Florida Senate - 2022 SB 390 By Senator Book 32-00444-22 2022390__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to restraint of students with 3 disabilities in public schools; amending s. 1003.573, 4 F.S.; prohibiting school personnel from using 5 mechanical restraint on students with disabilities; 6 providing exceptions; conforming provisions to changes 7 made by the act; providing an effective date. 8 9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 10 11 Section 1.Subsection (3) of section 1003.573, Florida 12 Statutes, is amended to read: 13 1003.573Seclusion and restraint of students with 14 disabilities in public schools. 15 (3)RESTRAINT. 16 (a)School personnel may not use mechanical restraint. This 17 paragraph does not apply to school resource officers, school 18 safety officers, school guardians, or school security guards as 19 described in s. 1006.12, who may use mechanical restraint in the 20 exercise of their powers and duties to restrict students in 21 grades 6 through 12. 22 (b)Authorized school personnel may use physical restraint 23 only when all positive behavior interventions and supports have 24 been exhausted. Physical restraint may be used only when there 25 is an imminent risk of serious injury and must shall be 26 discontinued as soon as the threat posed by the dangerous 27 behavior has dissipated. Techniques or devices such as 28 straightjackets, zip ties, handcuffs, or tie downs may not be 29 used in ways that may obstruct or restrict breathing or blood 30 flow or that place a student in a facedown position with the 31 students hands restrained behind the students back. Physical 32 restraint techniques may not be used to inflict pain to induce 33 compliance. 34 (c)(b)Notwithstanding the authority provided in s. 35 1003.32, physical restraint may shall be used only to protect 36 the safety of students, school personnel, or others and may not 37 be used for student discipline or to correct student 38 noncompliance. 39 (d)(c)The degree of force applied during physical 40 restraint must be only that degree of force necessary to protect 41 the student or others from imminent risk of serious injury. 42 Section 2.This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.