House Bill 1903

    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1903

        By Representative Murman






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to public records; providing an

  3         exemption from public records requirements for

  4         information that identifies parents who leave

  5         newborn infants at hospitals from public

  6         records requirements; providing a finding of

  7         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.  Information that identifies a parent who

13  leaves a newborn infant with a hospital in accordance with s.

14  383.50, Florida Statutes, is confidential and exempt from the

15  provisions of s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a) of

16  Art. I of the State Constitution. This section is subject to

17  the Open Government Review Act of 1995 in accordance with s.

18  119.15, Florida Statutes, and shall stand repealed on October

19  2, 2005, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through

20  reenactment by the Legislature.

21         Section 2.  The Legislature finds that the preservation

22  of anonymity and confidentiality of parents who leave newborn

23  infants with hospitals is a public necessity, as it will

24  encourage such parents to leave infants safely and thus

25  protect the life and health of those infants. The Legislature

26  further finds that the public policy enunciated for the

27  creation of s. 383.50, Florida Statutes, will be served if the

28  anonymity of parents who leave newborns with hospitals can be

29  maintained.

30         Section 3.  This act shall take on the same date that

31  HB      or similar legislation takes effect if such

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1903

    583-202-00






  1  legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an

  2  extension thereof and becomes law.

  3

  4            *****************************************

  5                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  6
      Provides an exemption from public records requirements
  7    for information that identifies parents who leave newborn
      infants at hospitals. Provides for future review and
  8    repeal.

  9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  2