HB 445 2024
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hb0445-00
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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 water safety; amending s. 1003.42, 2
F.S.; requiring comprehensive age -appropriate and 3
developmentally appropriate K -12 instruction on water 4
safety; specifying requirements for such instruction; 5
requiring students to be provided with literature on 6
water safety; providing an effective date. 7
8
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 9
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Section 1. Paragraph (o) of subsection (2) of section 11
1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 12
1003.42 Required instruction. — 13
(2) Members of the instructional staff of the public 14
schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education 15
and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and 16
faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the 17
highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy, 18
following the prescribed courses of study, and employing 19
approved methods of instruction, the following: 20
(o) Comprehensive age-appropriate and developmentally 21
appropriate K-12 instruction on: 22
1. Health education that addresses concepts of community 23
health, consumer health, environmental health, and family life, 24
including: 25
HB 445 2024
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hb0445-00
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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. Injury prevention and safety. 26
b. Internet safety. 27
c. Nutrition. 28
d. Personal health. 29
e. Prevention and control of disease. 30
f. Substance use and abuse. 31
g. Prevention of child sexual abuse, exploitation, and 32
human trafficking. 33
2. For students in grades 7 through 12, teen dating 34
violence and abuse. This component must include, but not be 35
limited to, the definition of dating violence and abuse, the 36
warning signs of dating violence and abusive behavior, the 37
characteristics of healthy relationships, measures to prevent 38
and stop dating violence and abuse, and community resources 39
available to victims of dating violence and abuse. 40
3. For students in grades 6 through 12, awareness of the 41
benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the 42
consequences of teenage pregnancy. 43
4. Life skills that build confidence, support mental and 44
emotional health, and enable students to overcome challenges, 45
including: 46
a. Self-awareness and self-management. 47
b. Responsible decisionmaking. 48
c. Resiliency. 49
d. Relationship skills and confl ict resolution. 50
HB 445 2024
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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
e. Understanding and respecting other viewpoints and 51
backgrounds. 52
f. For grades 9 through 12, developing leadership skills, 53
interpersonal skills, organization skills, and research skills; 54
creating a résumé, including a digital résumé; e xploring career 55
pathways; using state career planning resources; developing and 56
practicing the skills necessary for employment interviews; 57
workplace ethics and workplace law; managing stress and 58
expectations; and self -motivation. 59
5.a. For students in gra des 6 through 12, the social, 60
emotional, and physical effects of social media. This component 61
must include, but need not be limited to, the negative effects 62
of social media on mental health, including addiction; the 63
distribution of misinformation on social media; how social media 64
manipulates behavior; the permanency of sharing materials 65
online; how to maintain personal security and identify 66
cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and human trafficking on the 67
Internet; and how to report suspicious behavior encoun tered on 68
the Internet. 69
b. The Department of Education shall make available online 70
the instructional material being used pursuant to this 71
subparagraph, and each district school board shall notify 72
parents of its availability. 73
6.a. Water safety, including , but not limited to: 74
(I) The importance of formal swimming lessons. 75
HB 445 2024
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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
(II) The proper use of flotation devices. 76
(III) Awareness of water conditions. 77
(IV) How to respond if caught in a rip current. 78
(V) The proper supervision of swimming areas. 79
(VI) Safe behaviors in and around the water, including the 80
importance of avoiding alcohol and substance use during water 81
recreation. 82
(VII) The importance of pool barriers and fencing, using a 83
life ring or a long object instead of attempting to personally 84
save a potential drowning victim, cardiopulmonary resuscitation 85
for drowning victims, and the order of administering such aid. 86
(VIII) For grades 6 through 12, how to physically throw a 87
rescue buoy, such as a life ring or similar device, during an 88
emergency situation. 89
b. Each school year, students must be provided with 90
literature on water safety to take home and share with their 91
parents or guardians. The literature must be available in 92
English, Spanish, and Creole. 93
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Health education and life skills instru ction and materials may 95
not contradict the principles enumerated in subsection (3). 96
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The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards 98
and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection. 99
Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the 100
HB 445 2024
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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
recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is 101
offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or 102
other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness 103
initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u). 104
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 105