Florida Senate - 2022                                     SB 938
       
       
        
       By Senator Baxley
       
       
       
       
       
       12-00902-22                                            2022938__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public records; amending s.
    3         16.7121, F.S.; providing an exemption from public
    4         records requirements for records containing personal
    5         identifying information of a person who is seeking
    6         assistance through the Compulsive and Addictive
    7         Gambling Prevention Program; providing for a future
    8         legislative review and repeal of the exemption;
    9         providing a statement of public necessity; providing a
   10         contingent effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Present subsection (6) of section 16.7121,
   15  Florida Statutes, as created by SB ____, 2022 Regular Session,
   16  is redesignated as subsection (7) and a new subsection (6) is
   17  added to that section, to read:
   18         16.7121 Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention
   19  Program.—
   20         (6) The personal identifying information of a person who is
   21  seeking assistance through the Compulsive and Addictive Gambling
   22  Prevention Program is confidential and exempt from the
   23  provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State
   24  Constitution. This subsection is subject to the Open Government
   25  Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand
   26  repealed on October 2, 2027, unless reviewed and saved from
   27  repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
   28         Section 2. The Legislature finds that, as reflected in s.
   29  16.7121(1), Florida Statutes, it is an important public policy
   30  of the state to recognize and mitigate the adverse impact of
   31  compulsive and addictive gambling behaviors. Even though such
   32  behaviors impact many people throughout society, it is still
   33  highly stigmatized. That social stigma prevents people from
   34  taking steps to seek out information and resources that would
   35  help them. In order to encourage people to seek assistance from
   36  the Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention Program, it is
   37  important that their personal identifying information remains
   38  confidential and exempt. The Legislature therefore finds that it
   39  is a public necessity that the personal identifying information
   40  of a person seeking assistance through the Compulsive and
   41  Addictive Gambling Prevention Program be made exempt from s.
   42  119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the
   43  State Constitution. The Legislature further finds that the need
   44  to protect this information is sufficiently compelling to
   45  override the state’s public policy of open government and that
   46  the protection of such information cannot be accomplished
   47  without this exemption.
   48         Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that
   49  SB ____ or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation
   50  is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension
   51  thereof and becomes a law.