HB 247 full text · Session Watch

1 A bill to be entitled

2 An act relating to public records; amending s.

3 119.071, F.S.; providing a public records exemption

4 for personal identifying and location information of

5 current and former municipal clerks and their staff

6 and the personal identifying and location information

7 of the spouses and children of such municipal clerks

8 and their staff; providing for future legislative

9 review and repeal of the exemption; providing for

10 retroactive application of the exemption; providing a

11 statement of public necessity; providing an effective

12 date.

14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

16 Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (4) of section

17 119.071, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

18 119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of

19 public records.—

20 (4) AGENCY PERSONNEL INFORMATION.—

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

22 a. "Home addresses" means the dwelling location at which

23 an individual resides and includes the physical address, mailing

24 address, street address, parcel identification number, plot

25 identification number, legal property description, neighborhood

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

27 property information that may reveal the home address.

28 b. "Judicial assistant" means a court employee assigned to

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

30 c. "Telephone numbers" includes home telephone numbers,

31 personal cellular telephone numbers, personal pager telephone

32 numbers, and telephone numbers associated with personal

33 communications devices.

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

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

36 personnel or of active or former civilian personnel employed by

37 a law enforcement agency, including correctional and

38 correctional probation officers, personnel of the Department of

39 Children and Families whose duties include the investigation of

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

41 activities, personnel of the Department of Health whose duties

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

43 personnel of the Department of Revenue or local governments

44 whose responsibilities include revenue collection and

45 enforcement or child support enforcement; the names, home

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

47 places of employment of the spouses and children of such

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

49 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

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

51 Constitution.

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

53 and photographs of current or former nonsworn investigative

54 personnel of the Department of Financial Services whose duties

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

56 coverage requirements and compliance, other related criminal

57 activities, or state regulatory requirement violations; the

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

59 places of employment of the spouses and children of such

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

61 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

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

63 Constitution.

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

65 and photographs of current or former nonsworn investigative

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

67 Financial Investigations whose duties include the investigation

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

69 regulatory requirement violations; the names, home addresses,

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

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

72 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

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

74 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

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

76 and photographs of current or former firefighters certified in

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

86 county court judges and current judicial assistants; the names,

87 home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and places of

88 employment of the spouses and children of current or former

89 justices and judges and current judicial assistants; and the

90 names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended

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

92 current judicial assistants are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s.

93 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This sub-subparagraph

94 is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in

95 accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2,

96 2028, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment

97 by the Legislature.

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

99 and photographs of current or former state attorneys, assistant

100 state attorneys, statewide prosecutors, or assistant statewide

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

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

103 spouses and children of current or former state attorneys,

104 assistant state attorneys, statewide prosecutors, or assistant

105 statewide prosecutors; and the names and locations of schools

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

107 former state attorneys, assistant state attorneys, statewide

108 prosecutors, or assistant statewide prosecutors are exempt from

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

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

111 numbers of general magistrates, special magistrates, judges of

112 compensation claims, administrative law judges of the Division

113 of Administrative Hearings, and child support enforcement

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

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

116 children of general magistrates, special magistrates, judges of

117 compensation claims, administrative law judges of the Division

118 of Administrative Hearings, and child support enforcement

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

120 care facilities attended by the children of general magistrates,

121 special magistrates, judges of compensation claims,

122 administrative law judges of the Division of Administrative

123 Hearings, and child support enforcement hearing officers are

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

125 Constitution.

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

127 and photographs of current or former human resource, labor

128 relations, or employee relations directors, assistant directors,

129 managers, or assistant managers of any local government agency

130 or water management district whose duties include hiring and

131 firing employees, labor contract negotiation, administration, or

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

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

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

135 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

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

137 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

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

139 and photographs of current or former code enforcement officers;

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

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

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

143 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

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

145 Constitution.

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

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

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

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

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

151 names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended

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

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

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

155 and photographs of current or former juvenile probation

156 officers, juvenile probation supervisors, detention

157 superintendents, assistant detention superintendents, juvenile

158 justice detention officers I and II, juvenile justice detention

159 officer supervisors, juvenile justice residential officers,

160 juvenile justice residential officer supervisors I and II,

161 juvenile justice counselors, juvenile justice counselor

162 supervisors, human services counselor administrators, senior

163 human services counselor administrators, rehabilitation

164 therapists, and social services counselors of the Department of

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

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

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

168 day care facilities attended by the children of such personnel

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

170 Constitution.

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

172 and photographs of current or former public defenders, assistant

173 public defenders, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel,

174 and assistant criminal conflict and civil regional counsel; the

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

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

177 former public defenders, assistant public defenders, criminal

178 conflict and civil regional counsel, and assistant criminal

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

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

181 current or former public defenders, assistant public defenders,

182 criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, and assistant

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

184 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

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

186 and photographs of current or former investigators or inspectors

187 of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation; the

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

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

190 or former investigators and inspectors; and the names and

191 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

192 children of such current or former investigators and inspectors

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

194 Constitution.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

203 and photographs of current or former personnel of the Department

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

205 or adjudication of eligibility for social security disability

206 benefits, the investigation or prosecution of complaints filed

207 against health care practitioners, or the inspection of health

208 care practitioners or health care facilities licensed by the

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

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

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

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

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

214 the State Constitution.

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

216 and photographs of current or former impaired practitioner

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

218 employees of an impaired practitioner consultant whose duties

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

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

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

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

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

224 attended by the children of such consultants or employees are

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

226 Constitution.

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

228 and photographs of current or former emergency medical

229 technicians or paramedics certified under chapter 401; the

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

231 places of employment of the spouses and children of such

232 emergency medical technicians or paramedics; and the names and

233 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

234 children of such emergency medical technicians or paramedics are

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

236 Constitution.

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

238 and photographs of current or former personnel employed in an

239 agency's office of inspector general or internal audit

240 department whose duties include auditing or investigating waste,

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

242 could lead to criminal prosecution or administrative discipline;

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

244 and places of employment of spouses and children of such

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

246 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

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

248 Constitution.

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

250 and photographs of current or former directors, managers,

251 supervisors, nurses, and clinical employees of an addiction

252 treatment facility; the home addresses, telephone numbers,

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

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

255 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

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

257 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. For purposes of this

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

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

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

261 intervention, or clinical treatment, including any licensed

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

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

264 and photographs of current or former directors, managers,

265 supervisors, and clinical employees of a child advocacy center

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

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

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

269 include supporting the investigation of child abuse or sexual

270 abuse, child abandonment, child neglect, and child exploitation

271 or to provide services as part of a multidisciplinary case

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

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

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

275 names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended

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

277 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

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

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

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

281 90.5036(1)(b), of domestic violence centers certified by the

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

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

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

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

286 facilities attended by the children of such personnel are exempt

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

288 Constitution.

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

290 and photographs of current or former inspectors or investigators

291 of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the

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

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

294 former inspectors or investigators; and the names and locations

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

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

297 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This

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

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

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

301 reenactment by the Legislature.

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

303 and photographs of current county attorneys, assistant county

304 attorneys, deputy county attorneys, city attorneys, assistant

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

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

307 places of employment of the spouses and children of current

308 county attorneys, assistant county attorneys, deputy county

309 attorneys, city attorneys, assistant city attorneys, and deputy

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

311 care facilities attended by the children of current county

312 attorneys, assistant county attorneys, deputy county attorneys,

313 city attorneys, assistant city attorneys, and deputy city

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

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

316 county attorney, assistant county attorney, deputy county

317 attorney, city attorney, assistant city attorney, or deputy city

318 attorney who qualifies as a candidate for election to public

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

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

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

322 repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

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

324 and photographs of current or former commissioners of the

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

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

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

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

329 care facilities attended by the children of such current or

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

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

332 subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance

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

334 unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the

335 Legislature.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

343 names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended

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

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

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

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

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

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

350 saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

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

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

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

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

355 of the United States Senate.

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

357 which an individual resides and includes the physical address,

358 mailing address, street address, parcel identification number,

359 plot identification number, legal property description,

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

361 descriptive property information that may reveal the partial

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

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

364 following offices: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Chief

365 Financial Officer, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner,

366 state representative, state senator, property appraiser,

367 supervisor of elections, school superintendent, school board

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

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

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

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

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

373 (B) The telephone numbers of a current congressional

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

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

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

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

378 care facility attended by the minor child.

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

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

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

382 saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.

383 aa. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth,

384 and photographs of current or former municipal clerks and their

385 staff, including elections filing officers, records management

386 liaison officers, and deputy or assistant municipal clerks; the

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

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

389 former municipal clerks and their staff, including elections

390 filing officers, records management liaison officers, and deputy

391 or assistant municipal clerks; and the names and locations of

392 schools and day care facilities attended by the children of

393 current or former municipal clerks and their staff, including

394 elections filing officers, records management liaison officers,

395 and deputy or assistant municipal clerks, are exempt from s.

396 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This

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

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

399 October 2, 2031, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through

400 reenactment by the Legislature.

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

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

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

404 subparagraph 2. must maintain the exempt status of that

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

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

407 written and notarized request for maintenance of the exemption

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

409 statutory basis for the individual's exemption request and

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

411 status.

412 b. An agency that is the custodian of information

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

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

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

416 status of that information only if an individual requests the

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

418 the basis of eligibility as a current congressional member or

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

420 of the written and notarized request required by sub-

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

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

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

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

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

426 custodian must maintain an exemption granted pursuant to sub-

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

428 exemption no longer apply to the person subject to the

429 exemption.

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

431 192.001(3), or a county tax collector, as defined in s.

432 192.001(4), who receives a written and notarized request for

433 maintenance of the exemption pursuant to subparagraph 3. must

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

435 and the instrument number or Official Records book and page

436 number identifying the property with the exempt status from all

437 publicly available records maintained by the property appraiser

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

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

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

441 2021. A county property appraiser or county tax collector may

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

443 information identifying real property within the agency's

444 records so long as a name or personal information otherwise

445 exempt from inspection and copying pursuant to this section is

446 not associated with the property or otherwise displayed in the

447 public records of the agency.

448 b. Any information restricted from public display,

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

450 provided to the individual whose information was removed.

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

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

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

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

455 specify the information to be released and the party authorized

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

457 the custodial agency must release the specified information to

458 the party authorized to receive such information.

459 6. The exemptions in this paragraph apply to information

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

461 exemption.

462 7. Information made exempt under this paragraph may be

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

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

465 624.10; a title insurance agent or title insurance agency as

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

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

468 with The Florida Bar.

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

470 Official Records is maintained only during the period when a

471 protected party resides at the dwelling location. Upon

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

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

474 address as defined in sub-subparagraph 1.a., the protected party

475 must submit a written request to release the removed information

476 to the county recorder. The written request to release the

477 removed information must be notarized, must confirm that a

478 protected party's request for release is pursuant to a

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

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

481 file number for each document containing the information to be

482 released.

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

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

485 can request the county recorder to release a protected

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

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

488 decedent's information or unless such removal is otherwise

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

490 release the removed information upon the death of a protected

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

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

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

494 specify the Official Records book and page number, instrument

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

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

497 release of any document pursuant to such request.

498 Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public

499 necessity that the home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of

500 birth, and photographs of current and former municipal clerks

501 and their staff, including elections filing officers, records

502 management liaison officers, and deputy or assistant municipal

503 clerks; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of

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

505 current and former municipal clerks and their staff, including

506 elections filing officers, records management liaison officers,

507 and deputy or assistant municipal clerks; and the names and

508 locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the

509 children of current and former municipal clerks and their staff,

510 including elections filing officers, records management liaison

511 officers, and deputy or assistant municipal clerks, be made

512 exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a),

513 Article I of the State Constitution. Municipal clerks and their

514 staff often handle sensitive information and perform critical

515 administrative functions. Many municipal staff members who

516 perform duties that include, or result in, investigations into

517 complaints regarding election fraud, legal enforcement of

518 special magistrate hearings related to neglect or abuse, or

519 other activities that could lead to a criminal prosecution are

520 exposed to threats and other acts of violence. Protecting their

521 personal information is essential to ensure their safety. The

522 Legislature further finds that the harm that may result from the

523 release of such personal identifying and location information

524 outweighs any public benefit that may be derived from the

525 disclosure of the information.

526 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.