Senate Bill 966 (2020) — Public records
SB 966
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 966 By Senator Gainer 2-00631B-20 2020966__ Page 1 of 3 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to public records; amending s. 2 119.071, F.S.; providing an exemption from public 3 records requirements for certain records and 4 information provided to the Department of Economic 5 Opportunity, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, 6 a county, a municipality, or a local housing finance 7 agency by or on behalf of an applicant for or a 8 participant in a federal, state, or local housing 9 assistance program for the purpose of disaster 10 recovery assistance; providing for future legislative 11 review and repeal of the exemption; providing a 12 statement of public necessity; providing an effective 13 date. 14 15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16 17
Section 1. Paragraph (
f) of subsection (5) of
section 18 119.071, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 19 119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of 20 public records.— 21
(5) OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION.— 22 (f)1. Medical history records and information related to 23 health or property insurance provided to the Department of 24 Economic Opportunity, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, a 25 county, a municipality, or a local housing finance agency by an 26 applicant for or a participant in a federal, state, or local 27 housing assistance program are confidential and exempt from s. 28 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. 29 Florida Senate - 2020 SB 966 2-00631B-20 2020966__ Page 2 of 3 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 2.
Records and information related to property photographs, 30 financial documents, or financial information provided to the 31 Department of Economic Opportunity, the Florida Housing Finance 32 Corporation, a county, a municipality, or a local housing 33 finance agency by or on behalf of an applicant for or a 34 participant in a federal, state, or local housing assistance 35 program for the purpose of disaster recovery assistance are 36 confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I 37 of the State Constitution.
This subparagraph is subject to the 38 Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 39 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2025, unless reviewed and 40 saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature. 41 3. Governmental entities or their agents shall have access 42 to such confidential and exempt records and information for the 43 purpose of auditing federal, state, or local housing programs or 44 housing assistance programs.
Such confidential and exempt 45 records and information may be used in any administrative or 46 judicial proceeding, provided such records are kept confidential 47 and exempt unless otherwise ordered by a court. 48
Section 2.
(1) The Legislature finds that it is a public 49 necessity that records and information related to property 50 photographs, financial documents, or financial information of an 51 applicant for or a participant in a federal, state, or local 52 housing assistance program provided to the Department of 53 Economic Opportunity, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, a 54 county, a municipality, or a local housing finance agency for 55 the purpose of disaster recovery assistance should be made 56 confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and 57 s. 24 (a),
Article I of the State Constitution. 58 Florida Senate - 2020 SB 966 2-00631B-20 2020966__ Page 3 of 3 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
(2) In response to a disaster, in an effort to determine 59 storm damage and ascertain the estimated cost of rehabilitation, 60 an agency may conduct a property inspection to observe and 61 record the presence of damage. The damage assessment data 62 collected may include interior and exterior photographs of such 63 individual’s residence. This information may be used to locate 64 the damaged property and identify and contact the property owner 65 or tenant.
If released, this information may be used by 66 fraudulent contractors, predatory lenders, thieves, or 67 individuals seeking to impose on the vulnerability of a 68 distressed property owner or tenant following a disaster. 69 Therefore, it is necessary to protect this information to ensure 70 that sensitive information of people impacted by a disaster is 71 not released. 72