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CS/HB 661 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb661-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to public records; amending s. 2
119.071, F.S.; providing an exemption from public 3
record requirements for the personal identifying and 4
location information of current and former private 5
investigators licensed by the Department of 6
Agriculture and Consumer Services and the spouses and 7
children of such private investigators; providing for 8
future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; 9
providing a statement of public necessity; providing 10
an effective date. 11
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13
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Section 1. Paragraph (l) is added to subsection (5) of 15
section 119.071, Florida Statutes, to read: 16
119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of 17
public records.— 18
(5) OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION.— 19
(l) The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, 20
and photographs of current and former private investigators 21
licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; 22
the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, 23
and places of employment of the spouses and children of current 24
and former private investigators licensed by the Department of 25
CS/HB 661 2026
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Agriculture and Consumer Services; and the names and locations 26
of schools and day care facilities attended by the children of 27
current and former private investigators licensed by the 28
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are exempt from 29
s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. 30
This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review 31
Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on 32
October 2, 2031, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through 33
reenactment by the Legislature. 34
Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public 35
necessity that the home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of 36
birth, and photographs of current and former private 37
investigators licensed by the Department of Agriculture and 38
Consumer Services; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, 39
dates of birth, and places of employment of the spouses and 40
children of current and former private investigators licensed by 41
the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; and the 42
names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended 43
by the children of current and former private investigators 44
licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 45
be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 46
24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. Private 47
investigators routinely engage in sensitive work that may 48
involve uncovering fraud, locating missing persons, or assisting 49
in criminal and civil matters. In the course of their duties, 50
CS/HB 661 2026
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
private investigators often interact with individuals who have 51
strong motives to retaliate or cause harm. Public access to a 52
private investigator's home address or personal information 53
could expose private investigators and their families to 54
threats, harassment, stalking, or physical violence. Protecting 55
this information does not diminish transparency or 56
accountability in government but instead balances the public's 57
right to access records with this state's compelling interest in 58
safeguarding the personal safety of those who provide critical 59
private investigative services. Therefore, exempting such 60
information from public records requirements is a reasonable and 61
necessary measure to ensure the security and privacy of private 62
investigators and their families while preserving the integrity 63
of this state's public records system. 64
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 65