May 13, 2007
Legislature 2007: Freedom of information update
An update on our earlier coverage of freedom of information in the 2007 legislative session:
Michael C. Bender, “Bills aim to thwart ID theft,” Palm Beach Post, May 13, 2007.
The article has a summary of the bills relating to public records that passed the legislature this session. The legislature passed 25 bills relating to public records — 24 of which passed unanimously — three of which strengthen the state’s Sunshine Laws, and the rest of which contain various exemptions. The First Amendment Foundation, the state’s freedom of information watchdog group, characterized the exemptions as “pretty justifiable”. Several of the new exemptions are for personal information, such as Social Security numbers.
