119.0712 Executive branch agency-specific exemptions from inspection or copying of public records.—
(1) DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.—All personal identifying information contained in records relating to an individual’s personal health or eligibility for health-related services held by the Department of Health is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution, except as otherwise provided in this subsection. Information made confidential and exempt by this subsection shall be disclosed:
(a) With the express written consent of the individual or the individual’s legally authorized representative.
(b) In a medical emergency, but only to the extent necessary to protect the health or life of the individual.
(c) By court order upon a showing of good cause.
(d) To a health research entity, if the entity seeks the records or data pursuant to a research protocol approved by the department, maintains the records or data in accordance with the approved protocol, and enters into a purchase and data-use agreement with the department, the fee provisions of which are consistent with s. 119.07(4). The department may deny a request for records or data if the protocol provides for intrusive follow-back contacts, has not been approved by a human studies institutional review board, does not plan for the destruction of confidential records after the research is concluded, is administratively burdensome, or does not have scientific merit. The agreement must restrict the release of any information that would permit the identification of persons, limit the use of records or data to the approved research protocol, and prohibit any other use of the records or data. Copies of records or data issued pursuant to this paragraph remain the property of the department.
(2) DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLES.—
(a) For purposes of this subsection, the term “motor vehicle record” means any record that pertains to a motor vehicle operator’s permit, motor vehicle title, motor vehicle registration, or identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
(b) Personal information, including highly restricted personal information as defined in 18 U.S.C. s. 2725, contained in a motor vehicle record is confidential pursuant to the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994, 18 U.S.C. ss. 2721 et seq. Such information may be released only as authorized by that act; however, information received pursuant to that act may not be used for mass commercial solicitation of clients for litigation against motor vehicle dealers.
(c) E-mail addresses collected by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles pursuant to s. 319.40(3), s. 320.95(2), or s. 322.08(10) are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This exemption applies retroactively.
(d)1. Emergency contact information contained in a motor vehicle record is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.
2. Without the express consent of the person to whom such emergency contact information applies, the emergency contact information contained in a motor vehicle record may be released only to:
a. Law enforcement agencies for purposes of contacting those listed in the event of an emergency.
b. A receiving facility, hospital, or licensed detoxification or addictions receiving facility pursuant to s. 394.463(2)(a) or s. 397.6772(1)(a) for the sole purpose of informing a patient’s emergency contacts of the patient’s whereabouts.
(e) Any person who uses or releases any information contained in the Driver and Vehicle Information Database for a purpose not specifically authorized by law commits a noncriminal infraction, punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,000.
(f)1. Secure login credentials held by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This exemption applies to secure login credentials held by the department before, on, or after the effective date of the exemption. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “secure login credentials” means information held by the department for purposes of authenticating a user logging into a user account on a computer, a computer system, a computer network, or an electronic device; an online user account accessible over the Internet, whether through a mobile device, a website, or any other electronic means; or information used for authentication or password recovery.
2. Internet protocol addresses, geolocation data, and other information held by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles which describes the location, computer, computer system, or computer network from which a user accesses a public-facing portal, and the dates and times that a user accesses a public-facing portal, are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This exemption applies to such information held by the department before, on, or after the effective date of the exemption. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “public-facing portal” means a web portal or computer application accessible by the public over the Internet, whether through a mobile device, website, or other electronic means, which is established for administering chapter 319, chapter 320, chapter 322, chapter 328, or any other provision of law conferring duties upon the department.
3. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2026, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
(3) OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION.—The following information held by the Office of Financial Regulation before, on, or after July 1, 2011, is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution:
(a) Any information received from another state or federal regulatory, administrative, or criminal justice agency that is otherwise confidential or exempt pursuant to the laws of that state or pursuant to federal law.
(b) Any information that is received or developed by the office as part of a joint or multiagency examination or investigation with another state or federal regulatory, administrative, or criminal justice agency. The office may obtain and use the information in accordance with the conditions imposed by the joint or multiagency agreement. This exemption does not apply to information obtained or developed by the office that would otherwise be available for public inspection if the office had conducted an independent examination or investigation under Florida law.
(4) DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS.—Information held by the Department of Military Affairs that is stored in a United States Department of Defense system of records, transmitted using a United States Department of Defense network or communications device, or pertaining to the United States Department of Defense, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. s. 394, is exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. Any information not made exempt by this subsection may be disclosed only after the department makes any redactions in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. This exemption applies to information made exempt by this subsection which is held by the department before, on, or after the effective date of the exemption. This subsection is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2026, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
History.—s. 1, ch. 97-185; s. 1, ch. 2001-108; ss. 1, 2, ch. 2004-62; s. 7, ch. 2004-335; ss. 32, 33, ch. 2005-251; s. 1, ch. 2006-199; s. 1, ch. 2007-94; ss. 1, 2, ch. 2009-153; s. 1, ch. 2011-88; s. 7, ch. 2013-18; s. 1, ch. 2015-32; s. 9, ch. 2016-10; s. 1, ch. 2016-28; s. 1, ch. 2020-48; s. 1, ch. 2021-86; s. 1, ch. 2021-129; s. 1, ch. 2021-236; s. 1, ch. 2022-36.
Note.—
A. Additional exemptions from the application of this section appear in the General Index to the Florida Statutes under the heading “Public Records.”
