CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.House Bill 1849
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1849
By Representative Murman
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to public records; amending s.
3 409.175, F.S.; providing an exemption from
4 public records requirements for specified
5 personal information contained in licensing
6 files concerning persons licensed to be family
7 foster parents and their spouses, children, and
8 other adult household members; providing for
9 future review and repeal; providing a finding
10 of public necessity; providing an effective
11 date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Subsection (15) is added to section
16 409.175, Florida Statutes, 1996 Supplement, to read:
17 409.175 Licensure of family foster homes, residential
18 child-caring agencies, and child-placing agencies.--
19 (15) The following information contained in the
20 licensing file held by the department is exempt from the
21 provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State
22 Constitution unless otherwise ordered by a court: the home,
23 business, work, childcare, or school addresses, telephone
24 numbers, social security numbers, birthdates, and photographs
25 of persons who are licensed under this section to be family
26 foster parents and of their spouses, their minor children, and
27 other adult household members; identifying information about
28 such persons in neighbor references; the floor plan of the
29 foster home; and any identifying information about such
30 persons contained in similar sensitive, personal information
31 that is provided to the department by such persons. This
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1849
583-124-97
1 exemption shall continue to apply for any person who was
2 formerly licensed as a family foster parent and who has become
3 an adoptive parent. This subsection is subject to the Open
4 Government Sunset Review Act of 1995 in accordance with s.
5 119.15, and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2002, unless
6 reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
7 Legislature.
8 Section 2. The Legislature finds that exempting from
9 public records requirements the personal information specified
10 in s. 409.175(15), Florida Statutes, concerning persons who
11 are licensed to be family foster parents and their spouses,
12 children, and other adult household members would reduce the
13 risk that other individuals, including parents or relatives,
14 could threaten, harass, or cause physical harm or other injury
15 to foster children or their foster families. The Legislature
16 finds that the availability to the public of personal and
17 sensitive background information lessens the willingness of
18 prospective caregivers to reveal sensitive information that is
19 necessary in assessing the abilities of foster parents and
20 making appropriate placements for children. The Legislature
21 further finds that the availability to the public of such
22 information has a negative effect on the recruitment and
23 retention of foster parents.
24 Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
25 law.
26
27 *****************************************
28 HOUSE SUMMARY
29
Provides an exemption from public records requirements
30 for specified personal information contained in licensing
files concerning persons licensed to be family foster
31 parents and their spouses, children, and other adult
household members. Provides for future review and repeal.
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