The bill amends sections 394.464 and 397.6760 of the Florida Statutes to ensure that all court hearings related to mental health and substance abuse are confidential and closed to the public, unless the respondent consents or a judge finds good cause to open the hearings. It specifies that the respondent's name, along with all petitions or applications for voluntary and involuntary treatment, court orders, and related records, are confidential and exempt from public records requirements. The bill also expands the public records exemption to include these documents and allows for their disclosure to certain service providers and relevant parties involved in the case.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the court to use the respondent's name for scheduling and adjudicating cases while maintaining confidentiality in publicly accessible files. It establishes that the confidentiality provisions apply to records held by the Division of Administrative Hearings and are subject to future legislative review and potential repeal. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and includes statements of public necessity emphasizing the importance of protecting sensitive personal information related to mental health and substance abuse disorders.

Statutes affected:
H 447 Filed: 394.464, 397.6760