This bill amends section 119.071 of the Florida Statutes to expand public records exemptions for crime victims. It introduces definitions for terms such as "victim," "officer," and "use of force incident," and specifies that the name and personal identification number of a victim, along with any information that could be used to locate, intimidate, harass, or abuse the victim or their family, will be confidential and exempt from public records laws. The bill also establishes that records identifying law enforcement officers involved in use of force incidents will be confidential for a period of 72 hours, with provisions for extending this confidentiality if deemed necessary by the employing agency head.

Additionally, the bill allows for waivers of these exemptions and mandates future legislative review and potential repeal of the exemptions by October 2, 2030. It emphasizes the public necessity of protecting the identities of crime victims and law enforcement officers to prevent intimidation and harassment, asserting that the potential harm from releasing such information outweighs any public benefit. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1266 Filed: 119.071
S 1266 c1: 119.071