Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 1470
By the Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education; and
Senator Burgess
602-02770-25 20251470c1
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; prohibiting such costs from exceeding a
8 specified amount; requiring a sheriff who conducts
9 training for security guards or who waives certain
10 training requirements for a person and makes a certain
11 determination to issue a school security guard
12 certificate; requiring the sheriff to maintain
13 specified documentation; deleting an obsolete
14 requirement for a sheriff to report information
15 relating to school guardians to the Department of Law
16 Enforcement; deleting an obsolete requirement for a
17 school district, charter school, or private school to
18 report information relating to a school guardian to
19 the Department of Law Enforcement; conforming
20 provisions to changes made by the act; amending s.
21 1001.212, F.S; requiring the Office of Safe Schools to
22 convene a workgroup of specified entities; requiring
23 the workgroup to make recommendations for the
24 establishment of a Florida Institute of School Safety;
25 requiring the workgroup to submit its findings and
26 recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by
27 a certain date; deleting a requirement for the office
28 to evaluate the methodology for the safe school
29 allocation; amending s. 1006.07, F.S.; requiring the
30 Department of Education to establish a centralized
31 system to integrate all panic alert systems and
32 digital school maps used by specified entities;
33 providing requirements for the system; revising school
34 safety requirements that must be followed by a school
35 district or charter school governing board; defining
36 the terms “exclusive zone,” “school supervision
37 hours,” and “nonexclusive zone”; providing certain
38 exceptions to the safety requirements; providing
39 applicability; providing an exemption for certain
40 instructional spaces; specifying requirements for
41 common areas; requiring substitute teachers to be
42 provided all school safety protocols and policies;
43 providing an appropriation; amending s. 1006.12, F.S.;
44 requiring that a person who serves as a school
45 security guard be approved by the sheriff; providing
46 that the sheriff’s approval authorizes the school
47 security guard to work at any school in the county;
48 requiring the Office of Safe Schools to provide to the
49 Department of Law Enforcement certain information
50 relating to a school security guard; amending s.
51 1006.121, F.S.; revising the definition of the term
52 “firearm detection canine”; providing an effective
53 date.
54
55 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
56
57 Section 1. Paragraph (k) of subsection (1) of section
58 30.15, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
59 30.15 Powers, duties, and obligations.—
60 (1) Sheriffs, in their respective counties, in person or by
61 deputy, shall:
62 (k) Assist district school boards and charter school
63 governing boards in complying with, or private schools in
64 exercising options in, s. 1006.12. A sheriff shall must, at a
65 minimum, provide access to a Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and
66 Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program to aid in the prevention or
67 abatement of active assailant incidents on school premises, as
68 required under this paragraph. Persons certified as school
69 guardians pursuant to this paragraph have no authority to act in
70 any law enforcement capacity except to the extent necessary to
71 prevent or abate an active assailant incident.
72 1.a. If a local school board has voted by a majority to
73 implement a guardian program or has contracted for the use of
74 school security guards to satisfy the requirements of s.
75 1006.12, the sheriff in that county must shall establish a
76 guardian program to provide training for school guardians or
77 school security guards, pursuant to subparagraph 2., to school
78 district, charter school, or private school, or security agency
79 employees, either directly or through a contract with another
80 sheriff’s office that has established a guardian program.
81 b. A charter school governing board in a school district
82 that has not voted, or has declined, to implement a guardian
83 program may request the sheriff in the county to establish a
84 guardian program for the purpose of training the charter school
85 employees or school security guards consistent with the
86 requirements of subparagraph 2. If the county sheriff denies the
87 request, the charter school governing board may contract with a
88 sheriff that has established a guardian program to provide such
89 training. The charter school governing board must notify the
90 superintendent and the sheriff in the charter school’s county of
91 the contract prior to its execution. The security agency
92 employing a school security guard is responsible for all
93 training and screening-related costs for a school security
94 guard, but such charges may not exceed the actual cost incurred
95 by the sheriff to provide the training.
96 c. A private school in a school district that has not
97 voted, or has declined, to implement a guardian program may
98 request that the sheriff in the county of the private school
99 establish a guardian program for the purpose of training private
100 school employees or school security guards. If the county
101 sheriff denies the request, the private school may contract with
102 a sheriff from another county who has established a guardian
103 program under subparagraph 2. to provide such training. The
104 private school must notify the sheriff in the private school’s
105 county of the contract with a sheriff from another county before
106 its execution. The private school or security agency is
107 responsible for all training and screening-related costs for a
108 school guardian program. The sheriff providing such training
109 must ensure that any moneys paid by a private school or security
110 agency are not commingled with any funds provided by the state
111 to the sheriff as reimbursement for screening-related and
112 training-related costs of any school district or charter school
113 employee.
114 d. The training program required in sub-subparagraph 2.b.
115 is a standardized statewide curriculum, and each sheriff
116 providing such training shall adhere to the course of
117 instruction specified in that sub-subparagraph. This
118 subparagraph does not prohibit a sheriff from providing
119 additional training. A school guardian or school security guard
120 who has completed the training program required in sub
121 subparagraph 2.b. may not be required to attend another
122 sheriff’s training program pursuant to that sub-subparagraph
123 unless there has been at least a 1-year break in his or her
124 appointment as a guardian or employment by a security agency as
125 a school security guard in a school.
126 e. The sheriff conducting the training pursuant to
127 subparagraph 2. for school district and charter school employees
128 will be reimbursed for screening-related and training-related
129 costs and for providing a one-time stipend of $500 to each
130 school guardian who participates in the school guardian program.
131 f. The sheriff may waive the training and screening-related
132 costs for a private school for a school guardian program. Funds
133 provided pursuant to sub-subparagraph e. may not be used to
134 subsidize any costs that have been waived by the sheriff. The
135 sheriff may not waive the training and screening-related costs
136 required to be paid by a security agency for initial training or
137 ongoing training of a school security guard.
138 g. A person who is certified and in good standing under the
139 Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, who
140 meets the qualifications established in s. 943.13, and who is
141 otherwise qualified for the position of a school guardian or
142 school security guard may be certified as a school guardian or
143 school security guard by the sheriff without completing the
144 training requirements of sub-subparagraph 2.b. However, a person
145 certified as a school guardian or school security guard under
146 this sub-subparagraph must meet the requirements of sub
147 subparagraphs 2.c.-e.
148 2. A sheriff who establishes a program shall consult with
149 the Department of Law Enforcement on programmatic guiding
150 principles, practices, and resources, and shall certify as
151 school guardians, without the power of arrest, school employees,
152 as specified in s. 1006.12(3), or shall certify as school
153 security guards those persons employed by a security agency who
154 meet the criteria specified in s. 1006.12(4), and who:
155 a. Hold a valid license issued under s. 790.06 or are
156 otherwise eligible to possess or carry a concealed firearm under
157 chapter 790.
158 b. After satisfying the requirements of s. 1006.12(7),
159 complete a 144-hour training program, consisting of 12 hours of
160 training to improve the school guardian’s knowledge and skills
161 necessary to respond to and de-escalate incidents on school
162 premises and 132 total hours of comprehensive firearm safety and
163 proficiency training conducted by Criminal Justice Standards and
164 Training Commission-certified instructors, which must include:
165 (I) Eighty hours of firearms instruction based on the
166 Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission’s Law
167 Enforcement Academy training model, which must include at least
168 10 percent but no more than 20 percent more rounds fired than
169 associated with academy training. Program participants must
170 achieve an 85 percent pass rate on the firearms training.
171 (II) Sixteen hours of instruction in precision pistol.
172 (III) Eight hours of discretionary shooting instruction
173 using state-of-the-art simulator exercises.
174 (IV) Sixteen hours of instruction in active shooter or
175 assailant scenarios.
176 (V) Eight hours of instruction in defensive tactics.
177 (VI) Four hours of instruction in legal issues.
178 c. Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a
179 psychologist licensed under chapter 490 and designated by the
180 Department of Law Enforcement and submit the results of the
181 evaluation to the sheriff’s office. The Department of Law
182 Enforcement is authorized to provide the sheriff’s office with
183 mental health and substance abuse data for compliance with this
184 paragraph.
185 d. Submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent
186 random drug tests in accordance with the requirements of s.
187 112.0455 and the sheriff’s office.
188 e. Successfully complete ongoing training, weapon
189 inspection, and firearm qualification on at least an annual
190 basis.
191
192 The sheriff who conducts the guardian training or waives the
193 training requirements for a person under sub-subparagraph 1.g.
194 shall issue a school guardian certificate to persons who meet
195 the requirements of this section to the satisfaction of the
196 sheriff, and shall maintain documentation of weapon and
197 equipment inspections, as well as the training, certification,
198 inspection, and qualification records of each school guardian
199 certified by the sheriff. A person who is certified under this
200 paragraph may serve as a school guardian under s. 1006.12(3)
201 only if he or she is appointed by the applicable school district
202 superintendent, charter school principal, or private school head
203 of school. A sheriff who conducts the training for a school
204 security guard or waives the training requirements for a person
205 under sub-subparagraph 1.g. and determines that the school
206 security guard has met all the requirements of s. 1006.12(4)
207 shall issue a school security guard certificate to persons who
208 meet the requirements of this section to the satisfaction of the
209 sheriff and shall maintain documentation of weapon and equipment
210 inspections, training, certification, and qualification records
211 for each school security guard certified by the sheriff.
212 3.a.(I) Within 30 days after issuing a school guardian or
213 school security guard certificate, the sheriff who issued the
214 certificate must report to the Department of Law Enforcement the
215 name, date of birth, and certification date of the school
216 guardian or school security guard.
217 (II) By September 1, 2024, each sheriff who issued a school
218 guardian certificate must report to the Department of Law
219 Enforcement the name, date of birth, and certification date of
220 each school guardian who received a certificate from the
221 sheriff.
222 b.(I) By February 1 and September 1 of each school year,
223 each school district, charter school, employing security agency,
224 and private school must report in the manner prescribed to the
225 Department of Law Enforcement the name, date of birth, and
226 appointment date of each person appointed as a school guardian
227 or employed as a school security guard. The school district,
228 charter school, employing security agency, and private school
229 must also report in the manner prescribed to the Department of
230 Law Enforcement the date each school guardian or school security
231 guard separates from his or her appointment as a school guardian
232 or employment as a school security guard in a school.
233 (II) By September 1, 2024, each school district, charter
234 school, and private school must report to the Department of Law
235 Enforcement the name, date of birth, and initial and end-of
236 appointment dates, as applicable, of each person appointed as a
237 school guardian.
238 c. The Department of Law Enforcement shall maintain a list
239 of each person appointed as a school guardian or certified as a
240 school security guard in the state. The list must include the
241 name and certification date of each school guardian and school
242 security guard and the date the person was appointed as a school
243 guardian or certified as a school security guard, including the
244 name of the school district, charter school, or private school
245 in which the school guardian is appointed, or the employing
246 security agency of a school security guard, any information
247 provided pursuant to s. 1006.12(5), and, if applicable, the date
248 such person separated from his or her appointment as a school
249 guardian or the last date a school security guard served in a
250 school as of the last reporting date. The Department of Law
251 Enforcement shall remove from the list any person whose training
252 has expired pursuant to sub-subparagraph 1.d.
253 d. Each sheriff shall must report on a quarterly basis to
254 the Department of Law Enforcement the schedule for upcoming
255 school guardian trainings, to include guardian trainings for
256 school security guards, including the dates of the training, the
257 training locations, a contact person to register for the
258 training, and the class capacity. If no trainings are scheduled,
259 the sheriff is not required to report to the Department of Law
260 Enforcement. The Department of Law Enforcement shall publish on
261 its website a list of the upcoming school guardian trainings.
262 The Department of Law Enforcement shall must update such list
263 quarterly.
264 e. A sheriff who fails to report the information required
265 by this subparagraph may not receive reimbursement from the
266 Department of Education for school guardian trainings. Upon the
267 submission of the required information, a sheriff is deemed
268 eligible for such funding and is authorized to continue to
269 receive reimbursement for school guardian training.
270 f. A school district, charter school, or private school, or
271 employing security agency that fails to report the information
272 required by this subparagraph is prohibited from operating may
273 not operate a school guardian program or employing school
274 security guards in for the following school year, unless the
275 missing school district, charter school, or private school has
276 submitted the required information is provided.
277 g. By March 1 and October 1 of each school year, the
278 Department of Law Enforcement shall notify the Department of
279 Education of any sheriff, school district, charter school, or
280 private school that has not complied with the reporting
281 requirements of this subparagraph.
282 h. The Department of Law Enforcement may adopt rules to
283 implement the requirements of this subparagraph, including
284 requiring additional reporting information only as necessary to
285 uniquely identify each school guardian and school security guard
286 reported.
287 Section 2. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of subsection (11)
288 and subsection (17) of section 1001.212, Florida Statutes, are
289 amended to read:
290 1001.212 Office of Safe Schools.—There is created in the
291 Department of Education the Office of Safe Schools. The office
292 is fully accountable to the Commissioner of Education. The
293 office shall serve as a central repository for best practices,
294 training standards, and compliance oversight in all matters
295 regarding school safety and security, including prevention
296 efforts, intervention efforts, and emergency preparedness
297 planning. The office shall:
298 (11) Develop a statewide behavioral threat management
299 operational process, a Florida-specific behavioral threat
300 assessment instrument, and a threat management portal.
301 (a)1. By December 1, 2023, The office shall maintain the
302 develop a statewide behavioral threat management operational
303 process to guide school districts, schools, charter school
304 governing boards, and charter schools through the threat
305 management process. The process must be designed to identify,
306 assess, manage, and monitor potential and real threats to
307 schools. This process must include, but is not limited to:
308 a. The establishment and duties of threat management teams.
309 b. Defining behavioral risks and threats.
310 c. The use of the Florida-specific behavioral threat
311 assessment instrument developed pursuant to paragraph (b) to
312 evaluate the behavior of students who may pose a threat to the
313 school, school staff, or other students and to coordinate
314 intervention and services for such students.
315 d. Upon the availability of the threat management portal
316 developed pursuant to paragraph (c), the use, authorized user
317 criteria, and access specifications of the portal.
318 e. Procedures for the implementation of interventions,
319 school support, and community services.
320 f. Guidelines for appropriate law enforcement intervention.
321 g. Procedures for risk management.
322 h. Procedures for disciplinary actions.
323 i. Mechanisms for continued monitoring of potential and
324 real threats.
325 j. Procedures for referrals to mental health services
326 identified by the school district or charter school governing
327 board pursuant to s. 1012.584(4).
328 k. Procedures and requirements necessary for the creation
329 of a threat assessment report, all corresponding documentation,
330 and any other information required by the Florida-specific
331 behavioral threat assessment instrument under paragraph (b).
332 2. Upon availability, Each school district, school, charter
333 school governing board, and charter school shall must use the
334 statewide behavioral threat management operational process.
335 3. The office shall provide training to all school
336 districts, schools, charter school governing boards, and charter
337 schools on the statewide behavioral threat management
338 operational process.
339 4. The office shall coordinate the ongoing development,
340 implementation, and operation of the statewide behavioral threat
341 management operational process.
342 (b)1. By August 1, 2023, The office shall maintain the
343 develop a Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
344 instrument for school districts, schools, charter school
345 governing boards, and charter schools to use to evaluate the
346 behavior of students who may pose a threat to the school, school
347 staff, or students and to coordinate intervention and services
348 for such students. The Florida-specific behavioral threat
349 assessment instrument must include, but is not limited to:
350 a. An assessment of the threat, which includes an
351 assessment of the student, family, and school and social
352 dynamics.
353 b. An evaluation to determine whether a threat exists and
354 if so, the type of threat.
355 c. The response to a threat, which includes the school
356 response, the role of law enforcement agencies in the response,
357 and the response by mental health providers.
358 d. Ongoing monitoring to assess implementation of threat
359 management and safety strategies.
360 e. Ongoing monitoring to evaluate interventions and support
361 provided to the students.
362 f. A standardized threat assessment report, which must
363 include, but need not be limited to, all documentation
364 associated with the evaluation, intervention, management, and
365 any ongoing monitoring of the threat.
366 2. A report, all corresponding documentation, and any other
367 information required by the instrument in the threat management
368 portal under paragraph (c) is an education record and may not be
369 retained, maintained, or transferred, except in accordance with
370 State Board of Education rule.
371 3. Upon availability, Each school district, school, charter
372 school governing board, and charter school shall must use the
373 Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument.
374 4. The office shall provide training for members of threat
375 management teams established under s. 1006.07(7) and for all
376 school districts and charter school governing boards regarding
377 the use of the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
378 instrument.
379 (c)1. By August 1, 2025, the office shall develop, host,
380 maintain, and administer a threat management portal that will
381 digitize the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
382 instrument for use by each school district, school, charter
383 school governing board, and charter school. The portal will also
384 facilitate the electronic threat assessment reporting and
385 documentation as required by the Florida-specific behavioral
386 threat assessment instrument to evaluate the behavior of
387 students who may pose a threat to the school, school staff, or
388 students and to coordinate intervention and services for such
389 students. The portal may not provide the office with access to
390 the portal unless authorized in accordance with State Board of
391 Education rule. The portal must include, but need not be limited
392 to, the following functionalities:
393 a. Workflow processes that align with the statewide
394 behavioral threat management operational process.
395 b. Direct data entry and file uploading as required by the
396 Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument.
397 c. The ability to create a threat assessment report as
398 required by the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
399 instrument.
400 d. The ability of authorized personnel to add to or update
401 a threat assessment report, all corresponding documentation, or
402 any other information required by the Florida-specific
403 behavioral threat assessment instrument.
404 e. The ability to create and remove connections between
405 education records in the portal and authorized personnel.
406 f. The ability to grant access to and securely transfer any
407 education records in the portal to other schools or charter
408 schools in the district.
409 g. The ability to grant access to and securely transfer any
410 education records in the portal to schools and charter schools
411 not in the originating district.
412 h. The ability to retain, maintain, and transfer education
413 records in the portal in accordance with State Board of
414 Education rule.
415 i. The ability to restrict access to, entry of,
416 modification of, and transfer of education records in the portal
417 to a school district, school, charter school governing board, or
418 charter school and authorized personnel as specified by the
419 statewide behavioral threat management operational process.
420 j. The ability to designate school district or charter
421 school governing board system administrators who may grant
422 access to authorized school district and charter school
423 governing board personnel and school and charter school system
424 administrators.
425 k. The ability to designate school or charter school system
426 administrators who may grant access to authorized school or
427 charter school personnel.
428 l. The ability to notify the office’s system administrators
429 and school district or charter school governing board system
430 administrators of attempts to access any education records by
431 unauthorized personnel.
432 2. Upon availability, each school district, school, charter
433 school governing board, and charter school shall use the portal.
434 3. A threat assessment report, including, but not limited
435 to, all corresponding documentation, and any other information
436 required by the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
437 instrument which is maintained in the portal, is an education
438 record and may not be retained, maintained, or transferred,
439 except in accordance with State Board of Education rule.
440 4. The office and the office system administrators may not
441 have access to a threat assessment report, all corresponding
442 documentation, and any other information required by the
443 Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument which
444 is maintained in the portal, except in accordance with State
445 Board of Education rule.
446 5. A school district or charter school governing board may
447 not have access to the education records in the portal, except
448 in accordance with State Board of Education rule.
449 6. The parent of a student may access his or her student’s
450 education records in the portal in accordance with State Board
451 of Education rule, but may not have access to the portal.
452 7. The office shall develop and implement a quarterly
453 portal access review audit process.
454 8. Upon availability, each school district, school, charter
455 school governing board, and charter school shall comply with the
456 quarterly portal access review audit process developed by the
457 office.
458 9. By August 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the office
459 shall provide role-based training to all authorized school
460 district, school, charter school governing board, and charter
461 school personnel.
462 10. Any individual who accesses, uses, or releases any
463 education record contained in the portal for a purpose not
464 specifically authorized by law commits a noncriminal infraction,
465 punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,000.
466 (17) Convene a workgroup of stakeholders, including, but
467 not limited to, postsecondary institutions, law enforcement,
468 fire and EMS, emergency management, school facilities staff,
469 school safety specialists, school administrators,
470 superintendents, school-based mental health professionals, and
471 threat management practitioners. The workgroup shall make
472 recommendations for the establishment of a Florida Institute of
473 School Safey, including programs and functions to enhance school
474 safety. The workgroup shall submit the findings and
475 recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
476 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than
477 January 1, 2026 By December 1, 2024, evaluate the methodology
478 for the safe schools allocation in s. 1011.62(12) and, if
479 necessary, make recommendations for an alternate methodology to
480 distribute the remaining balance of the safe schools allocation
481 as indicated in s. 1011.62(12).
482 Section 3. Paragraph (f) of subsection (6) of section
483 1006.07, Florida Statutes, is amended, paragraph (h) is added to
484 that subsection, and paragraphs (f) and (g) are added to
485 subsection (4) of that section, to read:
486 1006.07 District school board duties relating to student
487 discipline and school safety.—The district school board shall
488 provide for the proper accounting for all students, for the
489 attendance and control of students at school, and for proper
490 attention to health, safety, and other matters relating to the
491 welfare of students, including:
492 (4) EMERGENCY DRILLS; EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.—
493 (f) The Department of Education shall establish a
494 centralized system to integrate all panic alert systems and
495 digital school maps used by public schools, charter schools, and
496 other educational institutions. The system must:
497 1. Receive and process alerts from department-approved
498 panic alert systems.
499 2. Integrate digital maps to provide real-time situational
500 awareness to law enforcement and emergency responders.
501 3. Store and provide access to historical alert data for
502 authorized state agencies.
503 (g) Each public and charter school shall connect its panic
504 alert system to the centralized system. Panic alert systems must
505 be interoperable with the centralized system to ensure seamless
506 communication with law enforcement and emergency responders.
507 Digital maps required under s. 1013.13 must also be integrated
508 into the system to support emergency response.
509 (6) SAFETY AND SECURITY BEST PRACTICES.—Each district
510 school superintendent shall establish policies and procedures
511 for the prevention of violence on school grounds, including the
512 assessment of and intervention with individuals whose behavior
513 poses a threat to the safety of the school community.
514 (f) School safety requirements.—By August 1, 2024, Each
515 school district and charter school governing board shall comply
516 with the following school safety requirements:
517 1. All gates or other access points that restrict ingress
518 to or egress from the exclusive zone of a school campus shall
519 remain closed and locked during school supervision hours. For
520 the purposes of this section, the term “exclusive zone” means
521 the area within a gate or door allowing access to the interior
522 perimeter of a school campus beyond a single point of entry. The
523 term “school supervision hours” means the hours of the school
524 day plus the reasonable time immediately before and after school
525 during which student supervision is available per school
526 district policy when students are on campus. A gate or other
527 campus access point to the exclusive zone may only not be open
528 or unlocked during school supervision hours if one of the
529 following conditions is met, regardless of whether it is during
530 normal school hours, unless:
531 a. It is attended or actively staffed by a person when
532 students are on campus;
533 b. The use complies is in accordance with a shared use
534 agreement pursuant to s. 1013.101;
535 c. Another closed and locked gate or access point separates
536 the open or unlocked gate from areas occupied by students; or
537 d.c. The school safety specialist, or his or her designee,
538 has documented in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
539 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the gate or
540 other access point is not subject to this requirement based upon
541 other safety measures at the school. The office may conduct a
542 compliance visit pursuant to s. 1001.212(14) to review if such
543 determination is appropriate.
544
545 This subparagraph does not apply to the nonexclusive zone of a
546 school campus. The term “nonexclusive zone” means the area
547 outside of the exclusive zone but contained on school property.
548 Nonexclusive zones may include, but are not limited to, such
549 spaces as parking lots, athletic fields and stadiums, mechanical
550 buildings, playgrounds, bus ramps, agricultural spaces, and
551 other areas that do not give direct, unimpeded access to the
552 exclusive zone.
553 2.a. During school supervision hours, all school classrooms
554 and other instructional spaces must be locked to prevent ingress
555 when occupied by students, except between class periods when
556 students are moving between classrooms or other instructional
557 spaces. If a classroom or other instructional space door must be
558 left unlocked or open for any other reason other than between
559 class periods when students are moving between classrooms or
560 other instructional spaces, the door must be actively staffed by
561 a person standing or seated at the door.
562 b. Instructional spaces for career and technical education
563 which are designed as open areas for which compliance with the
564 requirements of sub-subparagraph a. affects the health and
565 safety of students may be exempted from compliance with that
566 sub-subparagraph by the school safety specialist. For such a
567 space to be exempt, the school safety specialist, or his or her
568 designee, must document in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment
569 Tool portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the
570 instructional space is exempt from these requirements due to
571 negative impacts to student health and safety and the presence
572 of other safety measures at the school which prevent egress from
573 the instructional space to hallways or other classrooms or
574 instructional spaces.
575 c. Common areas on a school campus, including, but not
576 limited to, cafeterias, auditoriums, and media centers, which
577 are used for instructional time or student testing must meet the
578 requirements of sub-subparagraph a. only when such areas are
579 being used for instructional time or student testing.
580 3. For schools that do not have a secure exclusive zone,
581 all campus access doors, gates, and other access points that
582 allow ingress to or egress from a school building shall remain
583 closed and locked during school supervision hours at all times
584 to prevent unauthorized access, except when:
585 a. ingress, unless A person is actively entering or exiting
586 the door, gate, or other access point;
587 b. The door, gate, or access point is actively staffed by
588 school personnel to prevent unauthorized entry; or
589 c. The school safety specialist, or his or her designee,
590 has documented in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
591 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the open
592 and unlocked door, gate, or other access point is not subject to
593 this requirement based upon other safety measures at the school.
594 The office may conduct a compliance visit pursuant to s.
595 1001.212(14) to review if such determination is appropriate. All
596 campus access doors, gates, and other access points may be
597 electronically or manually controlled by school personnel to
598 allow access by authorized visitors, students, and school
599 personnel.
600 4. All school classrooms and other instructional spaces
601 must clearly and conspicuously mark the safest areas in each
602 classroom or other instructional space where students must
603 shelter in place during an emergency. Students must be notified
604 of these safe areas within the first 10 days of the school year.
605 If it is not feasible to clearly and conspicuously mark the
606 safest areas in a classroom or other instructional space, the
607 school safety specialist, or his or her designee, must document
608 such determination in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
609 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools, identifying
610 where affected students must shelter in place. The office shall
611 assist the school safety specialist with compliance during the
612 inspection required under s. 1001.212(14).
613
614 Persons who are aware of a violation of this paragraph must
615 report the violation to the school principal. The school
616 principal must report the violation to the school safety
617 specialist no later than the next business day after receiving
618 such report. If the person who violated this paragraph is the
619 school principal or charter school administrator, the report
620 must be made directly to the district school superintendent or
621 charter school governing board, as applicable.
622 (h) Provision of school safety protocols and policies.—Each
623 substitute teacher must be provided with all school safety
624 protocols and policies before beginning his or her first day of
625 substitute teaching at a school.
626 Section 4. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the sum of
627 $450,000 in recurring funds from the General Revenue Fund is
628 appropriated to the Department of Education to implement the
629 requirements under s. 1006.07(4)(f) and (g), Florida Statutes,
630 as amended by this act.
631 Section 5. Subsections (4) and (5) of section 1006.12,
632 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
633 1006.12 Safe-school officers at each public school.—For the
634 protection and safety of school personnel, property, students,
635 and visitors, each district school board and school district
636 superintendent shall partner with law enforcement agencies or
637 security agencies to establish or assign one or more safe-school
638 officers at each school facility within the district, including
639 charter schools. A district school board shall must collaborate
640 with charter school governing boards to facilitate charter
641 school access to all safe-school officer options available under
642 this section. The school district may implement any combination
643 of the options in subsections (1)-(4) to best meet the needs of
644 the school district and charter schools.
645 (4) SCHOOL SECURITY GUARD.—A school district, or charter
646 school governing board, or private school, as authorized under
647 s. 1002.42(20), may contract with a security agency as defined
648 in s. 493.6101(18) to employ as a school security guard an
649 individual who holds a Class “D” and Class “G” license pursuant
650 to chapter 493, provided the following training and contractual
651 conditions are met:
652 (a) An individual who serves as a school security guard,
653 for purposes of satisfying the requirements of this section,
654 must:
655 1. Demonstrate completion of 144 hours of required training
656 conducted by a sheriff pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.
657 2. Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a
658 psychologist licensed under chapter 490 and designated by the
659 Department of Law Enforcement and submit the results of the
660 evaluation to the sheriff’s office and, school district, or
661 charter school governing board, private school, or employing
662 security agency as applicable. The Department of Law Enforcement
663 is authorized to provide the sheriff’s office, school district,
664 or charter school governing board, private school, or employing
665 security agency with mental health and substance abuse data for
666 compliance with this paragraph.
667 3. Submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent
668 random drug tests in accordance with the requirements of s.
669 112.0455 and the sheriff’s office, school district, or charter
670 school governing board, private school, or employing security
671 agency, as applicable.
672 4. Be approved to work as a school security guard by the
673 sheriff of each county in which the school security guard will
674 be assigned to a school before commencing work at any school in
675 that county. The sheriff’s approval authorizes the security
676 agency to assign the school security guard to any school in the
677 county, and the sheriff’s approval is not limited to any
678 particular school.
679 5. Successfully complete ongoing training, weapon
680 inspection, and firearm qualification conducted by a sheriff
681 pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.e. on at least an annual basis and
682 provide documentation to the sheriff’s office, school district,
683 or charter school governing board, private school, or employing
684 security agency as applicable.
685 (b) The contract between a security agency and a school
686 district, private school, or a charter school governing board
687 regarding requirements applicable to school security guards
688 serving in the capacity of a safe-school officer for purposes of
689 satisfying the requirements of this section must shall define
690 the entity or entities responsible for training and the
691 responsibilities for maintaining records relating to training,
692 inspection, and firearm qualification.
693 (c) School security guards serving in the capacity of a
694 safe-school officer pursuant to this subsection are in support
695 of school-sanctioned activities for purposes of s. 790.115, and
696 must aid in the prevention or abatement of active assailant
697 incidents on school premises.
698 (d) The Office of Safe Schools shall provide the Department
699 of Law Enforcement any information related to a school security
700 guard that it receives pursuant to subsection (5).
701 (5) Notification.—The district school superintendent or
702 charter school administrator, private school administrator, or a
703 respective designee, shall notify the county sheriff and the
704 Office of Safe Schools immediately after, but no later than 72
705 hours after:
706 (a) A safe-school officer is dismissed for misconduct or is
707 otherwise disciplined.
708 (b) A safe-school officer discharges his or her firearm in
709 the exercise of the safe-school officer’s duties, other than for
710 training purposes.
711
712 If a district school board, through its adopted policies,
713 procedures, or actions, denies a charter school access to any
714 safe-school officer options pursuant to this section, the school
715 district must assign a school resource officer or school safety
716 officer to the charter school. Under such circumstances, the
717 charter school’s share of the costs of the school resource
718 officer or school safety officer may not exceed the safe school
719 allocation funds provided to the charter school pursuant to s.
720 1011.62(12) and shall be retained by the school district.
721 Section 6. Subsection (2) of section 1006.121, Florida
722 Statutes, is amended to read:
723 1006.121 Florida Safe Schools Canine Program.—
724 (2) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term “firearm
725 detection canine” means any canine that is owned or the service
726 of which is employed by a law enforcement agency or school
727 district for use by a sworn law enforcement officer in K-12
728 schools for the primary purpose of aiding in the detection of
729 firearms and ammunition.
730 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.