THE BILL ITSELF
HB 473
Pub. Rec./Civilian Contractors and Government Employees
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to public records; amending s.
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119.071, F.S.; defining the terms "civilian
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contractor" and "government employee"; providing an
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exemption from public records requirements for certain
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current and former civilian contractors and government
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employees and their spouses and dependents; providing
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for retroactive application; providing for future
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legislative review and repeal of the exemption;
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providing a statement of public necessity; providing
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an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Paragraph (k) of subsection (5) of section
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119.071, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of
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public records.—
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(5) OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION.—
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(k)1. For purposes of this paragraph, the term:
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a. "Civilian contractor" or "government employee" means
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any person who is authorized to access information that is
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deemed "secret" or "top secret" by the Federal Government.
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b.a. "Identification and location information" means the:
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(I) Home addresses, telephone numbers, and dates of birth
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of current and former civilian contractors, government
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employees, and military personnel, and the telephone numbers
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associated with the personal communication devices of current
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and former civilian contractors, government employees, and
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military personnel.
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(II) Home addresses, telephone numbers, and dates of birth
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of the spouses and dependents of current and former civilian
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contractors, government employees, and military personnel, and
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the telephone numbers associated with the personal communication
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devices of such spouses and dependents.
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(III) Names and locations of schools attended by the
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spouses of current and former civilian contractors, government
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employees, and military personnel and schools or day care
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facilities attended by dependents of current and former civilian
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contractors, government employees, and military personnel.
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c.b. "Military personnel" means persons employed by the
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United States Department of Defense who are authorized to access
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information that is deemed "secret" or "top secret" by the
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Federal Government or who are servicemembers of a special
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operations force.
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d.c. "Special operations force" has the same meaning as
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provided in s. 943.10(22).
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2. Identification and location information held by an
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agency is exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the
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State Constitution if the current or former civilian contractor,
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government employee, or military personnel member submits to an
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agency that has custody of the identification and location
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information:
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a. A written request to exempt the identification and
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location information from public disclosure; and
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b. A written statement that he or she has made reasonable
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efforts to protect the identification and location information
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from being accessible through other means available to the
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public.
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3. This exemption applies to identification and location
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information held by an agency before, on, or after the effective
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date of this exemption.
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4. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset
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Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed
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on October 2, 2031 2029, unless reviewed and saved from repeal
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through reenactment by the Legislature.
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Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
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necessity that the identification and location information of
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current and former civilian contractors and government employees
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who are authorized to access information that is deemed "secret"
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or "top secret" by the Federal Government, and their spouses and
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dependents, which is held by an agency be made exempt from s.
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119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the
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State Constitution. Such current and former civilian contractors
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and government employees are at risk of being threatened by
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terrorist groups because of their access to such information.
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The Legislature finds that allowing continued public access to
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the identification and location information of such current and
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former civilian contractors and government employees, and their
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spouses and dependents, jeopardizes the safety of such personnel
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and their spouses and dependents. The Legislature further finds
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that protecting the safety and security of such current and
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former civilian contractors and government employees, and their
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spouses and dependents, outweighs any public benefit that may be
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derived from the public disclosure of the identification and
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location information.
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Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.