HB0891 • 2026

Pub. Rec./Office of the Corrections Ombudsman

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Valdés
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
Effective date: on the sam

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about the necessity statement beyond mentioning a 'statement of public necessity.'

Public Records Exemption for Corrections Ombudsman

This bill creates a public records exemption for communications between incarcerated persons, the public, and the Office of the Corrections Ombudsman and the Corrections Oversight Committee.

What This Bill Does

Adds a new section to Florida law that makes correspondence with the Office of the Corrections Ombudsman confidential.
Exempts these communications from being public records under certain sections of Florida's constitution and laws.
Requires this exemption to be reviewed every five years and can be repealed if not reenacted by the Legislature.

Who It Names or Affects

Incarcerated persons
The public
Office of the Corrections Ombudsman
Corrections Oversight Committee

Terms To Know

Public records exemption: A rule that allows certain documents or communications to be kept private and not shared with the public.
Confidential communication: Information exchanged between people in a way that is meant to stay secret.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill's effectiveness depends on another piece of legislation, HB 889.
It does not specify what happens if the review finds issues with the exemption.
The exact date when this law will take effect is uncertain and relies on other legislative actions.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2026-01-05 House
• Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee • Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee • Referred to Judiciary Committee • Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2025-12-23 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Pub. Rec./Office of the Corrections Ombudsman; Provides public records exemption for correspondence & communications with Office of Corrections Ombudsman and Corrections Oversight Committee; provides for future review & repeal of exemption; provides statement of public necessity.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 891 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb891-00
Page 1 of 2
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. 11.92, 2
F.S.; providing a public records exemption for 3
correspondence and communications with the Office of 4
the Corrections Ombudsman and the Corrections 5
Oversight Committee; providing for future review and 6
repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of 7
public necessity; providing a contingent effective 8
date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Subsections (8) through (10) of section 11.92, 13
Florida Statutes, as created by HB 889, 2026 Regular Session, 14
are renumbered as subsections (9) through (11), respectively, 15
and a new subsection (8) is added to that section, to read: 16
11.92 Office of the Corrections Ombudsman.— 17
(8)(a) Correspondence and communications between 18
incarcerated persons or the public and the office, the 19
Ombudsman, the members of the committee, and office staff are 20
confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I 21
of the State Constitution. 22
(b) This subsection is subject to the Open Government 23
Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and is repealed 24
on October 2, 2031, unless reviewed and saved from repeal 25

HB 891 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb891-00
Page 2 of 2
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

through reenactment by the Legislature. 26
Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public 27
necessity that correspondence and communications with the Office 28
of the Corrections Ombudsman and the Corrections Oversight 29
Committee be made confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), 30
Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State 31
Constitution. Public disclosure of such correspondence and 32
communications could jeopardize the safety of incarcerated 33
persons. It is essential to the functioning of the office that 34
incarcerated persons and the public feel free to communicate 35
with the office concerning conditions in and operations of 36
correctional facilities. The public records exemption is 37
necessary to protect incarcerated persons from retaliation by 38
correctional officers who are under investigation as a result of 39
communications with the office. 40
Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date 41
that HB 889 or similar legislation takes effect, if such 42
legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an 43
extension thereof and becomes a law. 44