Florida Senate - 2023                                     SB 842
       
       
        
       By Senator Harrell
       
       
       
       
       
       31-01384-23                                            2023842__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public records; amending s.
    3         119.071, F.S.; providing an exemption from public
    4         records requirements for personal identifying and
    5         location information of persons reporting a potential
    6         violation of a county or municipal code or ordinance;
    7         providing for retroactive application; providing for
    8         future legislative review and repeal of the exemption;
    9         providing a statement of public necessity; providing
   10         an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Paragraph (k) is added to subsection (5) of
   15  section 119.071, Florida Statutes, to read:
   16         119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of
   17  public records.—
   18         (5) OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION.—
   19         (k) The home address, telephone number, name, and date of
   20  birth of a person who reports a potential violation of a county
   21  or municipal code or ordinance pursuant to s. 125.69 or s.
   22  162.06 are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the
   23  State Constitution for a period of 1 year from the filing of the
   24  potential violation with the appropriate agency.
   25         1. This exemption applies to personal identifying and
   26  location information held by an agency before, on, or after the
   27  effective date of this exemption.
   28         2. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset
   29  Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed
   30  on October 2, 2028, unless reviewed and saved from repeal
   31  through reenactment by the Legislature.
   32         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   33  necessity that personal identifying and location information of
   34  persons reporting a potential violation of a county or municipal
   35  code or ordinance which is held by an agency be made exempt from
   36  s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the
   37  State Constitution. The Legislature finds that allowing
   38  continued public access to the personal identifying and location
   39  information of persons reporting potential violations of county
   40  or municipal codes or ordinances jeopardizes the safety of such
   41  persons. The Legislature finds that protecting the safety and
   42  security of such persons outweighs any public benefit that may
   43  be derived from the public disclosure of the personal
   44  identifying and location information.
   45         Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.