THE BILL ITSELF
CS/SB 176
Public Postsecondary Education Safety Policies and Procedures
Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 176 By the Appropriations Committee on Higher Education; and Senator Polsky 608-02301-26 2026176c1
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to public postsecondary education
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safety policies and procedures; creating s. 1004.0983,
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F.S.; requiring state universities and Florida College
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System institutions to adopt and implement specified
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policies and procedures relating to safety; providing
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requirements for such policies and procedures;
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requiring state universities and Florida College
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System institutions to annually review and update the
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policies and procedures; authorizing the Board of
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Governors and the State Board of Education to adopt
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regulations and rules, respectively; providing an
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effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 1004.0983, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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1004.0983 Public postsecondary safety policies and
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procedures.—
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(1) Each state university and Florida College System
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institution shall adopt and implement written safety policies
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and procedures applicable to campus facilities, classrooms, and
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other institutional settings to prevent, report, and respond to:
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(a) An act of violence or attempted violence against a
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person.
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(b) A credible threat as defined in s. 784.048(1)(c).
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(2) The policies and procedures must:
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(a) Identify a person responsible for:
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1. Coordinating the state university or Florida College
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System institution’s response to actions listed in paragraphs
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(1)(a) and (b).
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2. Implementing such policies and procedures, including all
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safety measures.
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(b) Establish clear internal and external reporting
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protocols, including notification of campus security or a local
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law enforcement agency when appropriate.
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(c) Outline the protective measures available to affected
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persons, which may include work or class relocation, security
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escorts, and restricting access to certain areas by a person
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engaged in an activity listed in paragraph (1)(a) or paragraph
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(1)(b).
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(d) Provide timely updates to an affected person regarding
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the status of an incident and any action taken.
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(e) Ensure the policies and procedures are prominently
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posted on the state university’s or Florida College System
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institution’s website and available to students, faculty, staff,
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and visitors upon request.
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(3) Each state university and Florida College System
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institution shall annually review and update the policies and
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procedures to incorporate the best practices in threat
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assessment, campus security, and safety.
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(4) The Board of Governors may adopt regulations and the
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State Board of Education may adopt rules to administer this
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section.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.