Senate Bill sb2008c1

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2008

    By the Committee on Transportation; and Senators Sebesta,
    Clary, Geller and Lynn




    306-2053-04

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to public records; amending s.

  3         119.07, F.S.; revising the exemption from

  4         public-records requirements for personal

  5         information contained in a motor vehicle

  6         record; removing the requirement that the

  7         exemption be conditioned on a request for

  8         exemption by the person who is the subject of

  9         the record; restricting the release of social

10         security numbers and medical and disability

11         information; revising certain conditions under

12         which the Department of Highway Safety and

13         Motor Vehicles may release information in

14         connection with a legal proceeding; revising

15         conditions for the release of information for

16         bulk distribution use; providing for release of

17         information when the subject has given consent

18         on a form prescribed by the department;

19         providing that the restrictions on the

20         disclosure of information do not affect the use

21         of organ donor information; providing for

22         rulemaking; providing for future legislative

23         review and repeal; providing a finding of

24         public necessity; providing an effective date.

25  

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

27  

28         Section 1.  Paragraph (aa) of subsection (3) of section

29  119.07, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

30         119.07  Inspection, examination, and duplication of

31  records; exemptions.--

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2008
    306-2053-04




 1         (3)

 2         (aa)  Upon a request made in a form designated by the

 3  Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Personal

 4  information contained in a motor vehicle record that

 5  identifies the subject of the record requester is exempt from

 6  subsection (1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution

 7  except as provided in this paragraph.  Personal information

 8  includes, but is not limited to, the subject's requester's

 9  social security number, driver identification number, name,

10  address, telephone number, and medical or disability

11  information.  For purposes of this paragraph, personal

12  information does not include information relating to vehicular

13  crashes, driving violations, and driver's status. Such request

14  may be made only by the person who is the subject of the motor

15  vehicle record.  For purposes of this paragraph, the term

16  "motor vehicle record" means any record that pertains to a

17  motor vehicle operator's permit, motor vehicle title, motor

18  vehicle registration, or identification card issued by the

19  Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.  Personal

20  information contained in motor vehicle records exempted by an

21  individual's request pursuant to this paragraph shall be

22  released by the department for any of the following uses,

23  except that social security numbers contained in motor vehicle

24  records may be released only as provided in s. 119.0721 and

25  except that medical and disability information contained in

26  motor vehicle records may be released only as provided in s.

27  322.126:

28         1.  For use in connection with matters of motor vehicle

29  or driver safety and theft; motor vehicle emissions; motor

30  vehicle product alterations, recalls, or advisories;

31  performance monitoring of motor vehicles and dealers by motor

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2008
    306-2053-04




 1  vehicle manufacturers; and removal of nonowner records from

 2  the original owner records of motor vehicle manufacturers, to

 3  carry out the purposes of the Automobile Information

 4  Disclosure Act, the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Saving

 5  Act, the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of

 6  1966, the Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992, and the Clean Air Act.

 7         2.  For use by any government agency, including any

 8  court or law enforcement agency, in carrying out its

 9  functions, or any private person or entity acting on behalf of

10  a federal, state, or local agency in carrying out its

11  functions.

12         3.  For use in connection with matters of motor vehicle

13  or driver safety and theft; motor vehicle emissions; motor

14  vehicle product alterations, recalls, or advisories;

15  performance monitoring of motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts,

16  and dealers; motor vehicle market research activities,

17  including survey research; and removal of nonowner records

18  from the original owner records of motor vehicle

19  manufacturers.

20         4.  For use in the normal course of business by a

21  legitimate business or its agents, employees, or contractors,

22  but only:

23         a.  To verify the accuracy of personal information

24  submitted by the individual to the business or its agents,

25  employees, or contractors; and

26         b.  If such information as so submitted is not correct

27  or is no longer correct, to obtain the correct information,

28  but only for the purposes of preventing fraud by, pursuing

29  legal remedies against, or recovering on a debt or security

30  interest against, the individual.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2008
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 1         5.  For use in connection with any civil, criminal,

 2  administrative, or arbitral proceeding in any court or agency

 3  or before any self-regulatory body for:

 4         a.  Service of process by any certified process server,

 5  special process server, or other person authorized to serve

 6  process in this state.

 7         b.  Investigation in anticipation of litigation by an

 8  attorney licensed to practice law in this state or the agent

 9  of the attorney; provided, however, that the information may

10  not be used for mass commercial solicitation of clients for

11  litigation against motor vehicle dealers.

12         c.  Investigation by any person in connection with any

13  filed proceeding; provided, however, that the information may

14  not be used for mass commercial solicitation of clients for

15  litigation against motor vehicle dealers.

16         d.  Execution or enforcement of judgments and orders.

17         e.  Compliance with an order of any court.

18         6.  For use in research activities and for use in

19  producing statistical reports, so long as the personal

20  information is not published, redisclosed, or used to contact

21  individuals.

22         7.  For use by any insurer or insurance support

23  organization, or by a self-insured entity, or its agents,

24  employees, or contractors, in connection with claims

25  investigation activities, anti-fraud activities, rating, or

26  underwriting.

27         8.  For use in providing notice to the owners of towed

28  or impounded vehicles.

29         9.  For use by any licensed private investigative

30  agency or licensed security service for any purpose permitted

31  under this paragraph. Personal information obtained based on

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2008
    306-2053-04




 1  an exempt driver's record may not be provided to a client who

 2  cannot demonstrate a need based on a police report, court

 3  order, or a business or personal relationship with the subject

 4  of the investigation.

 5         10.  For use by an employer or its agent or insurer to

 6  obtain or verify information relating to a holder of a

 7  commercial driver's license that is required under the

 8  Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, 49 U.S.C. App.

 9  2710 et seq.

10         11.  For use in connection with the operation of

11  private toll transportation facilities.

12         12.  For bulk distribution for surveys, marketing, or

13  solicitations when the person to whom the personal information

14  pertains has given express consent for such use on a form

15  prescribed by the department. This consent remains in effect

16  until it is revoked by the person on a form prescribed by the

17  department. department has implemented methods and procedures

18  to ensure that:

19         a.  Individuals are provided an opportunity, in a clear

20  and conspicuous manner, to prohibit such uses; and

21         b.  The information will be used, rented, or sold

22  solely for bulk distribution for survey, marketing, and

23  solicitations, and that surveys, marketing, and solicitations

24  will not be directed at those individuals who have timely

25  requested that they not be directed at them.

26         13.  For any use if the requesting person demonstrates

27  that he or she has obtained the written consent of the person

28  who is the subject of the motor vehicle record.

29         14.  For any other use specifically authorized by state

30  law, if such use is related to the operation of a motor

31  vehicle or public safety.

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2008
    306-2053-04




 1         15.  For any other use if the person to whom the

 2  information pertains has given express consent on a form

 3  prescribed by the department. The consent remains in effect

 4  until it is revoked by the person on a form prescribed by the

 5  department.

 6  

 7  The restrictions on disclosure of personal information

 8  provided by this paragraph do not in any way affect the use of

 9  organ-donation information on individual driver's licenses and

10  do not affect the administration of organ-donation initiatives

11  in this state. Personal information exempted from public

12  disclosure according to this paragraph may be disclosed by the

13  Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to an

14  individual, firm, corporation, or similar business entity

15  whose primary business interest is to resell or redisclose the

16  personal information to persons who are authorized to receive

17  such information.  Prior to the department's disclosure of

18  personal information, such individual, firm, corporation, or

19  similar business entity must first enter into a contract with

20  the department regarding the care, custody, and control of the

21  personal information to ensure compliance with the federal

22  Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994 and applicable state

23  laws. An authorized recipient of personal information

24  contained in a motor vehicle record, except a recipient under

25  subparagraph 12., may contract with the Department of Highway

26  Safety and Motor Vehicles to resell or redisclose the

27  information for any use permitted under this paragraph.

28  However, only authorized recipients of personal information

29  under subparagraph 12. may resell or redisclose personal

30  information pursuant to subparagraph 12. Any authorized

31  recipient who resells or rediscloses personal information

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2008
    306-2053-04




 1  shall maintain, for a period of 5 years, records identifying

 2  each person or entity that receives the personal information

 3  and the permitted purpose for which it will be used. Such

 4  records shall be made available for inspection upon request by

 5  the department. The department shall adopt rules to carry out

 6  the purposes of this paragraph and the federal Driver's

 7  Privacy Protection Act of 1994, Title XXX, Pub. L. No.

 8  103-322, as amended by s. 350 of Pub. L. No. 106-69. Rules

 9  adopted by the department shall provide for the payment of

10  applicable fees and, prior to the disclosure of personal

11  information pursuant to this paragraph, shall require the

12  meeting of conditions by the requesting person for the

13  purposes of obtaining reasonable assurance concerning the

14  identity of such requesting person, and, to the extent

15  required, assurance that the use will be only as authorized or

16  that the consent of the person who is the subject of the

17  personal information has been obtained.  Such conditions may

18  include, but need not be limited to, the making and filing of

19  a written application in such form and containing such

20  information and certification requirements as the department

21  requires. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government

22  Sunset Review Act of 1995, in accordance with s. 119.15, and

23  shall stand repealed on October 2, 2009, unless reviewed and

24  saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

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

26  necessity that personal information in an individual's motor

27  vehicle record held by the Department of Highway Safety and

28  Motor Vehicles be exempt from public disclosure. Limiting

29  access to the state's motor vehicle records will afford the

30  public an added measure of protection by preventing

31  individuals from obtaining for malicious purposes personal

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2008
    306-2053-04




 1  information contained in the records. Further, such an

 2  exemption conforms state law to the requirements of the

 3  federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994, as amended by

 4  s. 350 of Pub. L. No. 106-69, which prohibits disclosure of

 5  such information of a sensitive, personal nature, with

 6  specified exceptions.

 7         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.

 8  

 9          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
10                         Senate Bill 2008

11                                 

12  This CS restricts the disclosure of social security numbers
    and medical and disability information contained in motor
13  vehicle records as provided in ss. 119.0721 and 322.126, F.S.

14  In addition, the CS revises two exceptions allowing for public
    disclosure in connection with a legal proceeding specifying
15  the information may not be used for mass commercial
    solicitation of clients for litigation against motor vehicle
16  dealers.

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