Florida Lawmakers Are Cracking Down on Secret Snitches

Whether you're being penalized for having grass that's too tall, or for running a home business in a residential neighborhood, chances are it was an anonymous complaint from a nosy neighbor that sent code inspectors to your door. Rapidly advancing legislation in Florida aims to put a stop to this phenomenon.

In late March, the Florida Senate voted 27-11 in favor of Senate Bill (S.B.) 60. That bill, introduced by Sen. Jennifer Bradly (R–Fleming Island), would forbid city or county code inspectors from acting on complaints about code violations unless the complainant provides their name and address.

The bill makes an exception for situations where an inspector has reason to believe an anonymously reported code violation poses "an imminent threat to public health, safety, or welfare" or the "imminent destruction of habitat or sensitive resources."

A companion bill in the Florida House of Representatives, House Bill (H.B.) 833, would also make an exception for complainants who state they have "a substantial fear of retaliation or of status-based legal jeopardy" as a result of filing a complaint under their own name.

Read more: https://reason.com/2021/04/07/florida-lawmakers-are-cracking-down-on-secret-snitches/