Florida HB 857: Commercial Telephone Solicitation

Bill Text

HB 857 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb857-00
Page 1 of 5
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 student support services for K-12 2
schools; amending s. 1001.42, F.S.; authorizing 3
district school boards to recommend, endorse, or refer 4
students to organizations providing specified student 5
support services; providing requirements for such 6
organizations; providing requirements relating to 7
Level 2 background screenings for specified persons; 8
requiring certain public schools to post and maintain 9
specified information on its websites; requiring 10
district school boards to ensure compliance with 11
specified provisions and maintain specified 12
documentation; requiring district school 13
superintendents to provide a report to the Department 14
of Education upon the request of the department; 15
requiring specified information to be included in the 16
report; providing an effective date. 17
18
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 19
20
Section 1. Subsection (29) of section 1001.42, Florida 21
Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (30), and a new subsection 22
(29) is added to that section, to read: 23
1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The 24
district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all 25

HB 857 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb857-00
Page 2 of 5
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

powers and perform all duties listed below: 26
(29) NONDISCRIMINATORY AND SAFE STUDENT PROGRAMS AND 27
SERVICES.— 28
(a) A district school board may refer students to 29
organizations that provide student support services, including 30
student support programs that incorporate mentoring, counseling, 31
tutoring, and extracurricular programs. 32
(b) To be eligible to be recommended, endorsed, referred, 33
or otherwise promoted by a school district: 34
1. An organization may not restrict participation on the 35
basis of race, color, or ethnicity. 36
2. A mentoring organization that represents through its 37
website, publications, or promotional materials that it serves 38
students of a single race or ethnic group must provide written 39
verification to the district school board demonstrating that the 40
organization employs or engages mentors, staff, or volunteers 41
from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds sufficient to serve 42
the district's student population before the district may 43
recommend or refer students to the organization. 44
3.a. An organization must ensure that each person who 45
comes into contact with students, or is present in the same 46
building while services are being provided to students, has 47
successfully completed a Level 2 background screening pursuant 48
to s. 435.04. Each organization is responsible for initiating 49
and maintaining its own level 2 background screenings and 50

HB 857 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb857-00
Page 3 of 5
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

providing such documentation to the district school board. The 51
district school board may impose a fee to review the 52
documentation and comply with the requirements of this 53
subsection. A person may not provide or assist in providing 54
student support services on behalf of such organization without 55
the level 2 screening. 56
b. This subparagraph applies to services that are provided 57
on campus or off campus. 58
c. This subparagraph does not apply to off-campus, school-59
sponsored activities where students are under the direct 60
supervision of school personnel, school volunteers, or athletic 61
coaches employed or contracted by the school district if such 62
personnel, volunteers, or coaches remain present for the 63
duration of the activity and maintain responsibility for student 64
safety and supervision. 65
(c) Each public school that provides or hosts mentoring or 66
student support services shall post and maintain information 67
regarding the available programs on the school website. The 68
information must include all of the following: 69
1. The name and description of each program available to 70
students. 71
2. The eligibility requirements for participation in each 72
program. 73
3. The contact information for the program coordinator or 74
designated school personnel for the program. 75

HB 857 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb857-00
Page 4 of 5
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

4. The application process or participation requirements 76
for each program. 77
(d) The district school board shall ensure compliance with 78
this subsection and maintain documentation demonstrating that an 79
organization meets the requirements of paragraph (b). 80
(e) Each district school superintendent shall, upon the 81
request of the Department of Education, s