THE BILL ITSELF
SB 1478
Intellectual Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1478 By Senator Davis 5-00963-26 20261478__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to intellectual freedom and viewpoint
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diversity; amending s. 1001.03, F.S.; deleting a
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definition of the term “shield”; requiring the State
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Board of Education to ensure that Florida College
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System institutions are free from political influence
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and interference; deleting a requirement that the
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state board not shield Florida College System
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institution students, faculty, or staff from protected
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speech; amending s. 1001.706, F.S.; deleting a
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definition of the term “shield”; requiring the Board
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of Governors of the State University System to ensure
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that state universities are free from political
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influence and interference; deleting a requirement
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that the board not shield state university students,
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faculty, or staff from protected speech; creating s.
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1004.022, F.S.; granting specified rights to students
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of Florida College System institutions and state
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universities; granting specified rights to faculty;
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amending s. 1004.421, F.S.; conforming a cross
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reference; 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. Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (19) of
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section 1001.03, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
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1001.03 Specific powers of State Board of Education.—
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(19) INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND VIEWPOINT DIVERSITY
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ASSESSMENT.—
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(a) For the purposes of this subsection, the term :
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1. “Intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” means the
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exposure of students, faculty, and staff to, and the
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encouragement of their exploration of, a variety of ideological
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and political perspectives.
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2. “Shield” means to limit students’, faculty members’, or
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staff members’ access to, or observation of, ideas and opinions
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that they may find uncomfortable, unwelcome, disagreeable, or
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offensive.
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(c) The State Board of Education shall ensure that may not
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shield students, faculty, or staff at Florida College System
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institutions are free from undue political influence and
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interference in academic affairs, including curriculum design,
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faculty appointments, research activities, and administrative
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operations free speech protected under the First Amendment to
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the United States Constitution, Art. I of the State
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Constitution, or s. 1004.097 .
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Section 2. Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (13) of
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section 1001.706, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
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1001.706 Powers and duties of the Board of Governors.—
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(13) INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND VIEWPOINT DIVERSITY
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ASSESSMENT.—
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(a) For the purposes of this subsection, the term :
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1. “Intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” means the
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exposure of students, faculty, and staff to, and the
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encouragement of their exploration of, a variety of ideological
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and political perspectives.
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2. “Shield” means to limit students’, faculty members’, or
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staff members’ access to, or observation of, ideas and opinions
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that they may find uncomfortable, unwelcome, disagreeable, or
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offensive.
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(c) The Board of Governors shall ensure that may not shield
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students, faculty, or staff at state universities are free from
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undue political influence and interference in academic affairs,
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including curriculum design, faculty appointments, research
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activities, and administrative operations free speech protected
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under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution,
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Art. I of the State Constitution, or s. 1004.97 .
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Section 3. Section 1004.022, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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1004.022 Academic freedom.—Notwithstanding any other law to
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the contrary:
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(1) Every student in the State University System and
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Florida College System has the unalienable right to pursue
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education access across all academic disciplines without
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governmental or institutional interference, including, but not
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limited to, a student’s prerogative to select, drop, or change
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courses and areas of study without facing pressure or
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restrictions based on political or ideological grounds.
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(2) Faculty members in the State University System and
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Florida College System are entitled to full academic freedom in
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their teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity.
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This includes the right to do all of the following:
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(a) Investigate, discover, create, and disseminate
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knowledge without undue interference or restriction from
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political, ideological, or institutional forces.
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(b) Determine the content of their courses, methods of
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instruction, and subject matter consistent with professional
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standards and the mission of the institution.
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(c) Engage in extramural speech and professional discourse
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without institutional discipline or reprisal, provided such
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expression is consistent with their responsibilities as scholars
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and educators. Academic freedom for faculty shall be exercised
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in a manner consistent with the standards of the academic
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profession, institutional policies of shared governance, and the
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principles articulated by the American Association of University
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Professors.
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Section 4. Subsection (7) of section 1004.421, Florida
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Statutes, is amended to read:
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1004.421 Election Law Center at the Florida State
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University.—The Florida State University Election Law Center is
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hereby created at the Florida State University College of Law.
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(7) The center’s research, work, activities, filings,
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speakers, events, and operations shall be subject to academic
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freedom protections. The center or any of its full-time faculty
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or staff may not be compelled to conduct, consult on, or
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otherwise assist any research or initiatives by any outside
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federal, state, or local official or agency or private person or
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entity. The center shall seek to promote intellectual freedom
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and viewpoint diversity as defined in s. 1001.706(13)(a). s.
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1001.706(13)(a)1.
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Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.