Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0157 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
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3	3	HB 157 2023
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7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb0157-00
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10	10	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
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14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to public records; amending s. 823.15, 2
16	16	F.S.; providing an exemption from public records 3
17	17	requirements for records containing certain 4
18	18	information pertaining to persons with legal custody 5
19	19	of an animal from an animal shelter or animal control 6
20	20	agency operated by a local government; providing for 7
21	21	future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; 8
22	22	providing a statement of public necessity ; providing 9
23	23	an effective date. 10
24	24	11
25	25	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12
26	26	13
27	27	Section 1. Subsection (7) is added to section 823.15, 14
28	28	Florida Statutes, to read: 15
29	29	823.15 Public or private animal agencies; sterilization 16
30	30	required for dogs and cats released; recordkeeping requirements; 17
31	31	microchipping; public records exemption .— 18
32	32	(7) The names and e -mail addresses, as well as the home 19
33	33	addresses and telephone numbers, as those terms are defined in 20
34	34	s. 119.071(4)(d), of persons who foster, adopt , or otherwise 21
35	35	receive legal custody of an animal from an animal shelter or 22
36	36	animal control agency operated by a county, municipality, or 23
37	37	other incorporated political subdivision in any record relating 24
38	38	to the animal and held by the shelter or agency are exe mpt from 25
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40	40	HB 157 2023
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43	43
44	44	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
45	45	hb0157-00
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47	47	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
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51	51	s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. 26
52	52	This subsection is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review 27
53	53	Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on 28
54	54	October 2, 2028, unless reviewed and saved from repeal throug h 29
55	55	reenactment by the Legislature. 30
56	56	Section 2. The Legislature finds that, as reflected in s. 31
57	57	823.15(1), Florida Statutes, it is an important public policy of 32
58	58	the state to encourage the fostering, adoption, and transfer of 33
59	59	animals and to reduce euthanasi a rates for animals in animal 34
60	60	shelters and animal control agencies. Although such shelters and 35
61	61	agencies are motivated to find new homes or placements for 36
62	62	animals in their custody, potential fosterers and adopters and 37
63	63	other persons considering receiving leg al custody of animals may 38
64	64	become discouraged from fostering, adopting, or receiving legal 39
65	65	custody of the animals if the prior owners who lost or 40
66	66	surrendered legal custody of the animals, or who did not reclaim 41
67	67	the animals within the applicable time periods , can obtain such 42
68	68	persons' identifying information and attempt to regain legal 43
69	69	custody of the animals from such persons. The Legislature finds 44
70	70	that the stalking, harassment, and intimidation of animal 45
71	71	fosterers, adopters, and other persons receiving legal custody 46
72	72	of animals by prior animal owners, as well as prior animal 47
73	73	owners' theft of animals from such persons, are threats to 48
74	74	public safety and welfare and to the sanctity of private 49
75	75	property, the family, and the home. The Legislature therefore 50
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77	77	HB 157 2023
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81	81	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
82	82	hb0157-00
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84	84	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
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88	88	finds that it is a public necessity that the names, home 51
89	89	addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of persons 52
90	90	who foster, adopt, or otherwise receive legal custody of an 53
91	91	animal from an animal shelter or animal control agency operated 54
92	92	by a county, municipalit y, or other incorporated political 55
93	93	subdivision in any record relating to such animal and held by 56
94	94	such shelter or agency be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida 57
95	95	Statutes, and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. The 58
96	96	Legislature further finds that t he need to protect the names, 59
97	97	home addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of 60
98	98	animal fosterers, adopters, and other persons receiving legal 61
99	99	custody of animals is sufficiently compelling to override the 62
100	100	state's public policy of open government an d that the protection 63
101	101	of such information cannot be accomplished without this 64
102	102	exemption. 65
103	103	Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 66