HB 157 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0157-00
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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. 823.15, 2
F.S.; providing an exemption from public records 3
requirements for records containing certain 4
information pertaining to persons with legal custody 5
of an animal from an animal shelter or animal control 6
agency operated by a local government; providing for 7
future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; 8
providing a statement of public necessity ; providing 9
an 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 (7) is added to section 823.15, 14
Florida Statutes, to read: 15
823.15 Public or private animal agencies; sterilization 16
required for dogs and cats released; recordkeeping requirements; 17
microchipping; public records exemption .— 18
(7) The names and e -mail addresses, as well as the home 19
addresses and telephone numbers, as those terms are defined in 20
s. 119.071(4)(d), of persons who foster, adopt , or otherwise 21
receive legal custody of an animal from an animal shelter or 22
animal control agency operated by a county, municipality, or 23
other incorporated political subdivision in any record relating 24
to the animal and held by the shelter or agency are exe mpt from 25
HB 157 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0157-00
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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
s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. 26
This subsection is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review 27
Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on 28
October 2, 2028, unless reviewed and saved from repeal throug h 29
reenactment by the Legislature. 30
Section 2. The Legislature finds that, as reflected in s. 31
823.15(1), Florida Statutes, it is an important public policy of 32
the state to encourage the fostering, adoption, and transfer of 33
animals and to reduce euthanasi a rates for animals in animal 34
shelters and animal control agencies. Although such shelters and 35
agencies are motivated to find new homes or placements for 36
animals in their custody, potential fosterers and adopters and 37
other persons considering receiving leg al custody of animals may 38
become discouraged from fostering, adopting, or receiving legal 39
custody of the animals if the prior owners who lost or 40
surrendered legal custody of the animals, or who did not reclaim 41
the animals within the applicable time periods , can obtain such 42
persons' identifying information and attempt to regain legal 43
custody of the animals from such persons. The Legislature finds 44
that the stalking, harassment, and intimidation of animal 45
fosterers, adopters, and other persons receiving legal custody 46
of animals by prior animal owners, as well as prior animal 47
owners' theft of animals from such persons, are threats to 48
public safety and welfare and to the sanctity of private 49
property, the family, and the home. The Legislature therefore 50
HB 157 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0157-00
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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
finds that it is a public necessity that the names, home 51
addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of persons 52
who foster, adopt, or otherwise receive legal custody of an 53
animal from an animal shelter or animal control agency operated 54
by a county, municipalit y, or other incorporated political 55
subdivision in any record relating to such animal and held by 56
such shelter or agency be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida 57
Statutes, and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. The 58
Legislature further finds that t he need to protect the names, 59
home addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of 60
animal fosterers, adopters, and other persons receiving legal 61
custody of animals is sufficiently compelling to override the 62
state's public policy of open government an d that the protection 63
of such information cannot be accomplished without this 64
exemption. 65
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 66