Read the full stored bill text
CS/HB 975 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb975-01-c1
Page 1 of 9
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 the Capitol Center and Complex; 2
amending s. 272.12, F.S.; providing that the 3
Department of Management Services is responsible for 4
the aesthetics of the Capitol Center for visitors; 5
amending s. 272.121, F.S.; requiring the department to 6
consider certain factors when developing a specified 7
plan; amending s. 272.16, F.S.; requiring the 8
department, in consultation with the Capitol Police, 9
to establish enhanced security measures in certain 10
parking areas; amending s. 943.61, F.S.; authorizing 11
the Capitol Police to patrol the area surrounding the 12
Capitol Complex to ensure the safety of certain 13
persons; defining the term "area surrounding the 14
Capitol Complex"; providing a requirement for a 15
certain operational plan; requiring the Capitol Police 16
to provide a certain report to the Legislature; 17
amending s. 943.64, F.S.; authorizing certain ex 18
officio agents to patrol the Capitol Complex and the 19
area surrounding the Capitol Complex; amending s. 20
943.601, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; providing 21
an effective date. 22
23
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 24
25
CS/HB 975 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb975-01-c1
Page 2 of 9
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
Section 1. Subsection (3) is added to section 272.12, 26
Florida Statutes, to read: 27
272.12 Florida Capitol Center Planning District.— 28
(3) The Department of Management Services is responsible 29
for the aesthetics of the Capitol Center for visitors. 30
Section 2. Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (1) of 31
section 272.121, Florida Statutes, to read: 32
272.121 Capitol Center long-range planning.— 33
(1) The Department of Management Services shall develop a 34
comprehensive and long-range plan for the development of state-35
owned property within the Capitol Center. In developing this 36
plan, the department shall consider: 37
(e) The security of the Capitol Center and surrounding 38
areas and the need to keep those spaces safe. 39
Section 3. Subsection (4) of section 272.16, Florida 40
Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (5) and amended, and a new 41
subsection (4) is added to that section, to read: 42
272.16 Parking areas within Capitol Center area.— 43
(4) The Department of Management Services, in consultation 44
with the Capitol Police, shall establish enhanced security 45
measures to protect members of the Legislature, state officers, 46
employees, and visitors in such parking areas. 47
(5)(4) The Department of Management Services shall adopt 48
such rules as are necessary to implement carry out the purposes 49
of subsections (1), and (3), and (4). 50
CS/HB 975 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb975-01-c1
Page 3 of 9
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
Section 4. Section 943.61, Florida Statutes, is amended to 51
read: 52
943.61 Powers and duties of the Capitol Police.— 53
(1)(a) There is created the Capitol Police within the 54
Department of Law Enforcement, to serve the safety and security 55
needs of both the legislative and executive branches of state 56
government. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Capitol 57
Police serve as a specially trained and highly effective 58
security and law enforcement agency serving the Capitol Complex 59
and the state. It shall be the primary responsibility of the 60
Capitol Police to protect the security of the Governor, the 61
Lieutenant Governor, the members of the Cabinet, and the members 62
of the Senate and of the House of Representatives, and those 63
employees assigned to assist such state officials in the 64
performance of their official duties, and to ensure their access 65
to buildings and premises within the Capitol Complex, thereby 66
providing for the continuous operation of the government of the 67
State of Florida. 68
(b)(2) The Capitol Police shall also provide security and 69
protection for other state officials, employees, and visitors to 70
the Capitol Complex and shall maintain a reasonable degree of 71
safety and security within the Capitol Complex while ensuring 72
reasonable access to buildings and premises within the Capitol 73
Complex by state officials, employees, and visitors. The Capitol 74
Police shall also ensure that adequate signs and personnel are 75
CS/HB 975 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb975-01-c1
Page 4 of 9
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
in place to inform and assist the occupants of and visitors to 76
buildings within the Capitol Complex. 77
(c) To enforce this subsection, the Capitol Police may 78
patrol and conduct law enforcement activities in the area 79
surrounding the Capitol Complex between the hours of 7:00 a.m. 80
and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. 81
(d) For purposes of this section, the term "area 82
surrounding the Capitol Complex" means the area extending north 83
from the northern boundary of the Capitol Complex, up to and 84
including East Park Avenue and West Park Avenue, and bounded on 85
the east and west by the existing eastern and western boundaries 86
of the Capitol Complex. 87
(2)(3) Nothing herein limits the ability of the Capitol 88
Police to provide mutual aid to other law enforcement agencies 89
as authorized by law unless such a limitation is expressly 90
included in the operational security plans provided for herein. 91
(3)(4) The Capitol Police shall have the following 92
responsibilities, powers, and duties: 93
(a) To develop, in consultation with the Governor, Cabinet 94
officers, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the 95
House of Representatives, written operational plans for basic 96
and enhanced security measures and actions related to the 97
Capitol Complex. Such plans must address crime and vagrancy in 98
the area surrounding the Capitol Complex. Such plans and any 99
changes or amendments thereto may shall not be implemented 100
CS/HB 975 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb975-01-c1
Page 5 of 9
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
unless presented in writing in final form to the Governor, the 101
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of 102
Representatives and all three grant their approval in writing. 103
The approval of any officer required herein shall expire 60 days 104
after such officer vacates his or her office, and the written 105
approval of the successor in office must be obtained before 106
prior to the continuation of operations under such plans. Upon 107
the request of the Governor, a Cabinet officer, the President of 108
the Senate, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the 109
Capitol Police shall activate previously approved enhanced 110
security measures and actions in accordance with the approved 111
operational plans specific to the requesting officer's 112
responsibilities and to the facilities occupied by such officer 113
and employees responsible to such officer. Upon an emergency 114
threatening the immediate safety and security of occupants of 115
the Capitol Complex, so declared by the Governor, plans not 116
approved as required by this paragraph may be implemented for a 117
period not to exceed 15 days, provided such plans do not 118
substantially interfere with the ability of the Senate and the 119
House of Representatives to assemble for any constitutional 120
purpose. 121
(b) To provide and maintain the security of all property 122
located in the Capitol Complex in a manner consistent with the 123
security plans developed and approved under paragraph (a) and, 124
in consultation with the State Fire Marshal, to provide for 125
CS/HB 975 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb975-01-c1
Page 6 of 9
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
evacuations, information, and training required for firesafety 126
on such property in a manner consistent with s. 633.218. 127
(c) To develop plans for reporting incidents involving 128
buildings and property within the Capitol Complex, emergency 129
procedures and evacuation routes in the event of fire, security 130
threats, incidents prompting a need for evacuation, acts of 131
terrorism, or natural or manmade disaster and to make such 132
procedures and routes known to those persons occupying such 133
buildings. 134
(d) To employ officers who hold certification as law 135
enforcement officers in accordance with the minimum standards 136
and qualifications as set forth in s. 943.13 and the provisions 137
of chapter 110, and who have the authority to bear arms, make 138
arrests, except as may be limited in the security plans 139
established under paragraph (a), and apply for arrest warrants. 140
(e) To hire guards and administrative, clerical, 141
technical, and other personnel as may be required. 142
(f) To train all officers and other employees in fire 143
prevention, firesafety, emergency medical procedures, and 144
preventing and responding to acts of terrorism. 145
(g) To respond to all complaints relating to criminal 146
activity or security threats within the Capitol Complex, or 147
against the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, a member of the 148
Cabinet, a member of the Senate or of the House of 149
Representatives, or an employee assisting such official. 150
CS/HB 975 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb975-01-c1
Page 7 of 9
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
(h) As provided by the security plans developed and 151
approved under paragraph (a), upon request of the presiding 152
officer of either house of the Legislature, the director may 153
assign one or more officers for the protection of a member of 154
the house served by such presiding officer. Per diem and 155
subsistence allowance for department employees traveling with a 156
member of the Legislature away from Tallahassee shall be 157
computed by payment of a sum up to the amounts permitted in s. 158
112.061 for meals, plus actual expenses for lodging to be 159
substantiated by paid bills therefor. 160
(i) To enforce rules of the Department of Management 161
Services governing the regulation of traffic and parking within 162
the Capitol Complex and to impound illegally or wrongfully 163
parked vehicles. 164
(j) To establish policies for the organizational 165
structure, principles of command, and internal operations of the 166
Capitol Police, provided that such policies are not inconsistent 167
with the provisions of ss. 943.61-943.68 or the security plans 168
developed and approved under paragraph (a). 169
(k) To carry out the transportation and protective 170
services functions described in s. 943.68. 171
(l) To provide to the Legislature a report with 172
recommendations to enhance the safety of the area surrounding 173
the Capitol Complex. 174
(4)(5) Officers of the Capitol Police may make lawful 175
CS/HB 975 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb975-01-c1
Page 8 of 9
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
arrests, consistent with the purposes, responsibilities, and 176
limitations set forth in ss. 943.60-943.68. However, except with 177
the prior approval of the appropriate presiding officer, 178
officers of the Capitol Police shall have no power to prevent 179
the convening or continuation of any meeting of the Legislature, 180
legislative committees, or staff, nor shall they have the power 181
to interfere with the legislative duties or rights of a member 182
of the Legislature, or to interfere with the constitutional 183
duties or rights of the Governor or a member of the Cabinet, 184
except as may be necessary to protect the health and safety of 185
any person from a clear and present danger, or as may be 186
otherwise provided in the security plans developed and approved 187
for fire prevention, firesafety, and emergency medical 188
procedures under paragraph (3)(a) (4)(a). No employee of the 189
Capitol Police shall be permitted in either legislative chamber 190
without the specific permission of the presiding officer of that 191
house of the Legislature, but may enter in the case of an 192
emergency when the presiding officer is not able or available to 193
consent. 194
Section 5. Section 943.64, Florida Statutes, is amended to 195
read: 196
943.64 Ex officio agents.—Law enforcement officers of the 197
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, special agents 198
or inspectors of the Department of Law Enforcement, and law 199
enforcement officers of other state agencies, counties, and 200
CS/HB 975 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb975-01-c1
Page 9 of 9
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
municipalities are ex officio agents of the Capitol Police, and 201
may, when authorized by the executive director of the department 202
or the executive director's designee, enforce rules and laws 203
applicable to the powers and duties of the Capitol Police to 204
provide and maintain the security required by ss. 943.61-943.68, 205
including patrolling the Capitol Complex and the area 206
surrounding the Capitol Complex, as defined in s. 943.61(1)(d). 207
Section 6. Section 943.601, Florida Statutes, is amended 208
to read: 209
943.601 Preservation of legislative powers.—Except as may 210
be agreed to by the presiding officers of both houses of the 211
Legislature, nothing in this chapter shall limit or otherwise 212
interfere with the rights and powers of the Senate or the House 213
of Representatives, or the officers of either, to direct or 214
command members or committees of the Legislature or legislative 215
employees to attend any meeting or enter any area of the Capitol 216
Complex for a legislative purpose, and the Capitol Police may, 217
as provided by the security plans developed and approved under 218
s. 943.61(3)(a) s. 943.61(4)(a), and upon request of the 219
presiding officer of either house of the Legislature, ensure the 220
ability of any member of the house presided over by such 221
presiding officer to attend to such legislative business without 222
wrongful interference from any person or government entity. 223
Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 224