CHAPTER - 2023-18 - Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 543 - Public Safety and School Guardian Program Updates

Sep 4, 2026

Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 543 addresses public safety through comprehensive amendments to Florida Statutes. The bill revises provisions governing guardianship programs for private schools, including requirements for establishing such programs and allowing certified individuals to serve as school guardians under specified conditions. It also expands and clarifies rules on concealed weapons and concealed firearms, including licensing-related carry permissions, identification demands, noncriminal penalties, and scope for prohibited locations and school-sponsored events. The measure further requires active assailant response policies and behavioral threat management processes and portals, with related updates to threat assessment and school safety structures.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages54

Reading Time19 min

AccessFree to download

Public Safety and Statutory Amendments

Private School Guardian Program Requirements

Concealed Weapons and Concealed Firearms Provisions

Active Assailant Response and Threat Management Processes

CHAPTER 2023-18 Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 543 An act relating to public safety; amending s. 27.53, F.S. ; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 30. 15, F.S. ; requiring sheriffs to assist private schools in complying with a certain statute; revising the name of a guardian program; authorizing a private school to request the sheriff to establish a guardian program under certain conditions; providing requirements for the guardian program; authorizing certified individuals to serve as school guardians if appointed by the applicable private school head of school; revising the training program hours required for school employees to be certified as school guardians; amending s. 768.28, F.S. ; revising a definition; amending s. 790.001, F.S. ; defining the term “handgun”; amending s. 790.01, F.S. ; authorizing a person to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm if he or she is licensed to do so or meets specified requirements; specifying the burden of proof for certain violations; creating s. 790.013, F.S. ; requiring a person who is carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm without a license to carry valid identification and display such identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer; providing a noncriminal penalty; prohibiting a person who is carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm without a license from carrying such weapon or firearm in specified locations; amending s. 790.015, F.S. ; authorizing a nonresident to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm in this state if he or she meets the same requirements as a resident; removing a requirement that limits recognition of concealed firearm licenses to those states that honor Florida concealed weapon or concealed firearm licenses; amending s. 790.052, F.S. ; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 790.053, F.S. ; specifying that it is not a violation of specified provisions for persons authorized to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm without a license to briefly and openly display a firearm under specified circumstances; amending s. 790.06, F.S. ; defining the term “concealed weapon or concealed firearm”; removing a requirement that a person whois licensed to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm must carry such license while he or she is in actual possession of a concealed weapon or concealed firearm; revising legislative findings; making technical changes; amending s. 790.0655, F.S. ; making technical changes; amendings. 790. 115, F.S. ; providing that a person who is authorized to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm without a license is subject to specified penalties for possessing such weapon or firearm at a schoolsponsored event or on school property; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; revising applicability; repealing s. 790. 145, F.S., relating to the possession of firearms or destructive devices within the premises of pharmacies; amending s. 790.25, F.S. ; providing that a person who is authorized to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm may carry such weapon or firearm on his or her person in a private conveyance under certain circumstances; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 1 CODING: Words ~~stricken~~ are deletions; words underlined are additions. making technical changes; amending s. 790.251, F.S. ; revising the definition of the term “employee” to include any person who is authorized to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm; prohibiting an employer from conditioning employment upon the fact that an employee or a prospective employee is authorized to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm; amending s. 790.31, F.S. ; removing the definition of the term “handgun”; amending s. 943.03, F.S. ; conforming a provision to a change made by the act; creating s. 943.6873, F.S. ; requiring each law enforcement agency in this state to create and maintain an active assailant response policy by a s

FAQs

What is the main purpose of Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 543?

It makes broad changes to Florida public safety law, including updates to private school guardian programs and adjustments to rules governing concealed weapons and concealed firearms.

How does the bill affect private schools and guardian programs?

It authorizes private schools to request sheriffs to establish a guardian program under specified conditions, sets requirements for that program, and permits certified individuals to serve as school guardians when appointed by the private school head.

What new safety and threat-management obligations does the bill impose?

It requires law enforcement agencies to create and maintain active assailant response policies and directs the Office of Safe Schools to develop operational threat-management processes and administer a threat management portal, including requirements for related instruments and teams.

Sep 4, 2026

Upload by Aria Callaghan