HB0077 • 2026

Public Postsecondary Safety Policies and Procedures

Education Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Woodson ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Chambliss ; Driskell ; Harris
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Education Administration Subcommittee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Although official metadata states the bill passed both chambers, it also notes a conflicting status where it died in an Education Administration Subcommittee. The effective date is listed as July 1, 2026.

Public Postsecondary Safety Policies and Procedures

This law requires Florida state universities and colleges to create written safety plans that protect people from physical threats and harmful behavior.

What This Bill Does

Requires schools to write rules for protecting students, staff, faculty, and visitors in classrooms and campus buildings from physical threats or conduct causing fear of harm.
Mandates the appointment of a person responsible for coordinating responses to safety incidents and implementing safety measures.
Sets up clear steps for reporting threats internally and notifying campus security or local police when appropriate.
Lists protective actions like moving classes, providing security escorts, or limiting access to certain areas by people causing harm.
Requires schools to update their safety plans every year using the best current practices in threat assessment and safety.

Who It Names or Affects

State universities in Florida
Florida College System institutions
Students, faculty, staff, and visitors at these schools

Terms To Know

Board of Governors: The group that oversees state universities and can make rules for this law.
State Board of Education: The group that oversees Florida College System institutions and can make rules for this law.

Limits and Unknowns

The text does not list specific penalties if a school fails to follow these new safety rules.
The exact details of the 'best practices' mentioned are not defined in this bill text, only that they relate to threat assessment and campus security.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Education Administration Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-10-07 House
• Referred to Education Administration Subcommittee • Referred to Education & Employment Committee • Now in Education Administration Subcommittee
2025-10-02 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Public Postsecondary Safety Policies and Procedures; Requires state universities & FCS institutions to adopt & implement specified policies & procedures relating to safety; provides requirements for policies & procedures; & requires annual review & updates policies & procedures.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 77 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to public postsecondary safety 2
policies and procedures; creating s. 1004.0983, F.S.; 3
requiring state universities and Florida College 4
System institutions to adopt and implement specified 5
policies and procedures relating to safety; providing 6
requirements for the policies and procedures; 7
requiring the universities and institutions to 8
annually review and update the policies and 9
procedures; authorizing the Board of Governors and the 10
State Board of Education to adopt regulations and 11
rules, respectively; providing an effective date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
15
Section 1. Section 1004.0983, Florida Statutes, is created 16
to read: 17
1004.0983 Public postsecondary safety policies and 18
procedures.— 19
(1) Each state university and Florida College System 20
institution shall adopt and implement written policies and 21
procedures to protect the physical safety of its students, 22
faculty, staff, and visitors in campus facilities, classrooms, 23
and other institutional settings from: 24
(a) Physical threats. 25

HB 77 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(b) Other conduct or language that would cause a 26
reasonable person to believe his or her physical safety is at 27
risk. 28
(2) The policies and procedures must: 29
(a) Identify a person responsible for: 30
1. Coordinating the state university or Florida College 31
System institution's response to actions listed in paragraphs 32
(1)(a) and (b). 33
2. Implementing such policies and procedures, including 34
all safety measures. 35
(b) Establish clear internal and external reporting 36
protocols, including notification of campus security or a local 37
law enforcement agency when appropriate. 38
(c) Outline the protective measures available to affected 39
persons, which may include work or class relocation, security 40
escorts, and restricting access to certain areas by a person 41
engaged in an activity listed in paragraphs (1)(a) or (b). 42
(d) Provide timely updates to an affected person regarding 43
the status of an incident and any actions taken. 44
(e) Ensure the policies and procedures are prominently 45
posted on the state university's or Florida College System 46
institution's website and available to students, faculty, staff, 47
and visitors upon request. 48
(3) Each state university and Florida College System 49
institution must annually review and update the policies and 50

HB 77 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

procedures to incorporate the best practices in threat 51
assessment, campus security, and safety. 52
(4) The Board of Governors may adopt regulations and the 53
State Board of Education may adopt rules to administer this 54
section. 55
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 56