Title: Pub. Rec./Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention

Summary: Provides exemption from public records requirements for records containing personal identifying information of someone who is seeking assistance through the Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention Program.

Full Text:
An act relating to public records; amending s. 16.7121, F.S.; providing an exemption from public records requirements for records containing personal identifying information of a person who is seeking assistance through the Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention Program; providing for a future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of public necessity; providing a contingent ef fective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Subsection ( 6) of section 16.7121, Florida Statutes, as created by HB 405, 2022 Regular Session, is renumbered as subsection (7) and a new subsection (6) is added to that section, to read: 16.7121 Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention Program. (6) The personal identifying information of a person who is seeking assistance through the Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention Program is confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This subsection is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand HB 2022 repealed on October 2, 2027, unless reviewed and sa ved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature. Section 2. The Legislature finds that, as reflected in s. 16.7121(1), Florida Statutes, it is an important public policy of the state to recognize and mitigate the adverse impact of compulsive and addictive gambling behaviors. Even though such behaviors impact many people throughout society, it is still highly stigmatized. That social stigma prevents people from taking steps to seek out information and resources that would help them. In order to en courage people to seek assistance from the Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention Program, it is important that their personal identifying information remains confidential and exempt. The Legislature therefore finds that it is a public necessity that the personal identifying information of a person seeking assistance through the Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention Program be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. The Legislature furthe rfinds that the need to protect this information is sufficiently compelling to override the state's public policy of open government and that the protection of such information cannot be accomplished without this exemption. Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that HB or similar legislation takes effect,if such legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an HB 2022 extension thereof and become a law.