CS for SB 1470 First Engrossed
20251470e1
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, in cooperation with the
31 Department of Management Services, to identify a
32 centralized system for use by all public safety
33 answering point infrastructure; providing requirements
34 for the system; requiring each public and charter
35 school to confirm with the Department of Education
36 that the school’s respective panic alert system is
37 connected to the centralized system; requiring that
38 panic alert systems be integrated with the centralized
39 system; requiring that certain digital maps be
40 integrated with the centralized system; revising
41 school safety requirements that must be followed by a
42 school district or charter school governing board;
43 defining the terms “exclusive zone,” “school
44 supervision hours,” and “nonexclusive zone”; providing
45 certain exceptions to the safety requirements;
46 providing applicability; providing an exemption for
47 certain instructional spaces; specifying requirements
48 for common areas; requiring substitute teachers to be
49 provided all school safety protocols and policies;
50 providing an appropriation; amending s. 1006.12, F.S.;
51 requiring that a person who serves as a school
52 security guard be approved by the sheriff; providing
53 that the sheriff’s approval authorizes the school
54 security guard to work at any school in the county;
55 requiring the Office of Safe Schools to provide to the
56 Department of Law Enforcement certain information
57 relating to a school security guard; amending s.
58 1006.121, F.S.; revising the definition of the term
59 “firearm detection canine”; providing an effective
60 date.
61
62 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
63
64 Section 1. Paragraph (k) of subsection (1) of section
65 30.15, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
66 30.15 Powers, duties, and obligations.—
67 (1) Sheriffs, in their respective counties, in person or by
68 deputy, shall:
69 (k) Assist district school boards and charter school
70 governing boards in complying with, or private schools in
71 exercising options in, s. 1006.12. A sheriff shall must, at a
72 minimum, provide access to a Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and
73 Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program to aid in the prevention or
74 abatement of active assailant incidents on school premises, as
75 required under this paragraph. Persons certified as school
76 guardians pursuant to this paragraph have no authority to act in
77 any law enforcement capacity except to the extent necessary to
78 prevent or abate an active assailant incident.
79 1.a. If a local school board has voted by a majority to
80 implement a guardian program or has contracted for the use of
81 school security guards to satisfy the requirements of s.
82 1006.12, the sheriff in that county must shall establish a
83 guardian program to provide training for school guardians or
84 school security guards, pursuant to subparagraph 2., to school
85 district, charter school, or private school, or security agency
86 employees, either directly or through a contract with another
87 sheriff’s office that has established a guardian program.
88 b. A charter school governing board in a school district
89 that has not voted, or has declined, to implement a guardian
90 program may request the sheriff in the county to establish a
91 guardian program for the purpose of training the charter school
92 employees or school security guards consistent with the
93 requirements of subparagraph 2. If the county sheriff denies the
94 request, the charter school governing board may contract with a
95 sheriff that has established a guardian program to provide such
96 training. The charter school governing board must notify the
97 superintendent and the sheriff in the charter school’s county of
98 the contract prior to its execution. The security agency
99 employing a school security guard is responsible for all
100 training and screening-related costs for a school security
101 guard, but such charges may not exceed the actual cost incurred
102 by the sheriff to provide the training.
103 c. A private school in a school district that has not
104 voted, or has declined, to implement a guardian program may
105 request that the sheriff in the county of the private school
106 establish a guardian program for the purpose of training private
107 school employees or school security guards. If the county
108 sheriff denies the request, the private school may contract with
109 a sheriff from another county who has established a guardian
110 program under subparagraph 2. to provide such training. The
111 private school must notify the sheriff in the private school’s
112 county of the contract with a sheriff from another county before
113 its execution. The private school or security agency is
114 responsible for all training and screening-related costs for a
115 school guardian program. The sheriff providing such training
116 must ensure that any moneys paid by a private school or security
117 agency are not commingled with any funds provided by the state
118 to the sheriff as reimbursement for screening-related and
119 training-related costs of any school district or charter school
120 employee.
121 d. The training program required in sub-subparagraph 2.b.
122 is a standardized statewide curriculum, and each sheriff
123 providing such training shall adhere to the course of
124 instruction specified in that sub-subparagraph. This
125 subparagraph does not prohibit a sheriff from providing
126 additional training. A school guardian or school security guard
127 who has completed the training program required in sub
128 subparagraph 2.b. may not be required to attend another
129 sheriff’s training program pursuant to that sub-subparagraph
130 unless there has been at least a 1-year break in his or her
131 appointment as a guardian or employment by a security agency as
132 a school security guard in a school.
133 e. The sheriff conducting the training pursuant to
134 subparagraph 2. for school district and charter school employees
135 will be reimbursed for screening-related and training-related
136 costs and for providing a one-time stipend of $500 to each
137 school guardian who participates in the school guardian program.
138 f. The sheriff may waive the training and screening-related
139 costs for a private school for a school guardian program. Funds
140 provided pursuant to sub-subparagraph e. may not be used to
141 subsidize any costs that have been waived by the sheriff. The
142 sheriff may not waive the training and screening-related costs
143 required to be paid by a security agency for initial training or
144 ongoing training of a school security guard.
145 g. A person who is certified and in good standing under the
146 Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, who
147 meets the qualifications established in s. 943.13, and who is
148 otherwise qualified for the position of a school guardian or
149 school security guard may be certified as a school guardian or
150 school security guard by the sheriff without completing the
151 training requirements of sub-subparagraph 2.b. However, a person
152 certified as a school guardian or school security guard under
153 this sub-subparagraph must meet the requirements of sub
154 subparagraphs 2.c.-e.
155 2. A sheriff who establishes a program shall consult with
156 the Department of Law Enforcement on programmatic guiding
157 principles, practices, and resources, and shall certify as
158 school guardians, without the power of arrest, school employees,
159 as specified in s. 1006.12(3), or shall certify as school
160 security guards those persons employed by a security agency who
161 meet the criteria specified in s. 1006.12(4), and who:
162 a. Hold a valid license issued under s. 790.06 or are
163 otherwise eligible to possess or carry a concealed firearm under
164 chapter 790.
165 b. After satisfying the requirements of s. 1006.12(7),
166 complete a 144-hour training program, consisting of 12 hours of
167 training to improve the school guardian’s knowledge and skills
168 necessary to respond to and de-escalate incidents on school
169 premises and 132 total hours of comprehensive firearm safety and
170 proficiency training conducted by Criminal Justice Standards and
171 Training Commission-certified instructors, which must include:
172 (I) Eighty hours of firearms instruction based on the
173 Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission’s Law
174 Enforcement Academy training model, which must include at least
175 10 percent but no more than 20 percent more rounds fired than
176 associated with academy training. Program participants must
177 achieve an 85 percent pass rate on the firearms training.
178 (II) Sixteen hours of instruction in precision pistol.
179 (III) Eight hours of discretionary shooting instruction
180 using state-of-the-art simulator exercises.
181 (IV) Sixteen hours of instruction in active shooter or
182 assailant scenarios.
183 (V) Eight hours of instruction in defensive tactics.
184 (VI) Four hours of instruction in legal issues.
185 c. Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a
186 psychologist licensed under chapter 490 and designated by the
187 Department of Law Enforcement and submit the results of the
188 evaluation to the sheriff’s office. The Department of Law
189 Enforcement is authorized to provide the sheriff’s office with
190 mental health and substance abuse data for compliance with this
191 paragraph.
192 d. Submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent
193 random drug tests in accordance with the requirements of s.
194 112.0455 and the sheriff’s office.
195 e. Successfully complete ongoing training, weapon
196 inspection, and firearm qualification on at least an annual
197 basis.
198
199 The sheriff who conducts the guardian training or waives the
200 training requirements for a person under sub-subparagraph 1.g.
201 shall issue a school guardian certificate to persons who meet
202 the requirements of this section to the satisfaction of the
203 sheriff, and shall maintain documentation of weapon and
204 equipment inspections, as well as the training, certification,
205 inspection, and qualification records of each school guardian
206 certified by the sheriff. A person who is certified under this
207 paragraph may serve as a school guardian under s. 1006.12(3)
208 only if he or she is appointed by the applicable school district
209 superintendent, charter school principal, or private school head
210 of school. A sheriff who conducts the training for a school
211 security guard or waives the training requirements for a person
212 under sub-subparagraph 1.g. and determines that the school
213 security guard has met all the requirements of s. 1006.12(4)
214 shall issue a school security guard certificate to persons who
215 meet the requirements of this section to the satisfaction of the
216 sheriff and shall maintain documentation of weapon and equipment
217 inspections, training, certification, and qualification records
218 for each school security guard certified by the sheriff.
219 3.a.(I) Within 30 days after issuing a school guardian or
220 school security guard certificate, the sheriff who issued the
221 certificate must report to the Department of Law Enforcement the
222 name, date of birth, and certification date of the school
223 guardian or school security guard.
224 (II) By September 1, 2024, each sheriff who issued a school
225 guardian certificate must report to the Department of Law
226 Enforcement the name, date of birth, and certification date of
227 each school guardian who received a certificate from the
228 sheriff.
229 b.(I) By February 1 and September 1 of each school year,
230 each school district, charter school, employing security agency,
231 and private school must report in the manner prescribed to the
232 Department of Law Enforcement the name, date of birth, and
233 appointment date of each person appointed as a school guardian
234 or employed as a school security guard. The school district,
235 charter school, employing security agency, and private school
236 must also report in the manner prescribed to the Department of
237 Law Enforcement the date each school guardian or school security
238 guard separates from his or her appointment as a school guardian
239 or employment as a school security guard in a school.
240 (II) By September 1, 2024, each school district, charter
241 school, and private school must report to the Department of Law
242 Enforcement the name, date of birth, and initial and end-of
243 appointment dates, as applicable, of each person appointed as a
244 school guardian.
245 c. The Department of Law Enforcement shall maintain a list
246 of each person appointed as a school guardian or certified as a
247 school security guard in the state. The list must include the
248 name and certification date of each school guardian and school
249 security guard and the date the person was appointed as a school
250 guardian or certified as a school security guard, including the
251 name of the school district, charter school, or private school
252 in which the school guardian is appointed, or the employing
253 security agency of a school security guard, any information
254 provided pursuant to s. 1006.12(5), and, if applicable, the date
255 such person separated from his or her appointment as a school
256 guardian or the last date a school security guard served in a
257 school as of the last reporting date. The Department of Law
258 Enforcement shall remove from the list any person whose training
259 has expired pursuant to sub-subparagraph 1.d.
260 d. Each sheriff shall must report on a quarterly basis to
261 the Department of Law Enforcement the schedule for upcoming
262 school guardian trainings, to include guardian trainings for
263 school security guards, including the dates of the training, the
264 training locations, a contact person to register for the
265 training, and the class capacity. If no trainings are scheduled,
266 the sheriff is not required to report to the Department of Law
267 Enforcement. The Department of Law Enforcement shall publish on
268 its website a list of the upcoming school guardian trainings.
269 The Department of Law Enforcement shall must update such list
270 quarterly.
271 e. A sheriff who fails to report the information required
272 by this subparagraph may not receive reimbursement from the
273 Department of Education for school guardian trainings. Upon the
274 submission of the required information, a sheriff is deemed
275 eligible for such funding and is authorized to continue to
276 receive reimbursement for school guardian training.
277 f. A school district, charter school, or private school, or
278 employing security agency that fails to report the information
279 required by this subparagraph is prohibited from operating may
280 not operate a school guardian program or employing school
281 security guards in for the following school year, unless the
282 missing school district, charter school, or private school has
283 submitted the required information is provided.
284 g. By March 1 and October 1 of each school year, the
285 Department of Law Enforcement shall notify the Department of
286 Education of any sheriff, school district, charter school, or
287 private school that has not complied with the reporting
288 requirements of this subparagraph.
289 h. The Department of Law Enforcement may adopt rules to
290 implement the requirements of this subparagraph, including
291 requiring additional reporting information only as necessary to
292 uniquely identify each school guardian and school security guard
293 reported.
294 Section 2. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of subsection (11)
295 and subsection (17) of section 1001.212, Florida Statutes, are
296 amended to read:
297 1001.212 Office of Safe Schools.—There is created in the
298 Department of Education the Office of Safe Schools. The office
299 is fully accountable to the Commissioner of Education. The
300 office shall serve as a central repository for best practices,
301 training standards, and compliance oversight in all matters
302 regarding school safety and security, including prevention
303 efforts, intervention efforts, and emergency preparedness
304 planning. The office shall:
305 (11) Develop a statewide behavioral threat management
306 operational process, a Florida-specific behavioral threat
307 assessment instrument, and a threat management portal.
308 (a)1. By December 1, 2023, The office shall maintain the
309 develop a statewide behavioral threat management operational
310 process to guide school districts, schools, charter school
311 governing boards, and charter schools through the threat
312 management process. The process must be designed to identify,
313 assess, manage, and monitor potential and real threats to
314 schools. This process must include, but is not limited to:
315 a. The establishment and duties of threat management teams.
316 b. Defining behavioral risks and threats.
317 c. The use of the Florida-specific behavioral threat
318 assessment instrument developed pursuant to paragraph (b) to
319 evaluate the behavior of students who may pose a threat to the
320 school, school staff, or other students and to coordinate
321 intervention and services for such students.
322 d. Upon the availability of the threat management portal
323 developed pursuant to paragraph (c), the use, authorized user
324 criteria, and access specifications of the portal.
325 e. Procedures for the implementation of interventions,
326 school support, and community services.
327 f. Guidelines for appropriate law enforcement intervention.
328 g. Procedures for risk management.
329 h. Procedures for disciplinary actions.
330 i. Mechanisms for continued monitoring of potential and
331 real threats.
332 j. Procedures for referrals to mental health services
333 identified by the school district or charter school governing
334 board pursuant to s. 1012.584(4).
335 k. Procedures and requirements necessary for the creation
336 of a threat assessment report, all corresponding documentation,
337 and any other information required by the Florida-specific
338 behavioral threat assessment instrument under paragraph (b).
339 2. Upon availability, Each school district, school, charter
340 school governing board, and charter school shall must use the
341 statewide behavioral threat management operational process.
342 3. The office shall provide training to all school
343 districts, schools, charter school governing boards, and charter
344 schools on the statewide behavioral threat management
345 operational process.
346 4. The office shall coordinate the ongoing development,
347 implementation, and operation of the statewide behavioral threat
348 management operational process.
349 (b)1. By August 1, 2023, The office shall maintain the
350 develop a Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
351 instrument for school districts, schools, charter school
352 governing boards, and charter schools to use to evaluate the
353 behavior of students who may pose a threat to the school, school
354 staff, or students and to coordinate intervention and services
355 for such students. The Florida-specific behavioral threat
356 assessment instrument must include, but is not limited to:
357 a. An assessment of the threat, which includes an
358 assessment of the student, family, and school and social
359 dynamics.
360 b. An evaluation to determine whether a threat exists and
361 if so, the type of threat.
362 c. The response to a threat, which includes the school
363 response, the role of law enforcement agencies in the response,
364 and the response by mental health providers.
365 d. Ongoing monitoring to assess implementation of threat
366 management and safety strategies.
367 e. Ongoing monitoring to evaluate interventions and support
368 provided to the students.
369 f. A standardized threat assessment report, which must
370 include, but need not be limited to, all documentation
371 associated with the evaluation, intervention, management, and
372 any ongoing monitoring of the threat.
373 2. A report, all corresponding documentation, and any other
374 information required by the instrument in the threat management
375 portal under paragraph (c) is an education record and may not be
376 retained, maintained, or transferred, except in accordance with
377 State Board of Education rule.
378 3. Upon availability, Each school district, school, charter
379 school governing board, and charter school shall must use the
380 Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument.
381 4. The office shall provide training for members of threat
382 management teams established under s. 1006.07(7) and for all
383 school districts and charter school governing boards regarding
384 the use of the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
385 instrument.
386 (c)1. By August 1, 2025, the office shall develop, host,
387 maintain, and administer a threat management portal that will
388 digitize the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
389 instrument for use by each school district, school, charter
390 school governing board, and charter school. The portal will also
391 facilitate the electronic threat assessment reporting and
392 documentation as required by the Florida-specific behavioral
393 threat assessment instrument to evaluate the behavior of
394 students who may pose a threat to the school, school staff, or
395 students and to coordinate intervention and services for such
396 students. The portal may not provide the office with access to
397 the portal unless authorized in accordance with State Board of
398 Education rule. The portal must include, but need not be limited
399 to, the following functionalities:
400 a. Workflow processes that align with the statewide
401 behavioral threat management operational process.
402 b. Direct data entry and file uploading as required by the
403 Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument.
404 c. The ability to create a threat assessment report as
405 required by the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
406 instrument.
407 d. The ability of authorized personnel to add to or update
408 a threat assessment report, all corresponding documentation, or
409 any other information required by the Florida-specific
410 behavioral threat assessment instrument.
411 e. The ability to create and remove connections between
412 education records in the portal and authorized personnel.
413 f. The ability to grant access to and securely transfer any
414 education records in the portal to other schools or charter
415 schools in the district.
416 g. The ability to grant access to and securely transfer any
417 education records in the portal to schools and charter schools
418 not in the originating district.
419 h. The ability to retain, maintain, and transfer education
420 records in the portal in accordance with State Board of
421 Education rule.
422 i. The ability to restrict access to, entry of,
423 modification of, and transfer of education records in the portal
424 to a school district, school, charter school governing board, or
425 charter school and authorized personnel as specified by the
426 statewide behavioral threat management operational process.
427 j. The ability to designate school district or charter
428 school governing board system administrators who may grant
429 access to authorized school district and charter school
430 governing board personnel and school and charter school system
431 administrators.
432 k. The ability to designate school or charter school system
433 administrators who may grant access to authorized school or
434 charter school personnel.
435 l. The ability to notify the office’s system administrators
436 and school district or charter school governing board system
437 administrators of attempts to access any education records by
438 unauthorized personnel.
439 2. Upon availability, each school district, school, charter
440 school governing board, and charter school shall use the portal.
441 3. A threat assessment report, including, but not limited
442 to, all corresponding documentation, and any other information
443 required by the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
444 instrument which is maintained in the portal, is an education
445 record and may not be retained, maintained, or transferred,
446 except in accordance with State Board of Education rule.
447 4. The office and the office system administrators may not
448 have access to a threat assessment report, all corresponding
449 documentation, and any other information required by the
450 Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument which
451 is maintained in the portal, except in accordance with State
452 Board of Education rule.
453 5. A school district or charter school governing board may
454 not have access to the education records in the portal, except
455 in accordance with State Board of Education rule.
456 6. The parent of a student may access his or her student’s
457 education records in the portal in accordance with State Board
458 of Education rule, but may not have access to the portal.
459 7. The office shall develop and implement a quarterly
460 portal access review audit process.
461 8. Upon availability, each school district, school, charter
462 school governing board, and charter school shall comply with the
463 quarterly portal access review audit process developed by the
464 office.
465 9. By August 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the office
466 shall provide role-based training to all authorized school
467 district, school, charter school governing board, and charter
468 school personnel.
469 10. Any individual who accesses, uses, or releases any
470 education record contained in the portal for a purpose not
471 specifically authorized by law commits a noncriminal infraction,
472 punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,000.
473 (17) Convene a workgroup of stakeholders, including, but
474 not limited to, postsecondary institutions, law enforcement,
475 fire and EMS, emergency management, school facilities staff,
476 school safety specialists, school administrators,
477 superintendents, school-based mental health professionals, and
478 threat management practitioners. The workgroup shall make
479 recommendations for the establishment of a Florida Institute of
480 School Safey, including programs and functions to enhance school
481 safety. The workgroup shall submit the findings and
482 recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
483 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than
484 January 1, 2026 By December 1, 2024, evaluate the methodology
485 for the safe schools allocation in s. 1011.62(12) and, if
486 necessary, make recommendations for an alternate methodology to
487 distribute the remaining balance of the safe schools allocation
488 as indicated in s. 1011.62(12).
489 Section 3. Paragraph (f) of subsection (6) of section
490 1006.07, Florida Statutes, is amended, paragraph (h) is added to
491 that subsection, and paragraphs (f) and (g) are added to
492 subsection (4) of that section, to read:
493 1006.07 District school board duties relating to student
494 discipline and school safety.—The district school board shall
495 provide for the proper accounting for all students, for the
496 attendance and control of students at school, and for proper
497 attention to health, safety, and other matters relating to the
498 welfare of students, including:
499 (4) EMERGENCY DRILLS; EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.—
500 (f) The Department of Education, in cooperation with the
501 Department of Management Services, shall identify a centralized
502 system for use by all public safety answering point
503 infrastructure which can receive alerts from all panic alert
504 systems and integrate digital maps used by public schools,
505 charter schools, and other educational institutions. The
506 centralized system must:
507 1. Receive alerts, location information, and relevant data
508 from all department-approved panic alert systems.
509 2. Integrate and display digital school maps to provide
510 real-time situational awareness to law enforcement and emergency
511 responders.
512 3. Retain and provide access to historical alert data for
513 use by authorized state agencies.
514 (g) Each public school and charter school shall confirm
515 with the district school board that the school’s respective
516 panic alert system is connected to the centralized system. Panic
517 alert systems must be integrated with the centralized system to
518 ensure seamless notification of law enforcement and emergency
519 responders. Digital maps required under s. 1013.13 must also be
520 integrated with the centralized system to support emergency
521 response.
522 (6) SAFETY AND SECURITY BEST PRACTICES.—Each district
523 school superintendent shall establish policies and procedures
524 for the prevention of violence on school grounds, including the
525 assessment of and intervention with individuals whose behavior
526 poses a threat to the safety of the school community.
527 (f) School safety requirements.—By August 1, 2024, Each
528 school district and charter school governing board shall comply
529 with the following school safety requirements:
530 1. All gates or other access points that restrict ingress
531 to or egress from the exclusive zone of a school campus shall
532 remain closed and locked during school supervision hours. For
533 the purposes of this section, the term “exclusive zone” means
534 the area within a gate or door allowing access to the interior
535 perimeter of a school campus beyond a single point of entry. The
536 term “school supervision hours” means the hours of the school
537 day plus the reasonable time immediately before and after school
538 during which student supervision is available per school
539 district policy when students are on campus. A gate or other
540 campus access point to the exclusive zone may only not be open
541 or unlocked during school supervision hours if one of the
542 following conditions is met, regardless of whether it is during
543 normal school hours, unless:
544 a. It is attended or actively staffed by a person when
545 students are on campus;
546 b. The use complies is in accordance with a shared use
547 agreement pursuant to s. 1013.101;
548 c. Another closed and locked gate or access point separates
549 the open or unlocked gate from areas occupied by students; or
550 d.c. The school safety specialist, or his or her designee,
551 has documented in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
552 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the gate or
553 other access point is not subject to this requirement based upon
554 other safety measures at the school. The office may conduct a
555 compliance visit pursuant to s. 1001.212(14) to review if such
556 determination is appropriate.
557
558 This subparagraph does not apply to the nonexclusive zone of a
559 school campus. The term “nonexclusive zone” means the area
560 outside of the exclusive zone but contained on school property.
561 Nonexclusive zones may include, but are not limited to, such
562 spaces as parking lots, athletic fields and stadiums, mechanical
563 buildings, playgrounds, bus ramps, agricultural spaces, and
564 other areas that do not give direct, unimpeded access to the
565 exclusive zone.
566 2.a. During school supervision hours, all school classrooms
567 and other instructional spaces must be locked to prevent ingress
568 when occupied by students, except between class periods when
569 students are moving between classrooms or other instructional
570 spaces. If a classroom or other instructional space door must be
571 left unlocked or open for any other reason other than between
572 class periods when students are moving between classrooms or
573 other instructional spaces, the door must be actively staffed by
574 a person standing or seated at the door.
575 b. Instructional spaces for career and technical education
576 which are designed as open areas for which compliance with the
577 requirements of sub-subparagraph a. affects the health and
578 safety of students may be exempted from compliance with that
579 sub-subparagraph by the school safety specialist. For such a
580 space to be exempt, the school safety specialist, or his or her
581 designee, must document in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment
582 Tool portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the
583 instructional space is exempt from these requirements due to
584 negative impacts to student health and safety and the presence
585 of other safety measures at the school which prevent egress from
586 the instructional space to hallways or other classrooms or
587 instructional spaces.
588 c. Common areas on a school campus, including, but not
589 limited to, cafeterias, auditoriums, and media centers, which
590 are used for instructional time or student testing must meet the
591 requirements of sub-subparagraph a. only when such areas are
592 being used for instructional time or student testing.
593 3. For schools that do not have a secure exclusive zone,
594 all campus access doors, gates, and other access points that
595 allow ingress to or egress from a school building shall remain
596 closed and locked during school supervision hours at all times
597 to prevent unauthorized access, except when:
598 a. ingress, unless A person is actively entering or exiting
599 the door, gate, or other access point;
600 b. The door, gate, or access point is actively staffed by
601 school personnel to prevent unauthorized entry; or
602 c. The school safety specialist, or his or her designee,
603 has documented in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
604 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the open
605 and unlocked door, gate, or other access point is not subject to
606 this requirement based upon other safety measures at the school.
607 The office may conduct a compliance visit pursuant to s.
608 1001.212(14) to review if such determination is appropriate. All
609 campus access doors, gates, and other access points may be
610 electronically or manually controlled by school personnel to
611 allow access by authorized visitors, students, and school
612 personnel.
613 4. All school classrooms and other instructional spaces
614 must clearly and conspicuously mark the safest areas in each
615 classroom or other instructional space where students must
616 shelter in place during an emergency. Students must be notified
617 of these safe areas within the first 10 days of the school year.
618 If it is not feasible to clearly and conspicuously mark the
619 safest areas in a classroom or other instructional space, the
620 school safety specialist, or his or her designee, must document
621 such determination in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
622 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools, identifying
623 where affected students must shelter in place. The office shall
624 assist the school safety specialist with compliance during the
625 inspection required under s. 1001.212(14).
626
627 Persons who are aware of a violation of this paragraph must
628 report the violation to the school principal. The school
629 principal must report the violation to the school safety
630 specialist no later than the next business day after receiving
631 such report. If the person who violated this paragraph is the
632 school principal or charter school administrator, the report
633 must be made directly to the district school superintendent or
634 charter school governing board, as applicable.
635 (h) Provision of school safety protocols and policies.—Each
636 substitute teacher must be provided with all school safety
637 protocols and policies before beginning his or her first day of
638 substitute teaching at a school.
639 Section 4. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the sum of
640 $450,000 in recurring funds from the General Revenue Fund is
641 appropriated to the Department of Education to implement the
642 requirements under s. 1006.07(4)(f) and (g), Florida Statutes,
643 as amended by this act.
644 Section 5. Subsections (4) and (5) of section 1006.12,
645 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
646 1006.12 Safe-school officers at each public school.—For the
647 protection and safety of school personnel, property, students,
648 and visitors, each district school board and school district
649 superintendent shall partner with law enforcement agencies or
650 security agencies to establish or assign one or more safe-school
651 officers at each school facility within the district, including
652 charter schools. A district school board shall must collaborate
653 with charter school governing boards to facilitate charter
654 school access to all safe-school officer options available under
655 this section. The school district may implement any combination
656 of the options in subsections (1)-(4) to best meet the needs of
657 the school district and charter schools.
658 (4) SCHOOL SECURITY GUARD.—A school district, or charter
659 school governing board, or private school, as authorized under
660 s. 1002.42(20), may contract with a security agency as defined
661 in s. 493.6101(18) to employ as a school security guard an
662 individual who holds a Class “D” and Class “G” license pursuant
663 to chapter 493, provided the following training and contractual
664 conditions are met:
665 (a) An individual who serves as a school security guard,
666 for purposes of satisfying the requirements of this section,
667 must:
668 1. Demonstrate completion of 144 hours of required training
669 conducted by a sheriff pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.
670 2. Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a
671 psychologist licensed under chapter 490 and designated by the
672 Department of Law Enforcement and submit the results of the
673 evaluation to the sheriff’s office and, school district, or
674 charter school governing board, private school, or employing
675 security agency as applicable. The Department of Law Enforcement
676 is authorized to provide the sheriff’s office, school district,
677 or charter school governing board, private school, or employing
678 security agency with mental health and substance abuse data for
679 compliance with this paragraph.
680 3. Submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent
681 random drug tests in accordance with the requirements of s.
682 112.0455 and the sheriff’s office, school district, or charter
683 school governing board, private school, or employing security
684 agency, as applicable.
685 4. Be approved to work as a school security guard by the
686 sheriff of each county in which the school security guard will
687 be assigned to a school before commencing work at any school in
688 that county. The sheriff’s approval authorizes the security
689 agency to assign the school security guard to any school in the
690 county, and the sheriff’s approval is not limited to any
691 particular school.
692 5. Successfully complete ongoing training, weapon
693 inspection, and firearm qualification conducted by a sheriff
694 pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.e. on at least an annual basis and
695 provide documentation to the sheriff’s office, school district,
696 or charter school governing board, private school, or employing
697 security agency as applicable.
698 (b) The contract between a security agency and a school
699 district, private school, or a charter school governing board
700 regarding requirements applicable to school security guards
701 serving in the capacity of a safe-school officer for purposes of
702 satisfying the requirements of this section must shall define
703 the entity or entities responsible for training and the
704 responsibilities for maintaining records relating to training,
705 inspection, and firearm qualification.
706 (c) School security guards serving in the capacity of a
707 safe-school officer pursuant to this subsection are in support
708 of school-sanctioned activities for purposes of s. 790.115, and
709 must aid in the prevention or abatement of active assailant
710 incidents on school premises.
711 (d) The Office of Safe Schools shall provide the Department
712 of Law Enforcement any information related to a school security
713 guard that it receives pursuant to subsection (5).
714 (5) Notification.—The district school superintendent or
715 charter school administrator, private school administrator, or a
716 respective designee, shall notify the county sheriff and the
717 Office of Safe Schools immediately after, but no later than 72
718 hours after:
719 (a) A safe-school officer is dismissed for misconduct or is
720 otherwise disciplined.
721 (b) A safe-school officer discharges his or her firearm in
722 the exercise of the safe-school officer’s duties, other than for
723 training purposes.
724
725 If a district school board, through its adopted policies,
726 procedures, or actions, denies a charter school access to any
727 safe-school officer options pursuant to this section, the school
728 district must assign a school resource officer or school safety
729 officer to the charter school. Under such circumstances, the
730 charter school’s share of the costs of the school resource
731 officer or school safety officer may not exceed the safe school
732 allocation funds provided to the charter school pursuant to s.
733 1011.62(12) and shall be retained by the school district.
734 Section 6. Subsection (2) of section 1006.121, Florida
735 Statutes, is amended to read:
736 1006.121 Florida Safe Schools Canine Program.—
737 (2) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term “firearm
738 detection canine” means any canine that is owned or the service
739 of which is employed by a law enforcement agency or school
740 district for use by a sworn law enforcement officer in K-12
741 schools for the primary purpose of aiding in the detection of
742 firearms and ammunition.
743 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.