CS/HB 273 2024
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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 rel eased; recordkeeping requirements; 17
microchipping; public records exemption .— 18
(7) Personal identifying information of a person who 19
fosters, adopts, or otherwise receives legal custody of an 20
animal from an animal shelter or animal control agency operated 21
by a county, municipality, or other incorporated political 22
subdivision held by the shelter or agency is exempt from s. 23
119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This 24
subsection is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act 25
CS/HB 273 2024
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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
in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 26
2, 2029, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through 27
reenactment by the Legislature. 28
Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public 29
necessity that the personal identifying information of a pe rson 30
who fosters, adopts, or otherwise receives legal custody of an 31
animal from an animal shelter or animal control agency operated 32
by a county, municipality, or other incorporated political 33
subdivision held by the shelter or agency be made exempt from s. 34
119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State 35
Constitution. The Legislature finds that, as reflected in s. 36
823.15(1), Florida Statutes, it is an important public policy of 37
the state to encourage the fostering, adoption, or receipt of 38
animals and to reduce euthanasia rates for animals in animal 39
shelters and animal control agencies. Although such shelters and 40
agencies are motivated to find new homes or placements for 41
animals in their custody, potential fosterers, adopters, and 42
other persons considering receiving legal custody of animals may 43
become discouraged from fostering, adopting, or receiving legal 44
custody of the animals if the prior owners who lost or 45
surrendered legal custody of the animals, or who did not reclaim 46
the animals within the applicable time periods, can obtain their 47
personal identifying information and attempt to regain legal 48
custody of the animals from such persons through stalking, 49
harassment, or intimidation. As such, the release of such 50
CS/HB 273 2024
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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
personal identifying information ma y jeopardize the safety of 51
animal fosterers, adopters, and other persons receiving legal 52
custody of animals and may have a chilling effect on the 53
recruitment of persons to adopt, foster, or otherwise receive 54
legal custody of animals from an animal shelter or animal 55
control agency. 56
Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 57