Citations
Florida Statutes Ch. 119
(http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0119/0119.html)
Exemptions to Disclosure
The Florida public records law is extremely broad. Drafts, emails, and text messages can be considered records – the determining factor is the nature of the material, not its location. An email sent from a personal account on a personal computer can be considered a public record if it was written in connection with official business.
Access Rights
- Any person
- Records are made public if involve use of public funds
- If exemption is asserted, custodian needs to explain why
- “Good faith” effort by custodian to determine existence and location of requested records
- Fees as prescribed in Section 119.07
Destruction of Public Records
- Retention schedules established by the records and information management program of the Division of Library and Information Services of the Department of State
- If record is asserted to be exempt, can’t dispose of it until at least 30 days following request for it
