Florida Senate - 2021                                    SB 1828
       
       
        
       By Senator Rouson
       
       
       
       
       
       19-01440-21                                           20211828__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public records; providing an
    3         exemption from public records requirements for
    4         personal identifying information in applications
    5         submitted to the Department of State by persons
    6         seeking certification as victims of Florida reform
    7         school abuse; providing for future legislative review
    8         and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of
    9         public necessity; providing a contingent effective
   10         date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Applications for certification as a victim of
   15  Florida reform school abuse; public records exemption.—Any
   16  personal identifying information in an application submitted to
   17  the Department of State by, or on behalf of, any person seeking
   18  certification as a victim of Florida reform school abuse, as
   19  defined in the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys and Okeechobee
   20  School Abuse Victim Certification Act, is exempt from s.
   21  119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the
   22  State Constitution. This paragraph is subject to the Open
   23  Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15,
   24  Florida Statutes, and shall stand repealed on December 31, 2022,
   25  unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
   26  Legislature.
   27         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   28  necessity that personal identifying information in applications
   29  for certification as a victim of Florida reform school abuse
   30  which are submitted to the Department of State be made exempt
   31  from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of
   32  the State Constitution. The Legislature finds that the release
   33  of personal identifying information contained in a certification
   34  application could subject victims of Florida reform school abuse
   35  to further embarrassment. The Legislature further finds that
   36  such victims would be more likely to come forward to seek
   37  redress if the personal identifying information in the
   38  applications are protected from public disclosure. The
   39  Legislature finds that the harm that may result from the release
   40  of such information outweighs the public benefit that may be
   41  derived from the disclosure of the information.
   42         Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that
   43  CS for SB 288 or similar legislation takes effect if such
   44  legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an
   45  extension thereof and becomes a law.