DeSantis could keep travel and donor meetings secret under proposed law: report

The Florida Senate is about to advance a bill that would let Gov. Ron DeSantis conceal information about his travel — and possibly more, Orlando Sentinel reporter Jason Garcia said Tuesday.

Florida has some of the most transparent public records laws of any state in America, widely beloved by good governance advocates for ensuring transparency in government, preventing corruption, and giving the public a window into how the government works.

But GOP lawmakers are seeking to create a massive carveout for the governor from these laws.

"The bill (Senate Bill 1616) will be heard today in the Senate Rules Committee," reported Garcia. "It would carve a new exemption in Florida's public-records law for records related to travel by the governor and other high-ranking state leaders that are held by law-enforcement agencies. The original bill would have allowed the DeSantis administration to keep confidential records related to 'transportation AND protective services.' But an amendment would expand the bill to let the administration hide records related to 'security OR transportation services.'"

Even more alarming, Garcia wrote, this exemption would even apply to "personal information unrelated to the official duties of the protected person." That would mean that "if Ron DeSantis goes on a trip that mixes official state business and political campaign work – like, for example, meeting with big donors in between public events – agencies could now conceal records that might reveal details about those donor meetings."

The restriction would also reportedly apply retroactively to trips DeSantis may have taken in the past, as well as to the visitor log of any guests DeSantis entertains in the governor's mansion that are unrelated to "official" state business.

All of this comes as DeSantis is widely expected to announce a run for president, which would require him to tour all over the country to meet with voters and interest groups.