This document does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives.
STORAGE NAME: h1551z1.LFS.docx
DATE: 3/25/2024
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF FINAL BILL ANALYSIS
BILL #: CS/HB 1551 Florida State Guard
SPONSOR(S): Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee; Giallombardo and others
TIED BILLS: IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 7058
FINAL HOUSE FLOOR ACTION: 106 Y’s
7 N’s GOVERNOR’S ACTION: Approved
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
CS/HB 1551 passed the House on February 22, 2024, and subsequently passed the Senate on March 5, 2024.
The Florida State Guard (FSG) was created in 2022 as a component of the organized guard of the state
separate and apart from the Florida National Guard (FLNG). It is a state-funded volunteer force that partners
with the FLNG and other disaster response agencies to ensure communities are provided with humanitarian
assistance and rapid response during manmade and natural disasters.
The bill revises the FSG fingerprinting requirements by requiring applicants to submit a complete set of
fingerprints to the Division of the State Guard (division) or to the vendor, entity, or agency authorized by the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to accept electronic fingerprint submissions. The bill requires
the entity receiving the fingerprints to forward the fingerprints to FDLE for processing. After processing, FDLE
must submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a national criminal history record
check. The Department of Military Affairs must, and the division may, review the results of the state and
national record checks and determine whether the applicant meets the specified qualifications to serve.
The bill specifies that fees for fingerprint processing are borne by the FSG and fingerprints submitted must be
retained by FDLE along with the enrollment in the FBI’s national retained fingerprint arrest notification program.
The bill also requires any arrest record identified to be reported to the FSG.
The bill may have an indeterminate negative fiscal impact on state government expenditures related to
background checks.
The bill was approved by the Governor on March 22, 2024, ch. 2024-36, L.O.F., and became effective on that
date.
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I. SUBSTANTIVE INFORMATION
A. EFFECT OF CHANGES:
Present Situation
Florida State Guard
The Florida State Guard (FSG) was created in 2022
1
as a component of the organized guard of the
state, separate and apart from the Florida National Guard (FLNG). The FSG is a state-funded volunteer
force that partners with the FLNG and other disaster response agencies to ensure communities are
provided with humanitarian assistance and rapid response during manmade and natural disasters.
2
The FSG is under the command and control of the Governor and is authorized for exclusive use within
the state when activated by the Governor
3
or for use in other states for specific purposes.
4
The FSG
may not be called, ordered, or drafted into the armed forces of the United States and is authorized to
have a maximum number of 1,500 volunteer personnel.
5
The Division of the State Guard (division) within the Department of Military Affairs is responsible for the
organization, recruitment, training, equipping, management, and functions of the FSG. The division is
led by a director who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
6
Subject to approval
by the Governor, the director determines the number of volunteer personnel within the FSG.
7
Members
of the FSG must:
Be citizens of the United States and residents of Florida.
Have no felony conviction and submit fingerprints as required by state and federal law for
purposes of conducting a criminal background check.
Not be an active duty servicemember, a member of the armed forces reserves, or a member of
the FLNG.
Have been separated under terms no less than a general discharge under honorable conditions
if the applicant is a former member of the armed forces or of any military or naval organization
of a state.
8
The director determines the minimum standards for the age, physical and health condition, and physical
fitness of applicants,
9
and a program for training members of the FSG.
10
The standards and training
program determined by the director may be no less than the standards and training requirements
required by the FLNG. Members of the FSG are reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses incurred
to attend required training or in the course of active service.
11
While activated or in training, FSG
members are not liable for any lawful act done in the performance of his or her FSG duties while acting
in good faith within the scope of such duties. In addition, while activated or in training, FSG members
are considered volunteers for the state, are entitled to workers’ compensation protections pursuant to
ch. 440, F.S., and are guaranteed the same protections as members of the FLNG.
12
1
The FSG was created via the Implementing Act of the General Appropriations Act for the 2022-23 fiscal year, Ch. 2022-157, s. 80,
Laws of Fla., and is codified in statutes as s. 251.001, F.S., the Florida State Guard Act.
2
Florida State Guard, History, https://www.floridastateguard.org/history (last visited Jan. 19, 2024).
3
S. 251.001(2), F.S.
4
The FSG is authorized to support other states under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact as provided for in part III of
ch. 252, F.S. S. 251.001(8)(a)4., F.S.
5
S. 251.001(2), F.S.
6
S. 251.001(3), F.S.
7
S. 251.001(5)(a), F.S.
8
S. 251.001(5)(c), F.S.
9
S. 251.001(5)(d), F.S.
10
S. 251.001(7), F.S.
11
S. 251.001(9), F.S.
12
S. 251.001(10), F.S.
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The FSG may be activated by order of the governor:
During any period when any part of the FLNG is in active federal service and the governor has
declared a state of emergency;
To preserve the public peace, execute the laws of the state, enhance domestic security,
respond to terrorist threats or attacks, protect and defend the people of the state from threats to
public safety, respond to an emergency
13
or imminent danger thereof, or respond to any need
for emergency aid to civil authorities;
To augment any existing state or local agency; or
To provide support to other states under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.
14
The FSG is deactivated at the expiration of the order or by a separate order by the governor
deactivating the FSG.
15
The director is also responsible for organizing a specialized unit within the FSG in which members are
vested with authority to bear arms, detect, and apprehend while activated.
16
Members of the
specialized unit must meet the minimum qualifications for employment or appointment as a law
enforcement officer defined in law
17
and are certified as law enforcement officers.
18
The specialized unit
is authorized to have the same law enforcement authority as the law enforcement agency the
specialized group is working with when activated.
19
Criminal Record Checks
There are two levels of background screening:
Level 1 screening includes, at a minimum, employment history checks and statewide criminal
correspondence checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and may
include criminal records checks through local law enforcement agencies. A Level 1 screening
may be paid for and conducted through FDLE’s website.
Level 2 background screening includes, but is not limited to, fingerprinting for statewide criminal
history records checks through FDLE and national criminal history checks through the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and may include local criminal records checks through local law
enforcement agencies.
20
Effect of the Bill
The bill revises FSG fingerprinting requirements by requiring applicants to submit a complete set of
fingerprints to the division or to the vendor, entity, or agency authorized by FDLE to accept electronic
fingerprint submissions. The bill requires the entity receiving the fingerprints to forward the fingerprints
to FDLE for processing. After processing, FDLE must submit the fingerprints to the FBI for a national
criminal history record check. The Department of Military Affairs must, and the division may, review the
results of the state and national record checks and determine whether the applicant meets the specified
qualifications to serve.
The bill specifies that fees for fingerprint processing are borne by the FSG and fingerprints submitted
must be retained by FDLE along with the enrollment in the FBI’s national retained fingerprint arrest
notification program.
13
Section 252.34(4), F.S., defines the term “emergency” to mean any occurrence, or threat thereof, whether natural, technological, or
manmade, in war or in peace, which results or may result in substantial injury or harm to the population or substantial damage to or loss
of property.
14
S. 251.001(8)(a), F.S.
15
S. 251.001(8)(b), F.S.
16
S. 251.001(6), F.S.
17
Such qualifications are provided in s. 943.13, F.S.
18
Members must be certified as law enforcement officers as defined by s. 943.10(1), F.S.
19
S. 251.001(6), F.S.
20
See ch. 435, F.S.
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DATE: 3/25/2024
The bill also requires any arrest record identified to be reported to the FSG.
II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
1. Revenues:
See Fiscal Comments.
2. Expenditures:
See Fiscal Comments.
B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
None.
C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
None.
D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
According to the bill analysis conducted by FDLE,
21
the private sector charges $37.25 per each state
and national criminal history check. Of this amount, $13.25 is for the national portion and $24 is for the
state portion. The first year of state retention of fingerprints is included in the cost and then becomes $6
annually per set of fingerprints. There are no fees required for federal fingerprint retention thus no
revenue will be generated by federal fingerprint retention. Fees received will be deposited into FDLE’s
Operating Trust Fund, but will result in no net increase in state revenues since the background checks
are paid for by the FSG. Total costs of criminal history checks borne by the FSG will come from division
appropriations. However, the total amount of FSG expenditures associated with the costs of these
checks is indeterminate at this time.
21
Fla. Dept. of Law Enforcement, 2024 FDLE Legislative Bill Analysis SB 1694, Jan. 11, 2024, (on file with the Local Administration,
Federal Affairs, & Special Districts Subcommittee).