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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
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An act relating to school chaplains; creating s. 2
1012.461, F.S.; authorizing school districts and 3
charter schools to adopt a policy to allow volunteer 4
school chaplains; establishing the requirements for 5
such policy; requiring district school boards and 6
charter school governing boards to assign specified 7
duties to such volunteer school chaplains; requiring 8
volunteer school chaplains to meet certain backgr ound 9
screening requirements; requiring school districts and 10
charter schools to publish specified information under 11
certain circumstances; amending s. 1012.465, F.S.; 12
providing background screening requirements for 13
volunteer school chaplains; providing an e ffective 14
date. 15
16
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17
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Section 1. Section 1012.461, Florida Statutes, is created 19
to read: 20
1012.461 School chaplains. — 21
(1) Each school district or charter school may adopt a 22
policy to authorize volunteer school chaplains to provide 23
support, services, and programs to students as assigned by the 24
district school board or charter school governing board. The 25
ENROLLED
HB 931, Engrossed 1 2024 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0931-02-er
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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
school district or charter school policy must, at a minimum: 26
(a) Describe the supports, ser vices, or programs that 27
volunteer school chaplains may be assigned. 28
(b) Require that principals of schools with a volunteer 29
school chaplain inform all parents of the availability of such 30
supports, services, and programs. 31
(c) Require written parental co nsent before a student 32
participates in or receives supports, services, and programs 33
provided by a volunteer school chaplain. Parents must be 34
permitted to select a volunteer school chaplain from the list 35
provided by the school district, which must include t he 36
chaplain's religious affiliation, if any. 37
(2) Each volunteer school chaplain must meet the 38
requirements of s. 1012.465. 39
(3) Any school district or charter school that adopts a 40
volunteer school chaplains policy must publish the list of 41
volunteer school chaplains, including any religious affiliation, 42
on the school district or charter school's website. 43
Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 1012.465, Florida 44
Statutes, is amended to read: 45
1012.465 Background screening requirements for certain 46
noninstructional school district employees , and contractors, and 47
volunteer school chaplains .— 48
(1) Except as provided in s. 1012.467 or s. 1012.468, 49
noninstructional school district employees , or contractual 50
ENROLLED
HB 931, Engrossed 1 2024 Legislature
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0931-02-er
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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
personnel, or volunteer school chaplains who are permitted 51
access on school grounds when students are present, who have 52
direct contact with students or who have access to or control of 53
school funds must meet the screening requirements of s. 1012.32. 54
Contractual personnel shall include any vendor, individual, or 55
entity under contract with a school or the school board. 56
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 57