S 210

Florida Senate - 2026  SB 210
By Senator Sharief
35-00469-26  2026210__
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to public records; amending s.
3119.0714, F.S.; providing an exemption from public
4records requirements for petitions, and the contents
5thereof, for injunctions for protection against
6serious violence by a known person; providing an
7exemption from public records requirements for
8information that can be used to identify a petitioner
9or respondent in such a petition for an injunction;
10providing a statement of public necessity; providing a
11contingent effective date.
12
13Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15Section 1. Paragraph (k) of subsection (1) of section
16119.0714, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
17119.0714 Court files; court records; official records.—
18(1) COURT FILES.—Nothing in this chapter shall be construed
19to exempt from s. 119.07(1) a public record that was made a part
20of a court file and that is not specifically closed by order of
21court, except:
22(k)1. A petition, and the contents thereof, for an
23injunction for protection against domestic violence, repeat
24violence, dating violence, sexual violence, serious violence by
25a known person, stalking, or cyberstalking which that is
26dismissed without a hearing, dismissed at an ex parte hearing
27due to failure to state a claim or lack of jurisdiction, or
28dismissed for any reason having to do with the sufficiency of
29the petition itself without an injunction being issued on or
30after July 1, 2017, is exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a),
31Art. I of the State Constitution.
322. A petition, and the contents thereof, for an injunction
33for protection against domestic violence, repeat violence,
34dating violence, sexual violence, stalking, or cyberstalking
35which that is dismissed without a hearing, dismissed at an ex
36parte hearing due to failure to state a claim or lack of
37jurisdiction, or dismissed for any reason having to do with the
38sufficiency of the petition itself without an injunction being
39issued before July 1, 2017, is exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s.
4024(a), Art. I of the State Constitution only upon request by an
41individual named in the petition as a respondent. The request
42must be in the form of a signed, legibly written request
43specifying the case name, case number, document heading, and
44page number. The request must be delivered by mail, facsimile,
45or electronic transmission or in person to the clerk of the
46court. A fee may not be charged for such request.
473. Any information that can be used to identify a
48petitioner or respondent in a petition for an injunction against
49domestic violence, repeat violence, dating violence, sexual
50violence, serious violence by a known person, stalking, or
51cyberstalking, and any affidavits, notice of hearing, and
52temporary injunction, is confidential and exempt from s.
53119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until
54the respondent has been personally served with a copy of the
55petition for injunction, affidavits, notice of hearing, and
56temporary injunction.
57Section 2. (1) The Legislature finds that it is a public
58necessity that a petition, and the contents thereof, for an
59injunction for protection against serious violence by a known
60person which is dismissed without a hearing, dismissed at an ex
61parte hearing due to failure to state a claim or lack of
62jurisdiction, or dismissed for any reason having to do with the
63sufficiency of the petition itself without an injunction being
64issued be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and
65s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. The Legislature
66finds that the existence of, and the unverified allegations
67contained in, such a petition may be defamatory to an individual
68named in it and cause unwarranted damage to the reputation of
69such individual. The Legislature further finds that removing
70such a record from public disclosure is the sole means of
71protecting the reputation of such an individual.
72(2) Additionally, the Legislature finds that it is a public
73necessity that any information that can be used to identify a
74petitioner or respondent in a petition for an injunction against
75serious violence by a known person, and any affidavits, notice
76of hearing, and temporary injunction, be made confidential and
77exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a),
78Article I of the State Constitution. The release of such
79information before the respondent has been personally served
80with a copy of the petition, affidavits, notice of hearing, or
81temporary injunction could significantly threaten the physical
82safety and security of persons seeking protection through
83injunctive proceedings and their families, and of law
84enforcement tasked with serving the petition for injunction,
85affidavits, notice of hearing, or temporary injunction on the
86respondent. The harm that may result from the release of the
87information outweighs any public benefit that might result from
88public disclosure of the information.
89Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that
90SB 32 or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation
91is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension
92thereof and becomes a law.