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SB 7026FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026Chapter No. 2026-52

Public Records Exemption for Trade Secrets Made Permanent

Original title: OGSR/Trade Secret Held by an Agency

January 15, 2026

public recordsgovernment transparencytrade secretssunshine lawsregulatory compliancealcoholic beverages and tobacco

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Where This Stands

Currently Chapter No. 2026-52. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Procedural history

16 actions
  1. Feb 19, 2026House
    In Messages
  2. Feb 19, 2026Senate
    Immediately certified
  3. Feb 19, 2026SenateFloor
    Passed; YEAS 33 NAYS 3
  4. Feb 19, 2026SenateFloor
    Read 3rd time
  5. Feb 19, 2026SenateFloor
    Read 2nd time
  6. Feb 11, 2026Senate
    Retained on Special Order Calendar
Show 10 earlier actions
  1. Feb 9, 2026Senate
    Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/11/26
  2. Feb 3, 2026Senate
    Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
  3. Feb 3, 2026SenateCommittee
    Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 20 NAYS 4
  4. Jan 29, 2026Senate
    On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/03/26, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building
  5. Jan 29, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Introduced
  6. Jan 22, 2026SenateCommittee
    Referred to Rules
  7. Jan 21, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Filed
  8. Jan 20, 2026Senate
    Submitted as Committee Bill and Reported Favorably by Governmental Oversight and Accountability; YEAS 9 NAYS 0
  9. Jan 15, 2026Senate
    On Committee agenda-- Governmental Oversight and Accountability, 01/20/26, 3:30 pm, 110 Senate Building
  10. Jan 15, 2026Senate
    Submitted for consideration by Governmental Oversight and Accountability

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

This legislation prevents the automatic public disclosure of and s held by state agencies, which would have otherwise occurred if the previous sunset provisions had expired.

Who is mentioned in the record

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

Private businesses

Businesses that submit proprietary information or trade secrets to state agencies are affected by the continued confidentiality of their data.

State agencies

Agencies are required to maintain the confidentiality of trade secrets and are granted immunity for good-faith disclosures.

Public records requesters

Individuals or entities seeking access to government records will continue to be denied access to information classified as trade secrets.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 15, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This law removes the expiration date for existing public records exemptions that protect s held by various state agencies. By making these protections permanent, the state ensures that sensitive business information submitted to government entities remains confidential indefinitely.

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.

Why It Matters

This legislation prevents the automatic public disclosure of and s held by state agencies, which would have otherwise occurred if the previous sunset provisions had expired.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this law make all government records secret?
No. It only applies to specific information classified as 's' or '' as defined by law.
Can an agency still share trade secrets with other government entities?
Yes. Agencies may disclose s to officers or employees of other governmental entities if the use is within the scope of their lawful duties.
What happens if an employee accidentally releases a trade secret?
The law provides that an employee acting in good faith and in the performance of their duties is not liable, civilly or criminally, for the release of such records.

News Coverage

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

Voting Record

Motion succeededlower3/9/2026openstates_bulkOfficial roll call ↗

Passage, Third Reading

Total

117

Yes

106

No

3

Present

0

Not Voting

8

Abstain

0

Motion succeededsenate2/19/2026Official roll call ↗

Third Reading

Total

44

Yes

34

No

4

Present

0

Not Voting

3

Abstain

0

Motion succeededsenate2/3/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable

Total

28

Yes

24

No

4

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Motion succeededsenate1/20/2026legiscanOfficial roll call ↗

Submitted and Reported Favorably as Committee

Total

9

Yes

9

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 shift90% confidence

Permanent Exemption

The bill effectively ends the sunset review cycle for these specific trade secret exemptions, signaling a shift toward permanent protection rather than periodic legislative re-evaluation.

Florida Legislature

Connected Entities

organizationRules“Committee responsible for referral”Map →
locationKnott Building“Location of Rules Committee meeting”Map →
organizationGovernmental Oversight and Accountability“Initial submitting committee”Map →
locationSenate Building“Location of initial committee meeting”Map →
organizationLegislature“Body that voted on the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz10
    Current news / social attention level

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