Florida Senate - 2021                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 418
       
       
       
       
       
       
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                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/06/2021           .                                
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       The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability
       (Burgess) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Subsection (5) is added to section 252.385,
    6  Florida Statutes, to read:
    7         252.385 Public shelter space; public records exemption.—
    8         (5) The address and telephone number of a person provided
    9  public emergency shelter during a storm or catastrophic event
   10  and held by the agency, as defined in s. 119.011, that provided
   11  the emergency shelter is exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a),
   12  Art. I of the State Constitution. This subsection is subject to
   13  the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s.
   14  119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2026, unless
   15  reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
   16  Legislature.
   17         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   18  necessity that the address and telephone number of a person who
   19  was provided public emergency shelter during a storm or other
   20  catastrophic event be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida
   21  Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution.
   22  Emergency shelters are made available to the public to provide a
   23  safe place of accommodation before, during, and immediately
   24  following storms or other catastrophic events. During these
   25  emergency events, those affected are in a vulnerable state, as
   26  they have voluntarily displaced themselves from their residences
   27  and possessions to seek refuge. The information submitted to an
   28  agency by such a person seeking emergency shelter during a storm
   29  or other catastrophic event could be used by persons seeking to
   30  take advantage of their vulnerability during or following the
   31  emergency. In addition, those seeking emergency shelter for
   32  their safety and the safety of their families should not be
   33  forced to forfeit their privacy for the sake of such safety.
   34  Therefore, the Legislature finds that the need to protect the
   35  address and telephone number of individuals seeking emergency
   36  shelter is sufficiently compelling to override this state’s
   37  public policy of open government and that the protection of such
   38  information cannot be accomplished without this exemption.
   39         Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
   40  
   41  
   42  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   43  And the title is amended as follows:
   44         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   45  and insert:
   46                        A bill to be entitled                      
   47         An act relating to public records; amending s.
   48         252.385, F.S.; creating an exemption from public
   49         records requirements for the address and telephone
   50         number of persons provided public emergency shelter
   51         and held by the agency that provided the emergency
   52         shelter; providing for future legislative review and
   53         repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of
   54         public necessity; providing an effective date.