Session Update

2026 Legislative Session Week 8 – March 2-6, 2026

Week 8 of the legislative session is complete, and committees have completed their work. Any bill not heard in all committees of reference is no longer eligible for passage this session. While it is probable the session will not end on March 13 as scheduled, policy bills are on agenda to be heard on the floor during Week 9.  We are still waiting for Budget Conference to begin as major differences still remain between the House and the Senate for this year’s spending allocations. The legislature will either need to extend the session or schedule a special session before June 30 to pass the budget for this year.

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. Unanimously passed House floor vote and is headed to the Senate.

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. Amended on the Senate Floor, unanimously passed Senate Floor vote and sent back to the House.

Education
HB 1279/SB 1052

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; prohibiting a Florida College System institution or state university from admitting a student who is not a citizen of the United States or lawfully present therein; revising eligibility requirements for the Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE) Program; prohibiting a Florida College System institution or state university from imposing certain graduation requirements; revising conditions for a student to meet the definition of homeless children and youths for purposes of tuition and fee exemptions. Passed House floor vote and sent to the Senate.

Education
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. No activity this week.

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. Unanimously passed Senate floor vote 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. No activity this week.

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. Passed House floor vote and sent to the Senate.