Bill Text: FL S1208 | 2012 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: OGSR/Unclaimed Property/Department of Financial Services
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-08 - Laid on Table, refer to HB 7111 -SJ 998 [S1208 Detail]
Download: Florida-2012-S1208-Comm_Sub.html
Florida Senate - 2012 CS for CS for SB 1208 By the Committees on Rules; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; and Banking and Insurance 595-04186-12 20121208c2 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to public records; amending s. 3 717.117, F.S.; revising the public records exemption 4 for information held by the Department of Financial 5 Services relating to unclaimed property to permanently 6 exempt social security numbers from the public records 7 law; deleting the provision that requires the release 8 of social security numbers for certain purposes; 9 providing for future legislative review and repeal of 10 the exemption under the Open Government Sunset Review 11 Act; providing a statement of public necessity; 12 providing an effective date. 13 14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15 16 Section 1. Subsection (8) of section 717.117, Florida 17 Statutes, is amended to read: 18 717.117 Report of unclaimed property.— 19 (8)(a) As used in this subsection, the term “property20identifier” means the descriptor used by the holder to identify21the unclaimed property.22(b)Social security numbers and property identifiers 23 contained in reports required under this section, held by the 24 department, are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 25 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. 26(c) Social security numbers shall be released, for the27limited purpose of locating owners of abandoned or unclaimed28property, to a person registered with the department under this29chapter who is an attorney, Florida-certified public accountant,30private investigator who is duly licensed in this state, or a31private investigative agency licensed under chapter 493.32 (a)(d)This exemption applies to social security numbers 33 and property identifiers held by the department before, on, or 34 after the effective date of this exemption. 35 (b) As used in this subsection, the term “property 36 identifier” means the descriptor used by the holder to identify 37 the unclaimed property. 38 (c)(e)This subsection is subject to the Open Government 39 Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15, and shall stand 40 repealed October 2, 20172012, unless reviewed and saved from 41 repeal through reenactment by the Legislature. 42 Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public 43 necessity that social security numbers contained in reports of 44 unclaimed property remain confidential and exempt from public 45 records requirements. Social security numbers, which are used by 46 a holder of unclaimed property to identify such property, could 47 be used to fraudulently obtain unclaimed property. The release 48 of social security numbers could also place owners of unclaimed 49 property at risk of identity theft. Therefore, the protection of 50 social security numbers is a public necessity in order to 51 prevent the fraudulent use of such information by creating 52 falsified or forged documents that appear to demonstrate 53 entitlement to unclaimed property and to prevent opportunities 54 for identity theft. Such use defrauds the rightful owner or the 55 State School Fund, which is the depository for all remaining 56 unclaimed funds. 57 Section 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2012.