Legislation is moving through the Florida legislature during the 2023 session that would enact an exemption to Florida's robust public records laws to hide details of travel by the governor and his immediate family, and numerous other government officials including the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court. It would also exempt visitor logs to the Governor’s mansion, and would apply retroactively, meaning details of past travel and visits also would be shielded.
The Senate version of the bill (SB 1616) passed along party lines on April 19, and the House version (HB 1495) is up for consideration today and is expected to pass and be signed by Governor DeSantis.
Critics say it’s the most aggressive assault on our public records protections ever.
To get some context we spoke with Barbara Peterson, executive director of the Florida Center for Government Accountability, and former head of the First Amendment Foundation.
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