Archive for the ‘FOIA’ Category

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has issued a new Web-based public records guide. The Open Government Guide, “a complete compendium of information on every state’s open records and open meetings laws,” is a well organized and comprehensive pointer to code section summaries and case decisions of whose records are included or excluded, which type of records are covered and fees that can be charged. Access to various types of records, including police, real estate and vital records is addressed. A digest of each open records act exemption also specifies the portion of the record that is open, closed or not named.

Florida Senate bill 2366, An act relating to public records, will remove social security numbers from court filed judgments, replacing them with the person’s date of birth.

Removes the social security number of each person against whom a final judgment is rendered and replaces it with the person’s date of birth. Provides that if confidential and exempt information is or has been included in a court file or in a document filed as an official record, the information may be included as part of the court record or official record available for public inspection and
copying unless redaction is requested by specified individuals. Requires the individual requesting redaction to designate the statutory citation making the information confidential and exempt. Requires that after a specified date, a person who files a document with the clerk of the court must redact any information the person deems confidential and exempt by state or federal law before filing the document with the clerk of the court.

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