FL H0911

E-mail addresses collected and held by the Florida Department of State under multiple specified chapters (including those governing corporations, notaries, trademarks, and construction liens) are exempt from public records requirements, applying retroactively to addresses held before, on, or after the effective date.

Secure login credentials held by the Department of State for its password-protected system under s. 15.16(3) are exempt from public records requirements, including information used for user authentication, account access, and password recovery.

The exemptions are subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act and will stand repealed on October 2, 2028, unless reenacted by the Legislature.

The Legislature justifies the exemptions as a public necessity because the identifying information could be used to perpetuate fraud and cause great financial harm to individuals or corporations.

The act's effective date is contingent on HB 909 or similar legislation being adopted in the same legislative session and becoming law.