Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 988
       
       
        
       By Senator Martin
       
       
       
       
       
       33-00865-24                                            2024988__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public records; creating s.
    3         215.5587, F.S.; providing an exemption from public
    4         records requirements for applications and home
    5         inspection reports submitted by applicants to the
    6         Department of Financial Services as a part of the My
    7         Safe Florida Home Program; providing retroactive
    8         applicability; providing for future legislative review
    9         and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of
   10         public necessity; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Section 215.5587, Florida Statutes, is created
   15  to read:
   16         215.5587 My Safe Florida Home Program; public records
   17  exemption.—
   18         (1) Applications and home inspection reports submitted by
   19  applicants as part of the My Safe Florida Home Program under s.
   20  215.5586 are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of
   21  the State Constitution.
   22         (2) This exemption applies retroactively to applications
   23  and home inspection reports submitted before, on, or after the
   24  effective date of this exemption.
   25         (3) This section is subject to the Open Government Sunset
   26  Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed
   27  on October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and saved from repeal
   28  through reenactment by the Legislature.
   29         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   30  necessity that My Safe Florida Home Program applications and
   31  home inspection reports be made exempt from s. 119.07(1),
   32  Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the State
   33  Constitution. More than 99 percent of all home inspections and
   34  grant applications are completed electronically or by phone.
   35  Under current law, My Safe Florida Home Program applications and
   36  home inspection reports are public records and can be obtained
   37  by anyone for any purpose. These documents contain personal
   38  information, including, but not limited to, names, e-mail
   39  addresses, mailing addresses, and telephone numbers. This
   40  information is unique to each individual and, when combined with
   41  other personal identifying information, can be used for identity
   42  theft, consumer scams, unwanted solicitations, or other invasive
   43  contact. Additionally, the My Safe Florida Home Program
   44  applications and home inspection reports contain detailed
   45  descriptions and pictures of the inside and outside of
   46  applicants’ homes, including private areas, points of entry, and
   47  other vulnerabilities. The public availability of these records
   48  puts participants in the My Safe Florida Home Program at
   49  increased risk of home invasions and reduces privacy in their
   50  homes. Such risk may be significantly limited by making My Safe
   51  Florida Home Program applications and home inspection reports
   52  exempt.
   53         Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.