FL H1445

Extends the scheduled repeal date of the public records exemption for dependent eligibility verification records held by the Department of Management Services from October 2, 2022, to October 2, 2027, under the Open Government Sunset Review Act.

Records collected for dependent eligibility verification services for the state group insurance program remain confidential and exempt from public records requirements under s. 119.07(1) and Article I, s. 24(a) of the State Constitution.

Protected records may include court orders, foster care records, birth certificates, adoption certificates, student academic and financial records, medical records, and transcripts of filed tax returns submitted by employees about their dependents.

The Legislature finds the exemption is a public necessity because employees may be deterred from providing sensitive personal information without it, hindering effective administration of the dependent eligibility verification process.

The act's effective date is contingent on SB 7026 or similar legislation being adopted during the same 2022 legislative session and becoming law.