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House Committee supports bill to make Florida public records more accessible

A measure that would make public records more accessible filed by a Republican known for being a frequent critic of Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state leaders over the Hope Florida scandal cleared the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, its second of four committee stops before reaching the House floor.

Sponsored by Rep. Alex Andrade, the bill would overhaul the state’s public records law to set deadlines for government agencies to respond to record requests as well as limit how much the government could charge for the records. People who willfully and knowingly violate Florida’s public record rules could be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor, under the proposal.

“Sunshine is the best disinfectant,” Andrade said before the House Judiciary Committee, which approved his bill unanimously with a 16-0 vote. “I think everybody deserves access to public records, and public records, they’re literally property of the public. So we should make sure that they’re accessible to the public.”

Currently, journalists and members of the public seeking information through public record requests can be ignored for weeks to months or be charged extravagant fees to obtain records from local municipalities, law enforcement agencies, universities and other government entities. 

Amendment narrows ‘agricultural disparagement’ language in sweeping farm bill

An amendment on SB 290 would narrow and clarify a long-standing agricultural disparagement statute, after concerns were raised that existing language could be interpreted too broadly.

The amendment revises Section 865.065, Florida Statutes — a law in place for roughly 30 years — which allows agricultural producers to bring civil action over the willful or malicious dissemination of false information about the safety of agricultural food products. Sen. Keith Truenow sponsors SB 290.

The amendment reframes the statute to apply specifically to “real perishable agricultural food products,” aligning the definition more closely with federal agricultural commodity classifications. Language that could be read as extending the law to food “processing” has been removed, a change supporters say is intended to clarify that the statute applies to agricultural products themselves, not to processed foods or to public debate over farming practices, chemicals, or food safety.

The legal standard for bringing a claim remains unchanged. A producer must still show that false information was knowingly or maliciously disseminated, was not based on reliable scientific facts, and resulted in actual damages. The amendment does not expand who may bring a claim, alter available remedies, or change the statute of limitations.

House Committee OKs parental rights bill requiring teens to get permission for STD treatment

A second House Committee has backed a bill to forbid doctors from treating teens with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or giving them information on contraceptives unless they get permission from their parents first.

The House Judiciary Committee advanced HB 173, which contains several provisions to expand the Parent’s Bill of Rights for guardians to gain more control and access over their minor children’s medical records and health care decisions. The bill would also prohibit health care practitioners from prescribing drugs to a minor without first getting written parental consent.

“What’s currently happening now is if you have a 12-year-old,” said Rep. Kim Kendall, a St. Augustine Republican sponsoring the bill, “the doctor is pulling them aside and asking the 12-year-old … if they want their parents to have access to their medical records.”

The bill moved through a committee with a 15-4 vote after a politically divided debate that drew concern from Planned Parenthood and others.

“I was told that this was a partisan bill and I refused to accept that because this is just a bill about our children and our parents,” Kendall said.

Gov. DeSantis, Florida House differ on AI legislation

Gov. Ron DeSantis ratcheted up his concerns last week about potential “serious harms” on humans from the growth of artificial intelligence and the need for state regulations.

Yet as the Legislature approaches the scheduled midpoint of the regular session, only the Senate has moved DeSantis’ desired “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights” and his call to lessen the impact of massive data centers on utility ratepayers.

In the Senate, legislation seeking to create a regulatory framework that would address key issues such as electricity and water use needed to operate massive data centers (SB 484) and a corresponding effort that creates a public-records exemption that could keep information about potential large data centers confidential for up to a year (SB 1118) are one committee stop, Rules, from reaching the chamber’s floor.

The Senate effort involving an “AI Bill of Rights,” which ranges from parental controls to limits on state agency contracts with certain foreign countries (SB 482), also awaits a final hearing in the Appropriations Committee.

However, the House hasn’t put forward similar legislation, even though Speaker Daniel Perez in December had committee leaders consider the “potentially positive and negative impacts” of artificial intelligence, ahead of the 2026 legislative session.