Florida Senate - 2023                                     SB 152
       
       
        
       By Senator Collins
       
       
       
       
       
       14-00742E-23                                           2023152__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public records; amending s.
    3         1002.42, F.S.; providing a public records exemption
    4         for information pertaining to a safe-school officer at
    5         a private school; providing for future legislative
    6         review and repeal of the exemption; providing a
    7         statement of public necessity; providing a contingent
    8         effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (18) of
   13  section 1002.42, Florida Statutes, as created by SB 150, 2023
   14  Regular Session, to read:
   15         1002.42 Private schools.—
   16         (18) SAFE SCHOOL OFFICERS.—
   17         (c) Any information that may identify whether a particular
   18  individual has been assigned as a safe-school officer pursuant
   19  to s. 1006.12 at a private school and that is held by a law
   20  enforcement agency is exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a),
   21  Art. I of the State Constitution. This subsection is subject to
   22  the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s.
   23  119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2028, unless
   24  reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
   25  Legislature.
   26         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   27  necessity that any information that may identify whether a
   28  particular individual has been assigned as a safe-school officer
   29  at a private school and that is held by a law enforcement agency
   30  be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s.
   31  24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. School security and
   32  student safety are fundamental priorities in this state. Private
   33  schools should be provided options for a security presence
   34  similar to that established for school districts. To maximize
   35  the effectiveness of the presence of safe-school officers as a
   36  deterrent and in their role as first responders to incidents
   37  threatening the lives of students and school staff, safe-school
   38  officers may perform their school-related duties while carrying
   39  a weapon. Disclosure of the identity of a safe-school officer
   40  can affect his or her ability to adequately respond to an active
   41  assailant situation. Accordingly, it is necessary to protect the
   42  identity of safe-school officers from public records
   43  requirements in order to effectively and efficiently implement
   44  the purpose and intent of the program. Such personal identifying
   45  information of an individual assigned as a safe-school officer
   46  which is held by a law enforcement agency or public school is
   47  currently exempt from public records requirements.
   48         Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that
   49  SB 150 or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation
   50  is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension
   51  thereof and becomes a law.