CS/HB 7013 is an Open Government Sunset Review bill focused on cybersecurity-related public records and public meetings exemptions. It updates two existing statutory exemptions: one in section 119.0725, Florida Statutes, covering certain cybersecurity insurance information, critical infrastructure information, cybersecurity incident information, and related agency-held cybersecurity information; and another in section 282.318, Florida Statutes, covering portions of risk assessments, evaluations, external audits, and other reports tied to a state agency’s cybersecurity program. The bill does not create new exemptions or substantially change the scope of the existing ones; instead, it extends the scheduled repeal dates so the exemptions remain in effect unless later reviewed and reenacted by the Legislature.
The practical effect is to continue limiting public access to sensitive cybersecurity information held by state agencies, preserving confidentiality for materials that could reveal vulnerabilities, incident details, or security practices. By extending the sunset dates, the bill keeps these records and related meeting exemptions in place for an additional review cycle under Florida’s Open Government Sunset Review Act. The act takes effect upon becoming law.
Impact
The bill amends sections 119.0725 and 282.318 of the Florida Statutes by changing the repeal dates for existing cybersecurity-related public records and public meetings exemptions. It extends the life of the exemption for agency cybersecurity information from October 2, 2026 to October 2, 2027, and extends the repeal date for certain cybersecurity program review materials from October 2, 2025 to October 2, 2026. The result is continued statutory protection for sensitive cybersecurity records and related deliberations affecting state agencies and other covered entities.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support and little opposition. The House State Affairs Committee approved the bill unanimously, 22-0, indicating a generally favorable view of maintaining confidentiality protections for cybersecurity information. No committee transcript concerns are provided, and the bill’s narrow scope and routine sunset-review nature suggest it was treated as a standard extension measure rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
There is no recorded substantive debate in the provided materials, and the vote was unanimous, so no major points of contention are evident. The only potential policy tension inherent in the bill is the usual balance between government transparency under Florida’s public records laws and the need to shield cybersecurity information from disclosure. Supporters appear to favor continued protection of sensitive security data, while any countervailing concern would likely center on limiting public access to government records and oversight, though no specific opposition is shown here.