Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1586
By Senator DiCeglie
18-00676B-26 20261586__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to public safety; amending s. 365.171,
3 F.S.; revising legislative intent relating to 911
4 systems; requiring each county, and every public
5 agency within such county, to provide specified 911,
6 emergency call, and dispatch services from a
7 centralized 911 call center operated by the county or
8 a regional entity as decided by specified boards;
9 requiring that state funds for emergency services be
10 redirected to each county that operates such centers;
11 prohibiting certain counties from receiving state
12 funds; requiring the board of county commissioners of
13 each county to convene a specified board within a
14 certain time period; providing membership requirements
15 of such board; requiring the board to decide by a
16 unanimous vote the entity for the county which will
17 operate its centralized 911 call center and the
18 funding for such entity; prohibiting funding from
19 exceeding a specified dollar amount; requiring a
20 certain board of county commissioners to convene a
21 specified board within a certain time period in order
22 for the county to establish a regional centralized 911
23 call center; providing membership requirements of such
24 board; requiring the responsibilities and requirements
25 of the board to mirror those of a specified board;
26 requiring the board to decide by a unanimous vote the
27 entity for the region which will operate its
28 centralized 911 call center and the funding for such
29 entity; prohibiting funding from exceeding a specified
30 dollar amount unless agreed to by a specified vote of
31 the board; requiring certain counties to convene a
32 specified board for a specific purpose; providing
33 responsibilities of specified boards following the
34 establishment of a centralized 911 call center;
35 providing membership composition of such boards;
36 requiring an entity that operates a centralized 911
37 call center to maintain its headquarters in a
38 specified location for a specific purpose; authorizing
39 the entity an alternate location in certain
40 circumstances; providing that the sheriff is deemed
41 the entity to provide 911, emergency call, and
42 dispatch services in a county under certain
43 circumstances; requiring that all existing 911
44 operations within such county be integrated under the
45 sheriff and every public agency within such county to
46 participate; requiring that state funds be redirected
47 to the sheriff for a specified purpose; prohibiting
48 certain expenditures from being included in the
49 sheriff’s budget; prohibiting entities from
50 transferring certain emergency calls; requiring
51 entities to maintain interoperability with other
52 emergency communications centers; requiring such
53 entities to maintain certain cybersecurity standards;
54 requiring vendors of certain systems to provide, at no
55 additional cost, specified capabilities to 911 call
56 centers; prohibiting such vendors from imposing any
57 additional licensing or integration fee for any system
58 that enables integration of systems used by 911 call
59 centers; requiring that every 911 call center and
60 public safety answering point, and any related system,
61 be deemed critical infrastructure; defining terms;
62 requiring specified boards or the sheriff, as
63 applicable, to make a certain certification in writing
64 to the office by specified dates; requiring the office
65 to submit a certain report to the Governor and the
66 Legislature by specified dates; providing requirements
67 for the report; providing penalties for noncompliance;
68 providing an effective date.
69
70 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
71
72 Section 1. Subsections (2) and (4) of section 365.171,
73 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
74 365.171 Emergency communications state plan.—
75 (2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature
76 that the communications number “911” be the designated emergency
77 communications number. A public safety agency may not advertise
78 or otherwise promote the use of any communications number for
79 emergency response services other than “911.” It is further the
80 intent of the Legislature to implement and continually update a
81 cohesive statewide emergency communications plan for enhanced
82 911 services which will provide citizens with rapid direct
83 access to public safety agencies by accessing “911” with the
84 objective of reducing the response time to situations requiring
85 law enforcement, fire, medical, rescue, and other emergency
86 services. It is further the intent of the Legislature to create
87 a unified 911 system within each county or region to serve as a
88 single point of contact for all emergency services in order to
89 maximize efficiency of emergency services. It is further the
90 intent of the Legislature to prohibit the transfer of calls
91 between 911 call centers or other law enforcement, fire, or EMS
92 dispatch centers in the same county, to maximize the efficiency
93 of the statewide emergency communications plan for residents
94 dialing “911” for emergency services. It is further the intent
95 of the Legislature to maximize interoperability of public safety
96 agencies within each county and statewide to maximize the
97 efficiency of emergency communications for residents dialing
98 “911” for emergency services. The goal of interoperability is to
99 ensure that 911 calls for emergency services, as well as
100 communication and responses to catastrophic events, are
101 connected directly so that critical information and resources
102 across multiple disciplines and agencies are coordinated.
103 (4) STATE PLAN.—The office shall develop, maintain, and
104 implement appropriate modifications for a statewide emergency
105 communications plan. The plan shall provide for:
106 (a) The public agency emergency communications requirements
107 for each entity of local government in the state.
108 (b) A system to meet specific local government
109 requirements. Such system shall include law enforcement,
110 firefighting, and emergency medical services and may include
111 other emergency services such as poison control, suicide
112 prevention, and emergency management services.
113 (c) Identification of the mutual aid agreements necessary
114 to obtain an effective emergency communications system.
115 (d) A funding provision that identifies the cost necessary
116 to implement the emergency communications system.
117 (e)1.a. By January 1, 2029, each county, and every public
118 agency within such county, shall provide 911, emergency call,
119 and dispatch services from a unified 911 call center, operated
120 by the county or a regional entity created by an interlocal
121 agreement or other memorandum of agreement, decided by a
122 unanimous vote of the Emergency Communication Center (ECC)
123 executive board or the Regional Emergency Communication Center
124 (RECC) executive board, as applicable, pursuant to this
125 paragraph.
126 b. Upon establishment of a unified 911 call center, all
127 state funds for emergency services must be redirected to each
128 county that operates the unified 911 call center. A county that
129 provides or receives 911, emergency call, and dispatch services,
130 but does not establish a unified 911 call center pursuant to
131 this paragraph, may not receive state funds for emergency
132 services.
133 2.a. Within 90 days after July 1, 2026, in order for a
134 county to establish a unified 911 call center pursuant to this
135 paragraph, the board of county commissioners shall convene an
136 ECC executive board. The chair of the board of county
137 commissioners or his or her designee shall serve as the chair of
138 the ECC executive board. The membership of the ECC executive
139 board shall be composed of the city manager or strong mayor, as
140 applicable, of the largest municipality in each county by
141 population size that provides law enforcement, fire, and EMS
142 services, and each agency head that provides law enforcement,
143 fire, and EMS services operating in the county as of July 1,
144 2026.
145 b. By January 1, 2027, the ECC executive board shall decide
146 by a unanimous vote the entity for the county which will operate
147 its unified 911 call center. Funding for such entity must also
148 be decided by a unanimous vote of the ECC executive board, and
149 the funding must be provided by the county and participating
150 municipalities and agencies or any combination thereof. Any
151 funding after the establishment of a unified 911 call center
152 required by this paragraph may not exceed any net increase in
153 the annual purchasing power of the dollar, as reflected in the
154 Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, unless agreed to
155 by a unanimous vote of the ECC executive board.
156 3.a. Within 90 days after July 1, 2026, in order for a
157 county to establish a regional unified 911 call center pursuant
158 to this paragraph, the board of county commissioners of the
159 county with the largest population participating in the regional
160 unified 911 call center shall convene an RECC executive board.
161 The chair of the board of county commissioners or his or her
162 designee shall serve as the chair of the RECC executive board.
163 The membership of the RECC executive board shall be composed of:
164 (I) The chair of the board of county commissioners, or his
165 or her designee, from each participating county.
166 (II) The city manager or strong mayor, as applicable, of
167 the largest municipality in each participating county by
168 population size.
169 (III) Every agency head within each participating county
170 that provides law enforcement, fire, and EMS services operating
171 in the participating counties as of July 1, 2026.
172
173 Notwithstanding membership requirements in this sub
174 subparagraph, RECC executive board responsibilities and
175 requirements must mirror the ECC executive board
176 responsibilities and requirements pursuant to this paragraph.
177 b. By January 1, 2027, the RECC executive board shall
178 decide by a unanimous vote the entity for the region which will
179 operate its unified 911 call center for the participating
180 counties. Funding for such entity must also be decided by a
181 unanimous vote of the RECC executive board, and the funding must
182 be provided by the participating counties, municipalities,
183 agencies, or any combination thereof. Any funding after the
184 establishment of a unified 911 call center required by this
185 paragraph may not exceed any net increase in the annual
186 purchasing power of the dollar, as reflected in the Consumer
187 Price Index for All Urban Consumers, unless agreed to by three
188 fourths vote of the RECC executive board.
189 4. A county that has an established entity that, as of July
190 1, 2026, provides law enforcement, fire, and EMS services to all
191 government-provided first responder agencies in the county shall
192 convene an ECC executive board pursuant to subparagraph 2. to
193 ensure that the requirements of this paragraph are met.
194 5.a. Following the establishment of a unified 911 call
195 center by a county pursuant to this paragraph, the ECC executive
196 board shall serve as an advisor to the entity that operates the
197 unified 911 call center. The ECC executive board may convene at
198 a time and place as determined by the chair of the board.
199 Membership of the ECC executive board shall be composed of:
200 (I) One member of the board of county commissioners or his
201 or her designee.
202 (II) One representative from the county’s city council, or
203 his or her designee.
204 (III) The sheriff or his or her designee.
205 (IV) The police chief and the fire chief of the county.
206
207 Members may serve on a rotating basis within their respective
208 category of representation as established by the implementing
209 rules created by the ECC executive board.
210 b. Following the establishment of a regional unified 911
211 call center pursuant to this paragraph, the RECC executive board
212 shall serve as an advisor to the entity that operates the
213 regional unified 911 call center. The RECC executive board may
214 convene at a time and place as determined by the chair of the
215 board. Membership of the RECC executive board shall be composed
216 of:
217 (I) One member of the board of county commissioners, or his
218 or her designee, from each participating county.
219 (II) One representative, or his or her designee, from the
220 city council of each participating county.
221 (III) The sheriff, or his or her designee, from each
222 participating county.
223 (IV) The police chief and the fire chief from each
224 participating county.
225
226 Members may serve on a rotating basis within their respective
227 category of representation as established by the implementing
228 rules created by the RECC executive board.
229 6.a. An entity that operates a unified 911 call center
230 shall maintain its headquarters in one location to serve as the
231 primary public safety answering point (PSAP). However, an entity
232 may maintain offices or answering points at various other
233 locations throughout this state, as required and determined by a
234 public agency. An entity shall designate an alternate center to
235 the PSAP. Such center may only receive emergency calls when the
236 PSAP is unable to receive emergency calls.
237 b. An entity that operates a regional unified 911 call
238 center shall maintain its headquarters in one location to serve
239 as the PSAP, but may maintain offices or answering points at
240 various locations, as required and determined by the public
241 agencies. However, the entity shall designate an alternate
242 center to the PSAP. Such center may only receive emergency calls
243 when the PSAP is unable to receive emergency calls.
244 7.a. By January 1, 2027, if a county has not established
245 the operation of a unified 911 call center pursuant to this
246 paragraph, the sheriff of the county is deemed the entity to
247 provide 911, emergency call, and dispatch services in the
248 county. All existing 911 operations within a county must be
249 integrated under the sheriff to create a 911 call center, and
250 every public agency within the county shall participate in the
251 911 call center to provide such services.
252 b. If the sheriff provides 911, emergency call, and
253 dispatch services, the state funds for emergency services must
254 be redirected to the sheriff for the sole purpose of operating
255 the unified 911 call center and may not be distributed to the
256 county. The county shall provide total funding for the 911 call
257 center, as determined by the annual needs assessment and as
258 requested by the sheriff, but the county does not have rights or
259 control over the funds or equipment of the center. Expenditures
260 for operating the 911 call center may not be included in the
261 sheriff’s budget under s. 30.49. Such expenditures must be
262 included in the county’s budget in accordance with chapter 129.
263 8.a. An entity or a regional entity that provides 911,
264 emergency call, and dispatch services from a 911 call center may
265 not transfer any emergency call received by the entity to any
266 other PSAP or call center, unless at least one firefighting, law
267 enforcement, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services
268 professional, as applicable, has been dispatched in response to
269 the emergency call received by the entity.
270 b. This subparagraph does not prohibit the transfer of an
271 emergency call to another PSAP or emergency communications
272 center if the reported emergency occurs outside the
273 jurisdictional boundaries of the local government where the
274 headquarters of the 911 call center is located. In such cases,
275 the emergency call must be promptly transferred to the
276 appropriate jurisdiction, consistent with established
277 interagency protocols and mutual-aid agreements.
278 9.a. An entity or a regional entity that provides 911,
279 emergency call, and dispatch services from a 911 call center
280 shall maintain interoperability with other emergency
281 communications centers in this state. Such entities shall
282 maintain proactive cybersecurity standards adopted by the
283 National Institute of Standards and Technology, as outlined in
284 the Task Force on Optimal Public Safety Answering Point
285 Architecture Guidelines. Such entities shall also maintain
286 cryptographic inventory and ongoing cryptographic monitoring
287 services, and incorporate behavioral-based, packet-level
288 monitoring at all times from a security operations center
289 located in the United States.
290 b. To aid in interoperability and public safety, a vendor
291 of computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems and interoperable radio
292 communications systems must provide, at no additional cost, the
293 built-in capability to interface with different PSAP CAD systems
294 and other radio communications systems that, although not
295 operated or maintained by the vendor, are used in this state by
296 911 call centers. In addition, a vendor may not impose any
297 additional licensing or integration fee for any system that
298 enables integration of such systems, including, but not limited
299 to, radio communications systems, CAD systems, cyber security
300 systems, telephone communication systems, interoperability
301 gateway systems, and Radio-over-Internet Protocol (RoIP) gateway
302 systems, used in this state by a 911 call center.
303 c. Every 911 call center and PSAP, and any related system,
304 including, but not limited to, interoperability gateway systems
305 and secure IP communications systems that enable cross-system
306 radio communications, are deemed critical infrastructure in this
307 state.
308 d. As used in this subparagraph, the term:
309 (I) “Critical infrastructure” has the same meaning as in s.
310 119.0725(1).
311 (II) “Interoperability” means the technical ability to
312 communicate across disciplines and jurisdictions statewide.
313 (III) “Interoperability gateway” system means a network
314 device or platform that provides protocol translation, audio
315 transcoding, routing, and talk-group management between
316 otherwise incompatible radio systems, Voice-over-Internet
317 Protocol (VoIP) systems, public safety LTE network systems,
318 mission critical push-to-X services systems, satellite systems,
319 and IP-based communications systems.
320 (IV) “Radio-over-Internet Protocol (RoIP) Gateway” system
321 means hardware or software that enables radio communications to
322 be transmitted, received, patched, or controlled across IP
323 networks.
324 10.a. By January 1, 2027, and by January 1, 2029, the chair
325 of the ECC executive board, the chair of the RECC executive
326 board, or the sheriff, as applicable, shall certify in writing
327 to the office that the county or each participating county, as
328 applicable, has taken the required action to comply this
329 paragraph and has established an entity or a regional entity to
330 provide 911, emergency call, and dispatch services.
331 b. By January 30, 2027, and by January 1, 2029, the office
332 shall submit a report to the Governor, the President of the
333 Senate, and the Speaker of House of Representatives, describing
334 the results of establishing 911 call centers in this state,
335 identifying any county that has not established such a center in
336 violation of this paragraph.
337 11. A county that does not comply with this paragraph by
338 January 1, 2029, will have its emergency funding reduced by 25
339 percent for each year the county does not comply.
340
341 The office shall be responsible for the implementation and
342 coordination of such plan. The office shall adopt any necessary
343 rules and schedules related to public agencies for implementing
344 and coordinating the plan, pursuant to chapter 120.
345 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.