Bill > S1314

This bill amends the Hate Crimes Reporting Act in Florida, shifting the responsibility for collecting and disseminating data on criminal acts evidencing prejudice from the Governor to the Attorney General through the Department of Law Enforcement. The bill expands the existing public records exemption to cover data collection related to criminal acts that show prejudice, as defined in specific Florida statutes. Law enforcement agencies will continue to be required to report monthly on such offenses. The collected information remains confidential and can only be used for research or statistical purposes, with strict protections to prevent identifying individual victims. The bill mandates that the Attorney General publish an annual report on this data, replacing the previous requirement of an annual summary. An important provision adds a sunset review date of October 2, 2030, meaning the exemption will automatically expire unless the Legislature specifically reviews and renews it. The bill's justification emphasizes the importance of accurately tracking and understanding prejudice-based crimes to help law enforcement allocate resources more effectively and provide transparency to the public and researchers. The bill's implementation is contingent on the passage of related legislation (SB 1312) in the same legislative session.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/1314