This bill creates a new public-records exemption for certain personal identifying and location information of current and former private investigators licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as well as specified information about their spouses and children. The exempt information includes home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, photographs, employment information for spouses and children, and the names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the investigators’ children.
The bill also includes a public necessity statement explaining that private investigators often handle sensitive matters such as fraud investigations, missing persons cases, and criminal or civil work, which may expose them and their families to retaliation, harassment, stalking, or violence. The exemption is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act and will repeal on October 2, 2031, unless reenacted by the Legislature. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.
Impact
The bill amends section 119.071, Florida Statutes, to add a new exemption from Florida’s public records law and from the corresponding constitutional public-records provision for the covered information. As a result, agencies would be prohibited from disclosing the specified personal and family information of private investigators licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, both for current and former licensees. The measure narrows public access to records in order to protect safety and privacy interests for investigators and their families.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong support for the bill, with the House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee approving it 15-0. The bill’s stated rationale emphasizes personal safety and privacy, and there is no recorded committee transcript indicating opposition in the provided materials. Overall, the sentiment appears favorable and largely noncontroversial among the members shown in the voting record.
Contention
The main policy tension is between Florida’s broad public-records transparency requirements and the desire to shield private investigators and their families from potential harm. Supporters argue that investigators routinely work on sensitive matters and may face retaliation if their home addresses and family details are public. Any potential concern would likely center on whether the exemption is broader than necessary or whether it limits public access to information about licensed professionals, but no specific opposition is reflected in the provided vote or transcripts.