Florida HB 1129: Licensure of Child Care Programs

Bill Text

HB 1129 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1129-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to first responders; amending s. 2
445.08, F.S.; renaming the Florida Law Enforcement 3
Recruitment Bonus Payment Program as the Florida Law 4
Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recruitment Bonus 5
Payment Program; revising and providing definitions; 6
including newly employed firefighters in the program; 7
requiring the Department of Commerce to consult with 8
the Division of State Fire Marshal to verify certain 9
information; requiring the division to define 10
firefighter misconduct by rule; revising the date the 11
program expires; amending s. 633.134, F.S.; 12
authorizing the Chief Financial Officer to appoint a 13
review panel to assist in reviewing certain grants; 14
providing for review panel membership; providing 15
duties and responsibilities of each review panel; 16
providing for general program support grants and 17
specific fire program grants; requiring the Chief 18
Financial Officer to review the panel's 19
recommendations and, beginning on a specified date, 20
include approved grant applicants in the Department of 21
Financial Services' legislative budget request; 22
requiring certain projects be funded until all 23
appropriated funds are depleted; requiring the 24
Division of State Fire Marshal to adopt certain rules; 25

HB 1129 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1129-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

creating s. 633.1424, F.S.; defining the terms "first 26
responder" and "public safety agency"; creating, 27
subject to appropriation, the Institute for 28
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder within the Department of 29
Financial Services for a specified purpose; providing 30
duties and responsibilities of the institute; 31
authorizing the institute to collaborate with other 32
entities to enhance program development and service 33
delivery; requiring the Division of State Fire Marshal 34
to adopt rules; providing an effective date. 35
36
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 37
38
Section 1. Section 445.08, Florida Statutes, is amended to 39
read: 40
445.08 Florida Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter 41
Recruitment Bonus Payment Program.— 42
(1) As used in For the purposes of this section, the term: 43
(a) "Break in service" means: 44
1. A period of time during which the person is employed 45
with a Florida criminal justice agency or fire service provider 46
but is not employed as a full-time law enforcement officer or 47
firefighter; or 48
2. A period of time during which the person is in between 49
employment as a full-time law enforcement officer or firefighter 50

HB 1129 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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for no longer than 15 days. 51
52
The time period for any break in service does not count toward 53
satisfying the 2-year full-time employment requirement of this 54
section. 55
(b)(a) "Commission" means the Criminal Justice Standards 56
and Training Commission within the Department of Law 57
Enforcement. 58
(c)(b) "Employing agency" has the same meaning as provided 59
in s. 943.10(4). 60
(d) "Fire service provider" has the same meaning as in s. 61
633.102(13). 62
(e) "Firefighter" has the same meaning as in s. 63
633.102(9). 64
(f)(c) "Law enforcement officer" has the same meaning as 65
provided in s. 943.10(1). 66
(g) "Newly employed firefighter" means a person who gains 67
or is appointed to full-time employment as a certified 68
firefighter with a fire service provider on or after July 1, 69
2026, and who has never been previously employed as a 70
firefighter in this state. 71
(h)(d) "Newly employed officer" means a person who gains 72
or is appointed to full-time employment as a certified law 73
enforcement officer with a Florida criminal justice employing 74
agency on or after July 1, 2022, and who has never before been 75

HB 1129 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1129-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

employed as a law enforcement officer in this state. 76
(i)(e) "Program" means the Florida Law Enforcement Officer 77
and Firefighter Recruitment Bonus Payment Program. 78
(2)(a) There is created within the department the Florida 79
Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recruitment Bonus 80
Payment Program to aid in the recruitment of law enforcement 81
officers and firefighters within the state. The purpose of the 82
program is to administer one-time bonus payments of up to $5,000 83
to each newly employed officer and newly employed firefighter 84
within the state. 85
(b) Bonus payments provided to eligible newly employed 86
officers and newly employed firefighters are c