THE BILL ITSELF
SB 372
Public Postsecondary Tuition and Fee Waivers for Sheriff’s Office Employees
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 372 By Senator Trumbull 2-00790-26 2026372__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to public postsecondary tuition and
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fee waivers for sheriff’s office employees; amending
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s. 1009.265, F.S.; requiring state universities and
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Florida College System institutions to waive tuition
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and fees for sheriff’s office employees; providing
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requirements for the waiver of tuition and fees for
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sheriff’s office employees; providing requirements for
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a person to be considered a sheriff’s office employee;
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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. Subsections (1), (2), and (5) of section
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1009.265, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
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1009.265 State employee and sheriff’s office employee fee
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waivers.—
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(1) As a benefit to the employer and employees of the state
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and each sheriff’s office in the state , subject to approval by
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an employee’s agency head or sheriff, or the equivalent, each
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state university and Florida College System institution shall
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waive tuition and fees for state employees and sheriff’s office
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employees to enroll for up to 6 credit hours of courses per term
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on a space-available basis.
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(2) The Chief Financial Officer, in cooperation with the
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Florida College System institutions and state universities,
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shall identify and implement ways to ease the administrative
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burden to Florida College System institutions and state
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universities, including, but not limited to, providing easier
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access to verify state or sheriff’s office employment.
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(5) For purposes of this section : ,
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(a) Employees of the state include employees of the
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executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state
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government, except for persons employed by a state university.
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(b) Employees of a sheriff’s office include any full-time
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sworn law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or civilian
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employee of the sheriff’s office.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.