Bill > S1848

This bill establishes a public records exemption for certain information related to the Office of the Inspector General of the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, a state-backed insurer. Specifically, it protects the identity of individuals who, in good faith, report potential violations of law, fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or employee misconduct by the corporation's employees or agents. This information will remain confidential and exempt from public disclosure unless the individual consents in writing or a court orders its release. Additionally, all information gathered during an investigation by the inspector general will be kept confidential until the investigation is completed and a determination is made about whether a violation occurred; if no violation is found, the information will remain confidential. However, this investigative information can be shared with specific legislative leaders and members of the Financial Services Commission. The bill also includes a "public necessity" statement, explaining that these exemptions are crucial to prevent retaliation against whistleblowers and to ensure the integrity of investigations by creating a secure environment for the inspector general's work. This exemption is subject to a sunset review and will be repealed on October 2, 2018, unless reenacted by the legislature.