THE BILL ITSELF
HB 1239
Sexual Assault Education and Support
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to the sexual assault education and
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support; providing a short title; amending s. 1001.42,
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F.S.; requiring school districts to appoint a
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districtwide sexual assault response liaison for
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specified purposes; requiring the Department of Health
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to provide training and materials for the liaisons;
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creating s. 1003.08, F.S.; establishing the Safe
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Students and Survivors Grant Program to be
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administered by the department; providing the purpose
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of the grant program; providing department and school
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district, charter school, and private school duties;
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authorizing the State Board of Education to adopt
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rules; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.; revising the
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required health instruction for students in grades 7
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through 12 to include instruction on sexual assault
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prevention and consent; providing requirements for the
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instruction; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Safe Students and
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Survivors Act."
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Section 2. Paragraph (o) is added to subsection (4) of
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section 1001.42, Florida Statutes, to read:
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1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
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district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
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powers and perform all duties listed below:
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(4) ESTABLISHMENT, ORGANIZATION, AND OPERATION OF
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SCHOOLS.—Adopt and provide for the execution of plans for the
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establishment, organization, and operation of the schools of the
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district, including, but not limited to, the following:
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(o) Sexual assault response liaison.—Shall appoint a
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districtwide sexual assault response liaison who shall connect
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students with law enforcement, counseling, and advocacy services
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in response to a sexual assault. The Department of Health shall
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administer training and materials based on recommendations and
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training guidelines provided by the Florida Council Against
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Sexual Violence for such liaisons. Section 3. Section 1003.08, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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1003.08 The Safe Students and Survivors Grant Program.—
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(1) Subject to legislative funding, there is established
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the Safe Students and Survivors Grant Program to be administered
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by the Department of Education. The program shall provide grants
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to school districts, charter schools, and private schools that
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receive public funding through a state scholarship program under
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chapter 1002 to partner with local nonprofit organizations and
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advocacy centers to provide student workshops and instructional
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personnel training on the prevention of sexual assaults and
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sexual assault survivor support programs.
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(2) The department shall:
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(a) Create an application and award criteria.
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(b) Establish reporting requirements for school districts,
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charter schools, and private schools participating in the
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program.
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(c) Annually provide a report to the President of the
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Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the
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program.
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(3) School districts, charter schools, and private schools
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shall provide a report to the department, in a format prescribed
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by the department and consistent with privacy laws and
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standards, on the use of a grant award.
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(4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
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administer this section.
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Section 4. Paragraph (o) of subsection (2) of section
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1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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1003.42 Required instruction.—
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(2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
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schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
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and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
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faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
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highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy,
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following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
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approved methods of instruction, the following:
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(o) Comprehensive age-appropriate and developmentally
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appropriate K-12 instruction on:
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1. Health education that addresses concepts of community
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health, consumer health, environmental health, and family life,
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including:
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a. Injury prevention and safety.
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b. Internet safety.
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c. Nutrition.
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d. Personal health.
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e. Prevention and control of disease.
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f. Substance use and abuse.
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g. Prevention of child sexual abuse, exploitation, and
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human trafficking.
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2. For students in grades 7 through 12, teen dating
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violence and abuse, sexual assault prevention, and consent. This
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component must include, but not be limited to, all of the
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following:
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a. The definitions definition of dating violence and abuse
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and sexual assault, including recognizing abusive behavior.,
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b. The warning signs of dating violence, and abusive
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behavior, and sexual assault.,
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c. The characteristics of healthy relationships.,
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d. Measures to prevent and stop dating violence and
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abuse., and
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e. Community resources available to victims of dating
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violence, and abuse, and sexual assault.
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f. Understanding consent.
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g. Bystander intervention of sexual assault.
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h. How to safely report a sexual assault.
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3. For students in grades 6 through 12, awareness of the
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benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the
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consequences of teenage pregnancy.
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4. Life skills that build confidence, support mental and
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emotional health, and enable students to overcome challenges,
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including:
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a. Self-awareness and self-management.
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b. Responsible decisionmaking.
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c. Resiliency.
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d. Relationship skills and conflict resolution.
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e. Understanding and respecting other viewpoints and
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backgrounds.
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f. For grades 9 through 12, developing leadership skills,
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interpersonal skills, organization skills, and research skills;
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creating a résumé, including a digital résumé; exploring career
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pathways; using state career planning resources; developing and
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practicing the skills necessary for employment interviews;
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workplace ethics and workplace law; managing stress and
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expectations; and self-motivation.
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5.a. For students in grades 6 through 12, the social,
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emotional, and physical effects of social media. This component
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must include, but need not be limited to, the negative effects
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of social media on mental health, including addiction; the
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distribution of misinformation on social media; how social media
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manipulates behavior; the permanency of sharing materials
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online; how to maintain personal security and identify
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cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and human trafficking on the
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Internet; and how to report suspicious behavior encountered on
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the Internet.
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b. The Department of Education shall make available online
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the instructional material being used pursuant to this
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subparagraph, and each district school board shall notify
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parents of its availability.
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Health education and life skills instruction and materials may
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not contradict the principles enumerated in subsection (3).
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The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
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and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
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Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the
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recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is
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offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or
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other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness
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initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u).
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Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.