House Bill hb0129B

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001               HB 129-B

        By Representatives Gelber, Harrell, Green, Ball, Bullard
    and Cusack





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to public records; amending s.

  3         119.07, F.S.; providing that electronic paging

  4         device numbers of law enforcement officers are

  5         exempt from public records requirements;

  6         providing a statement of public necessity;

  7         providing an effective date.

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  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  Paragraph (ee) is added to subsection (3)

12  of section 119.07, Florida Statutes, to read:

13         119.07  Inspection, examination, and duplication of

14  records; exemptions.--

15         (3)

16         (ee)  The electronic paging device number of a law

17  enforcement officer or former law enforcement officer which is

18  used in the course of his or her employment in this state is

19  exempt from the provisions of subsection (1) and s. 24(a),

20  Art. I of the State Constitution. This paragraph is subject to

21  the Open Government Sunset Review Act of 1995, in accordance

22  with s. 119.15, and shall stand repealed October 2, 2003,

23  unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by

24  the Legislature.

25         Section 2.  The Legislature finds that the exemption

26  from public records requirements provided by this act is a

27  public necessity because law enforcement officers or former

28  law enforcement officers can be identified as such by

29  connecting them with their electronic paging device numbers

30  that are used in the course of their employment. The

31  identification of current and former law enforcement officers

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001               HB 129-B

    763-117-01






  1  through electronic paging device numbers can compromise

  2  investigations, undermine those officers' ability to apprehend

  3  suspects, and compromise the physical safety of law

  4  enforcement officers. Consequently, the Legislature finds that

  5  electronic paging device numbers of law enforcement officers

  6  and former law enforcement officers which are used in the

  7  course of their employment must be kept confidential.

  8         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

  9  law.

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12                       LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

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      Provides an exemption from public records requirements
14    for the electronic paging device numbers of current and
      former law enforcement officers. Provides a statement of
15    public necessity and for future review and repeal of the
      exemption.
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