Florida Senate - 2024 SB 26



By Senator Rouson





16-00142-24 202426__
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 included in
5 applications submitted to the Department of State by
6 persons seeking certification as victims of Florida
7 reform school abuse; providing for future legislative
8 review and repeal of the exemption; providing a
9 statement of public necessity; providing a contingent
10 effective 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 included in an application
17 submitted to the Department of State by, or on behalf of, a
18 person seeking certification as a victim of Florida reform
19 school abuse, as defined in the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys
20 and Okeechobee School Abuse Victim Certification Act, is exempt
21 from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of
22 the 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24 Florida Statutes, and shall stand repealed on December 31, 2025,
25 unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the
26 Legislature.
27 Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
28 necessity that any personal identifying information included in
29 applications submitted to the Department of State by, or on
30 behalf of, any person seeking certification as a victim of
31 Florida reform school abuse be made exempt from s. 119.07(1),
32 Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the State
33 Constitution. The Legislature finds that the release of personal
34 identifying information included in certification applications
35 could subject victims of Florida reform school abuse to further
36 trauma. The Legislature further finds that such victims would be
37 more likely to come forward and seek redress if personal
38 identifying information included in the applications were
39 protected from public disclosure. The Legislature finds that the
40 harm that may result from the release of such information
41 outweighs the public benefit that may be derived from the
42 disclosure of the information.
43 Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that
44 SB _____ or similar legislation takes effect, if such
45 legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an
46 extension thereof and becomes a law.