CS/CS/HB 943 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; creating s. 2
215.5587, F.S.; providing an exemption from public 3
records requirements for certain information in 4
applications and home inspection reports submitted by 5
applicants to the Department of Financial Services as 6
a part of the My Safe Florida Home Program; providing 7
retroactive applicability; providing for future 8
legislative review and repeal of the exemption; 9
providing a statement of public necessity; providing 10
an effective date. 11
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13
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Section 1. Section 215.5587, Florida Statutes, is created 15
to read: 16
215.5587 My Safe Florida Home Program; public records 17
exemption.— 18
(1) All of the following information contained in 19
applications and home inspection reports submitted by applicants 20
as part of the My Safe Florida Home Program under s. 215.5586 is 21
exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State 22
Constitution: 23
(a) The components of the applicant's mailing address 24
other than the city, zip code, and the applicant's name. 25
CS/CS/HB 943 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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
(b) Any phone number or e -mail address provided by the 26
applicant. 27
(c) Detailed descriptions and pictures of the inside and 28
outside of applicant's homes. 29
(2) This exemption applies retroactively to applications 30
and home inspection reports submitted before, on, or after the 31
effective date of this exemption. 32
(3) This section is subject to the Open Government Sunset 33
Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed 34
on October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and saved from repeal 35
through reenactment by the Legislature. 36
Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public 37
necessity that the following information contained in 38
applications and home inspection reports submitted by applicants 39
as part of the My Safe Florida Home Program be made exempt from 40
s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the 41
State Constitution: an applicant's name, certain components of 42
his or her mailing address, an applicant's phone number or e -43
mail address, as well as descriptions and pictures of the inside 44
and outside of an applicant's home. The Legislature further 45
finds that it is a public necessity that the public record 46
exemption be applied retroactively. More than 99 percent of all 47
home inspections and grant applications are completed 48
electronically or by phone. Under current law, My Safe Florida 49
Home Program applications and home inspection reports are public 50
CS/CS/HB 943 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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
records and can be ob tained by anyone for any purpose. This 51
information is unique to each individual and can be used for 52
identity theft, consumer scams, unwanted solicitations, or other 53
invasive contact. Additionally, My Safe Florida Home Program 54
applications and home inspecti on reports contain detailed 55
descriptions and pictures of the inside and outside of 56
applicants' homes, including private areas, points of entry, and 57
other vulnerabilities. The public availability of this 58
information puts participants in the My Safe Florida Home 59
Program at increased risk of home invasions and reduces privacy 60
in their homes. These risks may be significantly limited by 61
making such information contained in My Safe Florida Home 62
Program applications and home inspection reports exempt from 63
public record requirements. 64
Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 65