THE BILL ITSELF
HB 671
School Safety Equipment
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to school safety equipment; amending
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s. 1001.212, F.S.; revising the purpose of specified
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grants awarded by the Office of Safe Schools;
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amending ss. 1002.42 and 1006.07, F.S.; providing
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definitions; requiring private schools and public
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schools, including charter schools, to have specified
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safety equipment on each campus of the school;
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requiring the Department of Education, in coordination
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with the Department of Law Enforcement, to establish
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minimum specifications for such equipment; authorizing
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schools to use specified funds to meet the
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requirements of such safety equipment; providing
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training requirements for such safety equipment;
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requiring schools to report specified information to
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the Office of Safe Schools; authorizing the office to
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conduct random audits for specified purposes;
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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. Subsection (9) of section 1001.212, Florida
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Statutes, is amended to read:
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1001.212 Office of Safe Schools.—There is created in the
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Department of Education the Office of Safe Schools. The office
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is fully accountable to the Commissioner of Education. The
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office shall serve as a central repository for best practices,
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training standards, and compliance oversight in all matters
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regarding school safety and security, including prevention
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efforts, intervention efforts, and emergency preparedness
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planning. The office shall:
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(9) Award grants to schools to improve the safety and
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security of schools school buildings based upon recommendations
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of the security risk assessment developed pursuant to subsection
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(1) or as provided in s. 1002.42(21).
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Section 2. Subsection (21) is added to section 1002.42,
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Florida Statutes, to read:
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1002.42 Private schools.—
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(21) SCHOOL SAFETY EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS.—
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(a) For purposes of this subsection, the term:
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1. "Ballistic shield" means a mobile protective device
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meeting the National Institute of Justice's Level IIIA ballistic
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resistance standards or higher.
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2. "Breaching tool" means a device designed to provide
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rapid access to locked or barricaded doors in an emergency,
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including, but not limited to, a Halligan bar, sledge hammer, or
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hydraulic breaching tool approved by a local law enforcement
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agency.
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3. "Campus" means the grounds and facilities of a private
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school where students are regularly educated.
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(b) Each private school must have at least one breaching
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tool and one ballistic shield on each campus of the school for
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use in the event of an active assailant or other life-
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threatening incident. The Department of Education, in
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consultation with the Department of Law Enforcement, shall
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establish minimum specifications for breaching tools and
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ballistic shields.
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(c) Each private school may use existing grants from the
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School Hardening Grant Program as funded by the Legislature or
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may use other available state or private funds to meet the
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requirements of this subsection.
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(d) Each private school must ensure that at least one
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school employee or the school's safe-school officer receives
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annual training on the deployment and safe use of the equipment
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required under this subsection. The training must be conducted
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in coordination with the sheriff's office or a local law
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enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
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(e) Each private school must annually report to the Office
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of Safe Schools, in a format prescribed by the office, that the
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equipment required under this section is present, functional,
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and accessible. The office may conduct random audits to verify
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compliance with this subsection.
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Section 3. Paragraph (i) is added to subsection (6) of
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section 1006.07, Florida Statutes, to read:
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1006.07 District school board duties relating to student
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discipline and school safety.—The district school board shall
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provide for the proper accounting for all students, for the
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attendance and control of students at school, and for proper
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attention to health, safety, and other matters relating to the
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welfare of students, including:
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(6) SAFETY AND SECURITY BEST PRACTICES.—Each district
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school superintendent shall establish policies and procedures
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for the prevention of violence on school grounds, including the
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assessment of and intervention with individuals whose behavior
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poses a threat to the safety of the school community.
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(i) School safety equipment requirements.—
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1. For purposes of this paragraph, the term:
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a. "Ballistic shield" means a mobile protective device
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meeting the National Institute of Justice's Level IIIA ballistic
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resistance standards or higher.
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b. "Breaching tool" means a device designed to provide
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rapid access to locked or barricaded doors in an emergency,
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including, but not limited to, a Halligan bar, sledge hammer, or
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hydraulic breaching tool approved by a local law enforcement
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agency.
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c. "Campus" means the grounds and facilities of a public
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school, including charter schools, where students are regularly
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educated.
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2. Each public school, including charter schools, must
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have at least one breaching tool and one ballistic shield on
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each campus of the school for use in the event of an active
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assailant or other life-threatening incident. The Department of
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Education, in consultation with the Department of Law
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Enforcement, shall establish minimum specifications for
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breaching tools and ballistic shields.
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3. Each school may use existing grants from the School
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Hardening Grant Program as funded by the Legislature or may use
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other state or private funds to meet the requirements of this
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paragraph.
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4. Each school must ensure that at least one school
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employee or the school's safe-school officer receives annual
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training on the deployment and safe use of the equipment
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required under this paragraph. The training must be conducted in
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coordination with the sheriff's office or a local law
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enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
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5. Each school must annually report to the Office of Safe
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Schools, in a format prescribed by the office, that the
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equipment required under this section is present, functional,
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and accessible. The office may conduct random audits to verify
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compliance with this paragraph.
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Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.