Florida Senate - 2023                                    SB 1414
       
       
        
       By Senator Wright
       
       
       
       
       
       8-01635-23                                            20231414__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public records; amending s. 295.22,
    3         F.S.; providing an exemption from public records
    4         requirements for specified materials and information
    5         received, generated, ascertained, or discovered by
    6         Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., while administering the
    7         Florida Employment and Training Services Program;
    8         providing for future legislative review and repeal of
    9         the exemption; providing a statement of public
   10         necessity; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Subsection (5) is added to section 295.22,
   15  Florida Statutes, to read:
   16         295.22 Veterans Employment and Training Services Program.—
   17         (5) PUBLIC RECORDS EXEMPTION.—Materials that relate to
   18  methods of manufacture or production, potential trade secrets,
   19  potentially patentable material, actual trade secrets, workforce
   20  training plans, business transactions, business plans, military
   21  records, skills assessments and career goals, resumes and
   22  contact information, certificates, financial and proprietary
   23  information, and agreements or proposals to receive funding
   24  which are received, generated, ascertained, or discovered by
   25  Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., including partnership and
   26  training participants, such as private enterprises, educational
   27  institutions, and other organizations, for the purposes of
   28  administration of the Veterans Employment and Training Services
   29  Program as provided in subsection (3) are confidential and
   30  exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State
   31  Constitution. The exemption does not apply to aggregated data
   32  that does not contain personal identifying information which is
   33  collected for reporting purposes. This subsection is subject to
   34  the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s.
   35  119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2028, unless
   36  reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
   37  Legislature.
   38         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   39  necessity that materials that relate to methods of manufacture
   40  or production, potential trade secrets, potentially patentable
   41  material, actual trade secrets, workforce training plans,
   42  military records, skills assessments and career goals, resumes
   43  and contact information, certificates, financial and proprietary
   44  information, and agreements or proposals to receive funding
   45  which are received, generated, ascertained, or discovered by
   46  Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., be made confidential and exempt
   47  from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of
   48  the State Constitution. To be effective, manufacturing programs
   49  must use materials that relate to methods of manufacture or
   50  production, potential trade secrets, potentially patentable
   51  material, actual trade secrets, workforce training plans,
   52  business transactions, business plans, financial and proprietary
   53  information, and agreements and proposals to receive funding. If
   54  competitors were privy to such information, they could take
   55  advantage of that information to the financial detriment of the
   56  company submitting the information or proposal, which would
   57  chill participation in the Veterans Employment and Training
   58  Services Program operated by Florida Is For Veterans, Inc. The
   59  Legislature further finds that it is necessary the skills
   60  assessments and career goals received, generated, ascertained,
   61  or discovered by Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., be made
   62  confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and
   63  s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. Public disclosure
   64  of such information could lead to discrimination or ridicule of
   65  an applicant to the program. Resumes and contact information
   66  received, generated, ascertained, or discovered by Florida Is
   67  For Veterans, Inc., must be made confidential and exempt from s.
   68  24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. Such information may
   69  contain personal identifying information that could put veterans
   70  at risk of identity theft. Public knowledge of such information
   71  may create a heightened risk of fraud and identity theft for
   72  applicants. The exemption is narrowly written so that certain
   73  aggregate information may still be disclosed.
   74         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.