FloridaFlorida agencies keep trade secrets private without a scheduled expiration
Florida agencies keep trade secrets out of public records without a scheduled expiration, while allowing other government staff to use them within their lawful duties.
What it does
Florida agencies keep trade secrets confidential without a scheduled expiration date. They may share those secrets with other government staff for use within their lawful duties.
Parts of insurance review meetings may close when officials discuss certain company trade secrets used in hurricane or flood models. Closed portions must be recorded, but the recordings are private.
The Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition and its subsidiaries may close parts of meetings that discuss protected research information or trade secrets covered by the general agency rule.
Argument forKeeping trade secrets private could protect businesses from competitors obtaining sensitive information while allowing government staff to use it for their duties.
Argument againstClosed discussions and private recordings could make it harder for residents to examine hurricane and flood models used in insurance rate reviews.
More detail
Florida agencies must keep the trade secrets they hold confidential. The rule covers trade secrets held by Florida agencies and has no scheduled expiration date. Agencies may share a trade secret with staff at another agency or government body when those staff use it within their lawful duties. The information must meet the legal definition of a trade secret in section 688.002. The act took effect when it became law.
Officials may close the parts of certain insurance review meetings that discuss trade secrets. This applies to the hurricane loss modeling commission’s meetings and proceedings that review an insurer’s proposed rates. The secret must concern the design or construction of a hurricane or flood loss model that a private company provides under this section to the commission, insurance office, or consumer advocate. Closed portions must be recorded, and none may occur off the record. Those recordings are exempt from public access.
The Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition and its subsidiaries may close meeting portions that discuss protected information. Protected research information includes potential trade secrets, material that could receive a patent, and private business information arising from research and related transactions. The discussion must involve information protected by the institute’s records exemption or the general rule for trade secrets held by an agency.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 24Chapter No. 2026-52Latest
- Apr 23Approved by Governor Ron DeSantisBecame Law
- Apr 21Signed by Officers and presented to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 17Ordered enrolledMinor
- Mar 9Passed; YEAS 106, NAYS 3Passed House
- Vote recorded Passage, Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9Read 3rd timeMinor
- Mar 9Added to Third Reading Calendar
- Mar 9Read 2nd timeMinor
- Mar 51st Reading (Original Filed Version)Minor
- Mar 5Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/9/2026)
- Mar 5Bill referred to House Calendar
- Feb 19In Messages
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 19Immediately certified
- Feb 19Passed; YEAS 33 NAYS 3Passed Senate
- Feb 19Read 3rd timeMinor
- Feb 19Read 2nd timeMinor
- Feb 11Retained on Special Order Calendar
- Feb 9Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/11/26
- Feb 3Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
- Vote recorded Favorable. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 3Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 20 NAYS 4Minor
- Jan 29On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/03/26, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building
- Jan 29IntroducedMinor
- Jan 22Referred to RulesMinor
- Jan 21FiledMinor
- Jan 20Submitted as Committee Bill and Reported Favorably by Governmental Oversight and Accountability; YEAS 9 NAYS 0
- Vote recorded Submitted and Reported Favorably as Committee. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 15On Committee agenda-- Governmental Oversight and Accountability, 01/20/26, 3:30 pm, 110 Senate Building
- Jan 15Submitted for consideration by Governmental Oversight and AccountabilityIntroduced
Government & Ethics