THE BILL ITSELF
CS/HB 31
Recognizing Judea and Samaria
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to recognizing Judea and Samaria;
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providing a short title; creating s. 1.016, F.S.;
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providing legislative intent; defining the terms
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"official government material" and "state agency";
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prohibiting the use of the term "West Bank" in
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official government materials; prohibiting the use of
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moneys to create official government materials using
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such term; requiring instructional materials and
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library media center collections adopted or acquired
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by certain entities on or after a specified date to
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refer to a certain area as Judea and Samaria;
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prohibiting instructional materials and library media
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center collections adopted or acquired by certain
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entities on or after a specified date from using the
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term "West Bank"; 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 "Recognizing Judea
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and Samaria Act."
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Section 2. Section 1.016, Florida Statutes, is created to
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read:
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1.016 Recognizing Judea and Samaria.—
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(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the
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Legislature to:
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(a) Refer to the land liberated by Israel from Jordan
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during the 1967 Six-Day War by its historical name of "Judea and
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Samaria," with the land south of Jerusalem being considered
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"Judea" and the land north of Jerusalem being considered
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"Samaria."
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(b) No longer use the term "West Bank" in official
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government materials.
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(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this act, the term:
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(a) "Official government material" means a guidance, rule,
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material, briefing, press release, communication, or work
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product document prepared by a state agency.
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(b) "State agency" means every department, division,
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office, board, commission, and institution of this state.
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(3) PROHIBITIONS.—A state agency may not use the term
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"West Bank" to refer to Judea and Samaria in an official
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government material or use moneys to create an official
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government material that refers to Judea and Samaria as "West
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Bank."
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Section 3. Instructional materials, as defined in s.
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1006.28(1)(a), Florida Statutes, and library media center
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collections that are adopted or acquired on or after July 1,
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2026, by a district school board or charter school governing
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board must refer to the land liberated by Israel from Jordan
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during the 1967 Six-Day War by its historical name of "Judea and
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Samaria," with the land south of Jerusalem being considered
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"Judea" and the land north of Jerusalem being considered
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"Samaria." Such materials and collections adopted or acquired on
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or after July 1, 2026, by a district school board or charter
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school governing board may not use the term "West Bank" to refer
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to Judea and Samaria.
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Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.