SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 109

Corporal Punishment
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SPONSOR
López, J.; Valdés
FILED BY
Johanna López — District 43, Democrat [search donations]
Susan Valdés — District 64, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Student Academic Success Subcommittee

Filed under Education.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Corporal Punishment; Prohibits school district employees from using corporal punishment on public school students.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Bans corporal punishment in all public schools.

Starting July 1, 2026, no school district employee may use corporal punishment on a public school student. This applies to every public school in Florida.

The bill removes the existing legal framework that allowed school boards to authorize corporal punishment. Boards can no longer adopt policies permitting it, even with parental consent.

Teachers, principals, and other staff lose the specific authority to administer physical discipline. They must rely on other behavioral management tools instead.

The change is absolute. There are no exceptions for specific offenses, parental requests, or district-level policy choices.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Prohibition on Corporal Punishment majors. 1002.20(4)(c)

AICreates a mandatory prohibition against school district employees using corporal punishment on public school students.

“school district employee may not use corporal punishment, as defined in s. 1003.01, on a public school student”
§ 2 Removal of Teacher Authority majors. 1003.32(1)(k)

AIDeletes the statutory authority for teachers to administer corporal punishment, eliminating the legal basis for its use in classrooms.

“Use corporal punishment according to school board policy and at least the following procedures, if a teacher feels that corporal punishment is necessary” bill text, line 60 →
§ 3 Removal of Board Policy Option moderates. 1006.07(1)(a)

AIDeletes the provision allowing district school boards to prohibit corporal punishment, removing the local option to ban it via policy.

“The district school board may prohibit the use of corporal punishment, if the district school board adopts or has adopted a written program of alternative control or discipline” bill text, line 96 →
§ 4 Removal from Code of Conduct moderates. 1006.07(2)(b)

AIDeletes the requirement that student codes of conduct include procedures for corporal punishment.

“including corporal punishment” bill text, line 114 →
§ 5 Removal from Principal Duties moderates. 1012.28(5)

AIDeletes the administration of corporal punishment from the list of duties assigned to school principals.

“administration of corporal punishment” bill text, line 128 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Student Academic Success Subcommittee
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
10/14/2025
Now in Student Academic Success Subcommittee
10/14/2025
Referred to Education & Employment Committee
10/14/2025
Referred to Student Academic Success Subcommittee
10/7/2025
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 1002.20
+12 / −197
s. 1003.32
+0 / −161
s. 1006.07
+0 / −31
s. 1012.28
+0 / −4