Florida Senate - 2025 SB By Senator Grall 29-00955-25 20251652__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled

An act relating to public records; amending s. 2 119.0714, F.S.; providing an exemption from public records requirements for information in a pleading, a request for relief, or other document which has been stricken by the court in a noncriminal case if the court makes specific findings; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; 8 providing a statement of public necessity; providing a contingent effective date. 10

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12

Section 1. Paragraph

(

m) is added to subsection (1) of

section 119.0714, Florida Statutes, to read: 15 119.0714 Court files; court records; official records.— 16

(1) COURT FILES.—Nothing in this

chapter shall be construed to exempt from s. 119.07(1) a public record that was made a part of a court file and that is not specifically closed by order of court, except: 20 (m)1. Any information in a document which has been stricken by the court in a noncriminal case if the court finds that such information: 23 a. Is immaterial, impertinent, or untrue; and b. Would defame or cause unwarranted damage to the name or reputation of an individual or jeopardize the safety of an individual. 27 2.

The public records exemption provided in this paragraph any document stricken by the court in noncriminal cases before, 29 Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1652 29-00955-25 20251652__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. on, or after the effective date of this exemption. 30 3. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2030, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature. 34

Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public necessity that immaterial, impertinent, or untrue information contained in a document which has been stricken by a court in a noncriminal case be made confidential and exempt from s. 38 119.0714(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a),

Article I of the State Constitution and that such exemption be applied retroactively. The Legislature finds that such information would defame or cause unwarranted damages to the name and reputation of an individual, and that such information may jeopardize the safety of an individual. The Legislature further finds that the harm that may result from the release of such stricken information outweighs any public benefit that may be derived from the disclosure of the stricken information. 47

Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that SB or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation is adopted in the same session or an extension thereof and becomes a law. 51