Florida’s Republican-led Legislature on May 2 approved a bill that would shield the travel records of Gov. Ron DeSantis and other elected officials from being made public.
Senate Bill 1616, also known as the “Public Records/Transportation and Protective Services” Act, passed the Republican-controlled Florida House in a 84–31 vote after clearing the Senate last month.
The bill provides an exemption from public records requirements for records held by a law enforcement agency relating to certain security or transportation services for DeSantis and other elected officials.
It also includes a retroactive clause that would block the release of many records of travels already undertaken by DeSantis, who is widely expected to announce a presidential run and has in recent weeks visited a string of primary states, including New Hampshire, Iowa, Ohio, Virginia, and Michigan, to promote his book “The Courage to Be Free.”…