HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                   Bill No. HB 773

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
                                   .
                                   .
  1                                .
                                   .
  2                                .
                                   .
  3                                .
                                   .
  4  ______________________________________________________________

  5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

  6

  7

  8

  9

10  ______________________________________________________________

11  The Committee on State Administration offered the following:

12

13         Amendment (with title amendment) 

14  Remove everything after the enacting clause

15

16  and insert:

17         Section 1.  All information contained in the paternity

18  registry created pursuant to s. 63.063, and maintained by the

19  Department of Health is exempt from public disclosure pursuant

20  to s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

21  Constitution, except that certificates attesting to the

22  results of a search of the paternity registry pursuant to

23  chapter 63 may be disclosed as provided in chapter 63. This

24  section is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act of

25  1995 in accordance with s. 119.15, and shall stand repealed on

26  October 2, 2007, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through

27  reenactment by the Legislature.

28         Section 2.  The Legislature finds that it is a public

29  necessity to exempt from public disclosure all information

30  contained in the paternity registry and maintained by the

31  Department of Health. The Legislature finds that it is good

                                  1

    File original & 9 copies    02/21/02
    hsa0005                     05:46 pm         00773-sa  -164677




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                   Bill No. HB 773

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  public policy to encourage putative fathers to register with

  2  the paternity registry in order that they have the opportunity

  3  to be made legally aware of petitions and hearings to

  4  terminate their parental rights pending an adoption. The

  5  Legislature also finds that by providing legal notice to

  6  putative fathers, adoptions are less likely to be legally

  7  disrupted. The Legislature further finds that the information

  8  required by the paternity registry reveals the existence of

  9  intimate sexual relations. Disclosure of this information

10  would likely have a negative effect on the likelihood that

11  putative fathers will register. Therefore, the Legislature

12  finds that any benefit that could occur from public disclosure

13  of the information in the paternity registry is outweighed by

14  the necessity to ensure the due process rights of putative

15  fathers.

16         Section 3.  This section shall take effect on the same

17  date that HB 775 or similar legislation takes effect if such

18  legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an

19  extension thereof and becomes law.

20

21

22  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

23  And the title is amended as follows:

24         On page 1, lines 5 & 6,

25  remove:  Department of Children and Family Services

26

27  and insert:

28         Department of Health

29

30

31

                                  2

    File original & 9 copies    02/21/02
    hsa0005                     05:46 pm         00773-sa  -164677