Title: Pub.Rec./Statewide Voter Registration System

Summary: Creates public record exemption for certain information received by Department of State from another state that is confidential or exempt pursuant to laws of that state; provides for release of such information to specified persons; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption; provides statement of public necessity; provides contingent effective date.

Full Text:
An act relating to public records; amending s. 98.075, F.S.; creating a public record exemption for certain information received by the Department of State from another state that is confidential or exempt pursuant to the laws of that state; providing for release of such information to specified persons; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of public necessity; providing a contingent effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Subparagraph 6. is added to paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 98.075, Florida Statutes, as created by CS/CS/HB 707, 2017 Regular Session, to read: 98.075 Registration records maintenance activities; ineligibility determinations.-(2) DUPLICATE REGISTRATION. (b)6. Information received by the department, pursuant to an interstate agreement or upon the department becoming a mem ber of a nongovernmental entity as provided in subparagraph 1., from another state that is confidential or exempt pursuant to the laws of that state, is exempt from s. 119.071(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. The department shall provide CS/CS/HB 2017 such information to the supervisors to conduct registration list maintenance activities. This subparagraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2022, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature. Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public necessity that information received by the Department of State, pursuant to an interstate agreement entered into under s. 98.075(2)(b), Florida Statutes, or pursuant to its membership in a nongovernmental entity as provided in s. 98.075(2)(b), Florida Statutes, from another state that is confidential or exempt pursuant to the laws of that state be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, a nd s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. Participating in interstate agreements or becoming a member of a nongovernmental entity for the purpose of sharing and exchanging information to verify voter registration information is critical to ensuring the accuracy of the statewide voter registration system. Maintaining an accurate statewide voter registration system is critical to fair elections in this state. Without the public records exemption, the department will be unable to receive information fr om other states that might otherwise be confidential or exempt pursuant to the laws of those states, which would impair the ability of the department and supervisors of elections to maintain accurate voter rolls. As a result, the effective and efficient CS/CS/HB 2017 administration of the statewide voter registration system would be hindered. For these reasons, the Legislature finds that it is a public necessity to maintain the exempt status of such information received by the department. Section 3. This act shall ta ke effect on the same date that CS/CS/HB or similar legislation takes effect,if such legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension thereof and becomes a law.