The Florida Senate

655.059  Access to books and records; confidentiality; penalty for disclosure.--

(1)  The books and records of a financial institution are confidential and shall be made available for inspection and examination only:

(a)  To the department or its duly authorized representative;

(b)  To any person duly authorized to act for the financial institution;

(c)  To any federal or state instrumentality or agency authorized to inspect or examine the books and records of an insured financial institution;

(d)  With respect to an international banking corporation, to the home-country supervisor of the corporation, provided:

1.  The supervisor provides advance notice to the department that the supervisor intends to examine the Florida office of the corporation.

2.  The supervisor confirms to the department that the purpose of the examination is to ensure the safety and soundness of the corporation.

3.  The books and records pertaining to customer deposit, investment, and custodial accounts are not disclosed to the supervisor.

4.  At any time during the conduct of the examination, the department reserves the right to have an examiner present or to participate jointly in the examination.

For purposes of this paragraph, "home-country supervisor" means the governmental entity in the corporation's home country with responsibility for the supervision and regulation of the corporation.

(e)  As compelled by a court of competent jurisdiction;

(f)  As compelled by legislative subpoena as provided by law, in which case the provisions of s. 655.057 apply;

(g)  Pursuant to a subpoena, to any federal or state law enforcement or prosecutorial instrumentality authorized to investigate suspected criminal activity;

(h)  As authorized by the board of directors of the financial institution; or

(i)  As provided in subsection (2).

(2)(a)  Each depositor, borrower, member, or stockholder has the right to inspect such books and records of a financial institution as pertain to her or his loans or accounts or the determination of her or his voting rights.

(b)  The books and records pertaining to the deposit accounts and loans of depositors, borrowers, members, and stockholders of any financial institution shall be kept confidential by the financial institution and its directors, officers, and employees and shall not be released except upon express authorization of the account holder as to her or his own accounts, loans, or voting rights. However, information relating to any loan made by a financial institution may be released without the borrower's authorization in a manner prescribed by the board of directors for the purpose of meeting the needs of commerce and for fair and accurate credit information. Information may also be released, without the authorization of a member or depositor but in a manner prescribed by the board of directors, to verify or corroborate the existence or amount of a customer's or member's account when such information is reasonably provided to meet the needs of commerce and to ensure accurate credit information. In addition, a financial institution and its subsidiaries, and any holding company of the financial institution or subsidiary of such holding company, may furnish to one another information relating to their customers or members, subject to the requirement that each corporation receiving information that is confidential maintain the confidentiality of such information and not provide or disclose such information to any unaffiliated person or entity.

(c)  A person who willfully violates the provisions of this section that relate to unlawful disclosure of confidential information is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--ss. 7, 30, ch. 89-229; s. 1, ch. 91-307; ss. 1, 29, ch. 92-303; s. 524, ch. 97-102; s. 1, ch. 97-109.