Florida SB 1590: Sexual Assault Education and Support

Bill Text

1590 
Sexual Assault Education and Support 
2026-01-09T06:36:24Z 
Citing this act as the “Safe Students and Survivors Act”; requiring school districts to appoint a districtwide sexual assault response liaison for specified purposes; establishing the Safe Students and Survivors Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Health; revising the required health instruction for students in grades 7 through 12 to include instruction on sexual assault prevention and consent, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1590 

 By Senator Jones 

 34-01586A-26 20261590__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to sexual assault education and 
 3 support; providing a short title; amending s. 1001.42, 
 4 F.S.; requiring school districts to appoint a 
 5 districtwide sexual assault response liaison for 
 6 specified purposes; requiring the Department of Health 
 7 to administer specified training and materials for the 
 8 liaisons; creating s. 1003.08, F.S.; establishing the 
 9 Safe Students and Survivors Grant Program to be 
 10 administered by the department; providing the purpose 
 11 of the grant program; providing department, school 
 12 district, charter school, and private school duties; 
 13 authorizing the State Board of Education to adopt 
 14 rules; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.; revising the 
 15 required health instruction for students in grades 7 
 16 through 12 to include instruction on sexual assault 
 17 prevention and consent; providing requirements for the 
 18 instruction; providing an effective date. 
 19 
 20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 21 
 22 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Safe Students and 
 23 Survivors Act.” 
 24 Section 2. Paragraph (o) is added to subsection (4) of 
 25 section 1001.42, Florida Statutes, to read: 
 26 1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The 
 27 district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all 
 28 powers and perform all duties listed below: 
 29 (4) ESTABLISHMENT, ORGANIZATION, AND OPERATION OF SCHOOLS. 
 30 Adopt and provide for the execution of plans for the 
 31 establishment, organization, and operation of the schools of the 
 32 district, including, but not limited to, the following: 
 33 (o) Sexual assault response liaison.—Appoint a districtwide 
 34 sexual assault response liaison who shall connect students with 
 35 law enforcement, counseling, and advocacy services in response 
 36 to a sexual assault. The Department of Health shall, for such 
 37 liaisons, administer training and materials based on 
 38 recommendations and training guidelines provided by the Florida 
 39 Council Against Sexual Violence. 
 40 Section 3. Section 1003.08, Florida Statutes, is created to 
 41 read: 
 42 1003.08 Safe Students and Survivors Grant Program.— 
 43 (1) Subject to legislative funding, there is established 
 44 the Safe Students and Survivors Grant Program to be administered 
 45 by the Department of Education. The program shall provide grants 
 46 to school districts to partner with local nonprofit 
 47 organizations and advocacy centers to provide student workshops 
 48 and instructional personnel training on the prevention of sexual 
 49 assaults and sexual assault survivor support programs. 
 50 (2) The department shall: 
 51 (a) Create an application and award criteria. 
 52 (b) Establish reporting requirements for school districts 
 53 and any school that receives public funding in vouchers which 
 54 apply for this grant. 
 55 (c) Annually provide a report to the President of the 
 56 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the 
 57 program. 
 58 (3) School districts, charter schools, and private schools 
 59 shall provide a report to the department, in a format prescribed 
 60 by the department based upon privacy laws and standards, on the 
 61 use of a grant award. 
 62 (4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to 
 63 administer this section. 
 64 Section 4. Paragraph (o) of subsection (2) of section 
 65 1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 
 66 1003.42 Required instruction.— 
 67 (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public 
 68 schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education 
 69 and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and 
 70 faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the 
 71 highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy, 
 72 following the prescribed courses of study, and employing 
 73 approved methods of instruction, the following: 
 74 (o) Comprehensive age-appropriate and developmentally 
 75 appropriate K-12 instruction on: 
 76 1. Health education that addresses concepts of community 
 77 health, consumer health, environmental health, and family life, 
 78 including: 
 79 a. Injury prevention and safety;. 
 80 b. Internet safety;. 
 81 c. Nutrition;. 
 82 d. Personal health;. 
 83 e. Prevention and co