Florida Senate - 2022                                    SB 1526
       
       
        
       By Senator Boyd
       
       
       
       
       
       21-01425-22                                           20221526__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public records; amending s.
    3         119.0714, F.S.; providing an exemption from public
    4         records requirements for personal identifying
    5         information and annuity contract numbers of a payee of
    6         a structured settlement and the names of family
    7         members, dependents, and beneficiaries of such payee;
    8         providing for future legislative review and repeal of
    9         the exemption; providing a statement of public
   10         necessity; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Paragraph (l) is added to subsection (1) of
   15  section 119.0714, Florida Statutes, to read:
   16         119.0714 Court files; court records; official records.—
   17         (1) COURT FILES.—Nothing in this chapter shall be construed
   18  to exempt from s. 119.07(1) a public record that was made a part
   19  of a court file and that is not specifically closed by order of
   20  court, except:
   21         (l) Personal identifying information and annuity contract
   22  numbers of a payee of a structured settlement as defined in s.
   23  626.99296(2) and the names of family members, dependents, and
   24  beneficiaries of such payee are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s.
   25  24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This paragraph is
   26  subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance
   27  with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2027,
   28  unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
   29  Legislature.
   30         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   31  necessity that the personal identifying information and annuity
   32  contract numbers of a payee of a structured settlement and the
   33  names of family members, dependents, and beneficiaries of such
   34  payee be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s.
   35  24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. Recipients of
   36  structured settlements have been targets of criminal and
   37  fraudulent acts based upon publicly available identifying
   38  information. The Legislature finds that the harm that may result
   39  from the release of personal identifying information and annuity
   40  contract numbers of a payee of a structured settlement and the
   41  names of family members, dependents, and beneficiaries of such
   42  payee outweighs any public benefit that may be derived from the
   43  disclosure of such information.
   44         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.