The bill amends Section 877.19 of the Florida Statutes, transferring the responsibility of collecting and disseminating data on hate crimes from the Governor to the Attorney General, through the Department of Law Enforcement. It expands the public records exemption to include data on criminal acts that demonstrate prejudice as defined in sections 775.085 and 775.0863, thereby ensuring that such information remains confidential and exempt from public records requirements. The Attorney General is now required to publish an annual report instead of a summary, and the bill includes a provision for future review and potential repeal of the expanded exemption.

Additionally, the bill emphasizes the necessity of broadening the existing public records exemption to align with the expanded definitions of prejudice-related crimes. It aims to enhance the accuracy of data collection regarding victims of such crimes, which will aid law enforcement in understanding the scope of these offenses and applying resources more effectively. The act is contingent upon the passage of related legislation, SB 1312, and will take effect concurrently with it if adopted in the same legislative session.

Statutes affected:
S 1314 Filed: 877.19