S 1792

Florida Senate - 2026  SB 1792
By Senator Yarborough
4-02252-26  20261792__
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to public records; amending s.
3539.003, F.S.; expanding the exemption from public
4records requirements for records relating to
5pawnbroker transactions to include those records
6delivered to the Department of Law Enforcement;
7providing for future legislative review and repeal of
8the exemption; providing a statement of public
9necessity; providing a contingent effective date.
10
11Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13Section 1. Section 539.003, Florida Statutes, is amended to
14read:
15539.003 Confidentiality.—
16(1) All records relating to pawnbroker transactions
17delivered to appropriate law enforcement officials and the
18Department of Law Enforcement pursuant to s. 539.001 are
19confidential and exempt from [the provisions of] s. 119.07(1) and
20s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution and may be used only
21for official law enforcement purposes. This section does not
22prohibit the disclosure by the appropriate law enforcement
23officials or the Department of Law Enforcement of the name and
24address of the pawnbroker, the name and address of the conveying
25customer, or a description of pawned property to the alleged
26owner of pawned property.
27(2) This section is subject to the Open Government Sunset
28Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed
29on October 2, 2031, unless reviewed and saved from repeal
30through reenactment by the Legislature.
31Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
32necessity that the records relating to pawnbroker transactions
33which are delivered to the Department of Law Enforcement be made
34confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and
35s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. Such records
36contain sensitive personal identifying informationfrom pawn
37transactions, such as the pledgor’s or seller’s name, address,
38telephone number, birth date, physical description, and right
39thumbprint. Access to such sensitive information would expose
40pledgors and sellers to increased risks of identity theft. The
41Legislature finds that expanding the public records exemption to
42include records of pawnbroker transactions delivered to the
43Department of Law Enforcement helps ensure uniformity with the
44current exemption when such records are delivered to other law
45enforcement officials and protects the effective administration
46of statewide data sharing of secondhand dealer transactions. The
47Legislature further finds that the harm that may result from the
48release of such personal identifying information outweighs any
49public benefit that may be derived from the disclosure of the
50information.
51Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that
52SB 1582 or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation
53is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension
54thereof and becomes a law