Bill to hide governor ’s travel takes Florida down dark road Guest Commentary

By MARTIN DYCKMAN

Legislators who can’t seem to ever say no to Gov. Ron DeSantis are about to repeal the people’s right to know where he’s been traveling on their dime and who’s been visiting him at his Capitol office, at the Governor’s Mansion where he and his family live rentfree, or anywhere else he goes as he explores the possibility of running for president of the United States

It’s just more destruction that’s in store for Florida’s once-vaunted public records laws The state Constitution says all government records are public unless specifically exempted, but the exemptions there are now already more than 1,100 are fast devouring the rule

The newest subversion comes in Senate Bill 1616 and its House companion, HB 1495, which would block public records requests to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and any other law enforcement agency for information pertaining to the transportation and security provided for the governor’s travel and residence

Those records presently provide the only means to track the governor’s travel or identify who’s been visiting him if he doesn’t care to announce it, which is often the case Those are always legitimate questions of p u b l i c i n t e r e s t , a l l t h e m o r e n o w t h a t DeSantis, the most secretive governor in recent memory, is busily visiting early primary and battleground states that would figure in a presidential campaign

In the last month DeSantis, apparently to test the national political waters, has given speeches in New Hampshire, Iowa, Ohio, Virginia and Michigan.

The bills originally impacted only travel records, but legislative committees amended them to also exempt “records relating to the security of the Governor’s office and mansion, including mansion security, facility operations, screenings and clearances,” as summed up in a Senate staff report

It’s artfully worded: “Screenings and clearances” mean visitors

Senate Bill 1616 was pushed through the Senate on Wednesday and was approved by a party line vote An amendment by Sen Lori Berman (D-Boynton Beach) to narrow the exemption failed, again along party lines

The bill now goes to the House where it is expected to pass

F r o m t h e o u t s e t , t h e b i l l s m a d e t h e exemptions retroactive with no cutoff date

In the House Judiciary Committee, Rep Michael Gottlieb tried to amend the House bill to open travel records once the travel is completed. The Republicans shot that down. In doing that, they exposed their pretext for the legislation as a flat-out lie The bill’s backers assert that the secrecy is necessary to protect high-level officials and those who guard them Revealing names and places afterward could not possibly compromise any legitimate security concern

The Constitution requires the Legislature to justify public records exemptions with a specific reason The exemption can be “no broader than necessary” to serve the stated purpose. DeSantis and his minions are counting on the courts to swallow their guff

The exemptions in this legislation are far broader than necessary to serve any legitimate purpose The proposed iron curtain around travel and visitors shields not just the governor and his family but also the lieut e n a n t g o v e r n o r , c a b i n e t m e m b e r s , t h e Senate president and House Speaker, the chief justice, and any other persons for who many of those officials have requested transportation or protection from law enforcement.

The Constitution also requires a twothirds vote to enact any exemption, but there haven’t been any open government bills defeated during these last two years The Republicans do what they’re told and the Democrats, some of whom can be flaky themselves on Sunshine issues, don’t have enough votes to stop them

The concealment of DeSantis’s travel and visitors isn’t the only worrisome assault on Sunshine still pending in the Legislature Although it’s not couched as a public records exemption, SB 7050 amends election law to require quarterly campaign financer eports from state and local political candidates prior to filing their actual qualifying papers current law already requires candidates to file those reports monthly

Voters should make a note of how their legislators vote on these matters Open government needs to become an issue in every election campaign As the Washington Post’s m a s t h e a d s l o g a n s a y s w i t h s i m p l e e l egance,“Democracy dies in darkness.”

Martin Dyckman, FLCGA News