Florida Senate - 2026                                     SB 430
       
       
        
       By Senator Yarborough
       
       
       
       
       
       4-00518A-26                                            2026430__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to oaths of school personnel; creating
    3         s. 1012.591, F.S.; requiring specified persons
    4         employed as members of school personnel to take a
    5         specified oath before entering upon the duties of a
    6         member of the school personnel; creating s. 1012.802,
    7         F.S.; requiring persons employed in an administrative
    8         or instructional capacity at a Florida College System
    9         institution or state university to take a specified
   10         oath before entering upon the duties of a person
   11         employed in an administrative or instructional
   12         capacity; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 1012.591, Florida Statutes, is created
   17  to read:
   18         1012.591 Oath of school personnel.—Before entering upon the
   19  duties of a member of the instructional or administrative
   20  personnel as defined in s. 1012.01(2) and (3), respectively, or
   21  of a prekindergarten instructor as defined in s. 1002.51(6), a
   22  person must subscribe to the following oath:
   23  
   24         I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support,
   25         protect, and defend the Constitution and Government of
   26         the United States and the Constitution and Government
   27         of the State of Florida; that I am duly qualified for
   28         employment as a member of the school personnel in this
   29         state; that I will well and faithfully perform the
   30         duties of a member of the school personnel in a
   31         professional, independent, objective, and nonpartisan
   32         manner; that I will uphold the highest standards of
   33         academic integrity and professional ethics; that I
   34         will foster a respectful learning environment for all
   35         students which promotes critical thinking, civic
   36         responsibility, and lifelong learning; and that I will
   37         serve as a positive role model in both conduct and
   38         character, so help me God.
   39         Section 2. Section 1012.802, Florida Statutes, is created
   40  to read:
   41         1012.802 Oath of administrative and instructional
   42  employees.—Before entering upon the duties of a person employed
   43  in an administrative or instructional capacity of a Florida
   44  College System institution or state university, a person
   45  employed in such capacity must subscribe to the following oath:
   46  
   47         I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support,
   48         protect, and defend the Constitution and Government of
   49         the United States and the Constitution and Government
   50         of the State of Florida; that I am duly qualified as a
   51         person employed in an administrative or instructional
   52         capacity in this state; that I will well and
   53         faithfully perform the duties of a person employed in
   54         an administrative or instructional capacity in a
   55         professional, independent, objective, and nonpartisan
   56         manner; that I will uphold the highest standards of
   57         academic integrity and professional ethics; that I
   58         will foster a respectful learning environment for all
   59         students which promotes critical thinking, civic
   60         responsibility, and lifelong learning; and that I will
   61         serve as a positive role model in both conduct and
   62         character, so help me God.
   63         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.