Temporary Door Locking Devices

Labor

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Partington
Last action: 2025-11-25
Official status: House - Withdrawn prior to introduction
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill specifies approval by local enforcement agencies but does not detail the specific criteria for that approval.

Temporary Door Locking Devices

This bill defines rules for special locks that can be used on doors only during emergencies or safety drills.

What This Bill Does

Defines a temporary door locking device as something meant only for emergency use that does not modify fire exit hardware and is not permanently mounted to the door assembly.
Allows these devices to be installed at any height above the floor.
Requires the Florida Building Commission to add standards for these locks into state building codes.
Mandates that buildings include training, safety drills, and plans on how to use these devices.

Who It Names or Affects

The Florida Building Commission
Building owners who install temporary door locking devices
Employees or staff in buildings with these locks

Terms To Know

Temporary door locking device: A lock that stops a door from opening during an emergency, can be removed without a key from the exit side, and does not change fire safety features.
Egress side: The side of the door where people leave or exit through.

Limits and Unknowns

Local enforcement agencies must approve each device before it is used.
These locks can only be used for a short time during specific emergencies like lockdowns, shelter-in-place orders, or safety drills.
The bill does not say exactly which types of buildings must use these devices.

Bill History

2025-11-25 House
• Withdrawn prior to introduction
2025-11-24 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Temporary Door Locking Devices; Defines "temporary door locking device"; authorizing temporary door locking devices to be installed at any height; requires Florida Building Commission to incorporate certain standards for temporary door locking devices into Florida Building Code; requires use of temporary door locking devices be integrated into building safety plans, safety drills, & training programs for specified purpose.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 537 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb537-00
Page 1 of 3
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 temporary door locking devices; 2
creating s. 553.8951, F.S.; defining the term 3
"temporary door locking device"; authorizing temporary 4
door locking devices to be installed at any height; 5
requiring the Florida Building Commission to 6
incorporate certain standards for temporary door 7
locking devices into the Florida Building Code; 8
requiring the use of temporary door locking devices be 9
integrated into building safety plans, safety drills, 10
and training programs for a specified purpose; 11
providing an effective date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
15
Section 1. Section 553.8951, Florida Statutes, is created 16
to read: 17
553.8951 Temporary door locking devices.— 18
(1) As used in this section, the term "temporary door 19
locking device" means a device that prevents a door from opening 20
and meets all of the following criteria: 21
(a) Is meant only for temporary use during an emergency 22
situation. 23
(b) Can be engaged or removed without opening the door. 24
(c) Can be engaged and removed from the egress side of the 25

HB 537 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb537-00
Page 2 of 3
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

door without the use of a key and can be removed from the 26
ingress side of the door with the use of a key or other 27
credential. 28
(d) Does not modify the door closer, panic hardware, or 29
fire exit hardware. 30
(e) Is not permanently mounted to the door assembly. 31
However, individual parts of the temporary door locking device, 32
including, but not limited to, bolts, stops, brackets, or pins, 33
which do not prevent normal ingress and egress through the door 34
may be permanently mounted to the door. 35
(f) Does not affect the fire rating of the door and 36
complies with the fire rating standards of the National Fire 37
Protection Association. 38
(g) Can be removed with a single operation when engaged. 39
(2) Notwithstanding any other law or provision in the 40
Florida Building Code, a temporary door locking device may be 41
installed at any height above the finished floor. 42
(3) The Florida Building Commission shall incorporate into 43
the Florida Building Code pursuant to s. 553.73(1) standards for 44
temporary door locking devices that meet the requirements of 45
this section. A temporary door locking device may be used to 46
secure a fire exit or an entranceway leading to a fire exit if 47
the temporary door locking device is used only during an 48
emergency situation and approved by the local enforcement agency 49
that has jurisdiction over the building in which the device is 50

HB 537 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb537-00
Page 3 of 3
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

installed. A temporary door locking device may be applied only 51
for a finite period of time during an emergency situation, 52
including, but not limited to, a shelter-in-place order, an 53
emergency lockdown, or a safety drill for such emergency 54
situation. 55
(4) The use of a temporary door locking device must be 56
integrated into building safety plans, safety drills, and 57
training programs so that the employees or staff of the building 58
in which the device is installed has inservice training on the 59
use of the temporary door locking device. 60
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 61