Florida Senate - 2014 SB 298 By Senator Soto 14-00415-14 2014298__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to booking photographs; creating s. 3 836.12, F.S.; providing definitions; prohibiting an 4 individual or business entity from soliciting, 5 charging, or collecting compensation for the removal 6 of a booking photograph or other information related 7 to a criminal charge or conviction from the Internet 8 or other public medium; requiring an individual or 9 business entity that publishes booking photographs or 10 criminal record information on an Internet website or 11 other public medium to provide certain contact 12 information; providing for a civil action; providing 13 for the award of actual damages and attorney fees; 14 providing an effective date. 15 16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 18 Section 1. Section 836.12, Florida Statutes, is created to 19 read: 20 836.12 Removal of booking photographs from the Internet.— 21 (1) As used in this section, the term: 22 (a) “Booking photograph” means a photograph of an 23 individual which was taken by an arresting law enforcement 24 agency. 25 (b) “Criminal record information” means information about 26 an individual’s involvement in the criminal justice system. The 27 term includes, but is not limited to: 28 1. A description or notation of any arrests, any formal 29 charges, and the final disposition of those charges. 30 2. Personal identifying information of an individual 31 displayed in conjunction with any other record of his or her 32 involvement in the criminal justice system. 33 (2) It is unlawful to solicit, charge, or collect 34 compensation for the removal of a booking photograph or criminal 35 record information from an Internet website or other public 36 medium. 37 (3) An individual or business entity that publishes booking 38 photographs or criminal record information on an Internet 39 website or other public medium shall clearly and conspicuously 40 publish an e-mail address, fax number, or mailing address to 41 which an individual may submit a request that his or her 42 photograph or information be removed from the Internet website 43 or other public medium. 44 (4) An individual who has been the subject of solicitation, 45 charge, or collection of compensation for the removal of his or 46 her booking photograph or other information related to his or 47 her criminal charge or conviction from the Internet or other 48 public medium may file a civil action for actual damages and 49 attorney fees against an individual or business entity that 50 violates this section. 51 Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2014.