Florida Senate - 2024                              CS for SB 988
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Banking and Insurance; and Senator Martin
       
       
       
       
       
       597-02595-24                                           2024988c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public records; creating s.
    3         215.5587, F.S.; providing an exemption from public
    4         records requirements for certain information contained
    5         in applications and home inspection reports submitted
    6         by applicants to the Department of Financial Services
    7         as a part of the My Safe Florida Home Program;
    8         providing retroactive applicability; providing for
    9         future legislative review and repeal of the exemption;
   10         providing a statement of public necessity; providing
   11         an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 215.5587, Florida Statutes, is created
   16  to read:
   17         215.5587 My Safe Florida Home Program; public records
   18  exemption.—
   19         (1) All of the following information contained in
   20  applications and home inspection reports submitted by applicants
   21  as part of the My Safe Florida Home Program under s. 215.5586 is
   22  exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State
   23  Constitution:
   24         (a) The components of the applicant’s mailing address other
   25  than the city, zip code, and the applicant’s name.
   26         (b) Any phone number or e-mail address provided by the
   27  applicant.
   28         (c) Detailed descriptions and pictures of the inside and
   29  outside of applicant’s homes.
   30         (2) This exemption applies retroactively to applications
   31  and home inspection reports submitted before, on, or after the
   32  effective date of this exemption.
   33         (3) This section is subject to the Open Government Sunset
   34  Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed
   35  on October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and saved from repeal
   36  through reenactment by the Legislature.
   37         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   38  necessity that My Safe Florida Home Program applications and
   39  home inspection reports be made exempt from s. 119.07(1),
   40  Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the State
   41  Constitution. More than 99 percent of all home inspections and
   42  grant applications are completed electronically or by phone.
   43  Under current law, My Safe Florida Home Program applications and
   44  home inspection reports are public records and can be obtained
   45  by anyone for any purpose. These documents contain personal
   46  information, including, but not limited to, e-mail addresses,
   47  mailing addresses, and telephone numbers. This information is
   48  unique to each individual and, when combined with other personal
   49  identifying information, can be used for identity theft,
   50  consumer scams, unwanted solicitations, or other invasive
   51  contact. Additionally, the My Safe Florida Home Program
   52  applications and home inspection reports contain detailed
   53  descriptions and pictures of the inside and outside of
   54  applicants’ homes, including private areas, points of entry, and
   55  other vulnerabilities. The public availability of these records
   56  puts participants in the My Safe Florida Home Program at
   57  increased risk of home invasions and reduces privacy in their
   58  homes. Such risk may be significantly limited by making My Safe
   59  Florida Home Program applications and home inspection reports
   60  exempt.
   61         Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.