Florida HB 835: Alzheimer's Disease

Bill Text

HB 835 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb835-00
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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 freedom of speech and religious 2
expression in public schools; amending s. 1002.206, 3
F.S.; prohibiting a school district from 4
discriminating against students or school personnel on 5
the basis of political or ideological viewpoints or 6
expression; prohibiting penalty or reward for a 7
student's political or ideological expression in 8
coursework, artwork, or other specified assignments; 9
authorizing a student to wear clothing, accessories, 10
and jewelry displaying political or ideological 11
messages or symbols; authorizing a student to engage 12
in political or ideological activities or expression; 13
authorizing a student to organize political or 14
ideological groups, clubs, and other gatherings; 15
requiring that a school district provide political or 16
ideological groups with equal access to school 17
facilities; authorizing political or ideological 18
groups to advertise or announce meetings in the same 19
manner and to the same extent as other groups; 20
requiring that the Department of Education develop and 21
publish a model policy regarding a limited public 22
forum and political or ideological expression; 23
providing construction; creating a private cause of 24
action for persons and student clubs or groups harmed 25

HB 835 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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by specified violations; providing for specified 26
awards to such persons and clubs or groups; 27
authorizing such persons and clubs or groups to use 28
specified violations as a defense or counterclaim 29
under certain circumstances; providing applicability; 30
requiring such actions to be brought within a 31
specified period of time; providing that state waives 32
specified immunity; providing school district 33
liability; providing severability; providing an 34
effective date. 35
36
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 37
38
Section 1. Section 1002.206, Florida Statutes, is amended 39
to read: 40
1002.206 Freedom of speech and religious expression in 41
public schools.— 42
(1) This section may be cited as the "Florida Student and 43
School Personnel First Amendment and Religious Liberties Act." 44
(2) A school district may not discriminate against a 45
student, parent, or school personnel on the basis of a religious 46
viewpoint or religious expression. A school district may not 47
discriminate against or penalize a student on the basis of 48
expressing a religious, political, or ideological viewpoint or 49
for engaging in religious, political, or ideological expression 50

HB 835 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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

in the same time, place, and manner and to the same extent that 51
other similarly situated students may engage in speech or 52
express views at a public school. A school district shall treat 53
a student's voluntary expression of a religious, political, or 54
ideological viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject in the 55
same manner that the school district treats a student's 56
voluntary expression of any other a secular viewpoint. 57
(3)(a) A student may express his or her religious, 58
political, or ideological beliefs in coursework, artwork, and 59
other written and oral assignments free from discrimination or 60
academic penalty. A student's homework and classroom assignments 61
shall be evaluated, regardless of their religious, political, or 62
ideological content, based on expected academic standards 63
relating to the course curriculum and requirements. A student 64
may not be penalized or rewarded based on the religious, 65
political, or ideological content of his or her work if the 66
coursework, artwork, or other written or oral assignments 67
require a student's viewpoint to be expressed. 68
(b) A student may wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry 69
that display a religious, political, or ideological message or 70
symbol in the same manner and to the same extent that other 71
secular types of clothing, accessories, and jewelry that display 72
messages or symbols are permitted to be worn. 73
(4)(a) A student may pray or engage in or organize 74
religious, political, or ideological activities or religious, 75

HB 835 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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political, or ideological expression before, during, and after 76
the school day in the same manner and to the same extent that a 77
student may engage in other secular activities or expression. A 78
student may organize prayer groups or, religious, political, or 79
ideolog