Florida HB 709: Discharging Firearms in Public or on Residential Property

Bill Text

CS/HB 709 2026

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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 Internet crimes against children 2
programs; amending s. 943.0411, F.S.; defining terms; 3
renaming the Online Sting Operations Grant Program 4
created within the Department of Law Enforcement as 5
the Internet Crimes Against Children Grant Program; 6
revising the purpose of the grant program; revising 7
the authorized uses for grant program funds; creating 8
s. 943.0421, F.S.; providing a short title; providing 9
legislative findings; defining the term "task force"; 10
creating the Internet Crimes Against Children Task 11
Force Funding Program within the Department of Law 12
Enforcement; specifying how program funds may be used; 13
requiring specified percentage distribution of program 14
moneys; authorizing the department to adopt rules; 15
providing an effective date. 16
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18
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Section 1. Section 943.0411, Florida Statutes, is amended 20
to read: 21
943.0411 Internet Crimes Against Children Online Sting 22
Operations Grant Program for local law enforcement affiliates 23
agencies to protect children.— 24
(1) As used in this section, the term: 25

CS/HB 709 2026

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(a) "Affiliate" means a local law enforcement agency in 26
this state which has a current memorandum of understanding with 27
an established Internet crimes against children task force or 28
which has been designated by the department as being in good 29
standing. 30
(b) "Good standing" means a local law enforcement agency 31
in this state that receives CyberTips from one of the task 32
forces and follows Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force 33
Program standards in its investigation of Internet crimes 34
against children. 35
(c) "Internet crimes against children task force" means an 36
Internet crimes against children task force located in this 37
state which is recognized by the United States Department of 38
Justice. 39
(2) There is created within the department the Internet 40
Crimes Against Children Online Sting Operations Grant Program to 41
award grants to local law enforcement affiliates agencies to 42
support their work to combat online child exploitation and 43
creation of sting operations to target individuals online 44
preying upon children or attempting to do so. 45
(3)(2) The department shall annually award to local law 46
enforcement affiliates agencies any funds specifically 47
appropriated for the grant program to cover expenses related to 48
their work to combat Internet crimes against children. The funds 49
may be awarded to cover overtime pay, travel, investigative or 50

CS/HB 709 2026

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digital forensics training, hardware, or computers, electronics, 51
software, and other related necessary supplies. Grants must be 52
provided to local law enforcement agencies if funds are 53
appropriated for that purpose by law. The total amount of grants 54
awarded may not exceed funding appropriated for the grant 55
program. 56
(4)(3) The department may establish criteria and set 57
specific time periods for the acceptance of applications and for 58
the selection process for awarding grant funds. 59
Section 2. Section 943.0421, Florida Statutes, is created 60
to read: 61
943.0421 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force 62
Funding Program.— 63
(1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the "Florida 64
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Funding Program 65
Act." 66
(2) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that the 67
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program administered 68
by the United States Department of Justice helps state and local 69
law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to 70
technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and Internet 71
crimes against children. This help encompasses forensic and 72
investigative components, training and technical assistance, 73
victim services, and community education. The program is a 74
national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over 75

CS/HB 709 2026

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5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement and 76
prosecutorial agencies. The Legislature intends to create an 77
account dedicated to combating Internet crimes against children, 78
promoting education on Internet safety to minors and to the 79
public, and rescuing child victims from abuse and exploitation. 80
(3) DEFINITION.—The term "task force" means a