State Public Records Law
2022 Florida Statutes
Read the full text
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
Whistleblower Score
Rank: 10/51
Florida has a relatively strong state whistleblower law with a fairly broad statute (22 out of 33 possible points), a significant degree of usability (26 out of 33) and middling remedies (21 out of 33).
What’s New In Florida?
Florida News
Florida Eco-Enforcement Slides from Already Low Perch
DeSantis Anti-Pollution Enforcement Efforts Continue Multi-Year Decline
REPORT | 2023 Florida Enforcement Report
Florida's environmental enforcement actions are well below historical averages and have declined significantly in ...
Park Service Archeological Scandal Sparks No Reforms
Trade in Native American Skulls and Funerary Pots Did Not Trigger Charges
Op-Ed | Why is EPA Considering Lethal Pesticides for Florida Citrus?
Originally published in and reprinted with permission of The Orlando Sentinel.
Why is EPA Considering Lethal ...
COMMENTARY | Florida’s Environment – A Native Floridian Perspective
Florida must take significant steps to promote coastal resiliency and protect all communities against the effects ...
REPORT | 2022 Florida Enforcement Report
Florida's environmental enforcement actions are well below historical averages and have declined significantly in ...
Florida Annual Eco-Enforcement Reports
Since 2004, PEER has examined Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) files to assess pollution ...
Florida’s Manatees Suffering Another Very Bad Year
Mortality Through September on Track for Second Deadliest Year on Record
Florida’s Waters Awash in Sewage Spills
Under DeSantis, More Inspections, More Pollution but Less Enforcement
REPORT | 2021 Florida Enforcement Report
Report on Enforcement Efforts by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection – Calendar Year 2021
Another Record Manatee Mortality Year Unfolding
400 Manatee Perish in First Two Months as Seagrasses Continue Retreat
Florida’s Seagrass Under Relentless Pollution Assault
Florida’s Fabled “Forgotten Coast” Beset by Torrent of Sewage Violations
PEERMail | Another Deadly Year For Manatees
Humans have made Florida waters dangerous to manatees and other living organisms due to fertilizer runoff, ...
2022 Begins Another Deadly Year for Manatees
High Toll in January Adds Cold Stress as Another Factor Driving Mortality
Florida Panthers – Deaths and Births by Year
Infographic: For the sixth year in a row, mortality of the highly endangered Florida panther has substantially ...
FAQs about Florida’s BMAP system: Is it effective? Is there a better system?
Florida officials haven’t backed new regulations with the funding required to fulfill them.
For example, the ...
REPORT | 2020 Florida Enforcement Report
Report on Enforcement Efforts by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection – Calendar Year 2020
Florida Pollution Enforcement Fell into COVID Coma
Inspections and Eco-Compliance Tumbled in 2020 among Enforcement Gaps
Delray Deputy Utility Manager Cashiered
Troubled Florida Water Utility Faces Gauntlet of Public Health Challenges
Letter to Chad Hardy
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Chad Hardy regarding wastewater permits for the City of Delray Beach
TO: Chad ...
Florida’s Clearwater Awash in Sewage Violations
More than 400 Sewage Overflows in Last Five Years; Almost No Enforcement
Record Manatee Mortality in New Year
More Than 300 Die in Six Weeks; Vast Majority Not Necropsied
PEER Requests Florida Take Immediate Action
To Stop Leaching of Toxic Chemicals into Consumer Products
Florida Issues Drinking Water Safety Citations
Delray Plagued by Persistent Contamination with Partially Treated Sewage
Lawsuit Challenges Trump EPA’s Approval of Radioactive Roads
Phosphogypsum Use in Roadbuilding Previously Prohibited Due to Risks of Cancer, Genetic Damage
Big Cypress ORV Plan a Travesty: Former Superintendent
Park Service Shirking Wilderness, Wildlife, and Conservation Responsibilities
Statement | In Praise of COVID Whistleblower Rebekah Jones
Rebekah Jones exposed wrongdoing and abuse of power in Florida during the COVID pandemic to save lives and make ...
Alarming PFAS Levels in Delray Beach Drinking Water
Toxic “Forever Chemicals” May be Accumulating in Drinking Water Aquifer
Toxic PFAS Taints Delray And Boynton Beach
Florida Needs to Develop Monitoring Program and Safety Standards
REPORT | 2019 – Florida Enforcement Report (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Report on Enforcement Efforts by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection - Calendar Year ...
Florida Eco-Noncompliance Rises as Enforcement Wanes
Governor DeSantis’ Pollution Control Record Even Weaker Than Scott’s
Orlando Chronic Sewage Breakdowns Fester
Spills Risk COVID Exposure Yet No Abatement or Enforcement
Florida Panthers Spiral Toward Extinction
Net Loss of More than 100 Cats in Last Five Years as Births Plunge
Record Florida Manatee Boat Kills in 2019
Annual Death Toll Reaches Third Highest; Tops Five-Year Average
Florida Public Record Laws
Citations
Florida Statutes Ch. ...
Fewer Florida Eco-Inspections Equals Less Compliance
Slight 2018 Election-Year Enforcement Uptick Yields Scant Results
Florida’s Eco-delusion Deconstructed
Official Claims of Near Universal Pollution Compliance Flatly Untrue
Tampa Sewage Meltdown Early Eco-Test for Desantis
Federal Intervention Needed If State Continues to Ignore Major Pollution Violations
Florida Panthers Pad Toward Extinction
2018 Another High Lethality Year as Deaths Increasingly Outpace Declining Births
Manatee Deaths in 2018 Approaching All-Time Record
More Than One-Seventh of Population Perished as Red Tide Mortality Tripled
Desantis Must Rebuild Floridas Broken Environment Agency
DEP Has to Return to Pollution Control Basics to Reverse Spiraling Eco-Threats
Lake O’s Gateway City Spewing Illegal Wastewater
Clewiston Phosphorus and Other Pollution Violations Go Unpunished and Unabated
Venice Epitomizes Florida Water Pollution Crisis
Continued Illegal Discharges Amid Record Gulf Red Tide Outbreaks
September Was Especially Deadly for Florida Manatees
Red Tide Drives Manatee Mortality So Far in 2018 to Third-Highest All Time
Hurricanes Create Polluters Holidays in Florida
Hurricane Irma Led to Massive Animal Waste Discharges with No Monitoring
Manatee Deaths in 2018 Already Top Last Year’s High Toll
Nearly 100 Red Tide-related Deaths so Far; Second-highest Total This Decade
South Florida Awash in Cow Manure
State Allows Massive Animal Waste Discharges to Surface and Ground Waters
Florida Racks up Second Worst Eco-Enforcement in 30+ Years
Scott Pollution Forgiveness Paints False Picture of Compliance with No Follow-Up
Mega-Pollution Violations Befoul St. Johns River
Non-Enforcement Leaves Florida’s Longest River with Excess Bacteria and Nutrients
Feds Urged To Tackle Rampant Florida Water Pollution
Lack of State Enforcement vs. City of Lynn Haven Triggers Intervention Petition
Disastrous 2018 Brings Record Manatee Deaths
In Less Than 2 Months, 154 Florida Manatees Perish, One-Third from Cold Stress
Florida Treats Oil Companies with Kid Gloves in Spill Cleanups
Taxpayers Often Left Holding the Bag in Leaking Petroleum Storage Tank Program
Another Lethal Year for Florida Panthers in 2017
Deaths Again Outstrip Litters with Heavy Toll on Females of Reproductive Age
500 Manatee Deaths in 2017…and Counting
Last Year’s Mortality Spike Already Topped Before December Cold Snaps
Scott’s Pledge to Restore Florida Springs Was a Scam
Petroleum Cleanup $ Misdirected Outside Spring-Sheds or to Low Priority Projects
Low Priority Toxic Sites Go to Head of Florida’s Cleanup Line
Rural Residents at Greater Risk from Leaving the Most Hazardous Sites Unabated
Florida’s Toxic Cleanup Trust Funds Looted
Quarter Billion Dollar Diversion Compounded by Plummeting Penalty Revenue
Many Floridians Unknowingly Drink Contaminated Water
No Notice to Residents at Thousands of Sites Polluted by Leaking Petroleum Tanks
Florida Eco-Enforcement Still Scraping Bottom
Even Slight Upturns Cannot Mask Historic Nosedive in Pollution Control
Manatee Mortality Spiked in 2016
Record Number of Florida Manatees Killed by Boat Collisions
Florida Panther Deaths Tie Record High in 2016
80% Killed in Collisions – a New All-Time High Rate and Number
Canaveral Superintendent Kicked Upstairs to Non-Job
“Strategic Planning” Posting Highlights Park Service Accountability Blind Spot
EPA Should Keep Oversight of Florida Drinking Water
State Potable Water Program Is a Shambles and Getting Significantly Worse
Scott’s Undeclared Polluters’ Holiday Stains Florida
Total Pollution Fine Revenue at Historic Low; Many Violators Face No Fines at All
Florida’s Drinking Problem – Unsafe Water
Widespread Potable Water Violations but Virtually Nonexistent Enforcement
Canaveral Seashore Screw-up Parade Marches On
Third Critical Inspector General Report Finds Problems Confirmed in First
Portrait of Florida Coddling Corporate Pollution Offenses
Hundreds of Violations Repeatedly Forgiven in Name of “Compliance Assistance”
Illegal Profits from Polluting Florida Go Untouched
State Fines for Even Serious Hazardous Waste Violations Are Evaporating
Florida Panther Deaths Set Another Record in 2015
70% Killed in Collisions; Nearly One-Quarter Females of Kitten-Bearing Age
Florida Manatees Get Scrooged for the Holidays
Chamber of Commerce Pressures Delay of Manatee “Swim-With” Safeguards
New Manatee Safeguards Need to Be Strengthened
Inadequate Enforcement Unless Refuge Adopts Video Monitoring System
Everglades Python Hunt Would Set Terrible Precedent
Publicity Stunt Not Expected to Reduce Exotic Snake Population in National Park
Manatee Harassment Rampant on Refuges
“Out-of-Hand” Disturbances, Enforcement Overwhelmed, Visitor Education Failing
Scott’s Climate Change Gag Order Claims a Victim
DEP Employee Reprimanded, Suspended and Ordered to Get Mental Exam
New Manatee Protection Lawsuit in the Works
End of “Swim-With” Programs, Plus Expansion of Habitat and Sanctuaries Sought
Canaveral Seashore Whistleblower Vindicated, Again
National Park Leaders Dissemble as New Probe Opens into Repeat Violations
Record Florida Panther Mortality in 2014
50% Increase over Prior Year; More Than a Third Females of Kitten-Bearing Age
Accountability & the Park Service – Like Oil and Water
Canaveral Seashore Probe Finds Fraud, Nepotism & Mismanagement but No Action
Florida Pollution Fines Collected Fell by Half Last Year
Failure to Collect Starves Eco-Programs, Shifting Costs from Polluter to Taxpayer
Major Florida Wastewater Violators Go Unpunished
Many Million Gallon/Day Dischargers Remain in Noncompliance for Years
Florida Polluters Get off Scott-Free
Eco-Penalty Assessments Drop to All-Time Low: More Than Third Not Fined at All
Florida Pollution Enforcement Plummets to Record Low
Latest Enforcement Statistics Belie Scott Campaign Pledge to Get Tough on Polluters
New Park Director Faces First Test on Gulf Islands Road
Plan to Armor Road Requires Director to Set Aside Conservation Rules
Scott Environmental Success Claims Cut out of Whole Cloth
Astronomic 96% Compliance Boast False but Statistics Highlight Rising Dysfunction
Massive Beach Replenishments Killing Florida Reefs
State Drops Reef Protections on Beach Projects; Call for Federal Intervention
Record Manatee Deaths in 2013 on Surging Red Tides
Fatalities More than Double; Red Tide Deaths Equal Combined 8 Year-Total
Florida Pollution Enforcement in Paralysis
Cases and Fines Nosedive to Record Low Levels; Penalties Collected Fall 70%
EPA Drops Conflict-Of-Interest Probe of Top Florida Officials
EPA Let Vinyard Run out the Clock on Complaint without Determining Violation
EPA Abdicates Oversight Role in Protecting Florida Waters
State Pollution Permitting Standards Warped to Accommodate Corporate Agenda
Boca Raton Drinking Water Violations Swept Under Rug
Scathing Palm Beach Health Department Findings Prompt Slap-on-Wrist Settlement
Florida Eco-Agency Cuts Muscle and Bone – Fat Long Gone
DEP Says It Has No Written Explanation of How Employees Were Selected for Firing
Four More Florida Panthers Die in November; Two This Week
With 23 Deaths So Far This Year, 2012 Could Become Deadliest on Record
Rolling Purge Ripples Through Florida Environment Agency
Staff Told to “Demonstrate Job Creation” as Colleagues Escorted Out of Building
Three Rare Florida Panthers Perish in One Week
With 19 Deaths So Far This Year, 2012 Could Become Deadliest on Record
Boca Raton Drinking Water Violations Spark Health Action
Palm Beach Health Department Notice of Violation Orders Immediate Corrections
Florida Begins Dismantling Already Anemic Eco-Program
Unilateral Environmental Disarmament Based on Myth of Universal Compliance
Florida Environment Secretary Plays Shell Game with EPA
Last Minute Attempt to Rewrite Vinyard Résumé to Avoid Federal Debarment
FLORIDA KEYS PARK HIDES HEAD IN POISONED SAND
State Violates Own Rules on Tracking Toxic Migration and Water Contamination
ANOTHER TOP FLORIDA OFFICIAL FLOUTS FEDERAL CONFLICT RULES
Deputy Secretary’s Industry Ties Disqualify Him from Water Pollution Oversight
Manatees
The endangered Florida manatee has made only tenuous progress toward recovery, principally due to lawsuits. And ...
