F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 631 2023
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to public records; providing an
3 exemption from public records requirements for
4 personal identifying information in applications
5 submitted to the Department of State by persons
6 seeking certification as victims of Florida reform
7 school abuse; providing for future legislative review
8 and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of
9 public necessity; providing a contingent effective
10 date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Applications for certification as a victim of
15 Florida reform school abuse; public records exemption.—Any
16 personal identifying information in an application submitted to
17 the Department of State by, or on behalf of, a person seeking
18 certification as a victim of Florida reform school abuse, as
19 defined in the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys and Okeechobee
20 School Abuse Victim Certification Act, is exempt from s.
21 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the
22 State Constitution. This paragraph is subject to the Open
23 Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15,
24 Florida Statutes, and shall stand repealed on December 31, 2024,
25 unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 631 2023
26 Legislature.
27 Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
28 necessity that personal identifying information in applications
29 for certification as a victim of Florida reform school abuse
30 which are submitted to the Department of State be made exempt
31 from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of
32 the State Constitution. The Legislature finds that the release
33 of personal identifying information contained in a certification
34 application could subject victims of Florida reform school abuse
35 to further trauma. The Legislature further finds that such
36 victims would be more likely to come forward and seek redress if
37 personal identifying information in the applications were
38 protected from public disclosure. The Legislature finds that the
39 harm that may result from the release of such information
40 outweighs the public benefit that may be derived from the
41 disclosure of the information.
42 Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date
43 that HB 629 or similar legislation takes effect, if such
44 legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an
45 extension thereof and becomes a law.
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