Thousands of people who have visited state parks in Florida will have some of their personal information made public.
A Tallahassee law firm has asked for the information under the state's broad public records laws.
- State park service says Radey law firm requested info
- Park visitors have been notified by email
- Certain opt-outs allowed, but legal exemptions apply
The state park service said the Radey law firm has requested the names, addresses, phone number and email addresses that park visitors have provided during the past five years.
Park visitors might have provided the information if they did something like rent a campsite, a pavilion or even a canoe.
Visitors to the Hillsborough River State Park were not happy Tuesday when they learned of the news.
"I didn't know anything about that but I'm totally against it," said park visitor Chris Eberly. He was visiting the park in his RV.
The park service has sent an email to park visitors notifying them of the public records request, and the email has a form allowing visitors to opt out of the information being released.
"They can use your information for anything. Information is power." - Lakeland resident Tremane Hamilton
But that only applies if the person meets certain legal exemptions. Those include being a current or former law enforcement officer and other exempted employees and their spouses and children.
Lakeland resident Tremane Hamilton was at the park Tuesday to go for a canoe ride on the Hillsborough River with Jennifer Penticoff. He was also shocked to learn that providing information to the park to rent a canoe could be made public.
"They can use your information for anything. Information is power," he said.
This is the full text of the email sent to residents who has visted a state park.
You are receiving this email because you are a Florida Resident and visited an award-winning Florida State Park within the past five years.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recently received a public records request pursuant to Florida’s Public Records Law (Article I, section 24, Florida Constitution and Chapter 119, Florida Statutes) for names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of all Florida residents visiting a Florida State Park in the past five years. Florida’s broad Public Records Law, in the absence of an exemption, applies to all materials received by a State agency in connection with official business. Therefore, we are obligated to release the requested information unless Wan exemption applies.
Your address and telephone number may be exempt from public records disclosure under Section 119.071(4)(d), Florida Statutes, if you are a current or former law enforcement officer, other covered employee, or the spouse or child of one. If your information is exempt under this or any other applicable Statute and you wish to maintain the exemption please select the link below before May 15, 2017 so we can redact the exempt information.
We appreciate your attention, if you have any questions please contact the Florida State Park Statewide Information Line at 850-245-2157.