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CS/CS/SB 1640 — Public Records/Lethality Assessment Forms
by Rules Committee; Government Oversight and Accountability Committee; and Senator Grall
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Criminal Justice Committee (CJ)
The bill makes confidential and exempt from public records a lethality assessment form which contains a victim’s information and responses to the lethality assessment. Lethality assessments are administered by law enforcement for any call relating to domestic violence to help determine a victim’s risk of serious bodily injury or death at the hands of their aggressor.
The bill allows the information to be shared with domestic violence centers and the state attorney’s office. A state attorney may release confidential information in furtherance of its official duties and responsibilities, and to the parties in a pending criminal prosecution as required by law. The exemption applies to forms completed on, before, or after January 1, 2025.
The exemption is subject to Open Government Sunset Review Act and will be repealed on October 2, 2030, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature, these provisions take effect upon becoming law.
Vote: Senate 37-0; House 114-0