Session Update
2026 Legislative Session Week 9 – March 9-13, 2026
Week 9 of the legislative session is complete and legislators have returned home to their districts. Week 9 would have typically been the final week of the session. However, the House and Senate have not yet passed a budget, a legal requirement. They will be returning for budget conference at a time to be determined, as early as April, although the legislature has until the end of June to send a budget to the Governor for final signature. They will also be returning April 20 – 24 for a special session called by Governor DeSantis to address Congressional redistricting.
As of last Friday evening, unless a policy bill has been passed by both chambers and sent to the Governor for signature, it is no longer eligible for passage. Bills below that did pass are highlighted below for your convenience.
Coordinated Access Model Pilot Program
HB 783/SB 1618
Requires DCF to contract with entity to establish Coordinated Access Model Pilot Program in Clay, Duval, & St. Johns Counties; requires department to award contract by certain date; requires certain contractual provisions; provides requirements for contracted entity; requires contracted entity to subcontract with certain non-preeminent state university for certain purposes; requires department & contracted entity to create coordinated access model; provides model requirements; requires department to provide specified reports to Governor & Legislature within specified timeframes; authorizes department & contracted entity to apply for & use certain funds to support or expand Coordinated Access Models; authorizes department to adopt rules. No action.
Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund
HB 1325/SB 1246
Revises Liking Industry to Nursing Education Fund to include nonmonetary contributions; provides requirements for such contributions; revises authorized uses of awarded funds, proposal & review requirements, & allowable contributions; prohibits proposal to participate in fund from being comprised solely of nonmonetary contributions; & authorizes multiyear awards. Passed and on its way to the Governor’s desk.
Nursing Education Programs
HB 121/SB 254
Strengthen nursing education program accountability by revising application and reporting requirements, imposing stricter standards for approval and compliance, and removing certain accreditation extensions. No activity this week.
Technology Education
HB 1503/SB 1694
Expands general education core course requirements by adding technology courses at public postsecondary institutions. Requires technology courses to address computer science through artificial intelligence, robotics, software engineering, computer networks, database systems, and cybersecurity. No action taken.
Education
HB 1279/SB 7038
Requiring each Florida College System institution and state university to waive tuition and fees for members of the Florida State Guard if certain conditions are met; requiring entities that offer fee-based services to individuals who are blind or visually impaired to disclose in writing whether the service may be obtained elsewhere at no cost; authorizing school district career centers to use alternative methods adopted by the board in lieu of common placement tests to assess students in basic communication and computation skills; providing that a fee waiver only applies to a full-time undergraduate student. Passed and on its way to the Governor’s desk.
Educator Preparation and Certification
HB 561/SB 1718
Authorizing an educator preparation institute to allow certain program participants to enroll in introductory coursework; revising the criteria for the award of a temporary educator certification to include certain persons with expired professional certificates; requiring that subject area coverages and endorsements for a certificate holder be reinstated with the certificate holder’s professional certificate; requiring the Florida Center for Teaching Excellence to collaborate with the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching for specified purposes. Passed and on its way to the Governor’s desk.
School Safety
HB 757/SB 896
Authorizes public postsecondary institutions to participate in school guardian program; authorizes certain college or university employees, faculty members, & students to openly carry handgun or carry concealed weapon or concealed firearm into college or university facility; creates offense of discharging weapon or firearm within 1,000 feet of school; provides exception; provides that person arrested for certain offenses must be held in custody until brought before court for admittance to bail; ranks offense created by act on offense severity ranking chart; requires that postsecondary institutions be made aware of mobile suspicious activity reporting tool in specified manner; requires public postsecondary educational institutions to promote use of such tool; requires transfer of specified educational records for certain students; requires State Board of Education & Board of Governors to adopt rules & regulations; requires certain trainings to include specified information relating to school safety; defines "public postsecondary educational institution"; authorizes such institutions to participate in certain programs and appoint certified school guardians; requires such institutions to adopt specified emergency response plans, provide specified training, post specified information, & adopt threat management processes; authorizes State Board of Education & Board of Governors to adopt rules & regulations. Passed and on its way to the Governor’s desk.
Political Activity on Public Institutions of Higher Education
HB 725/SB 1736
Defining the term “public institution of higher education”; requiring such institutions to promote specified discussion and debates; requiring such institutions to take specified actions relating to candidates for public office; requiring certain persons or entities to obtain prior approval from such institutions before conducting specified political activities on campus, etc. No action taken.