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HB 447FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026dead

Proposed Privacy Protections for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Court Records

Original title: Pub. Rec. and Meetings/Mental Health and Substance Abuse

November 18, 2025

mental healthsubstance abuseprivacypublic recordscourt proceedings

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Where This Stands

Currently dead. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Last action
Died in RulesMar 13, 2026

Procedural history

29 actions
  1. Feb 26, 2026House
    Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/4/2026)
  2. Feb 25, 2026House
    Added to Second Reading Calendar
  3. Feb 25, 2026House
    Bill released to House Calendar
  4. Feb 25, 2026House
    Reported out of Health & Human Services Committee
  5. Feb 24, 2026HouseCommittee
    Favorable by Health & Human Services Committee
  6. Feb 20, 2026House
    Added to Health & Human Services Committee agenda
Show 23 earlier actions
  1. Feb 9, 2026House
    Now in Health & Human Services Committee
  2. Feb 9, 2026HouseCommittee
    Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
  3. Feb 9, 2026HouseIntroduced
    1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
  4. Feb 6, 2026HouseIntroduced
    CS Filed
  5. Feb 6, 2026House
    Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
  6. Feb 6, 2026House
    Reported out of Government Operations Subcommittee
  7. Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
    Favorable with CS by Government Operations Subcommittee
  8. Feb 3, 2026House
    Added to Government Operations Subcommittee agenda
  9. Jan 22, 2026House
    Now in Government Operations Subcommittee
  10. Jan 22, 2026House
    Reported out of Judiciary Committee
  11. Jan 22, 2026HouseCommittee
    Favorable by Judiciary Committee
  12. Jan 20, 2026House
    Added to Judiciary Committee agenda
  13. Jan 14, 2026House
    Now in Judiciary Committee
  14. Jan 14, 2026House
    Reported out of Human Services Subcommittee
  15. Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
    1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
  16. Jan 13, 2026HouseCommittee
    Favorable by Human Services Subcommittee
  17. Jan 9, 2026House
    Added to Human Services Subcommittee agenda
  18. Nov 24, 2025House
    Now in Human Services Subcommittee
  19. Nov 24, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
  20. Nov 24, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee
  21. Nov 24, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Judiciary Committee
  22. Nov 24, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Human Services Subcommittee
  23. Nov 18, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill aimed to prevent the public disclosure of sensitive medical information for individuals involved in mental health or substance abuse court proceedings, which proponents argued could otherwise discourage people from seeking necessary treatment.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Individuals in mental health or substance abuse proceedings

Their names and medical records would have been shielded from public disclosure.

Clerks of Court

They would have been prohibited from publishing personal identifying information on public dockets.

Department of Children and Families

They would have been granted access to confidential records without charge.

What changed

Last recorded activity November 18, 2025.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill would have made all court and administrative hearings regarding mental health and substance abuse treatment confidential and closed to the public. It also would have restricted the public release of names and related documents in these cases to protect patient privacy.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Would this bill have made all mental health records secret?
The bill would have made court-related records and hearing information confidential, but it allowed for disclosure to specific authorized parties like attorneys, guardians, and treating health care providers.
Could the public still attend these hearings?
No, the bill would have closed these hearings to the public unless a judge found to open them or the consented.
What happens to this bill now?
The bill died in the Rules Committee on March 13, 2026, meaning it did not become law.

Why It Matters

The bill aimed to prevent the public disclosure of sensitive medical information for individuals involved in mental health or substance abuse court proceedings, which proponents argued could otherwise discourage people from seeking necessary treatment.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Outcome not reportedhouse2/24/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable (Health & Human Services Committee)

Total

37

Yes

28

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

9

Abstain

0

Outcome not reportedhouse2/5/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable With Committee Substitute (Government Operations Subcommittee)

Total

33

Yes

28

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

5

Abstain

0

Outcome not reportedhouse1/22/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable (Judiciary Committee)

Total

32

Yes

32

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Outcome not reportedhouse1/13/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable (Human Services Subcommittee)

Total

26

Yes

26

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Full roll-call analysis →

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Legislative Sunset Provision

The bill included a sunset date of October 2, 2031, ensuring the legislature must re-evaluate the necessity of these privacy exemptions in the future.

Legislature

Connected Entities

organizationHuman Services Subcommittee“The bill was initially referred to this subcommittee and subsequently received f”Map →
organizationHealth & Human Services Committee“The bill has been repeatedly referred to and received favorable votes from this ”Map →
organizationGovernment Operations Subcommittee“The bill was referred to this subcommittee and received a favorable vote with a ”Map →
bill_numberCS“Committee Substitute”Map →
organizationJudiciary Committee“The bill was referred to this committee and received a favorable vote.”Map →
otherRule 7.18(a)“This rule was used to lay the bill on the table.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance45
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz10
    Current news / social attention level

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