Fla. Stat. § 119.0713 Local Government Agency Exemptions From Inspection Or Copying of Public Records

• Library: Florida Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through Chapter 352 of the 2023 Legislative Session
• Year: 2023
• Citation: Fla. Stat. § 119.0713

(1) All complaints and other records in the custody of any unit of local government which relate to a complaint of discrimination relating to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, marital status, sale or rental of housing, the provision of brokerage services, or the financing of housing are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until a finding is made relating to probable cause, the investigation of the complaint becomes inactive, or the complaint or other record is made part of the official record of any hearing or court proceeding. This provision does not affect any function or activity of the Florida Commission on Human Relations. Any state or federal agency that is authorized to access such complaints or records by any provision of law shall be granted such access in the furtherance of such agency's statutory duties. This subsection does not modify or repeal any special or local act.

(2)

(a) As used in this subsection, the term "unit of local government" means a county, municipality, special district, local agency, authority, consolidated city-county government, or any other local governmental body or public body corporate or politic authorized or created by general or special law.

(b) The audit report of an internal auditor and the investigative report of the inspector general prepared for or on behalf of a unit of local government becomes a public record when the audit or investigation becomes final. An audit or investigation becomes final when the audit report or investigative report is presented to the unit of local government. Audit workpapers and notes related to such audit and information received, produced, or derived from an investigation are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until the audit or investigation is complete and the audit report becomes final or when the investigation is no longer active. An investigation is active if it is continuing with a reasonable, good faith anticipation of resolution and with reasonable dispatch.

(3) Any data, record, or document used directly or solely by a municipally owned utility to prepare and submit a bid relative to the sale, distribution, or use of any service, commodity, or tangible personal property to any customer or prospective customer is exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This exemption commences when a municipal utility identifies in writing a specific bid to which it intends to respond. This exemption no longer applies after the contract for sale, distribution, or use of the service, commodity, or tangible personal property is executed, a decision is made not to execute such contract, or the project is no longer under active consideration. The exemption in this subsection includes the bid documents actually furnished in response to the request for bids. However, the exemption for the bid documents submitted no longer applies after the bids are opened by the customer or prospective customer.