.

      And the people have a right to know this information when it happens in venues that are paid for by tax dollars.

      Not to mention the fighters, managers, and many other people should have a right to know this information…

      • Jason says:

        I really don’t understand why this concept is so hard for you to comprehend. The taxpayers do not have a RIGHT to UFC’s information outlined above. They have a right to see the financials of the venue (which are available), assuming they are supported by bonds. The bonds paid for the venue which is typically run by an organization (typically non-profit). Taxpayers have a right to that info, not a right to each individual performers information or a company’s information who may have a conference there.

        My suggestion to you and Zach is stop following MMA and the UFC. All the both of you is constantly complain and it’s annoying. Are all businesses perfect…heck no, does the UFC and Dana White make mistakes…of course. I get it, the internet is full of experts and people with varying opinions. You have the right to criticize, but writing opinion pieces (and supporting said pieces) that are inaccurate and not based in fact makes you look desperate and foolish. Anyone who has a background in business and finance knows there is nothing corrupt about what the UFC is doing in this specific instance.

        • edub says:

          They are the annoying ones, but you still decide to coverse with them?

          Do you realize how stupid that makes you look?

  4. Jason says:

    Doesn’t make me look stupid at all, I’m the one backing up my arguement with facts. This is a sport I have followed since the beginning, and I’m not going to set back and let some blogger and his minions make up lies about a sport and company I am passionate about.

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