Florida legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Florida S876: Public Records and Public Meetings/Hearings Relating to Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Status: Failed, March 13, 2026
Providing that all hearings relating to mental health examination or treatment and substance abuse treatment or assessment and stabilization, respectively, are confidential and closed to the public; providing that certain information is exempt from public records requirements; authorizing disclosure of certain confidential and exempt documents to certain service providers; authorizing courts to use a respondent's name for certain purposes; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; providing statements of public necessity, etc.
What the bill says
An act relating to public records and public meetings; amending ss. 394.464 and 397.6760, F.S.; providing that all hearings relating to mental health examination or treatment and substance abuse treatment or assessment and stabilization, respectively, are confidential and closed to the public; providing exceptions; providing that certain information is exempt from public records requirements; revising a public records exemption to include certain petitions and applications; authorizing disclosure of certain confidential and exempt documents to certain service providers…
From the introduced text, December 11, 2025:
A bill to be entitled An act relating to public records and public meetings; amending ss. 394.464 and 397.6760, F.S.; providing that all hearings relating to mental health examination or treatment and substance abuse treatment or assessment and stabilization, respectively, are confidential and closed to the public; providing exceptions; providing that certain information is exempt from public records requirements; revising a public records exemption to include certain petitions and applications; authorizing disclosure of certain confidential and exempt documents to certain service providers; authorizing courts to use a respondent's name for certain purposes; revising applicability; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; making technical changes; providing statements of public necessity; providing a contingent effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 394.464, Florida Statutes, is amended to confidentiality.-- (1) Absent the respondent's consent or a finding of good cause by a judge or an administrative law judge, all hearings conducted under this part are confidential and closed to the public. (2)(a) The respondent's name, at a hearing or on appeal, and all petitions or applications for voluntary and involuntary admission for mental health examination or treatment, court orders, and related records that are filed with or by a court under this part are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and …