Florida Senate - 2024                                      SB 26
       
       
        
       By Senator Rouson
       
       
       
       
       
       16-00142-24                                             202426__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public records; providing an
    3         exemption from public records requirements for
    4         personal identifying information included in
    5         applications submitted to the Department of State by
    6         persons seeking certification as victims of Florida
    7         reform school abuse; providing for future legislative
    8         review and repeal of the exemption; providing a
    9         statement of public necessity; providing a contingent
   10         effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Applications for certification as a victim of
   15  Florida reform school abuse; public records exemption.—Any
   16  personal identifying information included in an application
   17  submitted to the Department of State by, or on behalf of, a
   18  person seeking certification as a victim of Florida reform
   19  school abuse, as defined in the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys
   20  and Okeechobee School Abuse Victim Certification Act, is exempt
   21  from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of
   22  the State Constitution. This paragraph is subject to the Open
   23  Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15,
   24  Florida Statutes, and shall stand repealed on December 31, 2025,
   25  unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
   26  Legislature.
   27         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   28  necessity that any personal identifying information included in
   29  applications submitted to the Department of State by, or on
   30  behalf of, any person seeking certification as a victim of
   31  Florida reform school abuse be made exempt from s. 119.07(1),
   32  Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the State
   33  Constitution. The Legislature finds that the release of personal
   34  identifying information included in certification applications
   35  could subject victims of Florida reform school abuse to further
   36  trauma. The Legislature further finds that such victims would be
   37  more likely to come forward and seek redress if personal
   38  identifying information included in the applications were
   39  protected from public disclosure. The Legislature finds that the
   40  harm that may result from the release of such information
   41  outweighs the public benefit that may be derived from the
   42  disclosure of the information.
   43         Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that
   44  SB _____ or similar legislation takes effect, if such
   45  legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an
   46  extension thereof and becomes a law.