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ENROLLED
2026
Legislature
CS for SB 656
2026656er
1
2 An act relating to the Internet crimes against
3 children programs; amending s. 943.0411, F.S.;
4 defining terms; renaming the Online Sting Operations
5 Grant Program created within the Department of Law
6 Enforcement as the Internet Crimes Against Children
7 Grant Program; revising the purpose of the grant
8 program; revising the authorized uses for grant
9 program funds; creating s. 943.0421, F.S.; providing a
10 short title; providing legislative findings; defining
11 the term “task force”; creating the Internet Crimes
12 Against Children Task Force Funding Program within the
13 Department of Law Enforcement; specifying how program
14 funds may be used; requiring specified percentage
15 distribution of program moneys; authorizing the
16 department to adopt rules; providing an effective
17 date.
18
19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21 Section 1. Section 943.0411, Florida Statutes, is amended
22 to read:
23 943.0411
Internet Crimes Against Children
Online Sting
24
Operations
Grant Program for local law enforcement
affiliates
25
agencies
to protect children.—
26 (1)
As used in this section, the term
:
27
(a)
“
A
ffiliate” means a local law enforcement agency in
28
this state which has a current memorandum of understanding with
29
an established Internet crimes against children task force or
30
which has been designated by the department as being in good
31
standing.
32
(b)
“
G
ood standing” means a local law enforcement agency in
33
this state that receives CyberTips from one of the task forces
34
and
follows Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program
35
standards in
its
investigation of
Internet
crimes against
36
children.
37
(c)
“Internet crimes against children task force” means an
38
Internet crimes against children task force located in this
39
state which is recognized by the United States Department of
40
Justice.
41
(2)
There is created within the department the
Internet
42
Crimes Against Children
Online Sting Operations
Grant Program to
43 award grants to local law enforcement
affiliates
agencies
to
44 support their
work to combat online child exploitation and
45
creation of sting operations
to target individuals online
46 preying upon children or attempting to do so.
47
(3)
(2)
The department shall annually award to local law
48 enforcement
affiliates
agencies
any funds specifically
49 appropriated for the grant program to cover expenses related to
50
their work to combat Internet crimes against children. The funds
51
may be awarded to cover overtime pay, travel, investigative or
52
digital forensics training, hardware, or
computers, electronics,
53 software
, and other related necessary supplies
. Grants must be
54 provided to local law enforcement agencies if funds are
55 appropriated for that purpose by law. The total amount of grants
56 awarded may not exceed funding appropriated for the grant
57 program.
58
(4)
(3)
The department may establish criteria and set
59 specific time periods for the acceptance of applications and for
60 the selection process for awarding grant funds.
61 Section 2. Section 943.0421, Florida Statutes, is created
62 to read:
63
943.0421
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
64
Funding Program
.—
65
(1)
SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Florida
66
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Funding Program
67
Act.”
68
(2)
LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that t
he
69
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
P
rogram
administered
70
by
the United States Department of Justice helps state and local
71
law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to
72
technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and
I
nternet
73
crimes against children. This help encompasses forensic and
74
investigative components, training and technical assistance,
75
victim services, and community education. The program is a
76
national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over
77
5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement and
78
prosecutorial agencies
.
The
L
egislature intends to create an
79
account dedicated to combating
I
nternet crimes against children,
80
promoting education on
I
nternet safety to minors
and to the
81
public, and rescuing child victims from abuse and exploitation
.
82
(3)
DEFINITION.—The term “task force” means an Internet
83
Crimes Against Children Task Force program located in this state
84
which is recognized by the United States Department of Justice.
85
(4)
ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The
Internet Crimes Against
86
Children Task Force
Funding
P
rogram
is created within the
87
department to provide a stable funding source for the task
88
forces.
89
(a)
Funding for the program shall consist of moneys
90
appropriated by the Legislature. Program funds may be used only
91
to support the administration and activities of law enforcement
92
agencies in their efforts to combat Internet crimes against
93
children, including the funding of personnel, overtime pay,
94
training, travel, and technology purchases.
95
(b)
Moneys appropriated to the program must be distributed
96
in the following amounts:
97
1.
Eighty percent divided equally among the task forces;
98
and
99
2.
Twenty percent to the department to support its efforts
100
in combating Internet crimes against children.
101
(5)
RULEMAKING.—The department may adopt rules to implement
102
and administer this section.
103 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.