Florida Senate - 2026                              CS for SB 410
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Commerce and Tourism; and Senator Truenow
       
       
       
       
       
       577-01760-26                                           2026410c1
    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 the personal identifying and
    5         location information of current and former private
    6         investigators licensed by the Department of
    7         Agriculture and Consumer Services and the spouses and
    8         children of such private investigators; providing for
    9         future legislative review and repeal of the exemption;
   10         providing for retroactive application; providing a
   11         statement of public necessity; providing an effective
   12         date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Paragraph (l) is added to subsection (5) of
   17  section 119.071, Florida Statutes, to read:
   18         119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of
   19  public records.—
   20         (5) OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION.—
   21         (l) The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,
   22  and photographs of current and former private investigators
   23  licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;
   24  the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,
   25  and places of employment of the spouses and children of current
   26  and former private investigators licensed by the Department of
   27  Agriculture and Consumer Services; and the names and locations
   28  of schools and day care facilities attended by the children of
   29  current and former private investigators licensed by the
   30  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are exempt from
   31  s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.
   32  This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review
   33  Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on
   34  October 2, 2031, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through
   35  reenactment by the Legislature.
   36         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   37  necessity that the home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of
   38  birth, and photographs of current and former private
   39  investigators licensed by the Department of Agriculture and
   40  Consumer Services; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers,
   41  dates of birth, and places of employment of the spouses and
   42  children of current and former private investigators licensed by
   43  the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; and the
   44  names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended
   45  by the children of current and former private investigators
   46  licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
   47  be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s.
   48  24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. Private
   49  investigators routinely engage in sensitive work that may
   50  involve uncovering fraud, locating missing persons, or assisting
   51  in criminal and civil matters. In the course of their duties,
   52  private investigators often interact with individuals who have
   53  strong motives to retaliate or cause harm. Public access to a
   54  private investigator’s home address or personal information
   55  could expose private investigators and their families to
   56  threats, harassment, stalking, or physical violence. Protecting
   57  this information does not diminish transparency or
   58  accountability in government but instead balances the public’s
   59  right to access records with this state’s compelling interest in
   60  safeguarding the personal safety of those who provide critical
   61  private investigative services. Therefore, exempting such
   62  information from public records requirements is a reasonable and
   63  necessary measure to ensure the security and privacy of private
   64  investigators and their families while preserving the integrity
   65  of this state’s public records system.
   66         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.