HB 1233 2025
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FL 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 political activities on school 2
grounds; creating s. 104.315, F.S.; defining terms; 3
providing that certain activities are allowed on 4
school grounds; authorizing that candidates may be 5
invited to speak as candidates on school grounds if 6
certain conditions are met; prohibiting certain 7
political activities on school grounds; prohibiting 8
certain employees from using e -mail, offices or time 9
during work hours for political advocacy; providing 10
criminal penalties for persons who violate specified 11
provisions; providing that each such violation is a 12
separate offense; providing an effective date. 13
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Flor ida: 15
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Section 1. Section 104.315, Florida Statutes, is created 17
to read: 18
104.315 Political activities on school grounds. — 19
(1) As used in this section, the term: 20
(a) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in s. 97.021 and 21
includes a declared candidate , an incumbent who is presumed to 22
be a future candidate, and any person whose possible candidacy 23
is the subject of intense public speculation. The term does not 24
include a person acting within his or her individual capacity 25
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FL 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
who does not speak about politics or a campaign. 26
(b) "Public office" includes any elective office. 27
(c) "School grounds" means the buildings and grounds of 28
any public K-12 school. 29
(2) The following activities are allowed on school 30
grounds: 31
(a) Candidate forums or debates at which a ll qualified 32
candidates for the office are invited. 33
(b) Use of facilities on the same terms and conditions, 34
including, but not limited to, financial, as are required of 35
other users of such facilities. 36
(c) Political advertisements under the same terms, 37
including, but not limited to, financial, as are applied to 38
other advertisements from outside groups allowed on school 39
grounds. 40
(d) Student newspaper editorials or candidate endorsements 41
that include a disclaimer that the opinion is solely that of the 42
author and is not the opinion or endorsement of the school or 43
institution. 44
(e) Voter registration and education events that do not 45
involve a campaign or political party. 46
(f) Inviting a candidate to speak in his or her individual 47
capacity, and not as a ca ndidate; however, such person may not 48
speak about a campaign or any political issues. 49
(3) A candidate may be invited to speak in his or her 50
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capacity as a candidate on school grounds only if: 51
(a) All other candidates are invited to speak on school 52
grounds. Such invitations do not need to be for the same event, 53
place, or time, but must be similar events that take place at 54
similar times. Documentation of such invitations must be 55
preserved. 56
(b) The introduction of such candidate includes a 57
disclaimer that the school or institution does not endorse any 58
candidate for public office. 59
(4) The following political activities are prohibited on 60
school grounds: 61
(a) Posting campaign signs. 62
(b) Distributing campaign literature. 63
(c) Campaigning for or with candidates. 64
(d) Any activity that may be reasonably expected to give 65
the impression of support or endorsement of any particular 66
candidate over another candidate. 67
(e) Collecting campaign donations or contributions. 68
(f) Voter registration events that involve a candidate or 69
political party. 70
(5) A faculty or staff member of any K -12 public school or 71
a public institution of higher education as defined in s. 72
1004.097(2) may not use e -mail, offices, or time during working 73
hours for political advocacy. 74
(6)(a) A person who violates this section commits a 75
HB 1233 2025
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FL 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
misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 76
775.082 or s. 775.083. 77
(b) Each such violation is a separate offense. 78
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 79