HB 179 full text · Session Watch

1 A bill to be entitled

2 An act relating to public records; amending s.

3 119.071, F.S.; defining the term "appellate court

4 clerk"; providing an exemption from public records

5 requirements for the personal identifying and location

6 information of current appellate court clerks and

7 their spouses and children; providing for future

8 legislative review and repeal; providing for

9 retroactive application; amending s. 744.21031, F.S.;

10 conforming a cross-reference; providing a statement of

11 public necessity; providing an effective date.

13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (4) of section

16 119.071, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

17 119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of

18 public records.—

19 (4) AGENCY PERSONNEL INFORMATION.—

20 (d)1. For purposes of this paragraph, the term:

21 a. "Appellate court clerk" means a person appointed as a

22 clerk of the Florida Supreme Court pursuant to s. 3(c), Art. V

23 of the State Constitution, a person appointed as a clerk of a

24 district court of appeal pursuant to s. 4(c), Art. V of the

25 State Constitution, or a court employee assigned to the 2610 or

26 2620 class code.

27 b.a. "Home addresses" means the dwelling location at which

28 an individual resides and includes the physical address, mailing

29 address, street address, parcel identification number, plot

30 identification number, legal property description, neighborhood

31 name and lot number, GPS coordinates, and any other descriptive

32 property information that may reveal the home address.

33 c.b. "Judicial assistant" means a court employee assigned

34 to the following class codes: 8140, 8150, 8310, and 8320.

35 d.c. "Telephone numbers" includes home telephone numbers,

36 personal cellular telephone numbers, personal pager telephone

37 numbers, and telephone numbers associated with personal

38 communications devices.

39 2.a. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of

40 birth, and photographs of active or former sworn law enforcement

41 personnel or of active or former civilian personnel employed by

42 a law enforcement agency, including correctional and

43 correctional probation officers, personnel of the Department of

44 Children and Families whose duties include the investigation of

45 abuse, neglect, exploitation, fraud, theft, or other criminal

46 activities, personnel of the Department of Health whose duties

47 are to support the investigation of child abuse or neglect, and

48 personnel of the Department of Revenue or local governments

49 whose responsibilities include revenue collection and

50 enforcement or child support enforcement; the names, home

51 addresses, telephone numbers, photographs, dates of birth, and

52 places of employment of the spouses and children of such

53 personnel; and the names and locations of schools and day care

54 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

55 from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

56 Constitution.

57 b. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

58 and photographs of current or former nonsworn investigative

59 personnel of the Department of Financial Services whose duties

60 include the investigation of fraud, theft, workers' compensation

61 coverage requirements and compliance, other related criminal

62 activities, or state regulatory requirement violations; the

63 names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and

64 places of employment of the spouses and children of such

65 personnel; and the names and locations of schools and day care

66 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

67 from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

68 Constitution.

69 c. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

70 and photographs of current or former nonsworn investigative

71 personnel of the Office of Financial Regulation's Bureau of

72 Financial Investigations whose duties include the investigation

73 of fraud, theft, other related criminal activities, or state

74 regulatory requirement violations; the names, home addresses,

75 telephone numbers, dates of birth, and places of employment of

76 the spouses and children of such personnel; and the names and

77 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

78 children of such personnel are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s.

79 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

80 d. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

81 and photographs of current or former firefighters certified in

82 compliance with s. 633.408; the names, home addresses, telephone

83 numbers, photographs, dates of birth, and places of employment

84 of the spouses and children of such firefighters; and the names

85 and locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

86 children of such firefighters are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and

87 s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

88 e. The home addresses, dates of birth, and telephone

89 numbers of current or former justices of the Supreme Court,

90 district court of appeal judges, circuit court judges, and

91 county court judges and current judicial assistants and

92 appellate court clerks; the names, home addresses, telephone

93 numbers, dates of birth, and places of employment of the spouses

94 and children of current or former justices and judges and

95 current judicial assistants and appellate court clerks; and the

96 names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended

97 by the children of current or former justices and judges and of

98 current judicial assistants and appellate court clerks are

99 exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

100 Constitution. This sub-subparagraph is subject to the Open

101 Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and

102 shall stand repealed on October 2, 2031 ~~2028,~~ unless reviewed

103 and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

104 f. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

105 and photographs of current or former state attorneys, assistant

106 state attorneys, statewide prosecutors, or assistant statewide

107 prosecutors; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers,

108 photographs, dates of birth, and places of employment of the

109 spouses and children of current or former state attorneys,

110 assistant state attorneys, statewide prosecutors, or assistant

111 statewide prosecutors; and the names and locations of schools

112 and day care facilities attended by the children of current or

113 former state attorneys, assistant state attorneys, statewide

114 prosecutors, or assistant statewide prosecutors are exempt from

115 s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

116 g. The home addresses, dates of birth, and telephone

117 numbers of general magistrates, special magistrates, judges of

118 compensation claims, administrative law judges of the Division

119 of Administrative Hearings, and child support enforcement

120 hearing officers; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers,

121 dates of birth, and places of employment of the spouses and

122 children of general magistrates, special magistrates, judges of

123 compensation claims, administrative law judges of the Division

124 of Administrative Hearings, and child support enforcement

125 hearing officers; and the names and locations of schools and day

126 care facilities attended by the children of general magistrates,

127 special magistrates, judges of compensation claims,

128 administrative law judges of the Division of Administrative

129 Hearings, and child support enforcement hearing officers are

130 exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

131 Constitution.

132 h. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

133 and photographs of current or former human resource, labor

134 relations, or employee relations directors, assistant directors,

135 managers, or assistant managers of any local government agency

136 or water management district whose duties include hiring and

137 firing employees, labor contract negotiation, administration, or

138 other personnel-related duties; the names, home addresses,

139 telephone numbers, dates of birth, and places of employment of

140 the spouses and children of such personnel; and the names and

141 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

142 children of such personnel are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s.

143 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

144 i. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

145 and photographs of current or former code enforcement officers;

146 the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

147 and places of employment of the spouses and children of such

148 personnel; and the names and locations of schools and day care

149 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

150 from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

151 Constitution.

152 j. The home addresses, telephone numbers, places of

153 employment, dates of birth, and photographs of current or former

154 guardians ad litem, as defined in s. 39.01; the names, home

155 addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and places of

156 employment of the spouses and children of such persons; and the

157 names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended

158 by the children of such persons are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and

159 s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

160 k. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

161 and photographs of current or former juvenile probation

162 officers, juvenile probation supervisors, detention

163 superintendents, assistant detention superintendents, juvenile

164 justice detention officers I and II, juvenile justice detention

165 officer supervisors, juvenile justice residential officers,

166 juvenile justice residential officer supervisors I and II,

167 juvenile justice counselors, juvenile justice counselor

168 supervisors, human services counselor administrators, senior

169 human services counselor administrators, rehabilitation

170 therapists, and social services counselors of the Department of

171 Juvenile Justice; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers,

172 dates of birth, and places of employment of spouses and children

173 of such personnel; and the names and locations of schools and

174 day care facilities attended by the children of such personnel

175 are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

176 Constitution.

177 l. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

178 and photographs of current or former public defenders, assistant

179 public defenders, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel,

180 and assistant criminal conflict and civil regional counsel; the

181 names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and

182 places of employment of the spouses and children of current or

183 former public defenders, assistant public defenders, criminal

184 conflict and civil regional counsel, and assistant criminal

185 conflict and civil regional counsel; and the names and locations

186 of schools and day care facilities attended by the children of

187 current or former public defenders, assistant public defenders,

188 criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, and assistant

189 criminal conflict and civil regional counsel are exempt from s.

190 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

191 m. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

192 and photographs of current or former investigators or inspectors

193 of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation; the

194 names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and

195 places of employment of the spouses and children of such current

196 or former investigators and inspectors; and the names and

197 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

198 children of such current or former investigators and inspectors

199 are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

200 Constitution.

201 n. The home addresses, telephone numbers, and dates of

202 birth of county tax collectors; the names, home addresses,

203 telephone numbers, dates of birth, and places of employment of

204 the spouses and children of such tax collectors; and the names

205 and locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

206 children of such tax collectors are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and

207 s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

208 o. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

209 and photographs of current or former personnel of the Department

210 of Health whose duties include, or result in, the determination

211 or adjudication of eligibility for social security disability

212 benefits, the investigation or prosecution of complaints filed

213 against health care practitioners, or the inspection of health

214 care practitioners or health care facilities licensed by the

215 Department of Health; the names, home addresses, telephone

216 numbers, dates of birth, and places of employment of the spouses

217 and children of such personnel; and the names and locations of

218 schools and day care facilities attended by the children of such

219 personnel are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of

220 the State Constitution.

221 p. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

222 and photographs of current or former impaired practitioner

223 consultants who are retained by an agency or current or former

224 employees of an impaired practitioner consultant whose duties

225 result in a determination of a person's skill and safety to

226 practice a licensed profession; the names, home addresses,

227 telephone numbers, dates of birth, and places of employment of

228 the spouses and children of such consultants or their employees;

229 and the names and locations of schools and day care facilities

230 attended by the children of such consultants or employees are

231 exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

232 Constitution.

233 q. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

234 and photographs of current or former emergency medical

235 technicians or paramedics certified under chapter 401; the

236 names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and

237 places of employment of the spouses and children of such

238 emergency medical technicians or paramedics; and the names and

239 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

240 children of such emergency medical technicians or paramedics are

241 exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

242 Constitution.

243 r. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

244 and photographs of current or former personnel employed in an

245 agency's office of inspector general or internal audit

246 department whose duties include auditing or investigating waste,

247 fraud, abuse, theft, exploitation, or other activities that

248 could lead to criminal prosecution or administrative discipline;

249 the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

250 and places of employment of spouses and children of such

251 personnel; and the names and locations of schools and day care

252 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

253 from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

254 Constitution.

255 s. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

256 and photographs of current or former directors, managers,

257 supervisors, nurses, and clinical employees of an addiction

258 treatment facility; the home addresses, telephone numbers,

259 photographs, dates of birth, and places of employment of the

260 spouses and children of such personnel; and the names and

261 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

262 children of such personnel are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s.

263 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. For purposes of this

264 sub-subparagraph, the term "addiction treatment facility" means

265 a county government, or agency thereof, that is licensed

266 pursuant to s. 397.401 and provides substance abuse prevention,

267 intervention, or clinical treatment, including any licensed

268 service component described in s. 397.311(27).

269 t. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

270 and photographs of current or former directors, managers,

271 supervisors, and clinical employees of a child advocacy center

272 that meets the standards of s. 39.3035(2) and fulfills the

273 screening requirement of s. 39.3035(3), and the members of a

274 Child Protection Team as described in s. 39.303 whose duties

275 include supporting the investigation of child abuse or sexual

276 abuse, child abandonment, child neglect, and child exploitation

277 or to provide services as part of a multidisciplinary case

278 review team; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers,

279 photographs, dates of birth, and places of employment of the

280 spouses and children of such personnel and members; and the

281 names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended

282 by the children of such personnel and members are exempt from s.

283 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

284 u. The home addresses, telephone numbers, places of

285 employment, dates of birth, and photographs of current or former

286 staff and domestic violence advocates, as defined in s.

287 90.5036(1)(b), of domestic violence centers certified by the

288 Department of Children and Families under chapter 39; the names,

289 home addresses, telephone numbers, places of employment, dates

290 of birth, and photographs of the spouses and children of such

291 personnel; and the names and locations of schools and day care

292 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

293 from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

294 Constitution.

295 v. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

296 and photographs of current or former inspectors or investigators

297 of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the

298 names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and

299 places of employment of the spouses and children of current or

300 former inspectors or investigators; and the names and locations

301 of schools and day care facilities attended by the children of

302 current or former inspectors or investigators are exempt from s.

303 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This

304 sub-subparagraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review

305 Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on

306 October 2, 2028, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through

307 reenactment by the Legislature.

308 w. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

309 and photographs of current county attorneys, assistant county

310 attorneys, deputy county attorneys, city attorneys, assistant

311 city attorneys, and deputy city attorneys; the names, home

312 addresses, telephone numbers, photographs, dates of birth, and

313 places of employment of the spouses and children of current

314 county attorneys, assistant county attorneys, deputy county

315 attorneys, city attorneys, assistant city attorneys, and deputy

316 city attorneys; and the names and locations of schools and day

317 care facilities attended by the children of current county

318 attorneys, assistant county attorneys, deputy county attorneys,

319 city attorneys, assistant city attorneys, and deputy city

320 attorneys are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of

321 the State Constitution. This exemption does not apply to a

322 county attorney, assistant county attorney, deputy county

323 attorney, city attorney, assistant city attorney, or deputy city

324 attorney who qualifies as a candidate for election to public

325 office. This sub-subparagraph is subject to the Open Government

326 Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand

327 repealed on October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and saved from

328 repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

329 x. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

330 and photographs of current or former commissioners of the

331 Florida Gaming Control Commission; the names, home addresses,

332 telephone numbers, dates of birth, photographs, and places of

333 employment of the spouses and children of such current or former

334 commissioners; and the names and locations of schools and day

335 care facilities attended by the children of such current or

336 former commissioners are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a),

337 Art. I of the State Constitution. This sub-subparagraph is

338 subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance

339 with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2029,

340 unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the

341 Legislature.

342 y. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

343 and photographs of current clerks of the circuit court, deputy

344 clerks of the circuit court, and clerk of the circuit court

345 personnel; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates

346 of birth, and places of employment of the spouses and children

347 of current clerks of the circuit court, deputy clerks of the

348 circuit court, and clerk of the circuit court personnel; and the

349 names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended

350 by the children of current clerks of the circuit court, deputy

351 clerks of the circuit court, and clerk of the circuit court

352 personnel are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of

353 the State Constitution. This sub-subparagraph is subject to the

354 Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15

355 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and

356 saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

357 z.(I) As used in this sub-subparagraph, the term:

358 (A) "Congressional member" means a person who is elected

359 to serve as a member of the United States House of

360 Representatives or is elected or appointed to serve as a member

361 of the United States Senate.

362 (B) "Partial home address" means the dwelling location at

363 which an individual resides and includes the physical address,

364 mailing address, street address, parcel identification number,

365 plot identification number, legal property description,

366 neighborhood name and lot number, GPS coordinates, and any other

367 descriptive property information that may reveal the partial

368 home address, except for the city and zip code.

369 (C) "Public officer" means a person who holds one of the

370 following offices: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Chief

371 Financial Officer, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner,

372 state representative, state senator, property appraiser,

373 supervisor of elections, school superintendent, school board

374 member, mayor, city commissioner, or county commissioner.

375 (II) The following information is exempt from s. 119.07(1)

376 and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution:

377 (A) The partial home addresses of a current congressional

378 member or public officer and his or her spouse or adult child.

379 (B) The telephone numbers of a current congressional

380 member or public officer and his or her spouse or adult child.

381 (C) The name, home addresses, telephone numbers, and date

382 of birth of a minor child of a current congressional member or

383 public officer and the name and location of the school or day

384 care facility attended by the minor child.

385 (III) This sub-subparagraph is subject to the Open

386 Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and

387 shall stand repealed on October 2, 2030, unless reviewed and

388 saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

389 3.a. An agency that is the custodian of the information

390 specified in subparagraph 2. and that is not the employer of the

391 officer, employee, justice, judge, or other person specified in

392 subparagraph 2. must maintain the exempt status of that

393 information only if the officer, employee, justice, judge, other

394 person, or employing agency of the designated employee submits a

395 written and notarized request for maintenance of the exemption

396 to the custodial agency. The request must state under oath the

397 statutory basis for the individual's exemption request and

398 confirm the individual's status as a party eligible for exempt

399 status.

400 b. An agency that is the custodian of information

401 specified in sub-subparagraph 2.z. and that is not the employer

402 of the congressional member, public officer, or other person

403 specified in sub-subparagraph 2.z. must maintain the exempt

404 status of that information only if an individual requests the

405 maintenance of an exemption pursuant to sub-subparagraph 2.z. on

406 the basis of eligibility as a current congressional member or

407 public officer and his or her spouse or child submits, as part

408 of the written and notarized request required by sub-

409 subparagraph a., the date of the congressional member's or

410 public officer's election or appointment to public office, the

411 date on which that office is next subject to election, and, if

412 applicable, the date on which the current congressional member's

413 or public officer's minor child reaches the age of majority. The

414 custodian must maintain an exemption granted pursuant to sub-

415 subparagraph 2.z. until the qualifying conditions for the

416 exemption no longer apply to the person subject to the

417 exemption.

418 4.a. A county property appraiser, as defined in s.

419 192.001(3), or a county tax collector, as defined in s.

420 192.001(4), who receives a written and notarized request for

421 maintenance of the exemption pursuant to subparagraph 3. must

422 comply by removing the name of the individual with exempt status

423 and the instrument number or Official Records book and page

424 number identifying the property with the exempt status from all

425 publicly available records maintained by the property appraiser

426 or tax collector. For written requests received on or before

427 July 1, 2021, a county property appraiser or county tax

428 collector must comply with this sub-subparagraph by October 1,

429 2021. A county property appraiser or county tax collector may

430 not remove the street address, legal description, or other

431 information identifying real property within the agency's

432 records so long as a name or personal information otherwise

433 exempt from inspection and copying pursuant to this section is

434 not associated with the property or otherwise displayed in the

435 public records of the agency.

436 b. Any information restricted from public display,

437 inspection, or copying under sub-subparagraph a. must be

438 provided to the individual whose information was removed.

439 5. An officer, an employee, a justice, a judge, or other

440 person specified in subparagraph 2. may submit a written request

441 for the release of his or her exempt information to the

442 custodial agency. The written request must be notarized and must

443 specify the information to be released and the party authorized

444 to receive the information. Upon receipt of the written request,

445 the custodial agency must release the specified information to

446 the party authorized to receive such information.

447 6. The exemptions in this paragraph apply to information

448 held by an agency before, on, or after the effective date of the

449 exemption.

450 7. Information made exempt under this paragraph may be

451 disclosed pursuant to s. 28.2221 to a title insurer authorized

452 pursuant to s. 624.401 and its affiliates as defined in s.

453 624.10; a title insurance agent or title insurance agency as

454 defined in s. 626.841(1) or (2), respectively; or an attorney

455 duly admitted to practice law in this state and in good standing

456 with The Florida Bar.

457 8. The exempt status of a home address contained in the

458 Official Records is maintained only during the period when a

459 protected party resides at the dwelling location. Upon

460 conveyance of real property after October 1, 2021, and when such

461 real property no longer constitutes a protected party's home

462 address as defined in sub-subparagraph 1.b. ~~1.a.,~~ the protected

463 party must submit a written request to release the removed

464 information to the county recorder. The written request to

465 release the removed information must be notarized, must confirm

466 that a protected party's request for release is pursuant to a

467 conveyance of his or her dwelling location, and must specify the

468 Official Records book and page, instrument number, or clerk's

469 file number for each document containing the information to be

470 released.

471 9. Upon the death of a protected party as verified by a

472 certified copy of a death certificate or court order, any party

473 can request the county recorder to release a protected

474 decedent's removed information unless there is a related request

475 on file with the county recorder for continued removal of the

476 decedent's information or unless such removal is otherwise

477 prohibited by statute or by court order. The written request to

478 release the removed information upon the death of a protected

479 party must attach the certified copy of a death certificate or

480 court order and must be notarized, must confirm the request for

481 release is due to the death of a protected party, and must

482 specify the Official Records book and page number, instrument

483 number, or clerk's file number for each document containing the

484 information to be released. A fee may not be charged for the

485 release of any document pursuant to such request.

486 Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section

487 744.21031, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

488 744.21031 Public records exemption.—

489 (1) For purposes of this section, the term:

490 (c) "Telephone numbers" has the same meaning as provided

491 in s. 119.071(4)(d)1.d. ~~s. 119.071(4)(d)1.c.~~

492 Section 3. The Legislature finds that it is a public

493 necessity that the home addresses, dates of birth, and telephone

494 numbers of current appellate court clerks; the names, home

495 addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and places of

496 employment of the spouses and children of current appellate

497 court clerks; and the names and locations of schools and day

498 care facilities attended by children of current appellate court

499 clerks be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and

500 s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. While performing

501 their duties to issue court orders, maintain case dockets,

502 answer telephone calls, respond to correspondence, and interact

503 with visitors to the courthouse, appellate court clerks may

504 incur the ill will of litigants and their associates and

505 families. As a result, current appellate court clerks and their

506 spouses and children may be targets for acts of revenge. If such

507 identifying and location information is released, the safety of

508 current appellate court clerks and their spouses and children

509 could be seriously jeopardized. For this reason, the Legislature

510 finds that it is a public necessity that such information be

511 made exempt from public records requirements.

512 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.