TLo Attorney Weighs in on Attempts to Exempt Certain Public Records

Daniela Abratt shares concerns about the chipping away of the public’s right to access what is going on in their government and ensuring transparency.

The Palm Beach Post published a news story yesterday regarding Palm Beach County’s plans to seek exemption for certain public records during Florida’s upcoming 2020 Legislative Session.  Daniela B. Abratt, attorney in Thomas & LoCicero’s Fort Lauderdale office, was quoted throughout the article. 

As Palm Beach County has outlined its 2020 legislative priorities, many support public records exemptions.  These include key areas which involve economic development, the environment, substance abuse, mental health, education and public safety.  Among these, ten priorities support public records exemptions.

Ms. Abratt was quoted saying, “The fact that there are so many (public records exemptions) they’re considering…indicates the chipping away (of) the public’s right to access what’s going on in their government and ensuring transparency.”  

Daniela B. Abratt is an Associate in the Fort Lauderdale office of Thomas & LoCicero with a practice concentration in media and communications law, including defamation and invasion of privacy.  She also focuses on business litigation and intellectual property matters.

With offices in Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, Thomas & LoCicero is a Florida law firm that is widely known, respected and committed to free speech and a free press.  The firm represents the industry’s leading electronic and traditional publishers, as well as individual journalists, bloggers and influencers of social media on issues ranging from news gathering to invasion of privacy, from defamation to pre-publication review.  At the heart of the firm’s mission is to champion free speech and defend journalism every day.