Bill > S1734

This bill creates a new provision within Florida law (specifically, section 943.0583) to make criminal history records of human trafficking victims, which have been expunged (meaning officially removed and sealed from public view), confidential and exempt from public records requirements, including the general public records law (s. 119.07(1)) and the State Constitution's right to access public information (s. 24(a), Art. I). This exemption applies to records retained by the Department of Law Enforcement, though law enforcement agencies can still access them for criminal justice purposes and may keep a notation of the expungement. The bill also states that this exemption is subject to a review process under the Open Government Sunset Review Act and is set to automatically expire on October 2, 2018, unless the Legislature acts to renew it. The legislative intent behind this bill is to protect human trafficking victims from the ongoing negative impacts of past criminal convictions, often incurred under duress from their traffickers, thereby allowing them a better opportunity to reintegrate into society and secure employment.