SB 1286 full text · Session Watch

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1286 By Senator Wright 8-00909A-26 20261286__

1 A bill to be entitled

2 An act relating to first responders; amending s.

3 445.08, F.S.; renaming the Florida Law Enforcement

4 Recruitment Bonus Payment Program as the Florida Law

5 Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recruitment Bonus

6 Payment Program; revising and defining terms; revising

7 the program to include newly employed firefighters in

8 the program; requiring the Department of Commerce to

9 consult with the Division of State Fire Marshal to

10 verify certain information; requiring the division to

11 define firefighter misconduct by rule; revising the

12 expiration date of specified provisions; amending s.

13 633.134, F.S.; authorizing the Chief Financial Officer

14 to appoint review panels to assist in reviewing

15 grants; providing for review panel membership;

16 providing duties and responsibilities of each review

17 panel; providing for general program support grants

18 and specific fire program grants; requiring the Chief

19 Financial Officer to review the panel’s

20 recommendations and, beginning on a specified date,

21 include approved grant applicants in the Department of

22 Financial Services’ legislative budget request;

23 requiring certain projects be funded until all

24 appropriated funds are depleted; requiring the

25 Division of State Fire Marshal to adopt certain rules;

26 creating s. 633.1424, F.S.; defining the terms “first

27 responder” and “public safety agency”; creating,

28 subject to appropriation, the Institute for

29 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder within the Department of

30 Financial Services for a specified purpose; providing

31 duties and responsibilities of the institute;

32 authorizing the institute to collaborate with other

33 entities to enhance program development and service

34 delivery; requiring the Division of State Fire Marshal

35 to adopt rules; providing an effective date.

37 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

39 Section 1. Section 445.08, Florida Statutes, is amended to

40 read:

41 445.08 Florida Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter

42 Recruitment Bonus Payment Program.—

43 (1) As used in ~~For the purposes of~~ this section, the term:

44 (a) “Break in service” means:

45 1. A period of time during which a person is employed with

46 a Florida criminal justice agency or fire service provider but

47 is not employed as a full-time law enforcement officer or

48 firefighter; or

49 2. A period of time during which a person is in between

50 employment as a full-time law enforcement officer or firefighter

51 lasting no longer than 15 days.

53 The time period for any break in service does not count toward

54 satisfying the 2-year full-time employment requirement of this

55 section.

56 (b) ~~(a)~~ “Commission” means the Criminal Justice Standards

57 and Training Commission within the Department of Law

58 Enforcement.

59 (c) ~~(b)~~ “Employing agency” has the same meaning as ~~provided~~

60 in s. 943.10(4).

61 (d) “Fire service provider” has the same meaning as in s.

62 633.102(13).

63 (e) “Firefighter” has the same meaning as in s. 633.102(9).

64 (f) ~~(c)~~ “Law enforcement officer” has the same meaning as

65 ~~provided~~ in s. 943.10(1).

66 (g) “Newly employed firefighter” means a person who gains

67 or is appointed to full-time employment as a certified

68 firefighter with a fire service provider on or after July 1,

69 2026, and who has never been previously employed as a

70 firefighter in this state.

71 (h) ~~(d)~~ “Newly employed officer” means a person who gains or

72 is appointed to full-time employment as a certified law

73 enforcement officer with a Florida criminal justice employing

74 agency on or after July 1, 2022, and who has never before been

75 employed as a law enforcement officer in this state.

76 (i) ~~(e)~~ “Program” means the Florida Law Enforcement Officer

77 and Firefighter Recruitment Bonus Payment Program.

78 (2)(a) There is created within the department the Florida

79 Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recruitment Bonus

80 Payment Program to aid in the recruitment of law enforcement

81 officers and firefighters within the state. The purpose of the

82 program is to administer one-time bonus payments of up to $5,000

83 to each newly employed officer and newly employed firefighter

84 within the state.

85 (b) Bonus payments provided to eligible newly employed

86 officers and newly employed firefighters are contingent upon

87 legislative appropriations and shall be prorated subject to the

88 amount appropriated for the program.

89 (3) Each bonus payment shall be adjusted to include 7.65

90 percent for the officer’s or firefighter’s share of Federal

91 Insurance Contribution Act tax on the payment.

92 (4) The department shall develop an annual plan for the

93 administration of the program and distribution of bonus

94 payments. Applicable employing agencies and fire service

95 providers shall assist the department with the collection of any

96 data necessary to determine bonus payment amounts and to

97 distribute the bonus payments, and shall otherwise provide the

98 department with any information or assistance needed to fulfill

99 the requirements of this section. At a minimum, the plan must

100 include:

101 (a) The method for determining the estimated number of

102 newly employed officers and newly employed firefighters to gain

103 or be appointed to full-time employment during the applicable

104 fiscal year.

105 (b) The minimum eligibility requirements a newly employed

106 officer and newly employed firefighter must meet to receive and

107 retain a bonus payment, which must include:

108 1. Obtaining certification for employment or appointment as

109 a law enforcement officer under ~~pursuant to~~ s. 943.1395 or as a

110 firefighter under s. 633.408 .

111 2. Gaining full-time employment with a Florida criminal

112 justice agency or a fire service provider .

113 3. Maintaining full-time employment as a law enforcement

114 officer with a Florida criminal justice agency or as a

115 firefighter with a fire service provider for at least 2 years

116 after ~~from~~ the date on which the officer or firefighter obtained

117 certification. The required 2-year employment period may be

118 satisfied by maintaining full-time employment at one or more

119 employing agencies or fire service providers , but such period

120 must not contain any break in service longer than 180 calendar

121 days.

122 (c) The standards by which the department will determine

123 under what circumstances a break in service is acceptable. A law

124 enforcement officer or firefighter must provide documentation to

125 the department justifying a break in service. ~~For purposes of~~

126 ~~this section, the term “break in service” means a period of time~~

127 ~~during which the person is employed with a Florida criminal~~

128 ~~justice agency but is not employed as a full-time law~~

129 ~~enforcement officer or a period of time during which the person~~

130 ~~is in between employment as a full-time law enforcement officer~~

131 ~~for no longer than 15 days. The time period for any break in~~

132 ~~service does not count toward satisfying the 2-year full-time~~

133 ~~employment requirement of this section.~~

134 (d) The method that will be used to determine the bonus

135 payment amount to be distributed to each newly employed officer

136 and newly employed firefighter .

137 (e) The method that will be used to distribute bonus

138 payments to applicable employing agencies and fire service

139 providers for distribution to eligible officers and

140 firefighters . Such method should prioritize distributing bonus

141 payments to eligible officers and firefighters in the most

142 efficient and quickest manner possible.

143 (f) The estimated cost to the department associated with

144 developing and administering the program and distributing bonus

145 payment funds.

146 (g) The method by which an officer or a firefighter must

147 reimburse the state if he or she received a bonus payment under

148 the program , but failed to maintain continuous employment for

149 the required 2-year period. Reimbursement may ~~shall~~ not be

150 required if an officer or a firefighter is discharged by his or

151 her employing agency or fire service provider for a reason other

152 than misconduct as designated on the affidavit of separation

153 completed by the employing agency or fire service provider and

154 maintained by the commission.

156 The department may establish other criteria deemed necessary to

157 determine bonus payment eligibility and distribution.

158 (5) The department shall consult quarterly with the

159 commission and the Division of State Fire Marshal to verify the

160 certification of newly employed officers and newly employed

161 firefighters and affidavits of separation submitted to the

162 commission and Division of State Fire Marshal which detail

163 officer or firefighter misconduct. The Division of State Fire

164 Marshal shall define by rule firefighter misconduct.

165 (6) The department shall submit the plan to the Executive

166 Office of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget, the chair

167 of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the chair of the

168 House Appropriations Committee by October 1 of each year. The

169 department is authorized to submit budget amendments pursuant to

170 chapter 216 as necessary to release appropriated funds for

171 distribution to applicable employing agencies and fire service

172 providers under this program.

173 (7) The funding allocation for the bonus payments must be

174 used solely to comply with the requirements of this section, but

175 applicable collective bargaining units are not otherwise

176 precluded from wage negotiation.

177 (8) The department shall adopt rules to implement this

178 section.

179 (9) This section expires July 1, 2028 ~~2026~~ .

180 Section 2. Section 633.134, Florida Statutes, is amended to

181 read:

182 633.134 Gifts and grants ; grant review panel .—

183 (1) The division may accept for any of its purposes and

184 functions any donations of property and grants of money from any

185 governmental unit, public agency, institution, person, firm, or

186 corporation. Such moneys shall be deposited, disbursed, and

187 administered in a trust fund as provided by law.

188 (2)(a) The Chief Financial Officer may appoint review

189 panels to assist in the grant review process. A review panel

190 must consist of five members from the fire service industry or

191 other professions that involve the specific industry or program

192 for which the panel has been appointed. Each member of a review

193 panel is appointed to a 1-year term.

194 (b) Each review panel must review and score grant

195 applications and recommend to the department which applicants

196 should be awarded a grant. Each panel must submit to the

197 department a list of eligible applicants by score.

198 (c) Each review panel must hold a forum for public comment

199 before recommending a grant application.

200 (d) Each review panel must review the lists of eligible

201 applicants for a grant and create two lists, one of which must

202 consist of recommendations for eligible applicants for general

203 program support grants and one of which must consist of

204 recommendations for eligible applicants for specific fire

205 project grants, and submit the lists to the Chief Financial

206 Officer.

207 (e) A general program support grant or a specific fire

208 program grant includes, but is not limited to, all of the

209 following:

210 1. Grants for the purchase, replacement, or maintenance of

211 operational equipment and resources, including, but not limited

212 to, fire apparatuses, personal protective equipment,

213 communication systems, rescue tools, and other essential

214 firefighting and emergency response equipment.

215 2. Grants pertaining to fixed capital outlay, grants and

216 aids, and grants and aids to local governments and nonstate

217 entities-fixed capital outlay, as those terms are defined in s.

218 216.011(1), and the construction or remodel of fire departments.

219 3. Grants to support state-coordinated outreach programs

220 such as mobile fire safety exhibits, educational tours, and

221 statewide fire awareness campaigns. An outreach program must

222 prioritize grant funds to Florida-based fire departments, safety

223 educators, and emergency personnel and promote best practices in

224 fire prevention, public safety, and emergency preparedness.

225 4. Grants or stipends for individual firefighters or fire

226 service instructors selected through a competitive process based

227 on merit, leadership, or innovation in fire safety. Grant funds

228 may support training, research, or professional exchange

229 opportunities that advance public safety practices in this

230 state.

231 5. Grants for programs or projects that advance the mission

232 of fire prevention and emergency response, including, but not

233 limited to, firefighter health and wellness initiatives,

234 emergency planning and coordination systems, public safety

235 communications upgrades, or community preparedness efforts. A

236 program or project must clearly demonstrate alignment with the

237 goals of this subsection and provide measurable public safety

238 outcomes.

239 6. Grants for programs or projects that advance the mission

240 of arson prevention, arson investigation, juvenile arson

241 prevention, arson intervention programs, and police canine

242 programs. Eligible recipients include entities that investigate

243 or prevent arson. As used in this subparagraph, the term “police

244 canine” has the same meaning as in s. 401.254(1).

245 (f) The Chief Financial Officer shall review the review

246 panel’s recommendations and, beginning January 1, 2027, submit a

247 list of approved applicants to be included in the department’s

248 legislative budget request. Projects from the Chief Financial

249 Officer’s approved list must be funded by score until all

250 appropriated funds are depleted.

251 (g) The division shall adopt rules to implement and

252 administer this subsection, including rules establishing:

253 1. Eligibility criteria and the scoring rubric for the

254 awarding of grants.

255 2. Particular grant programs or projects, categories of

256 grants, and procedures necessary for the prudent administration

257 of the grant programs or projects.

258 Section 3. Section 633.1424, Florida Statutes, is created

259 to read:

260 633.1424 Institute for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.—

261 (1) As used in this section, the term:

262 (a) “First responder” has the same meaning as in s.

263 125.01045(2).

264 (b) “Public safety agency” has the same meaning as in s.

265 365.172(3).

266 (2) Subject to appropriation, the Institute for

267 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is established within the

268 Department of Financial Services to serve as a statewide center

269 for research, training, outreach, and program development in

270 support of first responder behavioral health. The purpose of the

271 institute is to strengthen the mental resilience and well-being

272 of the state’s public safety workforce through coordination of

273 research, training initiatives, public outreach, and policy

274 guidance.

275 (3) The institute must do all of the following:

276 (a) Coordinate statewide research efforts on behavioral

277 health issues, including suicide prevention, burnout reduction,

278 and resilience-building, which affect first responders.

279 (b) Develop and disseminate evidence-informed best

280 practices and policy recommendations relating to first responder

281 behavioral health.

282 (c) Facilitate training programs and technical assistance

283 in behavioral health initiatives for public safety agencies.

284 (d) Serve as a central hub for public outreach and

285 awareness campaigns aimed at improving mental health outcomes

286 for first responders.

287 (e) Evaluate behavioral health programs and initiatives to

288 measure their effectiveness and their impact on first

289 responders.

290 (4) The initiative may collaborate with public and private

291 partners, including, but not limited to, Florida College System

292 institutions, state universities, public safety agencies, mental

293 health providers, and community organizations, to enhance

294 program development and service delivery.

295 (5) The division shall adopt rules to implement this

296 section.

297 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.