SESSION WATCH
Became law SENATE · SESSION 2026 · CHAPTER 2026-90

No. CS/CS/SB 178

Athletics in Public K-12 Schools
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SPONSOR
Judiciary; Education Pre-K - 12; Jones
FILED BY
Shevrin D. Jones — District 34, Democrat [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026

Filed under Education.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Athletics in Public K-12 Schools; Requiring the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt bylaws authorizing a head coach to support the welfare of a student by using personal funds to provide certain effects to the student; requiring the head coach to report such use of personal funds to the association; providing that such use of personal funds is presumed not to be an impermissible benefit, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Caps coach personal spending at $15,000 per team annually.

Head coaches may now use personal funds to provide food, transportation, and recovery services to students they coach, provided they obtain written parental consent.

The Florida High School Athletic Association must adopt bylaws authorizing this practice, limiting it to one coach per team, and requiring reporting of all such expenditures.

Spending is capped at $15,000 per athletic team per year, and the use of funds is presumed not to be an impermissible benefit unless unreported, not in good faith, or used for recruiting.

The bill also updates cross-references in related statutes to reflect the renumbering of existing FHSAA bylaw provisions.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Mandatory FHSAA Bylaws for Coach Welfare Support majors. 1006.20(2)(c)

AIRequires the FHSAA to create rules allowing head coaches to use personal money to provide specific welfare items to students.

“The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that authorize the head coach of an athletic team to support the welfare of a student he or she coaches only by using personal funds to provide, in g” bill text, line 27 →
§ 2 Parental Consent and Reporting Requirements majors. 1006.20(2)(c)

AIMandates that parents give written consent before a coach provides welfare items and that the coach reports the spending to the FHSAA.

“The bylaws must require a parent to provide written consent before a head coach may provide such effects to a student. The bylaws must also restrict such use of funds to one head” bill text, line 31 →
§ 3 Presumption Against Impermissible Benefits majors. 1006.20(2)(c)

AIEstablishes that a coach's use of personal funds is legally presumed to be a permissible benefit unless specific conditions are met.

“Such use of personal funds is presumed not to be an impermissible benefit, unless such use of personal funds is: a. Not reported; b. Reported and deemed not to be in good faith by” bill text, line 10 →
§ 4 Annual Spending Cap for Coaches moderates. 1006.20(2)(c)

AILimits the total amount of personal funds a head coach can use for student welfare to $15,000 per athletic team per year.

“The maximum amount of personal funds a head coach may use per athletic team per year is $15,000. Any other organization governing interscholastic athletic competition in this state” bill text, line 44 →
§ 5 Cross-Reference Updates for Medical and Screening Laws moderates. 768.135(3)

AIUpdates citations in medical evaluation, electrocardiogram, and background screening statutes to reflect the renumbering of FHSAA bylaw paragraphs.

“s. 1006.20(2)(d) s. 1006.20(2)(c)” bill text, line 56 →
TIMELINE
5/26/2026
Chapter No. 2026-90
5/22/2026
Approved by Governor
5/21/2026
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
3/11/2026
Ordered engrossed, then enrolled
3/11/2026
CS passed as amended; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 795
3/11/2026
Concurred in 1 amendment(s) (144123) -SJ 795
3/10/2026
In returning messages
3/10/2026
Amendment 144123 engrossed amendment (replaces 684905, 570171)
3/10/2026
CS passed as amended; YEAS 112, NAYS 0
3/10/2026
Read 3rd time
3/10/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
3/10/2026
Amendment 684905 adopted as amended
3/10/2026
Amendment 570171 adopted
3/10/2026
Read 2nd time
3/9/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 2)
3/9/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/10/2026)
3/9/2026
Bill referred to House Calendar
2/19/2026
In Messages
2/19/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 356
2/19/2026
CS passed; YEAS 38 NAYS 0 -SJ 348
2/19/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 348
2/19/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 348
2/17/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/19/26
2/10/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/10/2026
Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 24 NAYS 0
2/5/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/10/26, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building
2/4/2026
Now in Rules
2/4/2026
CS/CS by Judiciary read 1st time
2/4/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/3/2026
CS/CS by Judiciary; YEAS 10 NAYS 0
1/29/2026
On Committee agenda-- Judiciary, 02/03/26, 1:00 pm, 110 Senate Building
1/22/2026
CS by Education Pre-K - 12 read 1st time
1/22/2026
Now in Judiciary
1/21/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
1/20/2026
CS by Education Pre-K - 12; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
1/15/2026
On Committee agenda-- Education Pre-K - 12, 01/20/26, 1:00 pm, 412...
1/13/2026
Introduced
11/3/2025
Referred to Education Pre-K - 12; Judiciary; Rules
10/14/2025
Filed
33 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 1006.20
+189 / −0
s. 768.135
+2 / −2
s. 1002.20
+4 / −4
s. 1006.165
+2 / −2
s. 1012.468
+2 / −2
s. 1006.20
+0 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES
3 MORE →