Bill > S1436

This bill creates an exemption from public records laws for information held by government agencies about the locations of "safe houses" and "safe foster homes," which are intended as refuges for children who are victims of sexual exploitation. The bill, which defines an "agency" as any entity covered by Florida's public records law (section 119.011), states that this information is confidential and cannot be accessed by the public under section 119.07(1) or Article I, Section 24(a) of the State Constitution. This exemption is deemed a public necessity because revealing these locations could allow exploiters or others to find and further victimize the children, hindering their recovery. The bill allows agencies to share this location information among themselves as needed for health, safety, and emergency purposes, and includes a provision that this exemption will automatically expire on October 2, 2019, unless the Legislature specifically votes to extend it.