Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 178
By the Committee on Education Pre-K - 12; and Senator Jones
581-02043-26 2026178c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to athletics in public K-12 schools;
3 amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; requiring the Florida High
4 School Athletic Association to adopt bylaws
5 authorizing a coach to support the welfare of a
6 student by using personal funds to provide certain
7 effects to the student; requiring the coach to report
8 such use of personal funds to the association;
9 providing that such use of personal funds is presumed
10 not to be an impermissible benefit; providing
11 exceptions; providing a limitation on the annual
12 amount of personal funds a coach may use per athletic
13 team; amending ss. 768.135, 1002.20, 1006.165, and
14 1012.468, F.S.; conforming cross-references; providing
15 an effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Present paragraphs (c) through (n) of subsection
20 (2) of section 1006.20, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
21 paragraphs (d) through (o), respectively, and a new paragraph
22 (c) is added to that subsection, to read:
23 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
24 (2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS, POLICIES, OR GUIDELINES.—
25 (c) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that authorize a coach to
26 support the welfare of a student he or she coaches by using
27 personal funds to provide, in good faith, effects such as food,
28 transportation, and recovery services.
29 1. A coach who uses personal funds to provide such effects
30 must report such use to the FHSAA in a manner provided by FHSAA
31 bylaw.
32 2. Such use of personal funds is presumed not to be an
33 impermissible benefit, unless such use of personal funds is:
34 a. Not reported;
35 b. Reported and deemed not to be in good faith by the
36 FHSAA; or
37 c. Used for recruiting purposes.
38 3. The amount of personal funds a coach may use per
39 athletic team per year is $15,000.
40 Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 768.135, Florida
41 Statutes, is amended to read:
42 768.135 Volunteer team physicians; immunity.—
43 (3) A practitioner licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459,
44 chapter 460, or s. 464.012 or registered under s. 464.0123 who
45 gratuitously and in good faith conducts an evaluation pursuant
46 to s. 1006.20(2)(d) s. 1006.20(2)(c) is not liable for any civil
47 damages arising from that evaluation unless the evaluation was
48 conducted in a wrongful manner.
49 Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (17) of section
50 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
51 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
52 school students must receive accurate and timely information
53 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
54 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
55 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
56 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
57 (17) ATHLETICS; PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.—
58 (b) Medical evaluation and electrocardiogram.—Before
59 participating in athletics, students must:
60 1. Satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year,
61 unless the parent objects in writing based on religious tenets
62 or practices, in accordance with s. 1006.20(2)(e) s.
63 1006.20(2)(d); and
64 2. As applicable under s. 1006.20, receive an
65 electrocardiogram, unless the parent objects in writing based on
66 religious tenets or practices or secures a certificate of
67 medical exception in accordance with s. 1006.20(2)(e) s.
68 1006.20(2)(d) or the school district is unable to obtain a
69 public or private partnership for the provision of an
70 electrocardiogram pursuant to s. 1006.165.
71 Section 4. Subsection (3) of section 1006.165, Florida
72 Statutes, is amended to read:
73 1006.165 Well-being of students participating in
74 extracurricular activities; training.—
75 (3) Each school district must pursue public and private
76 partnerships to provide low-cost electrocardiograms to the
77 student. A student athlete is exempt from the requirement in s.
78 1006.20(2)(d)4. s. 1006.20(2)(c)4. if he or she resides in a
79 school district that is unable to obtain a public or private
80 partnership to provide an electrocardiogram at a rate of less
81 than $50 per student.
82 Section 5. Paragraph (g) of subsection (2) of section
83 1012.468, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
84 1012.468 Exceptions to certain fingerprinting and criminal
85 history checks.—
86 (2) A district school board shall exempt from the screening
87 requirements set forth in ss. 1012.465 and 1012.467 the
88 following noninstructional contractors:
89 (g) An investigator for the Florida High School Athletic
90 Association (FHSAA) who meets the requirements under s.
91 1006.20(2)(f) s. 1006.20(2)(e).
92 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.