The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education
BILL: SB 1470
INTRODUCER: Senator Burgess
SUBJECT: School Safety
DATE: March 21, 2025
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Brick Bouck ED Favorable
2. Gray Elwell AED Pre-meeting
3. FP
I. Summary:
SB 1470 strengthens school safety measures, enhances behavioral threat management protocols,
expands oversight of school security personnel, and clarifies campus security requirements.
Specifically, the bill:
• Aligns the training and certification requirements for school security guards with those for
school guardians and requires that all security guards be trained and approved by a sheriff.
• Expands participation in the school security guard program to private schools, ensuring they
meet the same training and screening requirements as public schools.
• Enhances reporting requirements for school security guards and safe-school officers,
requiring employment and disciplinary actions to be reported to the Florida Department of
Law Enforcement (FDLE).
• Mandates that security guards submit the results of the required psychological evaluation to
the sheriff for review.
• Requires the Office of Safe Schools (OSS) to create and maintain a list of security exceptions
for situations where schools cannot safely or reasonably comply with locked campus
requirements.
• Clarifies that locked campus requirements apply only during school supervision hours, rather
than whenever students are present.
• Expands the use of firearm detection canines by authorizing school districts, in addition to
law enforcement agencies, to employ them for school security.
• Establishes a formal partnership between OSS and the Florida Association of School Safety
Specialists (FS3) to develop training and certification programs for school safety personnel.
This bill does not have a fiscal impact to state revenues or expenditures. See Section V., Fiscal
Impact Statement.
REVISED: BILL: SB 1470 Page 2
The bill takes effect July 1, 2025
II. Present Situation:
Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program
School Guardian Training
Florida law requires sheriffs to assist district school boards, charter school governing boards, and
private schools in exercising options for safe-school officers. Each sheriff must provide access to
the Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program to aid in the
prevention or abatement of active assailant incidents on school premises.
A sheriff who establishes a guardian program must consult with the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement (FDLE) on programmatic guiding principles, practices, and resources, and is
responsible for certifying school employees as school guardians if they meet statutory
qualifications, including:
• Holding a license to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm.
• Completing a 144-hour training program, consisting of 12 hours of training to improve the
school guardian’s knowledge and skills necessary to respond to and de-escalate incidents on
school premises and 132 total hours of comprehensive firearm safety and proficiency training
conducted by Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission-certified instructors.
• Passing a psychological evaluation.
• Submitting to and passing an initial drug test and subsequent random drug tests.
• Successfully completing ongoing annual training, weapon inspection, and firearm
qualification.
1
A sheriff who conducts the training or waives training requirements must issue a school guardian
certificate and maintain detailed records of training, inspections, and certifications.
2
Permitless Carry and Guardian Training Eligibility
A sheriff may only certify school employees as school guardians if they hold a concealed
weapon or concealed firearm license under s. 790.06, F.S.
3
However, in 2023, Florida enacted
permitless concealed carry under s. 790.01(1), F.S., allowing individuals to carry a concealed
firearm without obtaining a license under s. 790.06, F.S.
4
Current law does not explicitly
authorize sheriffs to provide guardian training to individuals who are legally permitted to carry
under Chapter 790, F.S., without a license.
1
Section 30.15(1), F.S.
2
Id. authorizes a sheriff to waive the guardian training requirements for a person who meets specified statutory criminal
justice training standards and law enforcement qualifications.
3
Id.
4
Section 790.01(1), F.S. BILL: SB 1470 Page 3
Sheriff and School Guardian Reporting Requirements
Sheriff Reporting Responsibilities
A sheriff who issues a school guardian certificate must report to FDLE the name, date of birth,
and certification date of the school guardian within 30 days. Additionally, each sheriff must
submit quarterly reports to FDLE detailing:
• Upcoming school guardian training schedules.
• Training dates, locations, and registration contacts.
• Class capacity for training programs.
The FDLE must publish and update these reports at least quarterly on its website.
Sheriffs who fail to comply with these reporting requirements are ineligible to receive
reimbursement from the Department of Education (DOE) for school guardian training expenses.
However, upon submission of the required reports, sheriffs regain eligibility.
5
School District, Charter School, and Private School Reporting Requirements
By February 1 and September 1 of each school year, each school district, charter school, and
private school must report to the FDLE:
• The name, date of birth, and appointment date of each school guardian.
• The date of separation for any school guardian no longer serving in that capacity.
Failure to comply prohibits the school from operating a school guardian program in the
following school year unless missing information is submitted.
6
The FDLE Responsibilities and Enforcement
The FDLE must maintain a statewide list of all school guardians. This list must include:
• The guardian's name, certification date, and appointment date.
• The name of the appointing school district, charter school, or private school.
• Any additional information regarding misconduct or firearm discharges, except those
occurring during training.
• The date a guardian separated from their appointment, if applicable.
7
The FDLE must remove from the list any school guardian whose training has expired.
By March 1 and October 1 of each school year, the FDLE must notify the Department of
Education of any sheriff, school district, charter school, or private school that has failed to
comply with these reporting requirements.
5
Section 30.15, F.S.
6
Id.
7
Id. BILL: SB 1470 Page 4
The FDLE is authorized to adopt rules to implement these reporting requirements and may
require additional identifying information as necessary to ensure accurate record-keeping of
school guardians.
8
Currently, 53 counties participate in the Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach Scott Beigel
Guardian Program.
9
Behavioral Threat Management and School Safety Oversight
Florida law establishes the Office of Safe Schools (OSS) within the DOE to serve as the central
authority for school safety, overseeing training standards, best practices, and compliance
measures.
10
The OSS develops, administers, and ensures compliance with Florida’s statewide behavioral
threat management framework, which includes a standardized threat assessment process, a
digital reporting portal, and oversight of school-based and district-level threat management
teams.
11
The OSS is also required to develop and implement a School Safety Specialist Training Program
for school safety specialists, based on national and state best practices on school safety and
security and must include active shooter training.
12
Behavioral Threat Management Operational Process
The OSS is responsible for developing a statewide behavioral threat management operational
process to assist school districts, charter school governing boards, and individual schools in
identifying, assessing, managing, and monitoring potential threats. This process includes:
• Establishing and defining the duties of threat management teams.
• Developing criteria for behavioral risk and threat assessment.
• Implementing intervention, school support, and community services procedures.
• Providing guidelines for law enforcement intervention and risk management procedures.
• Establishing monitoring mechanisms for ongoing threats and interventions.
• Requiring schools to use the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument to
coordinate interventions for students who may pose a threat.
Each school district, charter school governing board, and individual school must use the
statewide behavioral threat management operational process upon its availability.
13
8
Id.
9
Florida Department of Education, Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, & Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program,
https://www.fldoe.org/safe-schools/guardian-program.stml (last visited Mar. 14, 2025).
10
Section 1001.212, F.S.
11
Florida Department of Education, Florida Harm Prevention and Threat Management Manual, Rule 6A-1.0019, F.A.C.,
available at https://flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=6A-1.0019.
12
Section 1001.212(4), F.S.
13
Section 1001.212(11)(a), F.S. BILL: SB 1470 Page 5
Florida-Specific Behavioral Threat Assessment Instrument
The OSS is required to develop the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument,
which school districts, charter schools, and governing boards must use to evaluate student threats
and coordinate intervention services. The assessment instrument:
• Includes a standardized threat assessment report containing documentation of evaluations,
interventions, and ongoing monitoring.
• Establishes procedures for assessing student, family, school, and social dynamics when
determining threat levels.
• Outlines requirements for school responses, law enforcement engagement, and mental health
provider coordination in response to threats.
• Is integrated into the statewide digital threat management portal, where records are retained
in accordance with State Board of Education (SBE) rules.
14
Threat Management Portal and Data Access Restrictions
The OSS is responsible for developing, maintaining, and administering a statewide digital threat
management portal to support behavioral threat assessment and intervention efforts. The portal
digitizes the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument and is used by school
districts, charter schools, and school governing boards for reporting, documentation, and
coordination of student threat assessments.
15
Florida law strictly regulates access to records maintained in the portal:
• The OSS and its system administrators may not access a threat assessment report, its
corresponding documentation, or any other information stored in the portal.
• School districts and charter school governing boards may not access education records within
the portal unless authorized by SBE rule.
• Parents may access their own child’s education records in the portal but are not permitted
direct access to the portal itself.
• The portal must have security controls that alert system administrators to any unauthorized
access attempts.
Florida law further requires:
• Education records stored in the portal to be retained, maintained, and transferred only in
compliance with SBE rule.
• A quarterly portal access review audit process to be developed and implemented by the OSS.
• Annual role-based training for authorized users of the portal to be provided by the OSS
beginning August 1, 2025.
• Any unauthorized access, use, or release of an education record in the portal to be punishable
by a fine of up to $2,000.
16
14
Section 1001.212(11)(b), F.S.
15
Section 1001.212(11)(c), F.S.
16
Id. BILL: SB 1470 Page 6
Federal and State Privacy Protections for Student Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, is the primary
federal law governing access to student education records. FERPA prohibits the disclosure of
personally identifiable information (PII) from student education records without prior written
parental consent, unless an exception applies.
17
FERPA applies to any educational institution receiving federal funds, including Florida’s public
schools, charter schools, and state education agencies.
18
Education records include records that
are directly related to a student and maintained by an educational agency or institution.
19
Florida law further aligns with FERPA by stating that education records may not be disclosed
without consent except as authorized by FERPA or other federal regulations.
20
Exceptions to FERPA’s General Prohibition on Disclosure
State Program Audits and Compliance Monitoring
FERPA authorizes the disclosure of student records without parental consent to state and local
educational authorities for the purpose of audits, program evaluations, and compliance
monitoring related to state-supported education programs.
21
This exception could permit the OSS
to access threat assessment records if the access is necessary to monitor compliance with state
safety policies.
Student Safety and Health Exceptions
FERPA’s health or safety emergency exception allows schools to disclose student education
records without parental consent when necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or
other individuals.
22
Disclosure under this provision must be limited to appropriate parties, such
as law enforcement, school officials, or state safety agencies, who require the information to
address an imminent threat.
23
This exception may justify the OSS’s access to student threat assessment records if the access is
necessary to protect student safety and prevent school violence. However, disclosures under the
health or safety emergency exception must be limited to the duration of the emergency, and
routine access to records would not be justified under this exception alone.
24
Florida Association of School Safety Specialists
The Florida Association of School Safety Specialists (FS3) is a statewide organization formed in
2023 to support continuous improvement in school safety and security. FS3 brings together
17
20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. § 99.30.
18
34 C.F.R. § 99.1.
19
34 C.F.R. § 99.3.
20
Section 1002.221, F.S.
21
20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. § 99.31.
22
20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. § 99.36.
23
34 C.F.R. § 99.36(b).
24
34 C.F.R. § 99.36(c). BILL: SB 1470 Page 7
school safety specialists, mental health coordinators, and district threat management coordinators
who are responsible for implementing and overseeing school security policies, emergency
preparedness, and threat assessment procedures.
25
FS3 provides resources, training, and professional development to professionals tasked with
protecting students and staff from threats, emergencies, and other critical incidents. FS3
collaborates with school districts, law enforcement agencies, and state policymakers to promote
best practices in school safety and threat management.
26
District School Board Responsibilities for School Safety
Each district school board is required to provide for the control, safety, and welfare of students
on school campuses, including implementing security measures to prevent violence and
unauthorized access. Each district school superintendent must establish policies and procedures
for preventing violence on school grounds, including assessing and intervening with individuals
who may pose a threat.
27
Florida law also establishes specific locked campus requirements to regulate access to school
buildings, classrooms, and campus gates. Each school district and charter school governing
board must comply with statewide school safety requirements, which mandate:
• Locking all gates and access points that restrict ingress to or egress from a school campus
when students are on campus, unless actively staffed, permitted under a shared-use
agreement, or exempted by the school safety specialist based on other security measures.
• Keeping all school classroom doors and instructional spaces locked when occupied by
students, except between class periods or when actively staffed at the door.
• Securing all campus access doors, gates, and entry points to school buildings at all times to
prevent unauthorized ingress, unless a person is actively entering or exiting, or an exemption
has been documented by the school safety specialist.
• Clearly marking the safest areas for sheltering in place within each classroom and
instructional space, with students being notified of these locations within the first 10 days of
the school year.
28
Enforcement and Compliance
Each school district and charter school must document compliance with these requirements
through the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool (FSSAT),
29
maintained by the OSS. The OSS
is authorized to conduct compliance visits to verify whether school safety specialists have
appropriately documented exemptions or security adjustments.
30
25
Florida Association of School Safety Specialists (FS3), About Us (2023), https://www.fls3.org/about (last visited
Mar. 4, 2025).
26
Id.
27
Section 1006.07, F.S.
28
Section 1006.07(6), F.S.
29
Section 1006.1493, F.S. The Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool (FSSAT) is a statewide risk assessment and
compliance monitoring system used by school districts and charter schools to evaluate school safety, identify security
vulnerabilities, and document compliance with statutory safety requirements.
30
Section 1001.212(14), F.S. BILL: SB 1470 Page 8
Safe-School Officer Requirements
Florida law requires each public school, including charter schools, to have at least one safe-
school officer assigned to its facility. School districts may partner with law enforcement agencies
or private security agencies to meet this requirement through any combination of the following
safe-school officer options:
• School resource officers (sworn law enforcement officers).
• School safety officers (sworn law enforcement officers who are employed by the school
district).
• School guardians (trained school personnel or volunteers who complete guardian program
training).
• School security guards (contracted private security personnel meeting state training and
screening requirements).
31
School Security Guards and Required Screening
A school district or charter school governing board may contract with a licensed security agency
to employ a school security guard to fulfill the safe-school officer requirement. To serve in this
role, an individual must:
32
• Hold a valid Class “D” (unarmed security) and Class “G” (armed security) license under
Chapter 493, F.S.
33
• Complete 144 hours of required guardian program training.
34
• Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a licensed psychologist, with the results
submitted to the sheriff’s office, school district, or charter school governing board.
• Submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent random drug tests, following state
drug-free workplace regulations and applicable school district policies.
• Complete ongoing annual training, weapon inspections, and firearm qualifications, providing
documentation to the appropriate contracting entity.
35
Additionally, contracts between a school district, charter school, or private security agency must
specify who is responsible for training, inspection, and record maintenance related to school
security guard qualifications.
36
Florida Safe Schools Canine Program
Florida law establishes the Florida Safe Schools Canine Program under the OSS within the DOE
to support the use of firearm detection canines in K-12 schools. The program was created to:
• Encourage partnerships between schools, businesses, and law enforcement agencies to fund
the acquisition, training, and care of firearm detection canines.
31
Section 1006.12, F.S.
32
Section 1006.12(4), F.S.
33
Section 493.6101(18), F.S.
34
Section 30.15(1), F.S.
35
Section 1006.12, F.S.
36
Id. BILL: SB 1470 Page 9
• Enhance school safety by increasing the presence of firearm detection canines in schools,
reinforcing public confidence in law enforcement’s role in school security.
37
A firearm detection canine is defined as any canine that is owned or the service of which is
employed by a law enforcement agency for use in K-12 schools for the primary purpose of
detecting firearms and ammunition.
38
These canines must be trained to interact with children and
may also be trained as animal-assisted therapy canines.
39
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
This bill strengthens school safety measures, enhances behavioral threat management protocols,
expands oversight of school security personnel, and clarifies campus security requirements.
Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program
The bill amends s. 30.15, F.S., to modify training, certification, and oversight requirements for
school guardians and school security guards. Specifically, the bill:
• Aligns the training and certification requirements for school security guards with those for
school guardians, establishing consistent standards across both roles.
• Requires a sheriff to establish a school guardian program if a school board, charter school, or
private school contracts for the use of school security guards.
• Authorizes private schools to contract for school security guards and allows a sheriff to
establish a guardian program to provide training for private school security guards.
• Clarifies that security agencies are responsible for all training and screening-related costs for
school security guards, which may not be waived by sheriffs, preventing the use of state
funds for private security agency expenses.
• Requires sheriffs to maintain documentation of training, certification, weapon inspection, and
firearm qualification records for each certified school security guard.
• Specifies that a school security guard who has completed the guardian training program is
not required to complete another guardian training program unless there has been at least a
one-year break in appointment as a school guardian or employment as a school security
guard.
• Authorizes a sheriff to provide guardian training to individuals who are legally permitted to
possess or carry a concealed firearm under Florida law, aligning with the state’s permitless
carry provisions.
• Requires a sheriff to provide guardian training only to individuals who have already satisfied
all background screening, psychological evaluation, and drug test requirements.
• Requires a sheriff to issue a school security guard certificate to individuals who meet all
statutory screening, training, and experience requirements and to maintain documentation of
weapon and equipment inspections, training, certification, and qualification records for each
certified school security guard.
37
Section 1006.121(1), F.S.
38
Section 1006.121(2), F.S.
39
Section 1006.121(3), F.S. BILL: SB 1470 Page 10
Sheriff and School Guardian Reporting Requirements
To streamline reporting processes and enhance oversight, the bill aligns school security guard
reporting requirements with those for school guardians. Specifically, the bill:
• Aligns school security guard reporting and recordkeeping requirements with those for school
guardians and mandates that security agencies report to the FDLE the date a school security
guard was last employed in a school.
• Specifies that if no guardian or security guard training sessions are scheduled, the sheriff is
not required to submit a quarterly training report to the FDLE.
• Removes outdated reporting requirements for sheriffs, school districts, charter schools, and
private schools regarding school guardian certifications and appointments.
Behavioral Threat Management and School Safety Oversight
The bill amends s. 1001.212, F.S., to modify the duties of the OSS related to threat assessment
processes and security exceptions. Specifically, the bill:
• Clarifies that the OSS is responsible for maintaining the statewide behavioral threat
management operational process and the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment
instrument.
• Authorizes the State Board of Education to establish in rule when the OSS or its system
administrators may access a threat assessment report, related documentation, or any other
information required by the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument
maintained in the portal. Access must comply with state and federal privacy laws.
• Requires the OSS to create and maintain a list of exceptions, with examples, for situations
where a school cannot safely or reasonably comply with locked door, gate, or access point
requirements.
Florida Association of School Safety Specialists
Additionally, the bill requires the OSS, in partnership with FS3, to develop a framework for
school safety training and certification. The bill requires the OSS to:
• Recommend a structure for initial and advanced training and certification for school safety
specialists.
• Develop additional professional learning opportunities for school safety personnel.
• Identify and analyze research and best practices in school safety.
• Administer school safety grants to improve school security efforts.
• Provide policy recommendations to improve school safety requirements.
The OSS must submit its recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives by September 1, 2025.
District School Board Responsibilities for School Safety
The bill amends s. 1006.07, F.S., to modify locked campus and building requirements to apply
only during school supervision hours rather than whenever students are present. It also clarifies
when certain access points may remain unlocked. Specifically, the bill: BILL: SB 1470 Page 11
• Authorizes an exception to the requirement that campus areas and school buildings remain
locked, permitting an access point to be unlocked if another closed and locked gate or access
point separates it from areas occupied by students for campus areas, or if another closed and
locked door, gate, or access point prevents access to a school building.
• Defines "school supervision hours" as the hours of the school day plus a reasonable time
immediately before and after school when student supervision is available, as determined by
school district policy.
• Clarifies that the exception allowing an access point to remain unlocked when it is actively
staffed applies not only to campus entry points but also to school buildings when staffed by
school personnel.
• Allows school campus gates, classroom doors, and other access points to remain unlocked if
the school safety specialist, or their designee, documents in the Florida Safe Schools
Assessment Tool portal that the access point qualifies for an exception recognized by the
OSS. The bill authorizes the OSS to conduct compliance visits to review documented
exceptions.
Safe-School Officer Requirements
The bill amends s. 1006.12, F.S., to expand participation in the school security guard program
and increase oversight of security guard training, certification, and reporting requirements.
Specifically, the bill:
• Authorizes private schools to contract with security agencies for school security guards.
• Requires private schools contracting for security guards to adhere to all training and
screening requirements applicable to public schools.
• Requires that all school security guards be trained by a sheriff pursuant to the training
requirements of the Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach Scott Beigel Guardian
Program.
• Mandates that security guards be approved by the sheriff of each county in which the school
security guard will be assigned to a school before being assigned to a school in that county.
• Requires that school security guards submit the results of the required psychological
evaluation to the sheriff for review.
• Mandates that all ongoing training, weapon inspections, and firearm qualifications for school
security guards be conducted by a sheriff or through a sheriff-approved program.
The bill adds private school administrators to the notification requirements concerning safe-
school officer misconduct and firearm discharges, supporting uniform reporting across all
schools utilizing safe-school officers. The bill requires the OSS to provide the FDLE with any
information it receives from a district school superintendent or charter school administrator,
private school administrator, or respective designee concerning a school security guard who:
• Is dismissed for misconduct or is otherwise disciplined.
• Discharges his or her firearm in the exercise of the school security guard’s duties, other than
for training purposes.
BILL: SB 1470 Page 12
Florida Safe Schools Canine Program
The bill expands the definition of the term "firearm detection canine" in s. 1006.121(2), F.S., to
authorize school districts, rather than just law enforcement agencies, to employ firearm detection
canines and specify that only sworn law enforcement officers may use the canines in K-12
schools.
The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
None.
C. Government Sector Impact:
This bill does not have a fiscal impact on state expenditures.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None. BILL: SB 1470 Page 13
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill substantially amends the following sections of the Florida Statutes: 30.15, 1001.212,
1006.07, 1006.12, and 1006.121.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.