Bill Text: FL S0186 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled


Bill Title: Public Records/Victim of Mass Violence

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2019-05-24 - Chapter No. 2019-46 [S0186 Detail]

Download: Florida-2019-S0186-Enrolled.html
       ENROLLED
       2019 Legislature                           SB 186, 3rd Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                              2019186er
    1  
    2         An act relating to public records; transferring,
    3         renumbering, and amending s. 406.136, F.S.; defining
    4         the term “killing of a victim of mass violence”;
    5         expanding an existing exemption from public records
    6         requirements for a photograph or a video or audio
    7         recording held by an agency which depicts or records
    8         the killing of a law enforcement officer to include a
    9         photograph or a video or audio recording held by an
   10         agency which depicts or records the killing of a
   11         victim of mass violence; clarifying that a surviving
   12         spouse, parent, or adult child of the victim is not
   13         precluded from publicly releasing such photograph or
   14         video or audio recording; providing criminal
   15         penalties; providing retroactive applicability;
   16         providing for future legislative review and repeal of
   17         the exemption; conforming provisions to changes made
   18         by the act; providing a statement of public necessity;
   19         providing a directive to the Division of Law Revision;
   20         providing an effective date.
   21          
   22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   23  
   24         Section 1. Section 406.136, Florida Statutes, is
   25  transferred, renumbered as paragraph (p) of subsection (2) of
   26  section 119.071, Florida Statutes, and amended, to read:
   27         119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of
   28  public records.—
   29         (2) AGENCY INVESTIGATIONS.—
   30         (p)1.(1) As used in this paragraph section, the term:
   31         a. “Killing of a law enforcement officer who was acting in
   32  accordance with his or her official duties” means all acts or
   33  events that cause or otherwise relate to the death of a law
   34  enforcement officer who was acting in accordance with his or her
   35  official duties, including any related acts or events
   36  immediately preceding or subsequent to the acts or events that
   37  were the proximate cause of death.
   38         b. “Killing of a victim of mass violence” means events that
   39  depict either a victim being killed or the body of a victim
   40  killed in an incident in which three or more persons, not
   41  including the perpetrator, are killed by the perpetrator of an
   42  intentional act of violence.
   43         2.(2) A photograph or video or audio recording that depicts
   44  or records the killing of a law enforcement officer who was
   45  acting in accordance with his or her official duties or the
   46  killing of a victim of mass violence is confidential and exempt
   47  from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State
   48  Constitution, except that a surviving spouse of the decedent may
   49  view and copy any such photograph or video recording or listen
   50  to or copy any such audio recording. If there is no surviving
   51  spouse, then the surviving parents shall have access to such
   52  records. If there is no surviving spouse or parent, the then an
   53  adult children child shall have access to such records. Nothing
   54  in this paragraph precludes a surviving spouse, parent, or adult
   55  child of the victim from sharing or publicly releasing such
   56  photograph or video or audio recording.
   57         3.a.(3)(a) The deceased’s surviving relative, with whom
   58  authority rests to obtain such records, may designate in writing
   59  an agent to obtain such records.
   60         b.(b) A local governmental entity, or a state or federal
   61  agency, in furtherance of its official duties, pursuant to a
   62  written request, may view or copy a photograph or video
   63  recording or may listen to or copy an audio recording of the
   64  killing of a law enforcement officer who was acting in
   65  accordance with his or her official duties or the killing of a
   66  victim of mass violence, and, unless otherwise required in the
   67  performance of its their duties, the identity of the deceased
   68  shall remain confidential and exempt.
   69         c.(c) The custodian of the record, or his or her designee,
   70  may not permit any other person to view or copy such photograph
   71  or video recording or listen to or copy such audio recording
   72  without a court order.
   73         4.a.(4)(a) The court, upon a showing of good cause, may
   74  issue an order authorizing any person to view or copy a
   75  photograph or video recording that depicts or records the
   76  killing of a law enforcement officer who was acting in
   77  accordance with his or her official duties or the killing of a
   78  victim of mass violence, or to listen to or copy an audio
   79  recording that depicts or records the killing of a law
   80  enforcement officer who was acting in accordance with his or her
   81  official duties or the killing of a victim of mass violence, and
   82  may prescribe any restrictions or stipulations that the court
   83  deems appropriate.
   84         b.(b) In determining good cause, the court shall consider:
   85         (I)1. Whether such disclosure is necessary for the public
   86  evaluation of governmental performance;
   87         (II)2. The seriousness of the intrusion into the family’s
   88  right to privacy and whether such disclosure is the least
   89  intrusive means available; and
   90         (III)3. The availability of similar information in other
   91  public records, regardless of form.
   92         c.(c) In all cases, the viewing, copying, listening to, or
   93  other handling of a photograph or video or audio recording that
   94  depicts or records the killing of a law enforcement officer who
   95  was acting in accordance with his or her official duties or the
   96  killing of a victim of mass violence must be under the direct
   97  supervision of the custodian of the record or his or her
   98  designee.
   99         5.(5) A surviving spouse shall be given reasonable notice
  100  of a petition filed with the court to view or copy a photograph
  101  or video recording that depicts or records the killing of a law
  102  enforcement officer who was acting in accordance with his or her
  103  official duties or the killing of a victim of mass violence, or
  104  to listen to or copy any such audio recording, a copy of such
  105  petition, and reasonable notice of the opportunity to be present
  106  and heard at any hearing on the matter. If there is no surviving
  107  spouse, then such notice must be given to the parents of the
  108  deceased and, if the deceased has no surviving living parent,
  109  then to the adult children of the deceased.
  110         6.a.(6)(a) Any custodian of a photograph or video or audio
  111  recording that depicts or records the killing of a law
  112  enforcement officer who was acting in accordance with his or her
  113  official duties or the killing of a victim of mass violence who
  114  willfully and knowingly violates this paragraph section commits
  115  a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
  116  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
  117         b.(b) Any person who willfully and knowingly violates a
  118  court order issued pursuant to this paragraph section commits a
  119  felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
  120  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
  121         c.(c) A criminal or administrative proceeding is exempt
  122  from this paragraph section but, unless otherwise exempted, is
  123  subject to all other provisions of chapter 119;, provided
  124  however, that this paragraph section does not prohibit a court
  125  in a criminal or administrative proceeding upon good cause shown
  126  from restricting or otherwise controlling the disclosure of a
  127  killing, crime scene, or similar photograph or video or audio
  128  recording recordings in the manner prescribed in this paragraph
  129  herein.
  130         7.(7)The This exemption in this paragraph shall be given
  131  retroactive application and shall apply to all photographs or
  132  video or audio recordings that depict or record the killing of a
  133  law enforcement officer who was acting in accordance with his or
  134  her official duties or the killing of a victim of mass violence,
  135  regardless of whether the killing of the person occurred before,
  136  on, or after the effective date of this act July 1, 2011.
  137  However, nothing in this paragraph herein is intended to, nor
  138  may be construed to, overturn or abrogate or alter any existing
  139  orders duly entered into by any court of this state, as of the
  140  effective date of this act, which restrict or limit access to
  141  any photographs or video or audio recordings that depict or
  142  record the killing of a law enforcement officer who was acting
  143  in accordance with his or her official duties or the killing of
  144  a victim of mass violence.
  145         8.(8) This paragraph section only applies only to such
  146  photographs and video and audio recordings held by an agency as
  147  defined in s. 119.011.
  148         9. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset
  149  Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed
  150  on October 2, 2024, unless reviewed and saved from repeal
  151  through reenactment by the Legislature.
  152         Section 2. (1)The Legislature finds that it is a public
  153  necessity that photographs and video and audio recordings that
  154  depict or record the killing of a victim of mass violence be
  155  made confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida
  156  Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. The
  157  Legislature finds that photographs and video and audio
  158  recordings that depict or record the killing of a victim of mass
  159  violence render a graphic and often disturbing visual or aural
  160  representation of the deceased. Such photographs and video and
  161  audio recordings provide a view of the deceased in the final
  162  moments of life, in which they are often bruised, bloodied,
  163  broken, baring bullet wounds or other wounds, lacerated,
  164  dismembered, or decapitated. As such, photographs and video and
  165  audio recordings that depict or record the killing of a victim
  166  of mass violence are highly sensitive representations of the
  167  deceased which, if heard, viewed, copied, or publicized, could
  168  result in trauma, sorrow, humiliation, or emotional injury to
  169  the immediate family of the deceased and detract from the memory
  170  of the deceased. The Legislature recognizes that the existence
  171  of the Internet and the proliferation of personal computers and
  172  cellular telephones throughout the world encourages and promotes
  173  the wide dissemination of such photographs and video and audio
  174  recordings 24 hours a day and that widespread unauthorized
  175  dissemination of such photographs and video and audio recordings
  176  would subject the immediate family of the deceased to continuous
  177  injury.
  178         (2)In addition to the emotional and mental injury that
  179  these photographs and video and audio recordings may cause
  180  family members, the Legislature is also concerned that
  181  dissemination of photographs and video and audio recordings that
  182  depict or record the killing of a victim of mass shooting is
  183  harmful to the public. The Legislature is gravely concerned and
  184  saddened by the horrific mass killings perpetrated at the Pulse
  185  nightclub in Orlando, at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood
  186  International Airport, and at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High
  187  School. The Legislature is concerned that, if these photographs
  188  and video and audio recordings are released, terrorists will use
  189  them to attract followers, bring attention to their causes, and
  190  inspire others to kill. The Legislature also finds that
  191  dissemination of these photographs and video and audio
  192  recordings may also educe violent acts by persons who have a
  193  mental illness or who are morally corrupt.
  194         (3)The Legislature further recognizes that other types of
  195  information, such as crime scene reports, continue to be
  196  available which are less intrusive and injurious to the
  197  immediate family of the deceased and continue to provide for
  198  public oversight. The Legislature further finds that the
  199  exemption provided in this act should be given retroactive
  200  application because it is remedial in nature.
  201         Section 3. The Division of Law Revision is directed to
  202  replace the phrase “the effective date of this act” wherever it
  203  occurs in this act with the date this act becomes a law.
  204         Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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