HB 409 2022
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hb0409-00
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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
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to public records; amending s. 2
16.7121, F.S.; providing an exemption from public 3
records requirements for records containing personal 4
identifying information of a person who is seeking 5
assistance through the Compulsive and Addictive 6
Gambling Prevention Program; providing for a future 7
legislative review and repeal of the exemption; 8
providing a statement of public necessity; providing a 9
contingent effective date. 10
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12
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Section 1. Subsection ( 6) of section 16.7121, Florida 14
Statutes, as created by HB 405, 2022 Regular Session, is 15
renumbered as subsection (7) and a new subsection (6) is added 16
to that section, to read: 17
16.7121 Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention 18
Program.- 19
(6) The personal identifying information of a person who 20
is seeking assistance through the Compulsive and Addictive 21
Gambling Prevention Program is confidential and exempt from the 22
provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State 23
Constitution. This subsection is subject to the Open Government 24
Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand 25
HB 409 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0409-00
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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
repealed on October 2, 2027, unless reviewed and sa ved from 26
repeal through reenactment by the Legislature. 27
Section 2. The Legislature finds that, as reflected in s. 28
16.7121(1), Florida Statutes, it is an important public policy 29
of the state to recognize and mitigate the adverse impact of 30
compulsive and addictive gambling behaviors. Even though such 31
behaviors impact many people throughout society, it is still 32
highly stigmatized. That social stigma prevents people from 33
taking steps to seek out information and resources that would 34
help them. In order to en courage people to seek assistance from 35
the Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention Program, it is 36
important that their personal identifying information remains 37
confidential and exempt. The Legislature therefore finds that it 38
is a public necessity that the personal identifying information 39
of a person seeking assistance through the Compulsive and 40
Addictive Gambling Prevention Program be made exempt from s. 41
119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State 42
Constitution. The Legislature furthe r finds that the need to 43
protect this information is sufficiently compelling to override 44
the state's public policy of open government and that the 45
protection of such information cannot be accomplished without 46
this exemption. 47
Section 3. This act shall t ake effect on the same date 48
that HB 405 or similar legislation takes effect , if such 49
legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an 50
HB 409 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0409-00
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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
extension thereof and become a law. 51