Florida SB 702: Apalachicola Bay Area of Critical State Concern

Bill Text

702 
Mental Health Programs for Gun Violence Prevention 
2025-12-02T11:51:46Z 
Requiring IMPACT GNV of the City of Gainesville, in collaboration with certain entities, to develop and implement the Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program; providing alternatives to incarceration for specified youth; requiring the City of Gainesville, in collaboration with Alachua County, to annually submit a specified report to IMPACT GNV by a specified date, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
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 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 702 

 By Senator Bracy Davis 

 15-00700-26 2026702__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to mental health programs for gun 
 3 violence prevention; creating s. 394.4997, F.S.; 
 4 providing legislative findings and intent; requiring 
 5 IMPACT GNV of the City of Gainesville, in 
 6 collaboration with certain entities, to develop and 
 7 implement the Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program; 
 8 providing eligibility and program requirements; 
 9 providing alternatives to incarceration for specified 
 10 youth; providing for referrals to specified programs; 
 11 requiring the City of Gainesville, in collaboration 
 12 with Alachua County, to annually submit a specified 
 13 report to IMPACT GNV by a specified date; requiring 
 14 IMPACT GNV to report specified information to the 
 15 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date; 
 16 providing for expiration of the pilot program; 
 17 providing an appropriation; providing an effective 
 18 date. 
 19 
 20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 21 
 22 Section 1. Section 394.4997, Florida Statutes, is created 
 23 to read: 
 24 394.4997 Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program.— 
 25 (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—The Legislature finds 
 26 that persons under 21 years of age in this state are 
 27 disproportionately affected by gun violence, which has 
 28 significant adverse effects on the health, safety, and well 
 29 being of persons under 21 years of age. Further, the Legislature 
 30 finds that mental health challenges and unresolved conflicts are 
 31 contributing factors to the prevalence of gun violence and that 
 32 there is a need for targeted mental health and conflict 
 33 resolution education programs to assist persons under 21 years 
 34 of age in mitigating these issues. It is the intent of the 
 35 Legislature to establish programs that provide mental health 
 36 services tailored to the needs of persons under 21 years of age, 
 37 implement conflict resolution training in schools and community 
 38 centers to prevent violence, and fund community-based 
 39 initiatives that address the root causes of gun violence among 
 40 persons under 21 years of age. 
 41 (2) CREATION.— 
 42 (a) IMPACT GNV of the City of Gainesville shall develop and 
 43 implement a Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program in the City of 
 44 Gainesville, in collaboration with the Department of Juvenile 
 45 Justice, the state attorney, and the public defender of the 
 46 Eighth Judicial Circuit. 
 47 (b) The pilot program shall provide mental health services, 
 48 community-based intervention programs, conflict resolution 
 49 training, and alternative opportunities. 
 50 (c) IMPACT GNV shall design the pilot program to align with 
 51 and complement existing efforts in the City of Gainesville to 
 52 address gun violence among youth and young adults. IMPACT GNV 
 53 shall, at a minimum, consult with stakeholders before and during 
 54 implementation of the pilot program. 
 55 (3) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to become an eligible program 
 56 participant, he or she must be: 
 57 (a) A person who is at least 10 to 21 years of age, who is 
 58 at moderate or high risk of being: 
 59 1. A victim of gun violence; 
 60 2. An offender who has inflicted bodily harm or death; or 
 61 3. An individual returning to the community from a 
 62 delinquency residential program; or 
 63 (b) A family member of a person eligible under paragraph 
 64 (a). 
 65 (4) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—The program shall: 
 66 (a) Provide program participants with access to mental 
 67 health services, including, but not limited to, all of the 
 68 following: 
 69 1. Individual therapy sessions with qualified professionals 
 70 or mental health counselors to address personal mental health 
 71 issues. 
 72 2. Facilitated group therapy sessions to provide peer 
 73 support and shared experiences. 
 74 3. Family therapy sessions involving family members to 
 75 address familial issues contributing to mental health problems. 
 76 4. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for 
 77 participants who have experienced trauma. 
 78 5. Art and music therapies to help participants express 
 79 emotions and cope with stress. 
 80 6. Substance abuse treatment programs addressing substance 
 81 abuse issues that may contribute to violent behavior. 
 82 7. Mediation training. 
 83 8. Restoration of relationships. 
 84 9. Resilience and leadership