CS/HB 1479 2025
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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. 741.29, 2
F.S.; providing an exemption from public records 3
requirements for a lethality assessment form that 4
contains certain information and responses; 5
authorizing the disclosure of a lethality assessment 6
form to a domestic violence center and the office of 7
the state attorney; authorizing the state attorney to 8
disclose such confidential information for certain 9
purposes and to certain parties; providing for future 10
legislative review and repeal of the exemption; 11
providing a statement of public necessity; providing 12
an effective date. 13
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
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Section 1. Paragraph (i) is added to subsection (2) of 17
section 741.29, Florida Statutes, to read: 18
741.29 Domestic violence; investigation of incidents; 19
notice to victims of legal rights and remedies; reporting. — 20
(2) The department shall consult with the Department of 21
Children and Families, the Florida Sheriffs Association, the 22
Florida Police Chiefs Association, the Florida Partnership to 23
End Domestic Violence, and at least two domestic violence 24
advocacy organizations to develop the policies, procedures, and 25
CS/HB 1479 2025
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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
training necessary for implementation of a statewide evidence -26
based lethality assessment. Such policies, procedures, and 27
training must establish how to determine whether a victim and 28
aggressor are intimate partners and establish a statewide 29
process for referring a victim to a certified domestic violence 30
center. The group must review the questions in paragraph (e) and 31
make a recommendation as to whether all questions should be 32
included in the statewide lethality assessment instrument and 33
form. By January 1, 2025, th e department must adopt a statewide 34
lethality assessment instrument and form. If a question in 35
paragraph (e) is eliminated from the assessment, the department 36
must confirm that the remaining or altered questions constitute 37
an evidence-based lethality asses sment. By January 31, 2025, the 38
department shall report to the President of the Senate and the 39
Speaker of the House of Representatives the results and 40
recommendations of the group, including any proposed statutory 41
changes that are necessary for implementat ion of a statewide 42
lethality assessment. Training on how to administer a lethality 43
assessment and the approved lethality assessment form must be 44
accessible to a law enforcement officer in an online format. 45
(i) A lethality assessment form that contains a victim's 46
information and responses to the lethality assessment completed 47
before, on, or after January 1, 2025, is confidential and exempt 48
from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State 49
Constitution. A lethality assessment form may be disclosed to a 50
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domestic violence center, as defined in s. 39.902, and the 51
domestic violence center must treat the form and the information 52
on such form as confidential. A lethality assessment form may be 53
disclosed to the office of the state attorney. The state 54
attorney may disclose the confidential information in 55
furtherance of his or her official duties and responsibilities 56
and to the parties in a pending criminal prosecution as required 57
by law. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset 58
Review Act in accordan ce with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed 59
on October 2, 2030, unless reviewed and saved from repeal 60
through reenactment by the Legislature. 61
Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public 62
necessity that a lethality assessment form that contains a 63
victim's information and responses to the lethality assessment 64
be made confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida 65
Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. The 66
Legislature finds that the release of information included on a 67
lethality assessment form could subject victims of domestic 68
violence to an increased risk of abuse. Such information 69
contained on a lethality assessment form is sensitive in nature. 70
The Legislature further finds that such victims are more likely 71
to participate in a lethality assessment if such form is 72
protected from public disclosure. The Legislature finds that the 73
harm that may result from the release of such information 74
outweighs the public benefit that may be derived from the 75
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disclosure of the information. 76
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 77