CS/HB 289 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0289-01-c1
Page 1 of 3
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 9/11 Heroes' Day; creating s. 2
683.335, F.S.; requiring the Governor to proclaim 3
September 11 of each year as "9/11 Heroes' Day"; 4
requiring the day to be observed in public schools and 5
by public exercise; requiring certain middle and high 6
school students to receive specified instruction; 7
requiring the State Board of Education to adopt 8
certain revised social studies standards; providing an 9
effective date. 10
11
WHEREAS, on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four 12
civilian aircraft, crashing two of them into the towers of the 13
World Trade Center in New York City, and a third into the 14
Pentagon outside Washington D.C., and 15
WHEREAS, the fourth hija cked aircraft crashed in 16
southwestern Pennsylvania after passengers tried to take control 17
of the aircraft to prevent the hijackers from crashing the 18
aircraft into an important symbol of democracy and freedom, and 19
WHEREAS, these attacks were by far the dea dliest terrorist 20
attacks ever launched against the United States, killing 21
thousands of innocent people, and 22
WHEREAS, in the aftermath of the attacks, the people of the 23
United States stood united in providing support for those in 24
need, NOW, THEREFORE, 25
CS/HB 289 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0289-01-c1
Page 2 of 3
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
26
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 27
28
Section 1. Section 683.335, Florida Statutes, is created 29
to read: 30
683.335 9/11 Heroes' Day. — 31
(1) The Governor shall proclaim September 11 of each year 32
as "9/11 Heroes' Day," which shall be s uitably observed in the 33
public schools of the state as a day honoring those who perished 34
in the September 11, 2001, attacks, including 2,763 people at 35
the World Trade Center, 189 people at the Pentagon, and 44 36
people on United Airlines Flight 93, and the 2 5,000 people 37
maimed or fatally injured on or after that date, and which shall 38
be suitably observed by public exercise in the State Capitol and 39
elsewhere as the Governor may designate. 40
(2) If September 11 falls on a day that is not a school 41
day, "9/11 Heroes' Day" shall be observed in the public schools 42
in the state on the preceding school day or on such school day 43
as may be designated by local school authorities. 44
(3) Beginning in the 2023 -2024 school year, middle school 45
and high school students enrolled in the civics education class 46
required by s. 1003.4156 or the United States Government class 47
required by s. 1003.4282(3)(d), respectively, must receive at 48
least 45 minutes of instruction on "9/11 Heroes' Day" topics 49
involving the history and significance of September 11, 2001, 50
CS/HB 289 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0289-01-c1
Page 3 of 3
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
including remembering the sacrifice of military personnel, 51
government employees, civilians, and emergency responders who 52
were killed, wounded, or suffered sickness due to the terrorist 53
attacks on or after that date, including, but no t limited to: 54
(a) The historical context of global terrorism. 55
(b) A timeline of events on September 11, 2001, including 56
the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and United 57
Airlines Flight 93. 58
(c) The selfless heroism of police officers, firefighters, 59
paramedics, other first responders, and civilians involved in 60
the rescue and recovery of victims and the heroic actions taken 61
by the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93. 62
(d) The unprecedented outpouring of humanitarian, 63
charitable, and volunteer aid occurring after the events of 64
September 11, 2001. 65
(e) The global response to terrorism and importance of 66
respecting civil liberties while ensuring safety and security. 67
(4) The State Board of Education must adopt revised social 68
studies standards for inclusion in the civics education course 69
required by s. 1003.4156 and the United States Government class 70
required by s. 1003.4282(3)(d) which incorporate the 71
requirements of this section. 72
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 73