TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) –An open government advocate is raising concerns over a bill that would create a public records exemption for voter email addresses.
Republican Rep. Bryan Nelson of Apopka told House members Tuesday that his bill (HB 249) is just trying to protect people who give their email addresses to elections supervisors so they can receive sample ballots electronically instead of through the mail.
But First Amendment Foundation President Barbara Petersen said the language is too loosely worded. She said the way it's written, it would mean that any email address of any voter held by any government agency would be exempt from public record laws.
She added that it doesn't single out email addresses on voter registration cards. She has suggested language that would help Nelson meet his stated goal.
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