Committee advances bills to continue public-records exemptions for shelter occupants and military records

The Senate Committee on Military, Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security voted to report two committee bills that continue existing public-records exemptions.

SPB 7,000 permits continued protection of the address and telephone number of persons who stay in public emergency shelters during storms or catastrophic events to prevent misuse of that information while people recover. Chair Wright explained the bill's purpose was to maintain the exemption and to remove the five-year sunset that would otherwise require periodic reenactment.

SPB 7,002 continues current public-records exemptions for Department of Military Affairs records that are 1) stored in Department of Defense systems of records, 2) transmitted using Department of Defense networks or devices, or 3) pertain to Department of Defense military cyber operations. Chair Wright said records covered may include information on missions, units, deployments, troop concentrations, use-of-force rules and personal identification information of Florida National Guard members and Department of Defense employees.

Senator Trunow moved to submit SPB 7,000 as a committee bill; no objection was raised and the committee vote to report SPB 7,000 was recorded as unanimous 'Yes.' Senator Sharif moved to submit SPB 7,002 as a committee bill; no objection was raised and that bill was also reported favorably by unanimous roll call.

Both measures were presented as continuation bills to preserve existing exemptions; the committee record does not list appearance forms or extended debate for these items.

The transcript identifies these matters as OGSR-related (open government sunset review) bills. The committee's actions keep the exemptions in place pending further legislative consideration.