Public Safety

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 1586

By
Senator DiCeglie

18-00676B-26 20261586__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to public safety; amending s. 365.171,
3 F.S.; revising legislative intent relating to 911
4 systems; requiring each county, and every public
5 agency within such county, to provide specified 911,
6 emergency call, and dispatch services from a
7 centralized 911 call center operated by the county or
8 a regional entity as decided by specified boards;
9 requiring that state funds for emergency services be
10 redirected to each county that operates such centers;
11 prohibiting certain counties from receiving state
12 funds; requiring the board of county commissioners of
13 each county to convene a specified board within a
14 certain time period; providing membership requirements
15 of such board; requiring the board to decide by a
16 unanimous vote the entity for the county which will
17 operate its centralized 911 call center and the
18 funding for such entity; prohibiting funding from
19 exceeding a specified dollar amount; requiring a
20 certain board of county commissioners to convene a
21 specified board within a certain time period in order
22 for the county to establish a regional centralized 911
23 call center; providing membership requirements of such
24 board; requiring the responsibilities and requirements
25 of the board to mirror those of a specified board;
26 requiring the board to decide by a unanimous vote the
27 entity for the region which will operate its
28 centralized 911 call center and the funding for such
29 entity; prohibiting funding from exceeding a specified
30 dollar amount unless agreed to by a specified vote of
31 the board; requiring certain counties to convene a
32 specified board for a specific purpose; providing
33 responsibilities of specified boards following the
34 establishment of a centralized 911 call center;
35 providing membership composition of such boards;
36 requiring an entity that operates a centralized 911
37 call center to maintain its headquarters in a
38 specified location for a specific purpose; authorizing
39 the entity an alternate location in certain
40 circumstances; providing that the sheriff is deemed
41 the entity to provide 911, emergency call, and
42 dispatch services in a county under certain
43 circumstances; requiring that all existing 911
44 operations within such county be integrated under the
45 sheriff and every public agency within such county to
46 participate; requiring that state funds be redirected
47 to the sheriff for a specified purpose; prohibiting
48 certain expenditures from being included in the
49 sheriff’s budget; prohibiting entities from
50 transferring certain emergency calls; requiring
51 entities to maintain interoperability with other
52 emergency communications centers; requiring such
53 entities to maintain certain cybersecurity standards;
54 requiring vendors of certain systems to provide, at no
55 additional cost, specified capabilities to 911 call
56 centers; prohibiting such vendors from imposing any
57 additional licensing or integration fee for any system
58 that enables integration of systems used by 911 call
59 centers; requiring that every 911 call center and
60 public safety answering point, and any related system,
61 be deemed critical infrastructure; defining terms;
62 requiring specified boards or the sheriff, as
63 applicable, to make a certain certification in writing
64 to the office by specified dates; requiring the office
65 to submit a certain report to the Governor and the
66 Legislature by specified dates; providing requirements
67 for the report; providing penalties for noncompliance;
68 providing an effective date.
69
70 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
71
72 Section 1. Subsections (2) and (4) of section 365.171,
73 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
74 365.171 Emergency communications state plan.—
75 (2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature
76 that the communications number “911” be the designated emergency
77 communications number. A public safety agency may not advertise
78 or otherwise promote the use of any communications number for
79 emergency response services other than “911.” It is further the
80 intent of the Legislature to implement and continually update a
81 cohesive statewide emergency communications plan for enhanced
82 911 services which will provide citizens with rapid direct
83 access to public safety agencies by accessing “911” with the
84 objective of reducing the response time to situations requiring
85 law enforcement, fire, medical, rescue, and other emergency
86 services.
It is further the intent of the Legislature to create

87
a unified 911 system within each county or region to serve as a

88
single point of contact for all emergency services in order to

89
maximize efficiency of emergency services. It is further the

90
intent of the Legislature to prohibit the transfer of calls

91
between 911 call centers or other law enforcement, fire, or EMS

92
dispatch centers in the same county, to maximize the efficiency

93
of the statewide emergency communications plan for residents

94
dialing “911” for emergency services. It is further the intent

95
of the Legislature to maximize interoperability of public safety

96
agencies within each county and statewide to maximize the

97
efficiency of emergency communications for residents dialing

98
“911” for emergency services. The goal of interoperability is to

99
ensure that 911 calls for emergency services, as well as

100
communication and responses to catastrophic events, are

101
connected directly so that critical information and resources

102
across multiple disciplines and agencies are coordinated.

103 (4) STATE PLAN.—The office shall develop, maintain, and
104 implement appropriate modifications for a statewide emergency
105 communications plan. The plan shall provide for:
106 (a) The public agency emergency communications requirements
107 for each entity of local government in the state.
108 (b) A system to meet specific local government
109 requirements. Such system shall include law enforcement,
110 firefighting, and emergency medical services and may include
111 other emergency services such as poison control, suicide
112 prevention, and emergency management services.
113 (c) Identification of the mutual aid agreements necessary
114 to obtain an effective emergency communications system.
115 (d) A funding provision that identifies the cost necessary
116 to implement the emergency communications system.
117
(e)1.a.

By January 1, 2029, each county, and every public

118
agency within such county, shall provide 911, emergency call,

119
and dispatch services from a unified 911 call center, operated

120
by the county or a regional entity created by an interlocal

121
agreement or other memorandum of agreement, decided by a

122
unanimous vote of the Emergency Communication Center (ECC)

123
executive board or the Regional Emergency Communication Center

124
(RECC) executive board, as applicable, pursuant to this

125
paragraph.

126
b.

Upon establishment of a unified 911 call center, all

127
state funds for emergency services must be redirected to each

128
county that operates the unified 911 call center. A county that

129
provides or receives 911, emergency call, and dispatch services,

130
but does not establish a unified 911 call center pursuant to

131
this paragraph, may not receive state funds for emergency

132
services.

133
2.a.

Within 90 days after July 1, 2026, in order for a

134
county to establish a unified 911 call center pursuant to this

135
paragraph, the board of county commissioners shall convene an

136
ECC executive board. The chair of the board of county

137
commissioners or his or her designee shall serve as the chair of

138
the ECC executive board. The membership of the ECC executive

139
board shall be composed of the city manager or strong mayor, as

140
applicable, of the largest municipality in each county by

141
population size that provides law enforcement, fire, and EMS

142
services, and each agency head that provides law enforcement,

143
fire, and EMS services operating in the county as of July 1,

144
2026.

145
b.

By January 1, 2027, the ECC executive board shall decide

146
by a unanimous vote the entity for the county which will operate

147
its unified 911 call center. Funding for such entity must also

148
be decided by a unanimous vote of the ECC executive board, and

149
the funding must be provided by the county and participating

150
municipalities and agencies or any combination thereof. Any

151
funding after the establishment of a unified 911 call center

152
required by this paragraph may not exceed any net increase in

153
the annual purchasing power of the dollar, as reflected in the

154
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, unless agreed to

155
by a unanimous vote of the ECC executive board.

156
3.a.

Within 90 days after July 1, 2026, in order for a

157
county to establish a regional unified 911 call center pursuant

158
to this paragraph, the board of county commissioners of the

159
county with the largest population participating in the regional

160
unified 911 call center shall convene an RECC executive board.

161
The chair of the board of county commissioners or his or her

162
designee shall serve as the chair of the RECC executive board.

163
The membership of the RECC executive board shall be composed of:

164
(I)

The chair of the board of county commissioners, or his

165
or her designee, from each participating county.

166
(II)

The city manager or strong mayor, as applicable, of

167
the largest municipality in each participating county by

168
population size.

169
(III)

Every agency head within each participating county

170
that provides law enforcement, fire, and EMS services operating

171
in the participating counties as of July 1, 2026.

172
173
Notwithstanding membership requirements in this sub

174
subparagraph, RECC executive board responsibilities and

175
requirements must mirror the ECC executive board

176
responsibilities and requirements pursuant to this paragraph.

177
b.

By January 1, 2027, the RECC executive board shall

178
decide by a unanimous vote the entity for the region which will

179
operate its unified 911 call center for the participating

180
counties. Funding for such entity must also be decided by a

181
unanimous vote of the RECC executive board, and the funding must

182
be provided by the participating counties, municipalities,

183
agencies, or any combination thereof. Any funding after the

184
establishment of a unified 911 call center required by this

185
paragraph may not exceed any net increase in the annual

186
purchasing power of the dollar, as reflected in the Consumer

187
Price Index for All Urban Consumers, unless agreed to by three

188
fourths vote of the RECC executive board.

189
4.

A county that has an established entity

that, as of July

190
1, 2026, provides law enforcement, fire, and EMS services to all

191
government-provided first responder agencies in the county shall

192
convene an ECC executive board pursuant to subparagraph 2. to

193
ensure that the requirements of this paragraph are met.

194
5.a.

Following the establishment of a unified 911 call

195
center by a county pursuant to this paragraph, the ECC executive

196
board shall serve as an advisor to the entity that operates the

197
unified 911 call center. The ECC executive board may convene at

198
a time and place as determined by the chair of the board.

199
Membership of the ECC executive board shall be composed of:

200
(I)

One member of the board of county commissioners or his

201
or her designee.

202
(II)

One representative from the county’s city council, or

203
his or her designee.

204
(III)

The sheriff or his or her designee.

205
(IV)

The police chief and the fire chief of the county.

206
207
Members may serve on a rotating basis within their respective

208
category of representation as established by the implementing

209
rules created by the ECC executive board.

210
b.

Following the establishment of a regional unified 911

211
call center pursuant to this paragraph, the RECC executive board

212
shall serve as an advisor to the entity that operates the

213
regional unified 911 call center. The RECC executive board may

214
convene at a time and place as determined by the chair of the

215
board. Membership of the RECC executive board shall be composed

216
of:

217
(I)

One member of the board of county commissioners, or his

218
or her designee, from each participating county.

219
(II)

One representative, or his or her designee, from the

220
city council of each participating county.

221
(III)

The sheriff, or his or her designee, from each

222
participating county.

223
(IV)

The police chief and the fire chief from each

224
participating county.

225
226
Members may serve on a rotating basis within their respective

227
category of representation as established by the implementing

228
rules created by the RECC executive board.

229
6.a.

An entity that operates a unified 911 call center

230
shall maintain its headquarters in one location to serve as the

231
primary public safety answering point (PSAP). However, an entity

232
may maintain offices or answering points at various other

233
locations throughout this state, as required and determined by a

234
public agency. An entity shall designate an alternate center to

235
the PSAP. Such center may only receive emergency calls when the

236
PSAP is unable to receive emergency calls.

237
b.

An entity that operates a regional unified 911 call

238
center shall maintain its headquarters in one location to serve

239
as the PSAP, but may maintain offices or answering points at

240
various locations, as required and determined by the public

241
agencies. However, the entity shall designate an alternate

242
center to the PSAP. Such center may only receive emergency calls

243
when the PSAP is unable to receive emergency calls.

244
7.a.

By January 1, 2027, if a county has not established

245
the operation of a unified 911 call center pursuant to this

246
paragraph, the sheriff of the county is deemed the entity to

247
provide 911, emergency call, and dispatch services in the

248
county. All existing 911 operations within a county must be

249
integrated under the sheriff to create a 911 call center, and

250
every public agency within the county shall participate in the

251
911 call center to provide such services.

252
b.

If the sheriff provides 911, emergency call, and

253
dispatch services, the state funds for emergency services must

254
be redirected to the sheriff for the sole purpose of operating

255
the unified 911 call center and may not be distributed to the

256
county. The county shall provide total funding for the 911 call

257
center, as determined by the annual needs assessment and as

258
requested by the sheriff, but the county does not have rights or

259
control over the funds or equipment of the center. Expenditures

260
for operating the 911 call center may not be included in the

261
sheriff’s budget under s. 30.49. Such expenditures must be

262
included in the county’s budget in accordance with chapter 129.

263
8.a.

An entity or a regional entity that provides 911,

264
emergency call, and dispatch services from a 911 call center may

265
not transfer any emergency call received by the entity to any

266
other PSAP or call center, unless at least one firefighting, law

267
enforcement, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services

268
professional, as applicable, has been dispatched in response to

269
the emergency call received by the entity.

270
b.

This subparagraph does not prohibit the transfer of an

271
emergency call to another PSAP or emergency communications

272
center if the reported emergency occurs outside the

273
jurisdictional boundaries of the local government where the

274
headquarters of the 911 call center is located. In such cases,

275
the emergency call must be promptly transferred to the

276
appropriate jurisdiction, consistent with established

277
interagency protocols and mutual-aid agreements.

278
9.a.

An entity or a regional entity that provides 911,

279
emergency call, and dispatch services from a 911 call center

280
shall maintain interoperability with other emergency

281
communications centers in this state. Such entities shall

282
maintain proactive cybersecurity standards adopted by the

283
National Institute of Standards and Technology, as outlined in

284
the Task Force on Optimal Public Safety Answering Point

285
Architecture Guidelines. Such entities shall also maintain

286
cryptographic inventory and ongoing cryptographic monitoring

287
services, and incorporate behavioral-based, packet-level

288
monitoring at all times from a security operations center

289
located in the United States.

290
b.

To aid in interoperability and public safety, a vendor

291
of computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems and interoperable radio

292
communications systems must provide, at no additional cost, the

293
built-in capability to interface with different PSAP CAD systems

294
and other radio communications systems that, although not

295
operated or maintained by the vendor, are used in this state by

296
911 call centers. In addition, a vendor may not impose any

297
additional licensing or integration fee for any system that

298
enables integration of such systems, including, but not limited

299
to, radio communications systems, CAD systems, cyber security

300
systems, telephone communication systems, interoperability

301
gateway systems, and Radio-over-Internet Protocol (RoIP) gateway

302
systems, used in this state by a 911 call center.

303
c.

Every 911 call center and PSAP, and any related system,

304
including, but not limited to, interoperability gateway systems

305
and secure IP communications systems that enable cross-system

306
radio communications, are deemed critical infrastructure in this

307
state.

308
d.

As used in this subparagraph, the term:

309
(I)

“Critical infrastructure” has the same meaning as in s.

310
119.0725(1).

311
(II)

“Interoperability” means the technical ability to

312
communicate across disciplines and jurisdictions statewide.

313
(III)

“Interoperability gateway” system means a network

314
device or platform that provides protocol translation, audio

315
transcoding, routing, and talk-group management between

316
otherwise incompatible radio systems, Voice-over-Internet

317
Protocol (VoIP) systems, public safety LTE network systems,

318
mission critical push-to-X services systems, satellite systems,

319
and IP-based communications systems.

320
(IV)

“Radio-over-Internet Protocol (RoIP) Gateway” system

321
means hardware or software that enables radio communications to

322
be transmitted, received, patched, or controlled across IP

323
networks.

324
10.a.

By January 1, 2027, and by January 1, 2029, the chair

325
of the ECC executive board, the chair of the RECC executive

326
board, or the sheriff, as applicable, shall certify in writing

327
to the office that the county or each participating county, as

328
applicable, has taken the required action to comply this

329
paragraph and has established an entity or a regional entity to

330
provide 911, emergency call, and dispatch services.

331
b.

By January 30, 2027, and by January 1, 2029, the office

332
shall submit a report to the Governor, the President of the

333
Senate, and the Speaker of House of Representatives, describing

334
the results of establishing 911 call centers in this state,

335
identifying any county that has not established such a center in

336
violation of this paragraph.

337
11.

A county that does not comply with this paragraph by

338
January 1, 2029, will have its emergency funding reduced by 25

339
percent for each year the county does not comply.

340
341 The office shall be responsible for the implementation and
342 coordination of such plan. The office shall adopt any necessary
343 rules and schedules related to public agencies for implementing
344 and coordinating the plan, pursuant to chapter 120.
345 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.