CS for CS for SB 1264 First Engrossed
20241264e1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the history of communism; amending
3 s. 1003.42, F.S.; requiring instruction in public
4 schools on the history of communism; providing
5 requirements for the instruction; authorizing the
6 department to prepare and offer standards for the
7 instruction and to seek input from certain educational
8 organizations; creating s. 1004.89, F.S.; creating the
9 Institute for Freedom in the Americas at Miami Dade
10 College; providing the purpose of the institute;
11 requiring the institute to partner with the Adam Smith
12 Center for Economic Freedom for specified purposes;
13 requiring the institute to enter into an agreement
14 with the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom for
15 specified purposes; requiring Miami Dade College to
16 approve a direct-support organization to support the
17 institute; requiring the President of the Senate, the
18 Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
19 Governor to appoint the board of the direct-support
20 organization, subject to certain requirements;
21 amending s. 1004.6496, F.S.; conforming a provision to
22 a change made by the act; amending s. 1004.64991,
23 F.S.; renaming the Adam Smith Center for the Study of
24 Economic Freedom as the Adam Smith Center for Economic
25 Freedom; revising the goals of the center; requiring
26 the Department of State, in collaboration with the
27 Department of Education, to consult with stakeholders
28 to provide a recommendation to the Legislature by a
29 specified date for the creation of a museum of the
30 history of communism; providing for future expiration;
31 providing an effective date.
32
33 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
34
35 Section 1. Paragraph (v) is added to subsection (2) of
36 section 1003.42, Florida Statutes, to read:
37 1003.42 Required instruction.—
38 (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
39 schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
40 and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
41 faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
42 highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy,
43 following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
44 approved methods of instruction, the following:
45 (v)1. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, the history
46 of communism. Such instruction must be age appropriate and
47 developmentally appropriate and include:
48 a. The history of communism in the United States and
49 domestic communist movements, including their histories and
50 tactics.
51 b. Atrocities committed in foreign countries under the
52 guidance of communism.
53 c. Comparative discussion of political ideologies, such as
54 communism and totalitarianism, which conflict with the
55 principles of freedom and democracy essential to the founding
56 principles of the United States.
57 d. The increasing threat of communism in the United States
58 and to our allies through the 20th century, including the events
59 of the Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China and
60 other mass killings from communist regimes.
61 e. The economic, industrial, and political events that have
62 preceded and anticipated communist revolutions.
63 f. The communist policies of Cuba and the spread of
64 communist ideologies throughout Latin America, including the
65 roots of the Communist Party of Cuba and guerilla forces
66 throughout Latin America.
67 2. The department shall prepare and offer standards for the
68 instruction required by this paragraph and may seek input from
69 any individual who was a victim of communism or any state or
70 nationally recognized organization dedicated to the victims of
71 communism.
72
73 The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
74 and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
75 Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the
76 recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is
77 offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or
78 other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness
79 initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u).
80 Section 2. Section 1004.89, Florida Statutes, is created to
81 read:
82 1004.89 Institute for Freedom in the Americas.—
83 (1) The Institute for Freedom in the Americas is hereby
84 created at Miami Dade College to preserve the ideals of a free
85 society and promote democracy in the Americas. The institute
86 shall be located at the Freedom Tower and shall:
87 (a) Partner with the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom
88 to hold workshops, symposiums, and conferences that provide
89 networking opportunities for leaders throughout the region to
90 gain new insights and ideas for promoting democracy, including
91 knowledge of and insight into the intellectual, political, and
92 economic freedoms that are foundational to a democratic society.
93 (b) Enter into an agreement with the Adam Smith Center for
94 Economic Freedom to provide participants with academic
95 coursework and programs that advance democratic practices and
96 economic and legal reforms.
97 (c) Provide educational and experiential opportunities for
98 regional leaders committed to careers in democracy and
99 governance.
100 (2) Miami Dade College, in accordance with s. 1004.70,
101 shall approve a direct-support organization to support the
102 institute in its mission to develop partnerships throughout the
103 Americas. Notwithstanding s. 1004.70(2), the board of the
104 direct-support organization shall be composed of five members,
105 as follows: one member appointed by the President of the Senate;
106 one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
107 Representatives; and three members appointed by the Governor,
108 including a representative from Miami Dade College and a
109 representative from the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom.
110 Section 3. Paragraph (e) of subsection (3) of section
111 1004.6496, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
112 1004.6496 Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic
113 Education.—
114 (3) The goals of the center are to:
115 (e) Coordinate with the Florida Institute for Governance
116 and Civics created pursuant to s. 1004.6499 and the Adam Smith
117 Center for the Study of Economic Freedom created pursuant to s.
118 1004.64991 and assist in the curation and implementation of
119 Portraits in Patriotism created pursuant to s. 1003.44.
120 Section 4. Section 1004.64991, Florida Statutes, is amended
121 to read:
122 1004.64991 The Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic
123 Freedom.—
124 (1) The Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic Freedom
125 at Florida International University is hereby created.
126 (2) The goals of the center are to:
127 (a) Study the effect of government and free market
128 economies on individual freedom, educational freedom, and human
129 prosperity.
130 (b) Conduct and promote research on the effect of political
131 and economic systems on human prosperity.
132 (c) Plan and host research workshops, symposiums, and
133 conferences to allow students, scholars, and guests to exchange
134 in civil discussion of democracy and capitalism.
135 (d) Provide fellowship and mentoring opportunities to
136 students engaged in scholarly studies of the effect of political
137 and economic systems on human prosperity.
138 (e) Partner with the Institute for Freedom in the Americas
139 to support its mission, which includes promoting economic and
140 individual freedoms as a means for advancing human progress with
141 an emphasis on Latin American and the Caribbean.
142 (3) In order to carry out the purpose set forth in this
143 section, the center institute is authorized to:
144 (a) Hire necessary faculty and staff pursuant to s.
145 1001.741;
146 (b) Enroll students;
147 (c) Develop curriculum and offer new courses, including
148 honors courses, certificates, degrees, and major and minor
149 programs;
150 (d) Hold events, including fundraisers;
151 (e) Fulfill other actions approved by the president of the
152 university; and
153 (f) Generate resources based on student credit hour
154 enrollment, in the same manner as any college within the
155 institution.
156 Section 5. The Department of State, in collaboration with
157 the Department of Education, shall consult with state and
158 national stakeholders to provide a recommendation to the
159 Legislature, no later than December 1, 2024, on the creation of
160 a museum of the history of communism. This section expires July
161 1, 2025.
162 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.