Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 656
By the Committee on Criminal Justice; and Senator Bradley
591-02053-26 2026656c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Internet crimes against
3 children programs; amending s. 943.0411, F.S.;
4 defining terms; renaming the Online Sting Operations
5 Grant Program created within the Department of Law
6 Enforcement as the Internet Crimes Against Children
7 Grant Program; revising the purpose of the grant
8 program; revising the authorized uses for grant
9 program funds; creating s. 943.0421, F.S.; providing a
10 short title; providing legislative findings; defining
11 the term “task force”; creating the Internet Crimes
12 Against Children Task Force Funding Program within the
13 Department of Law Enforcement; specifying how program
14 funds may be used; requiring specified percentage
15 distribution of program moneys; authorizing the
16 department to adopt rules; providing an effective
17 date.
18
19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21 Section 1. Section 943.0411, Florida Statutes, is amended
22 to read:
23 943.0411 Internet Crimes Against Children Online Sting
24 Operations Grant Program for local law enforcement affiliates
25 agencies to protect children.—
26 (1) As used in this section, the term:
27 (a) “Affiliate” means a local law enforcement agency in
28 this state which has a current memorandum of understanding with
29 an established Internet crimes against children task force or
30 which has been designated by the department as being in good
31 standing.
32 (b) “Good standing” means a local law enforcement agency in
33 this state that receives CyberTips from one of the task forces
34 and follows Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program
35 standards in its investigation of Internet crimes against
36 children.
37 (c) “Internet crimes against children task force” means an
38 Internet crimes against children task force located in this
39 state which is recognized by the United States Department of
40 Justice.
41 (2) There is created within the department the Internet
42 Crimes Against Children Online Sting Operations Grant Program to
43 award grants to local law enforcement affiliates agencies to
44 support their work to combat online child exploitation and
45 creation of sting operations to target individuals online
46 preying upon children or attempting to do so.
47 (3)(2) The department shall annually award to local law
48 enforcement affiliates agencies any funds specifically
49 appropriated for the grant program to cover expenses related to
50 their work to combat Internet crimes against children. The funds
51 may be awarded to cover overtime pay, travel, investigative or
52 digital forensics training, hardware, or computers, electronics,
53 software, and other related necessary supplies. Grants must be
54 provided to local law enforcement agencies if funds are
55 appropriated for that purpose by law. The total amount of grants
56 awarded may not exceed funding appropriated for the grant
57 program.
58 (4)(3) The department may establish criteria and set
59 specific time periods for the acceptance of applications and for
60 the selection process for awarding grant funds.
61 Section 2. Section 943.0421, Florida Statutes, is created
62 to read:
63 943.0421 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
64 Funding Program.—
65 (1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Florida
66 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Funding Program
67 Act.”
68 (2) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that the
69 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program administered
70 by the United States Department of Justice helps state and local
71 law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to
72 technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and Internet
73 crimes against children. This help encompasses forensic and
74 investigative components, training and technical assistance,
75 victim services, and community education. The program is a
76 national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over
77 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement and
78 prosecutorial agencies. The Legislature intends to create an
79 account dedicated to combating Internet crimes against children,
80 promoting education on Internet safety to minors and to the
81 public, and rescuing child victims from abuse and exploitation.
82 (3) DEFINITION.—The term “task force” means an Internet
83 Crimes Against Children Task Force program located in this state
84 which is recognized by the United States Department of Justice.
85 (4) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Internet Crimes Against
86 Children Task Force Funding Program is created within the
87 department to provide a stable funding source for the task
88 forces.
89 (a) Funding for the program shall consist of moneys
90 appropriated by the Legislature. Program funds may be used only
91 to support the administration and activities of law enforcement
92 agencies in their efforts to combat Internet crimes against
93 children, including the funding of personnel, overtime pay,
94 training, travel, and technology purchases.
95 (b) Moneys appropriated to the program must be distributed
96 in the following amounts:
97 1. Eighty percent divided equally among the task forces;
98 and
99 2. Twenty percent to the department to support its efforts
100 in combating Internet crimes against children.
101 (5) RULEMAKING.—The department may adopt rules to implement
102 and administer this section.
103 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.