SB 1702 Florida Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Education

Summary

Education; Specifying sufficient notice and prior warning for immediate arrest and prosecution for school bus trespassing; authorizing a private school in a county that meets certain criteria to construct new facilities on certain property; requiring a charter school sponsor to use a standard monitoring tool to monitor and review a charter school; authorizing a student in a full-time virtual instruction program to participate on an interscholastic athletic team at a public school in the school district in which the student resides or to develop an agreement to participate at a private school; requiring the Commissioner of Education to coordinate with school districts selected by the department to implement a policy for a specified school year prohibiting the use of cell phones while on school grounds or engaged in certain activities off school grounds, etc.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 10, 2025 Last action Apr 30, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

S 1702 c2 → S 1702 c3 · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill version expands charter school sponsor duties, clarifies liability protections for sponsors, and adds new requirements for shared revenue reporting. It also authorizes virtual school students to join interscholastic athletics, updates marching band credit requirements, and establishes new competencies for mathematics endorsements. The bill strengthens trespass enforcement on school buses and expands private school facility construction options.

Scope change

Expanded from 12 sections to 12 sections with additional charter school provisions, virtual school athletics eligibility, and mathematics endorsement requirements

REQUIREMENT

Added new charter school sponsor duties requiring annual reports, ensuring charter innovation, and ensuring participation in state accountability systems

Modified marching band credit requirements to allow 2 years of marching band to satisfy physical education or performing arts credit requirements

Added requirement for Department of Education to establish mathematics endorsement competencies by August 1, 2026, aligned with evidence-based instructional strategies

Modified charter school policy application rules to prevent sponsors from holding charter schools responsible for newly revised policies until mutual agreement is reached

ENFORCEMENT

Added immunity protections for charter school sponsors regarding civil damages for acts of school officers and employees, with limitations for acts under sponsor's direct authority

FISCAL

Added requirement for school districts to provide public charter schools with shared revenue information by July 1 and publish distribution reports by March 31

ELIGIBILITY

Added eligibility for full-time virtual instruction students to participate in interscholastic athletics at public schools or develop agreements with private schools

Added provision allowing Florida College System institutions to work with school districts to develop charter schools offering secondary education with associate degree options

S 1702 Filed → S 1702 c1 · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands education policy by clarifying arrest procedures for school bus trespassing, allowing private schools to build on specific underutilized properties, updating charter school sponsor monitoring requirements, and recognizing marching band participation as credit for physical education or performing arts. It also authorizes school districts to use tax revenue for insurance premiums and adjusts reimbursement rates for early learning coalitions.

Scope change

The bill broadens the scope of school bus trespassing enforcement to include clear notice requirements, expands property options for private school construction in counties with four municipalities, and adds new provisions for charter school sponsors and early learning coalitions.

ENFORCEMENT

Added clear notice requirements for school bus trespassing, allowing immediate arrest and prosecution after a posted sign or verbal warning indicates unauthorized boarding is prohibited.

ELIGIBILITY

Authorized private schools in counties with four incorporated municipalities to construct new facilities on property owned by libraries, community organizations, museums, performing arts venues, theaters, cinemas, churches, Florida College System institutions, or previously used school/child care facilities without rezoning.

REQUIREMENT

Updated charter school sponsor duties to require use of a standard monitoring tool and clarified that sponsors cannot impose additional reporting requirements unless the school has a deteriorating financial condition.

Specified that completing two years of marching band satisfies one credit for physical education or performing arts, and one semester with a grade of C or better satisfies one-half credit.

Required interlocal agreements for charter school development to include fees that recover no more than actual costs plus governmental entity fees, and voided agreements that impose greater regulatory burdens on charter schools.

FISCAL

Authorized school districts to expend up to $200 per student from millage levy revenue for property and casualty insurance premiums.

Allowed the Redlands Christian Migrant Association to continue using higher prior year reimbursement rates for infant to age 5 care until state rates exceed those amounts.

DEFINITION

Defined 'school bus' as any vehicle operated, owned, or contracted by a school district for student transportation.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 16, 2025

How they voted

22–1

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 25

Apr 16, 2025

D Democratic5

3 Yea 1 Nay 1

60% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

18 Yea 1

94% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Apr 16, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (22-1-2)

senate

Apr 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Rules, 04/16/25, 8:30 am, 412 Knott Building

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

CS/CS by Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education; YEAS 8 NAYS 0

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education, 04/10/25, 8:30 am, 37 Senate Building

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Now in Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Education Pre-K - 12, 03/31/25, 4:00 pm, 412 Knott Building

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Education Pre-K - 12, 03/25/25, 11:00 am, 412 Knott Building --Not Considered

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Introduced

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Committee

Referred to Education Pre-K - 12; Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education; Rules

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors