HB 0983 2003
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to public records; providing an exemption
3	from public records requirements for information contained
4	in the paternity registry maintained by the Department of
5	Children and Family Services; providing for future review
6	and repeal of the exemption; providing a finding of public
7	necessity; providing a contingent effective date.
8
9	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11	Section 1. All information contained in the paternity
12	registry created by s. 63.165, Florida Statutes, is exempt from
13	public disclosure pursuant to s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes,
14	and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution, except that
15	certificates attesting to the results of a search of the
16	paternity registry pursuant to s. 63.165(2)(f), Florida
17	Statutes, may be disclosed as provided in s. 63.165(2)(f),
18	Florida Statutes. This section is subject to the Open
19	Government Sunset Review Act of 1995 in accordance with s.
20	119.15, Florida Statutes, and shall stand repealed on October 2,
21	2008, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment
22	by the Legislature.
23	Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
24	necessity to exempt from disclosure pursuant to s. 119.07(1),
25	Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution
26	all information contained in the paternity registry created by
27	s. 63.165, Florida Statutes. The Legislature finds that it is
28	good public policy to encourage putative fathers to grasp both
29	the responsibility and the opportunity to be made legally aware
30	of petitions and hearings to terminate their parental rights
31	pending an adoption. The Legislature also finds that by
32	providing legal notice to putative fathers, adoptions will be
33	less likely to be legally disrupted. The Legislature further
34	finds that the information required by the paternity registry
35	reveals the existence of intimate sexual relations. Disclosure
36	of this information would likely have a negative effect on the
37	likelihood that putative fathers will register. Therefore, the
38	Legislature finds that any benefit that could occur from public
39	disclosure of the information in the paternity registry is
40	outweighed by the necessity to ensure the due process rights of
41	putative fathers.
42	Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date
43	that HB 835 or similar legislation takes effect if such
44	legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an
45	extension thereof and becomes law.