SB0744 • 2026

Public Records Requests Made to Law Enforcement Officers

Crime

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Yarborough
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: Senate - Died in Criminal Justice
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide information on the frequency of checking for public records requests by police officers after completing their duties.

Public Records Requests for Law Enforcement Officers

This law stops police officers from handling public records requests when they are busy with official duties and directs people to the right place for help.

What This Bill Does

Defines 'employing agency' and 'law enforcement officer'.
Does not allow police officers to accept or process public records requests while engaged in activities like responding to calls, investigations, or other tasks.
Requires police officers to tell people requesting records that the request cannot be handled at that time and directs them to where they can get help with their request.
Makes it a crime for someone to try to force a police officer to handle public record requests when the officer is busy.

Who It Names or Affects

Law enforcement officers in Florida
People who request public records from law enforcement

Terms To Know

Employing agency: The organization that employs a police officer, like the local police department.
Law enforcement officer: A person who works for an official government body to enforce laws and maintain public safety.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if a request is made when the online portal or custodian of records are unavailable.
The law only applies in Florida.

Bill History

2026-03-13 Senate
• Died in Criminal Justice
2026-01-13 Senate
• Introduced
2025-12-16 Senate
• Referred to Criminal Justice; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Rules
2025-12-03 Senate
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Public Records Requests Made to Law Enforcement Officers; Prohibiting law enforcement officers from accepting and processing public records requests while engaged in certain activities; providing that a law enforcement officer makes a certain determination; requiring that a law enforcement officer verbally inform an individual of certain information; providing criminal penalties for individuals who knowingly and willfully persist in attempting to compel a law enforcement officer to accept and process a public records request under certain circumstances, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 744

By
Senator Yarborough

4-00824-26 2026744__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to public records requests made to law
3 enforcement officers; creating s. 119.101, F.S.;
4 defining terms; prohibiting law enforcement officers
5 from accepting and processing public records requests
6 while engaged in certain activities; providing that a
7 law enforcement officer makes a certain determination;
8 requiring that a law enforcement officer verbally
9 inform an individual of certain information; providing
10 criminal penalties for individuals who knowingly and
11 willfully persist in attempting to compel a law
12 enforcement officer to accept and process a public
13 records request under certain circumstances; providing
14 applicability; providing an effective date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Section 119.101, Florida Statutes, is created to
19 read:
20
119.101
Requests for public records made to law enforcement

21
officers
.—

22
(1)

As used in this section, the term:

23
(a)

“Employing agency” has the same meaning as in s.

24
943.10.

25
(b)

“Law enforcement officer” has the same meaning as in s.

26
943.10.

27
(2)

A law enforcement officer who is actively engaged in

28
the performance of an official duty, including, but not limited

29
to, a call for service, an investigation, a case-related

30
activity, or other official police activity, may not accept and

31
process a public records request at such time.

32
(a)

For the purposes of this section, the determination of

33
whether such officer is engaged in the performance of an

34
official duty is made by the officer.

35
(b)

Upon the determination that the officer is engaged in

36
the performance of an official duty, the officer must verbally

37
inform the individual requesting public records that he or she

38
cannot accept and process the public records request at that

39
time and direct the individual to:

40
1.

The custodian of records for the officer’s employing

41
agency; or

42
2.

An official public records request online portal, if

43
available.

44
(c)

An individual who, after being informed pursuant to

45
paragraph (b), knowingly and willfully persists in attempting to

46
compel a law enforcement officer to accept and process a public

47
records request while such officer is engaged in the performance

48
of an official duty commits the offense of obstruction of a law

49
enforcement officer, in violation of s. 843.02.

50
(3)

This section does not apply to a law enforcement

51
officer performing his or her official duties at an official

52
location of the employing agency.

53 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.