Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1470
By Senator Burgess
23-01031-25 20251470__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to school safety; amending s. 30.15,
3 F.S.; requiring a sheriff to establish a school
4 guardian program if a school board contracts for the
5 use of security guards; providing that the security
6 agency is responsible for training and screening
7 costs; requiring a sheriff who conducts training for
8 security guards or who waives certain training
9 requirements for a person and makes a certain
10 determination to issue a school security guard
11 certificate; requiring the sheriff to maintain
12 specified documentation; deleting an obsolete
13 requirement for a sheriff to report information
14 relating to school guardians to the Department of Law
15 Enforcement; deleting an obsolete requirement for a
16 school district, charter school, or private school to
17 report information relating to a school guardian to
18 the Department of Law Enforcement; conforming
19 provisions to changes made by the act; amending s.
20 1001.212, F.S; requiring the Office of Safe Schools to
21 create and maintain a list of exceptions to school
22 safety requirements under certain circumstances;
23 deleting a requirement for the office to evaluate the
24 methodology for the safe school allocation; requiring
25 the office to partner with the Florida Association of
26 School Safety Specialists to recommend a structure to
27 provide training and certification for school safety
28 specialists; requiring the office to make specified
29 recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by
30 a specified date; amending s. 1006.07, F.S.; revising
31 school safety requirements that must be followed by a
32 school district or charter school governing board;
33 defining the term “school supervision hours”;
34 providing certain exceptions; amending s. 1006.12,
35 F.S.; requiring that a person who serves as a school
36 security guard be approved by the sheriff; providing
37 that the sheriff’s approval authorizes the school
38 security guard to work at any school in the county;
39 requiring the Office of Safe Schools to provide to the
40 Department of Law Enforcement certain information
41 relating to a school security guard; amending s.
42 1006.121, F.S.; revising the definition of the term
43 “firearm detection canine”; providing an effective
44 date.
45
46 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
47
48 Section 1. Paragraph (k) of subsection (1) of section
49 30.15, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
50 30.15 Powers, duties, and obligations.—
51 (1) Sheriffs, in their respective counties, in person or by
52 deputy, shall:
53 (k) Assist district school boards and charter school
54 governing boards in complying with, or private schools in
55 exercising options in, s. 1006.12. A sheriff shall must, at a
56 minimum, provide access to a Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and
57 Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program to aid in the prevention or
58 abatement of active assailant incidents on school premises, as
59 required under this paragraph. Persons certified as school
60 guardians pursuant to this paragraph have no authority to act in
61 any law enforcement capacity except to the extent necessary to
62 prevent or abate an active assailant incident.
63 1.a. If a local school board has voted by a majority to
64 implement a guardian program or has contracted for the use of
65 school security guards to satisfy the requirements of s.
66 1006.12, the sheriff in that county must shall establish a
67 guardian program to provide training for school guardians or
68 school security guards, pursuant to subparagraph 2., to school
69 district, charter school, or private school, or security agency
70 employees, either directly or through a contract with another
71 sheriff’s office that has established a guardian program.
72 b. A charter school governing board in a school district
73 that has not voted, or has declined, to implement a guardian
74 program may request the sheriff in the county to establish a
75 guardian program for the purpose of training the charter school
76 employees or school security guards consistent with the
77 requirements of subparagraph 2. If the county sheriff denies the
78 request, the charter school governing board may contract with a
79 sheriff that has established a guardian program to provide such
80 training. The charter school governing board must notify the
81 superintendent and the sheriff in the charter school’s county of
82 the contract prior to its execution. The security agency
83 employing a school security guard is responsible for all
84 training and screening-related costs for a school security
85 guard.
86 c. A private school in a school district that has not
87 voted, or has declined, to implement a guardian program may
88 request that the sheriff in the county of the private school
89 establish a guardian program for the purpose of training private
90 school employees or school security guards. If the county
91 sheriff denies the request, the private school may contract with
92 a sheriff from another county who has established a guardian
93 program under subparagraph 2. to provide such training. The
94 private school must notify the sheriff in the private school’s
95 county of the contract with a sheriff from another county before
96 its execution. The private school or security agency is
97 responsible for all training and screening-related costs for a
98 school guardian program. The sheriff providing such training
99 must ensure that any moneys paid by a private school or security
100 agency are not commingled with any funds provided by the state
101 to the sheriff as reimbursement for screening-related and
102 training-related costs of any school district or charter school
103 employee.
104 d. The training program required in sub-subparagraph 2.b.
105 is a standardized statewide curriculum, and each sheriff
106 providing such training shall adhere to the course of
107 instruction specified in that sub-subparagraph. This
108 subparagraph does not prohibit a sheriff from providing
109 additional training. A school guardian or school security guard
110 who has completed the training program required in sub
111 subparagraph 2.b. may not be required to attend another
112 sheriff’s training program pursuant to that sub-subparagraph
113 unless there has been at least a 1-year break in his or her
114 appointment as a guardian or employment by a security agency as
115 a school security guard in a school.
116 e. The sheriff conducting the training pursuant to
117 subparagraph 2. for school district and charter school employees
118 will be reimbursed for screening-related and training-related
119 costs and for providing a one-time stipend of $500 to each
120 school guardian who participates in the school guardian program.
121 f. The sheriff may waive the training and screening-related
122 costs for a private school for a school guardian program. Funds
123 provided pursuant to sub-subparagraph e. may not be used to
124 subsidize any costs that have been waived by the sheriff. The
125 sheriff may not waive the training and screening-related costs
126 required to be paid by a security agency for initial training or
127 ongoing training of a school security guard.
128 g. A person who is certified and in good standing under the
129 Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, who
130 meets the qualifications established in s. 943.13, and who is
131 otherwise qualified for the position of a school guardian or
132 school security guard may be certified as a school guardian or
133 school security guard by the sheriff without completing the
134 training requirements of sub-subparagraph 2.b. However, a person
135 certified as a school guardian or school security guard under
136 this sub-subparagraph must meet the requirements of sub
137 subparagraphs 2.c.-e.
138 2. A sheriff who establishes a program shall consult with
139 the Department of Law Enforcement on programmatic guiding
140 principles, practices, and resources, and shall certify as
141 school guardians, without the power of arrest, school employees,
142 as specified in s. 1006.12(3), or shall certify as school
143 security guards those persons employed by a security agency who
144 meet the criteria specified in s. 1006.12(4), and who:
145 a. Hold a valid license issued under s. 790.06 or are
146 otherwise eligible to possess or carry a concealed firearm under
147 chapter 790.
148 b. After satisfying the requirements of s. 1006.12(7),
149 complete a 144-hour training program, consisting of 12 hours of
150 training to improve the school guardian’s knowledge and skills
151 necessary to respond to and de-escalate incidents on school
152 premises and 132 total hours of comprehensive firearm safety and
153 proficiency training conducted by Criminal Justice Standards and
154 Training Commission-certified instructors, which must include:
155 (I) Eighty hours of firearms instruction based on the
156 Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission’s Law
157 Enforcement Academy training model, which must include at least
158 10 percent but no more than 20 percent more rounds fired than
159 associated with academy training. Program participants must
160 achieve an 85 percent pass rate on the firearms training.
161 (II) Sixteen hours of instruction in precision pistol.
162 (III) Eight hours of discretionary shooting instruction
163 using state-of-the-art simulator exercises.
164 (IV) Sixteen hours of instruction in active shooter or
165 assailant scenarios.
166 (V) Eight hours of instruction in defensive tactics.
167 (VI) Four hours of instruction in legal issues.
168 c. Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a
169 psychologist licensed under chapter 490 and designated by the
170 Department of Law Enforcement and submit the results of the
171 evaluation to the sheriff’s office. The Department of Law
172 Enforcement is authorized to provide the sheriff’s office with
173 mental health and substance abuse data for compliance with this
174 paragraph.
175 d. Submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent
176 random drug tests in accordance with the requirements of s.
177 112.0455 and the sheriff’s office.
178 e. Successfully complete ongoing training, weapon
179 inspection, and firearm qualification on at least an annual
180 basis.
181
182 The sheriff who conducts the guardian training or waives the
183 training requirements for a person under sub-subparagraph 1.g.
184 shall issue a school guardian certificate to persons who meet
185 the requirements of this section to the satisfaction of the
186 sheriff, and shall maintain documentation of weapon and
187 equipment inspections, as well as the training, certification,
188 inspection, and qualification records of each school guardian
189 certified by the sheriff. A person who is certified under this
190 paragraph may serve as a school guardian under s. 1006.12(3)
191 only if he or she is appointed by the applicable school district
192 superintendent, charter school principal, or private school head
193 of school. A sheriff who conducts the training for a school
194 security guard or waives the training requirements for a person
195 under sub-subparagraph 1.g. and determines that the school
196 security guard has met all the requirements of s. 1006.12(4)
197 shall issue a school security guard certificate to persons who
198 meet the requirements of this section to the satisfaction of the
199 sheriff and shall maintain documentation of weapon and equipment
200 inspections, training, certification, and qualification records
201 for each school security guard certified by the sheriff.
202 3.a.(I) Within 30 days after issuing a school guardian or
203 school security guard certificate, the sheriff who issued the
204 certificate must report to the Department of Law Enforcement the
205 name, date of birth, and certification date of the school
206 guardian or school security guard.
207 (II) By September 1, 2024, each sheriff who issued a school
208 guardian certificate must report to the Department of Law
209 Enforcement the name, date of birth, and certification date of
210 each school guardian who received a certificate from the
211 sheriff.
212 b.(I) By February 1 and September 1 of each school year,
213 each school district, charter school, employing security agency,
214 and private school must report in the manner prescribed to the
215 Department of Law Enforcement the name, date of birth, and
216 appointment date of each person appointed as a school guardian
217 or employed as a school security guard. The school district,
218 charter school, employing security agency, and private school
219 must also report in the manner prescribed to the Department of
220 Law Enforcement the date each school guardian or school security
221 guard separates from his or her appointment as a school guardian
222 or employment as a school security guard in a school.
223 (II) By September 1, 2024, each school district, charter
224 school, and private school must report to the Department of Law
225 Enforcement the name, date of birth, and initial and end-of
226 appointment dates, as applicable, of each person appointed as a
227 school guardian.
228 c. The Department of Law Enforcement shall maintain a list
229 of each person appointed as a school guardian or certified as a
230 school security guard in the state. The list must include the
231 name and certification date of each school guardian and school
232 security guard and the date the person was appointed as a school
233 guardian or certified as a school security guard, including the
234 name of the school district, charter school, or private school
235 in which the school guardian is appointed, or the employing
236 security agency of a school security guard, any information
237 provided pursuant to s. 1006.12(5), and, if applicable, the date
238 such person separated from his or her appointment as a school
239 guardian or the last date a school security guard served in a
240 school as of the last reporting date. The Department of Law
241 Enforcement shall remove from the list any person whose training
242 has expired pursuant to sub-subparagraph 1.d.
243 d. Each sheriff shall must report on a quarterly basis to
244 the Department of Law Enforcement the schedule for upcoming
245 school guardian trainings, to include guardian trainings for
246 school security guards, including the dates of the training, the
247 training locations, a contact person to register for the
248 training, and the class capacity. If no trainings are scheduled,
249 the sheriff is not required to report to the Department of Law
250 Enforcement. The Department of Law Enforcement shall publish on
251 its website a list of the upcoming school guardian trainings.
252 The Department of Law Enforcement shall must update such list
253 quarterly.
254 e. A sheriff who fails to report the information required
255 by this subparagraph may not receive reimbursement from the
256 Department of Education for school guardian trainings. Upon the
257 submission of the required information, a sheriff is deemed
258 eligible for such funding and is authorized to continue to
259 receive reimbursement for school guardian training.
260 f. A school district, charter school, or private school, or
261 employing security agency that fails to report the information
262 required by this subparagraph is prohibited from operating may
263 not operate a school guardian program or employing school
264 security guards in for the following school year, unless the
265 missing school district, charter school, or private school has
266 submitted the required information is provided.
267 g. By March 1 and October 1 of each school year, the
268 Department of Law Enforcement shall notify the Department of
269 Education of any sheriff, school district, charter school, or
270 private school that has not complied with the reporting
271 requirements of this subparagraph.
272 h. The Department of Law Enforcement may adopt rules to
273 implement the requirements of this subparagraph, including
274 requiring additional reporting information only as necessary to
275 uniquely identify each school guardian and school security guard
276 reported.
277 Section 2. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of subsection (11)
278 and subsection (17) of section 1001.212, Florida Statutes, are
279 amended, and subsection (18) is added to that section, to read:
280 1001.212 Office of Safe Schools.—There is created in the
281 Department of Education the Office of Safe Schools. The office
282 is fully accountable to the Commissioner of Education. The
283 office shall serve as a central repository for best practices,
284 training standards, and compliance oversight in all matters
285 regarding school safety and security, including prevention
286 efforts, intervention efforts, and emergency preparedness
287 planning. The office shall:
288 (11) Develop a statewide behavioral threat management
289 operational process, a Florida-specific behavioral threat
290 assessment instrument, and a threat management portal.
291 (a)1. By December 1, 2023, The office shall maintain the
292 develop a statewide behavioral threat management operational
293 process to guide school districts, schools, charter school
294 governing boards, and charter schools through the threat
295 management process. The process must be designed to identify,
296 assess, manage, and monitor potential and real threats to
297 schools. This process must include, but is not limited to:
298 a. The establishment and duties of threat management teams.
299 b. Defining behavioral risks and threats.
300 c. The use of the Florida-specific behavioral threat
301 assessment instrument developed pursuant to paragraph (b) to
302 evaluate the behavior of students who may pose a threat to the
303 school, school staff, or other students and to coordinate
304 intervention and services for such students.
305 d. Upon the availability of the threat management portal
306 developed pursuant to paragraph (c), the use, authorized user
307 criteria, and access specifications of the portal.
308 e. Procedures for the implementation of interventions,
309 school support, and community services.
310 f. Guidelines for appropriate law enforcement intervention.
311 g. Procedures for risk management.
312 h. Procedures for disciplinary actions.
313 i. Mechanisms for continued monitoring of potential and
314 real threats.
315 j. Procedures for referrals to mental health services
316 identified by the school district or charter school governing
317 board pursuant to s. 1012.584(4).
318 k. Procedures and requirements necessary for the creation
319 of a threat assessment report, all corresponding documentation,
320 and any other information required by the Florida-specific
321 behavioral threat assessment instrument under paragraph (b).
322 2. Upon availability, Each school district, school, charter
323 school governing board, and charter school shall must use the
324 statewide behavioral threat management operational process.
325 3. The office shall provide training to all school
326 districts, schools, charter school governing boards, and charter
327 schools on the statewide behavioral threat management
328 operational process.
329 4. The office shall coordinate the ongoing development,
330 implementation, and operation of the statewide behavioral threat
331 management operational process.
332 (b)1. By August 1, 2023, The office shall maintain the
333 develop a Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
334 instrument for school districts, schools, charter school
335 governing boards, and charter schools to use to evaluate the
336 behavior of students who may pose a threat to the school, school
337 staff, or students and to coordinate intervention and services
338 for such students. The Florida-specific behavioral threat
339 assessment instrument must include, but is not limited to:
340 a. An assessment of the threat, which includes an
341 assessment of the student, family, and school and social
342 dynamics.
343 b. An evaluation to determine whether a threat exists and
344 if so, the type of threat.
345 c. The response to a threat, which includes the school
346 response, the role of law enforcement agencies in the response,
347 and the response by mental health providers.
348 d. Ongoing monitoring to assess implementation of threat
349 management and safety strategies.
350 e. Ongoing monitoring to evaluate interventions and support
351 provided to the students.
352 f. A standardized threat assessment report, which must
353 include, but need not be limited to, all documentation
354 associated with the evaluation, intervention, management, and
355 any ongoing monitoring of the threat.
356 2. A report, all corresponding documentation, and any other
357 information required by the instrument in the threat management
358 portal under paragraph (c) is an education record and may not be
359 retained, maintained, or transferred, except in accordance with
360 State Board of Education rule.
361 3. Upon availability, Each school district, school, charter
362 school governing board, and charter school shall must use the
363 Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument.
364 4. The office shall provide training for members of threat
365 management teams established under s. 1006.07(7) and for all
366 school districts and charter school governing boards regarding
367 the use of the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
368 instrument.
369 (c)1. By August 1, 2025, the office shall develop, host,
370 maintain, and administer a threat management portal that will
371 digitize the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
372 instrument for use by each school district, school, charter
373 school governing board, and charter school. The portal will also
374 facilitate the electronic threat assessment reporting and
375 documentation as required by the Florida-specific behavioral
376 threat assessment instrument to evaluate the behavior of
377 students who may pose a threat to the school, school staff, or
378 students and to coordinate intervention and services for such
379 students. The portal may not provide the office with access to
380 the portal unless authorized in accordance with State Board of
381 Education rule. The portal must include, but need not be limited
382 to, the following functionalities:
383 a. Workflow processes that align with the statewide
384 behavioral threat management operational process.
385 b. Direct data entry and file uploading as required by the
386 Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument.
387 c. The ability to create a threat assessment report as
388 required by the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
389 instrument.
390 d. The ability of authorized personnel to add to or update
391 a threat assessment report, all corresponding documentation, or
392 any other information required by the Florida-specific
393 behavioral threat assessment instrument.
394 e. The ability to create and remove connections between
395 education records in the portal and authorized personnel.
396 f. The ability to grant access to and securely transfer any
397 education records in the portal to other schools or charter
398 schools in the district.
399 g. The ability to grant access to and securely transfer any
400 education records in the portal to schools and charter schools
401 not in the originating district.
402 h. The ability to retain, maintain, and transfer education
403 records in the portal in accordance with State Board of
404 Education rule.
405 i. The ability to restrict access to, entry of,
406 modification of, and transfer of education records in the portal
407 to a school district, school, charter school governing board, or
408 charter school and authorized personnel as specified by the
409 statewide behavioral threat management operational process.
410 j. The ability to designate school district or charter
411 school governing board system administrators who may grant
412 access to authorized school district and charter school
413 governing board personnel and school and charter school system
414 administrators.
415 k. The ability to designate school or charter school system
416 administrators who may grant access to authorized school or
417 charter school personnel.
418 l. The ability to notify the office’s system administrators
419 and school district or charter school governing board system
420 administrators of attempts to access any education records by
421 unauthorized personnel.
422 2. Upon availability, each school district, school, charter
423 school governing board, and charter school shall use the portal.
424 3. A threat assessment report, including, but not limited
425 to, all corresponding documentation, and any other information
426 required by the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
427 instrument which is maintained in the portal, is an education
428 record and may not be retained, maintained, or transferred,
429 except in accordance with State Board of Education rule.
430 4. The office and the office system administrators may not
431 have access to a threat assessment report, all corresponding
432 documentation, and any other information required by the
433 Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument which
434 is maintained in the portal, except in accordance with State
435 Board of Education rule.
436 5. A school district or charter school governing board may
437 not have access to the education records in the portal, except
438 in accordance with State Board of Education rule.
439 6. The parent of a student may access his or her student’s
440 education records in the portal in accordance with State Board
441 of Education rule, but may not have access to the portal.
442 7. The office shall develop and implement a quarterly
443 portal access review audit process.
444 8. Upon availability, each school district, school, charter
445 school governing board, and charter school shall comply with the
446 quarterly portal access review audit process developed by the
447 office.
448 9. By August 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the office
449 shall provide role-based training to all authorized school
450 district, school, charter school governing board, and charter
451 school personnel.
452 10. Any individual who accesses, uses, or releases any
453 education record contained in the portal for a purpose not
454 specifically authorized by law commits a noncriminal infraction,
455 punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,000.
456 (17) By August 1, 2025, create and maintain a list of
457 exceptions, with examples, to the requirements of s.
458 1006.07(6)(f)1., 2., and 3. for special circumstances and
459 conditions in which a school is not able to safely or reasonably
460 comply with the requirements for locked doors, gates, and access
461 points included therein By December 1, 2024, evaluate the
462 methodology for the safe schools allocation in s. 1011.62(12)
463 and, if necessary, make recommendations for an alternate
464 methodology to distribute the remaining balance of the safe
465 schools allocation as indicated in s. 1011.62(12).
466 (18) In partnership with the Florida Association of School
467 Safety Specialists, recommend a structure to provide initial and
468 advanced training and certification for school safety
469 specialists, develop additional professional learning
470 opportunities, identify research and best practices in school
471 safety, administer school safety grants, and provide policy
472 recommendations to improve school safety requirements. Such
473 recommendations must be submitted to the Governor, the President
474 of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
475 no later than September 1, 2025.
476 Section 3. Paragraph (f) of subsection (6) of section
477 1006.07, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
478 1006.07 District school board duties relating to student
479 discipline and school safety.—The district school board shall
480 provide for the proper accounting for all students, for the
481 attendance and control of students at school, and for proper
482 attention to health, safety, and other matters relating to the
483 welfare of students, including:
484 (6) SAFETY AND SECURITY BEST PRACTICES.—Each district
485 school superintendent shall establish policies and procedures
486 for the prevention of violence on school grounds, including the
487 assessment of and intervention with individuals whose behavior
488 poses a threat to the safety of the school community.
489 (f) School safety requirements.—By August 1, 2024, Each
490 school district and charter school governing board shall comply
491 with the following school safety requirements:
492 1. All gates or other access points that restrict ingress
493 to or egress from a school campus shall remain closed and locked
494 when students are on campus during school supervision hours. For
495 the purposes of this section, “school supervision hours” means
496 the hours of the school day plus the reasonable time immediately
497 before and after school during which student supervision is
498 available per school district policy. A gate or other campus
499 access point may only not be open or unlocked during school
500 supervision hours if one of the following conditions is met,
501 regardless of whether it is during normal school hours, unless:
502 a. It is attended or actively staffed by a person when
503 students are on campus;
504 b. The use complies is in accordance with a shared use
505 agreement pursuant to s. 1013.101;
506 c. Another closed and locked gate or access point separates
507 the open or unlocked gate from areas occupied by students; or
508 d.c. The school safety specialist, or his or her designee,
509 has documented in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
510 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the gate or
511 other access point is exempt from not subject to this
512 requirement based upon other safety measures in place at the
513 school or an exception recognized by the office pursuant to s.
514 1001.212(17). The office may conduct a compliance visit pursuant
515 to s. 1001.212(14) to review if such determination is
516 appropriate.
517 2. During school supervision hours, all school classrooms
518 and other instructional spaces must be locked to prevent ingress
519 when occupied by students, except between class periods when
520 students are moving between classrooms or other instructional
521 spaces, unless the school safety specialist, or his or her
522 designee, has documented in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment
523 Tool portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the
524 open and unlocked door, gate, or other access point is not
525 subject to this requirement based upon an exception recognized
526 by the office pursuant to s. 1001.212(17). If a classroom or
527 other instructional space door must be left unlocked or open for
528 any other reason other than between class periods when students
529 are moving between classrooms or other instructional spaces, the
530 door must be actively staffed by a person standing or seated at
531 the door. The office may conduct a compliance visit pursuant to
532 s. 1001.212(14) to review if a documented exception is
533 appropriate.
534 3. Unless another closed and locked door, gate, or access
535 point prevents access to a specific school building’s entry, all
536 campus access doors, gates, and other access points that allow
537 ingress to or egress from a school building shall remain closed
538 and locked during school supervision hours at all times to
539 prevent unauthorized access, except when: ingress, unless
540 a. A person is actively entering or exiting the door, gate,
541 or other access point;
542 b. The door, gate, or access point is actively staffed by
543 school personnel to prevent unauthorized entry; or
544 c. The school safety specialist, or his or her designee,
545 has documented in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
546 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the open
547 and unlocked door, gate, or other access point is not subject to
548 this requirement based upon other safety measures at the school
549 or an exception recognized by the office pursuant to s.
550 1001.212(17). The office may conduct a compliance visit pursuant
551 to s. 1001.212(14) to review if such determination is
552 appropriate. All campus access doors, gates, and other access
553 points may be electronically or manually controlled by school
554 personnel to allow access by authorized visitors, students, and
555 school personnel.
556 4. All school classrooms and other instructional spaces
557 must clearly and conspicuously mark the safest areas in each
558 classroom or other instructional space where students must
559 shelter in place during an emergency. Students must be notified
560 of these safe areas within the first 10 days of the school year.
561 If it is not feasible to clearly and conspicuously mark the
562 safest areas in a classroom or other instructional space, the
563 school safety specialist, or his or her designee, must document
564 such determination in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
565 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools, identifying
566 where affected students must shelter in place. The office shall
567 assist the school safety specialist with compliance during the
568 inspection required under s. 1001.212(14).
569
570 Persons who are aware of a violation of this paragraph must
571 report the violation to the school principal. The school
572 principal must report the violation to the school safety
573 specialist no later than the next business day after receiving
574 such report. If the person who violated this paragraph is the
575 school principal or charter school administrator, the report
576 must be made directly to the district school superintendent or
577 charter school governing board, as applicable.
578 Section 4. Subsections (4) and (5) of section 1006.12,
579 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
580 1006.12 Safe-school officers at each public school.—For the
581 protection and safety of school personnel, property, students,
582 and visitors, each district school board and school district
583 superintendent shall partner with law enforcement agencies or
584 security agencies to establish or assign one or more safe-school
585 officers at each school facility within the district, including
586 charter schools. A district school board shall must collaborate
587 with charter school governing boards to facilitate charter
588 school access to all safe-school officer options available under
589 this section. The school district may implement any combination
590 of the options in subsections (1)-(4) to best meet the needs of
591 the school district and charter schools.
592 (4) SCHOOL SECURITY GUARD.—A school district, or charter
593 school governing board, or private school, as authorized under
594 s. 1002.42(20), may contract with a security agency as defined
595 in s. 493.6101(18) to employ as a school security guard an
596 individual who holds a Class “D” and Class “G” license pursuant
597 to chapter 493, provided the following training and contractual
598 conditions are met:
599 (a) An individual who serves as a school security guard,
600 for purposes of satisfying the requirements of this section,
601 must:
602 1. Demonstrate completion of 144 hours of required training
603 conducted by a sheriff pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.
604 2. Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a
605 psychologist licensed under chapter 490 and designated by the
606 Department of Law Enforcement and submit the results of the
607 evaluation to the sheriff’s office and, school district, or
608 charter school governing board, private school, or employing
609 security agency as applicable. The Department of Law Enforcement
610 is authorized to provide the sheriff’s office, school district,
611 or charter school governing board, private school, or employing
612 security agency with mental health and substance abuse data for
613 compliance with this paragraph.
614 3. Submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent
615 random drug tests in accordance with the requirements of s.
616 112.0455 and the sheriff’s office, school district, or charter
617 school governing board, private school, or employing security
618 agency, as applicable.
619 4. Be approved to work as a school security guard by the
620 sheriff of each county in which the school security guard will
621 be assigned to a school before commencing work at any school in
622 that county. The sheriff’s approval authorizes the security
623 agency to assign the school security guard to any school in the
624 county, and the sheriff’s approval is not limited to any
625 particular school.
626 5. Successfully complete ongoing training, weapon
627 inspection, and firearm qualification conducted by a sheriff
628 pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.e. on at least an annual basis and
629 provide documentation to the sheriff’s office, school district,
630 or charter school governing board, private school, or employing
631 security agency as applicable.
632 (b) The contract between a security agency and a school
633 district, private school, or a charter school governing board
634 regarding requirements applicable to school security guards
635 serving in the capacity of a safe-school officer for purposes of
636 satisfying the requirements of this section must shall define
637 the entity or entities responsible for training and the
638 responsibilities for maintaining records relating to training,
639 inspection, and firearm qualification.
640 (c) School security guards serving in the capacity of a
641 safe-school officer pursuant to this subsection are in support
642 of school-sanctioned activities for purposes of s. 790.115, and
643 must aid in the prevention or abatement of active assailant
644 incidents on school premises.
645 (d) The Office of Safe Schools shall provide the Department
646 of Law Enforcement any information related to a school security
647 guard that it receives pursuant to subsection (5).
648 (5) Notification.—The district school superintendent or
649 charter school administrator, private school administrator, or a
650 respective designee, shall notify the county sheriff and the
651 Office of Safe Schools immediately after, but no later than 72
652 hours after:
653 (a) A safe-school officer is dismissed for misconduct or is
654 otherwise disciplined.
655 (b) A safe-school officer discharges his or her firearm in
656 the exercise of the safe-school officer’s duties, other than for
657 training purposes.
658
659 If a district school board, through its adopted policies,
660 procedures, or actions, denies a charter school access to any
661 safe-school officer options pursuant to this section, the school
662 district must assign a school resource officer or school safety
663 officer to the charter school. Under such circumstances, the
664 charter school’s share of the costs of the school resource
665 officer or school safety officer may not exceed the safe school
666 allocation funds provided to the charter school pursuant to s.
667 1011.62(12) and shall be retained by the school district.
668 Section 5. Subsection (2) of section 1006.121, Florida
669 Statutes, is amended to read:
670 1006.121 Florida Safe Schools Canine Program.—
671 (2) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term “firearm
672 detection canine” means any canine that is owned or the service
673 of which is employed by a law enforcement agency or school
674 district for use by a sworn law enforcement officer in K-12
675 schools for the primary purpose of aiding in the detection of
676 firearms and ammunition.
677 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.