THE BILL ITSELF
CS/HB 627
Pub. Rec./Law Enforcement Officers Actively Engaged in Official Duty
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to public records; amending s. 119.07,
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F.S.; authorizing certain law enforcement officers to
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decline to accept or process public records requests;
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providing requirements for such officers; providing a
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penalty; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Subsection (10) is added to section 119.07,
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Florida Statutes, to read:
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119.07 Inspection and copying of records; photographing
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public records; fees; exemptions.—
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(10)(a) A law enforcement officer, as defined in s.
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943.10(1), who is actively engaged in the performance of an
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official duty, including, but not limited to, a call for
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service, an investigation, a case-related activity, or any other
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official law enforcement activity, may decline to accept or
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process a public records request at such time.
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(b) The determination of whether an officer is actively
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engaged in the performance of an official duty under this
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subsection shall be made by the officer. Upon such
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determination, the officer must verbally inform the requestor
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that he or she cannot accept or process the request and must
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direct the requestor to:
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1. The custodian of records for the officer's employing
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agency; or
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2. An official public records request portal, if
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available.
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(c) A person who, after being informed as required under
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paragraph (b), knowingly and willfully persists in attempting to
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compel an officer to accept or process a public records request
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while the officer is actively engaged in the performance of an
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official duty commits the offense of resisting an officer
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without violence in violation of s. 843.02.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.