Public Safety

HB 1427 2026

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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to public safety; amending s. 365.171, 2
F.S.; revising legislative intent relating to 911 3
systems; requiring each county, and every public 4
agency within such county, to provide specified 911, 5
emergency call, and dispatch services from a 6
centralized 911 call center operated by the county or 7
a regional entity as decided by specified boards; 8
requiring state funds for emergency services be 9
redirected to each county that operates such centers; 10
prohibiting certain counties from receiving state 11
funds; requiring the board of county commissioners of 12
each county to convene a specified board within a 13
certain time period; providing membership requirements 14
of such board; requiring the board to decide by a 15
unanimous vote the entity for the county that will 16
operate its centralized 911 call center and funding 17
for such entity; prohibiting funding from exceeding a 18
specified dollar amount; requiring a certain board of 19
county commissioners to convene a specified board 20
within a certain time period in order for the county 21
to establish a regional centralized 911 call center; 22
providing membership requirements of such board; 23
requiring the responsibilities and requirements of the 24
board to be identical to another board; requiring the 25

HB 1427 2026

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board to decide by a unanimous vote the entity for the 26
region that will operate its centralized 911 call 27
center and funding for such entity; prohibiting 28
funding from exceeding a specified dollar amount 29
unless agreed to by a specified vote of the board; 30
requiring certain counties to convene a specified 31
board for a specific purpose; providing 32
responsibilities of specified boards following the 33
establishment of a centralized 911 call center; 34
providing membership composition of such boards; 35
requiring an entity that operates a centralized 911 36
call center to maintain its headquarters in a 37
specified location for a specific purpose; authorizing 38
the entity an alternate locations in certain 39
circumstances; providing the sheriff shall be deemed 40
the entity to provide 911, emergency call, and 41
dispatch services in a county in certain 42
circumstances; requiring all existing 911 operations 43
within such county to be integrated under the sheriff 44
and every public agency within such county to 45
participate; requiring state funds to be redirected to 46
the sheriff for a specified purpose; prohibiting 47
certain expenditures from being included in the 48
sheriff's budget; prohibiting entities from 49
transferring certain emergency calls; requiring 50

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entities to maintain interoperability with other 51
emergency communications centers; requiring such 52
entities to maintain certain cybersecurity standards; 53
requiring vendors of certain systems to provide, at no 54
additional cost, specified capabilities to 911 call 55
centers; prohibiting such vendors from imposing any 56
additional licensing or integration fee for any system 57
that enables integration of systems used by 911 call 58
centers; requiring every 911 call center and public 59
safety answering point, and any related system, to be 60
deemed critical infrastructure; providing definitions; 61
requiring specified boards or the sheriff to make a 62
certain certification in writing to the office by 63
specified dates; providing a reporting requirement; 64
providing penalties for noncompliance; providing an 65
effective date. 66
67
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 68
69
Section 1. Subsections (2) and (4) of section 365.171, 70
Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 71
365.171 Emergency communications state plan.— 72
(2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the 73
Legislature that the communications number "911" be the 74
designated emergency communications number. A public safety 75

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agency may not advertise or otherwise promote the use of any 76
communications number for emergency response services other than 77
"911." It is further the intent of the Legislature to implement 78
and continually update a cohesive statewide emergency 79
communications plan for enhanced 911 services which will provide 80
citizens with rapid direct access to public safety agencies by 81
accessing "911" with the objective of reducing the response time 82
to situations requiring law enforcement, fire, medical, rescue, 83
and other emergency services. It is further the intent of the 84
Legislature to create a unified 911 system within each county or 85
region to serve as a single point of contact for all emergency 86
services in order to maximize efficiency of emergency services. 87
It is further the intent of the Legislature to prohibit the 88
transfer of calls between 911 call centers or other law 89
enforcement, fire, or EMS dispatch centers in the same county, 90
to maximize the efficiency of the statewide emergency 91
communications plan for residents dialing "911" for emergency 92
services. It is further the intent of the Legislature to 93
maximize interoperability of public safety agencies within each 94
county and statewide to maximize the efficiency of emergency 95
communications for residents dialing "911" for emergency 96
services. The goal of interoperability is to ensure that 911 97
calls for emergency services, as well as communication and 98
responses to catastrophic events, are connected directly so that 99
critical information and resources across multiple disciplines 100

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and agencies are coordinated. 101
(4) STATE PLAN.—The office shall develop, maintain, and 102
implement appropriate modifications for a statewide emergency 103
communications plan. The plan shall provide for: 104
(a) The public agency emergency communications 105
requirements for each entity of local government in the state. 106
(b) A system to meet specific local government 107
requirements. Such system shall include law enforcement, 108
firefighting, and emergency medical services and may include 109
other emergency services such as poison control, suicide 110
prevention, and emergency management services. 111
(c) Identification of the mutual aid agreements necessary 112
to obtain an effective emergency communications system. 113
(d) A funding provision that identifies the cost necessary 114
to implement the emergency communications system. 115
(e)1.a. By January 1, 2029, each county, and every public 116
agency within such county, shall provide 911, emergency call, 117
and dispatch services from a unified 911 call center, operated 118
by the county or a regional entity created by an interlocal 119
agreement or other memorandum of agreement, decided by a 120
unanimous vote of the Emergency Communication Center (ECC) 121
Executive Board or the Regional Emergency Communication Center 122
(RECC) Executive Board, as applicable, pursuant to this 123
paragraph. 124
b. Upon establishment of a unified 911 call center, all 125

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state funds for emergency services shall be redirected to each 126
county that operates the unified 911 call center. A county that 127
provides or receives 911, emergency call, and dispatch services, 128
but does not establish a unified 911 call center pursuant to 129
this paragraph, may not receive state funds for emergency 130
services. 131
2.a. Within 90 days after July 1, 2026, in order for a 132
county to establish a unified 911 call center pursuant to this 133
paragraph, the board of county commissioners shall convene an 134
ECC executive board. The chair of the board of county 135
commissioners or his or her designee shall serve as the chair of 136
the ECC executive board. The membership of the ECC executive 137
board shall consist of the city manager or strong mayor, as 138
applicable, of the largest municipality in each county by 139
population size that provides law enforcement, fire, and EMS 140
services, and each agency head that provides law enforcement, 141
fire, and EMS services operating in the county as of July 1, 142
2026. 143
b. By January 1, 2027, the ECC executive board must decide 144
by a unanimous vote, the entity for the county that will operate 145
its unified 911 call center. Funding for such entity must also 146
be decided by a unanimous vote of the ECC executive board and 147
the funding shall be provided by the county and participating 148
municipalities and agencies or any combination thereof. Any 149
funding after the establishment of a unified 911 call center 150

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required by this paragraph may not exceed any net increase in 151
the annual purchasing power of the dollar, as reflected in the 152
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, unless agreed to 153
by a unanimous vote of the ECC executive board. 154
3.a Within 90 days after July 1, 2026, in order for a 155
county to establish a regional unified 911 call center pursuant 156
to this paragraph, the board of county commissioners of the 157
county with the largest population participating in the regional 158
unified 911 call center shall convene an RECC executive board. 159
The chair of the board of county commissioners or his or her 160
designee shall serve as the chair of the RECC executive board. 161
The membership of the RECC executive board shall consist of: 162
(I) The chair of the board of county commissioners, or his 163
or her designee, from each participating county. 164
(II) The city manager or strong mayor, as applicable, of 165
the largest municipality in each participating county by 166
population size. 167
(III) Every agency head within each participating county 168
that provides law enforcement, fire, and EMS services operating 169
in the participating counties as of July 1, 2026. 170
171
Notwithstanding membership requirements in this subparagraph, 172
RECC executive board responsibilities and requirements shall 173
mirror the ECC executive board responsibilities and requirements 174
pursuant to this paragraph. 175

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b. By January 1, 2027, the RECC executive board must 176
decide by a unanimous vote, the entity for the region that will 177
operate its unified 911 call center for the participating 178
counties. Funding for such entity must also be decided by a 179
unanimous vote of the RECC executive board and the funding shall 180
be provided by the participating counties, municipalities, 181
agencies, or any combination thereof. Any funding after the 182
establishment of a unified 911 call center required by this 183
paragraph may not exceed any net increase in the annual 184
purchasing power of the dollar, as reflected in the Consumer 185
Price Index for All Urban Consumers, unless agreed to by three-186
fourths vote of the RECC executive board. 187
4. A county that has an established entity, as of July 1, 188
2026, that provides law enforcement, fire, and EMS services to 189
all government provided first responder agencies in the county 190
shall convene an ECC executive board pursuant to subparagraph 2. 191
to ensure that the requirements of this paragraph are met. 192
5.a. Following the establishment of a unified 911 call 193
center by a county pursuant to this paragraph, the ECC executive 194
board shall serve as an advisor to the entity that operates the 195
unified 911 call center. The ECC executive board may convene at 196
a time and place as determined by the chair of the board. 197
Membership of the ECC executive board shall consist of: 198
(I) One member of the board of county commissioners or his 199
or her designee. 200

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(II) One representative from the county's city council, or 201
his or her designee. 202
(III) The sheriff or his or her designee. 203
(IV) The police chief and the fire chief of the county. 204
205
Members may serve on a rotating basis within their respective 206
category of representation as established by the implementing 207
rules created by the ECC executive board. 208
b. Following the establishment of a regional unified 911 209
call center pursuant to this paragraph, the RECC executive board 210
shall serve as an advisor to the entity that operates the 211
regional unified 911 call center. The RECC executive board may 212
convene at a time and place as determined by the chair of the 213
board. Membership of the RECC executive board shall consist of: 214
(I) One member of the board of county commissioners, or 215
his or her designee, from each participating county. 216
(II) One representative, or his or her designee, from the 217
city council of each participating county. 218
(III) The sheriff, or his or her designee, from each 219
participating county. 220
(IV) The police chief and the fire chief from each 221
participating county. 222
223
Members may serve on a rotating basis within their respective 224
category of representation as established by the implementing 225

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rules created by the RECC executive board. 226
6.a. An entity that operates a unified 911 call center 227
shall maintain its headquarters in one location to serve as the 228
primary public safety answering point (PSAP). However, an entity 229
may maintain offices or answering points at various other 230
locations throughout this state, as required and determined by a 231
public agency. An entity shall designate an alternate center to 232
the PSAP. Such center may only receive emergency calls when the 233
PSAP is unable to receive emergency calls. 234
b. An entity that operates a regional unified 911 call 235
center shall maintain its headquarters in one location to serve 236
as the PSAP, but may maintain offices or answering points at 237
various locations, as required and determined by the public 238
agencies. However, the entity must designate an alternate center 239
to the PSAP. Such center may only receive emergency calls when 240
the PSAP is unable to receive emergency calls. 241
7.a. By January 1, 2027, if a county has not established 242
the operation of a unified 911 call center pursuant to this 243
paragraph, the sheriff of the county shall be deemed the entity 244
to provide 911, emergency call, and dispatch services in the 245
county. All existing 911 operations within a county shall be 246
integrated under the sheriff to create a 911 call center, and 247
every public agency within the county shall participate in the 248
911 call center to provide such services. 249
b. If the sheriff provides 911, emergency call, and 250

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dispatch services, the state funds for emergency services shall 251
be redirected to the sheriff for the sole purpose of operating 252
the unified 911 call center and may not be distributed to the 253
county. The county shall provide total funding for the 911 call 254
center, as determined by the annual needs assessment and as 255
requested by the sheriff, but the county does not have any right 256
or control over the funds or equipment of the center. 257
Expenditures for operating the 911 call center may not be 258
included in the sheriff's budget under s. 30.49. Such 259
expenditures shall be included in the county's budget in 260
accordance with the provisions of chapter 129. 261
8.a. An entity or regional entity that provides 911, 262
emergency call, and dispatch services from a 911 call center may 263
not transfer any emergency call received by the entity to any 264
other PSAP or call center, unless at least one firefighting, law 265
enforcement, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services 266
professional, as applicable, has been dispatched in response to 267
the emergency call received by the entity. 268
b. This subparagraph does not prohibit the transfer of an 269
emergency call to another PSAP or emergency communications 270
center if the reported emergency occurs outside the 271
jurisdictional boundaries of the local government where the 272
headquarters of the 911 call center is located. In such cases, 273
the emergency call shall be promptly transferred to the 274
appropriate jurisdiction, consistent with established 275

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interagency protocols and mutual-aid agreements. 276
9.a. An entity or regional entity that provides 911, 277
emergency call, and dispatch services from a 911 call center 278
shall maintain interoperability with other emergency 279
communications centers in this state. Such entities shall 280
maintain proactive cybersecurity standards adopted by the 281
National Institute of Standards and Technology, as outlined in 282
the Task Force on Optimal Public Safety Answering Point 283
Architecture Guidelines. Such entities shall include 284
cryptographic inventory and ongoing cryptographic monitoring 285
services, and incorporate behavioral-based, packet-level 286
monitoring at all times from a Security Operations Center 287
located in the United States. 288
b. To aid in interoperability and public safety, a vendor 289
of computer-aided dispatch systems and interoperable radio 290
communications systems must provide, at no additional cost, the 291
built-in capability to interface with different PASP CAD systems 292
and other radio communications systems that, although not 293
operated or maintained by the vendor, are used in this state by 294
911 call centers. In addition, a vendor may not impose any 295
additional licensing or integration fee for any system that 296
enables integration of such systems, including, but not limited 297
to, radio communications systems, CAD systems, cyber security 298
systems, telephone communication systems, interoperability 299
gateway systems, and Radio over Internet-Protocol (RoIP) gateway 300

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systems, used in this state by a 911 call center. 301
c. Every 911 call center and PSAP, and any related system, 302
including, but not limited to, interoperability gateway systems 303
and secure IP communications systems that enable cross-system 304
radio communications, shall be deemed critical infrastructure in 305
this state. 306
d. As used in this subparagraph: 307
(I) "Critical infrastructure" has the same meaning as in 308
s. 119.0725(1). 309
(II) "Interoperability" means the technical ability to 310
communicate across disciplines and jurisdictions statewide. 311
(III) "Interoperability gateway" system means a network 312
device or platform that provides protocol translation, audio 313
transcoding, routing, and talk-group management between 314
otherwise incompatible radio systems, Voice over Internet 315
Protocol (VoIP) systems, public safety LTE network systems, 316
mission critical push-to-X services systems, satellite systems, 317
and IP-based communications systems. 318
(IV) "Radio over Internet Protocol (RoIP) Gateway" system 319
means hardware or software that enables radio communications to 320
be transmitted, received, patched, or controlled across IP 321
networks. 322
10.a. By January 1 2027, and by January 1, 2029, the chair 323
of the ECC executive board, the chair of the RECC executive 324
board, or the sheriff, as applicable, shall certify in writing 325

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to the office that the county or each participating county, as 326
applicable, has taken the required action to comply this 327
paragraph and has established an entity or regional entity to 328
provide 911, emergency call, and dispatch services. 329
b. By January 30, 2027, and by January 1, 2029, the office 330
shall submit a report to the Governor, the President of the 331
Senate, and the Speaker of House of Representatives, describing 332
the results of establishing 911 call centers in this state, 333
identifying any county that has not established such a center in 334
violation of this paragraph. 335
11. A county that does not comply with this paragraph by 336
January 1, 2029, shall have its emergency funding reduced by 25 337
percent for each year the county does not comply. 338
339
The office shall be responsible for the implementation and 340
coordination of such plan. The office shall adopt any necessary 341
rules and schedules related to public agencies for implementing 342
and coordinating the plan, pursuant to chapter 120. 343
Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 344