SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. SB 144

Public Records/Judicial Qualifications Commission
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SPONSOR
Rouson
FILED BY
Darryl Ervin Rouson — District 16, Democrat
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Filed under Local Government.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Public Records/Judicial Qualifications Commission; Providing an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying and location information of current and former employees of the Judicial Qualifications Commission and the personal identifying and location information of the spouses and children of such employees; providing for legislative review and repeal of the exemption; providing for retroactive application of the exemption; providing a statement of public necessity, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Exempts personal information of Judicial Qualifications Commission staff and families from disclosure.

A new public records exemption shields the home addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and photographs of current and former Judicial Qualifications Commission employees from disclosure under Florida's public records law and constitution.

The same protection covers the names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, photographs, and workplaces of employees' spouses and children, plus the schools and day care facilities the children attend.

The bill's public-necessity statement cites harassment of commission staff by litigants angry over unfavorable judicial-discipline outcomes, including doxing, threatening calls, and confrontations at employees' homes.

The exemption is set to expire on October 2, 2031, unless the Legislature reviews it and votes to reenact it, following the standard sunset-review cycle for public records exemptions.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Exempts personal and location data of JQC employees from disclosure majors. 119.071

AIHome addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and photographs of current and former Judicial Qualifications Commission employees are removed from public records access and from the state constitutional right of access.

“The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and photographs of current and former employees of the Judicial Qualifications Commission” bill text, line 34 →
§ 2 Extends the exemption to spouses, children, and their schools moderates. 119.071

AIThe same categories of information, plus place of employment for spouses and children, and the names and locations of schools and day care facilities the children attend, are also shielded from disclosure.

“the names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the children of current and former employees” bill text, line 48 →
§ 3 Sets the new exemption to expire in 2031 absent reenactment technicals. 119.071

AILike other entries on this list, the JQC employee exemption automatically sunsets in five years unless the Legislature reviews it and votes to keep it in force.

“shall stand repealed on October 2, 2031, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature” bill text, line 394 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Governmental Oversight and Accountability
1/27/2026
Now in Governmental Oversight and Accountability
1/27/2026
Favorable by Judiciary; YEAS 9 NAYS 1
1/22/2026
On Committee agenda-- Judiciary, 01/27/26, 1:00 pm, 110 Senate Building
1/13/2026
Introduced
10/21/2025
Referred to Judiciary; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Rules
10/8/2025
Filed
1 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 119.071
+124 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES