Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Gambling Regulators Records Exemption

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a gambling bill that will create a public records exemption for personal information about current or former commissioners of the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC). Senate Bill 692 was approved unanimously by the state’s legislature this year.

Bill will protect the personal information of current or former Florida Gambling Control Commission commissioners

SB 692 will protect both current and former FGCC commissioners from public disclosure information such as home addresses, telephone numbers, and dates of birth of current and former commissioners and family members.

Additionally, the exemption shields spouses’ places of employment, children of such current or former commissioners, and the names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the children of such current or former commissioners.

This also includes photographs of active or former sworn law enforcement, active or former civilian personnel employed by a law enforcement agency, correctional probation officers, personnel of the Department of Children and Families, and personnel of the Department of Health.

The bill says the Legislature “finds that the release of such personal identifying and location information might place the commission’s current or former commissioners and their family members in danger of physical and emotional harm from disgruntled individuals whose businesses or professional practices have come under the scrutiny of the commission.”

FGCC was established in 2021 to regulate the gambling industry

Furthermore, lawmakers created the FGCC in 2021 to regulate the state’s gambling industry. DeSantis’ office announced late Friday that he had signed the bill, in addition to 13 others from this year’s legislative session.

Section 2 of SB 692 reads:

“The Legislature finds that it is a public necessity that the home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and photographs of current or former commissioners of the Florida Gaming Control Commission; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, photographs, and places of employment of the spouses and children of such current or former commissioners; and the names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the children of such current or former commissioners be made exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution.”

This act takes effect on July 1, 2024.