No. CS/HB 21
Filed under Local Government.
Pub. Rec./Agency Employees; Provides exemption from public records requirements for certain identifying & location information of current or former agency employees & spouses & children of such employees; provides for retroactive application; specifies that exemption does not limit certain existing exemptions; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption; provides statement of public necessity.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDAgencies must withhold the home address, phone numbers, personal email, and birth date of current and former employees from public records requests, along with the same details and workplace for their spouses and children.
The exemption also covers the names and locations of schools and day care facilities that employees' children attend. It applies retroactively, covering information agencies already held before this law takes effect.
This new exemption doesn't cut back whatever narrower exemption already existed for some agency employees, and it automatically expires in 2031 unless the Legislature reviews and renews it.
The Legislature states this protects employees and their families from harassment, stalking, identity theft, and threats to their children's safety that public disclosure of this information could enable.
AIHome addresses, phone numbers, personal email addresses, and birth dates of current or former agency employees, plus the same details and workplace of their spouses and children, and the schools or day cares their children attend, are exempt from public-records requests and the state constitutional right of access.
AIThe exemption isn't limited to information agencies collect going forward. It also covers home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and birth dates an agency already had on file before this exemption took effect.
AILike other public-records exemptions created under the Open Government Sunset Review Act, this one automatically expires on October 2, 2031, unless the Legislature reviews it and votes to keep it in place.