Florida lottery winners will now get 90 days of anonymity before their names go public

Florida lottery jackpot winners will have three months to get their finances in order before their names go public.

Gov. Ron DeSantis late Wednesday signed 10 bills into law, including a measure (HB 159) that created a public-records exemption for the names of people who win lottery prizes of $250,000 or more.

The exemption would last for 90 days, with the clock running from the time prizes are claimed.

During a November committee meeting, Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, said dreams of winning big jackpots often become nightmares. “These winners endure all types of scams, harassment and even loss of life,” Book said.

The $250,000 mark was set because prizes of that amount or more require winners to travel to lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.

The House and Senate passed the bill in February, with only two dissenting votes.

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