HB 1547 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1547-00
Page 1 of 4
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 personal information protection; 2
creating s. 501.9744, F.S.; providing a short title; 3
providing definitions; prohibiting a public agency 4
from requesting, requiring, and publicly disclosing, 5
specified personal information; providing construction 6
and applicability; providing for the right of civil 7
action and award of damages; providing penalties; 8
providing an effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Section 501.9744, Florida Statutes, is created 13
to read: 14
501.9744 Personal privacy protection. - 15
(1) This act may be cited as the "Personal Privacy 16
Protection Act." 17
(2) As used in this section, t he term: 18
(a) "Person" means an individual or a corporation, 19
partnership, association, or any other legal or commercial 20
entity. 21
(b) "Personal information" means any compilation of data 22
that directly or indirectly identifies a person as a member, 23
supporter, volunteer, or donor of financial or nonfinancial 24
support to any entity. 25
HB 1547 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1547-00
Page 2 of 4
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
(c) "Public agency" means any state or local governmental 26
unit, however designated, including, but not limited to, this 27
state; any department, agency, office, commission, board, 28
division, or other entity of this state; any political 29
subdivision of this state, including, but not limited to, a 30
county, city, township, village, school district, community 31
college district, or any other local governmental unit, agency, 32
authority, council, board, or commission; or any state or local 33
court, tribunal, or other judicial or quasi -judicial body. 34
(3) Notwithstanding any law, and subject to subsection 35
(4), a public agency may not: 36
(a) Require a person to provide the public agency with 37
personal information or otherwise compel the release of personal 38
information. 39
(b) Require an entity to provide the public agency with 40
personal information or otherwise compel the release of personal 41
information. 42
(c) Release, publish, or otherwise publicly di sclose 43
personal information held by a public agency. 44
(d) Request or require a current or prospective contractor 45
or grantee with the public agency to provide the public agency 46
with a list of entities to which it has provided financial or 47
nonfinancial support. 48
(4) This section does not preclude: 49
HB 1547 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1547-00
Page 3 of 4
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) Personal information exempt from disclosure under the 50
Freedom of Information Act. 51
(b) A report or disclosure required for campaign financing 52
under chapter 106 or lobbying under chapter 11. 53
(c) A lawful warrant for personal information issued by a 54
court of competent jurisdiction. 55
(d) A lawful request for discovery of personal information 56
in litigation if both of the following conditions are met: 57
1. The requestor demonstrates a compelling need for t he 58
personal information by clear and convincing evidence. 59
2. The requestor obtains a protective order barring 60
disclosure of personal information to any person not named in 61
the litigation. 62
(e) Admission of personal information as relevant evidence 63
before a court of competent jurisdiction. However, a court may 64
not publicly reveal personal information without a specific 65
finding of good cause. 66
(5) This section does not apply to a national securities 67
association, as defined in s. 78o -3, 15 U.S.C., or regul ations 68
adopted thereunder, or to any information a national securities 69
association provides to the Financial Services Commission 70
pursuant to chapter 517 and rules adopted thereunder. 71
(6)(a) A person alleging a violation of this section may 72
bring a civil action for injunctive relief, damages, or both. 73
HB 1547 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1547-00
Page 4 of 4
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
Damages awarded under this section may include one of the 74
following: 75
1. For injury or loss caused by a violation, a sum not 76
less than $2,500 for each violation. 77
2. For an intentional violation, a sum not to exceed 3 78
times the sum under subparagraph 1. 79
(b) The court may award all or a portion of the costs of 80
litigation, including reasonable attorney and witness fees, to 81
the complainant bringing the action. 82
(c) A person who knowingly violates this sectio n commits a 83
misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days 84
or a fine of not more than $1,000, or both. 85
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 86