A bill that establishes a public-records exemption to stop lawmakers, members of Congress, and many other elected officials’ home addresses and phone numbers from being made public was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on Friday.
The bill (SB 268) was enacted by the Legislature with overwhelming support in April. Lawmakers reported that they had received threats, harassment, and visits to their residences. The governor, lieutenant governor, members of the state Cabinet, county commissioners, property appraisers, supervisors of elections, school superintendents, school board members, mayors, and city commissioners will likewise be excluded from the records requirement.
This also holds true for officials’ relatives. Home addresses and phone numbers of law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and tax collectors are already excluded from public data under Florida law. Spouses and children of those officials have also typically been excluded. On Tuesday, the measure will go into effect.
Florida News Service
