The 2026 Session Is Flying By: A Look At Some of The Bills Affecting Florida’s Public Schools
After a much-needed break, I am trying to get caught up with all that is going on in Tallahassee. The 2026 Legislative Session began on January 13th and is scheduled to end March 13. We are now officially one-third of the way through the 9 week session. Below is a snapshot of some of the most consequential education bills moving so far—and what they signal about the direction lawmakers are taking.
In the Florida Senate:
SB 318 (Gaetz)
Filed in response to the State Auditor General’s scathing audit of Florida’s Universal Voucher Program, SB 318 incorporates several key recommendations, including:
- Creating a separate FEFP categorical for voucher funding; and
- Assigning student ID numbers to all scholarship recipients to improve data tracking and oversight.
Defending the bill on the Senate floor, Sen. Gaetz warned:
“We cannot allow the bad stewardship and poor management of this program to continue.”
He added that ignoring the Auditor General’s findings “would be legislative malpractice.”
The bill has passed the Senate but still must clear the Florida House, where there is currently no companion bill.
SB 320 (Simon)
SB 320 continues Sen. Simon’s long-standing effort to deregulate public schools—an effort he first advanced as the sponsor of HB 1/SB 202, which ushered in universal vouchers in 2023. This year’s bill:
- Reduces regulatory requirements for school districts;
- Expands district flexibility in policymaking; and
- Streamlines financial and facilities management.
The House companion, HB 963 (Smith), has been assigned to four committees and has not yet been heard.
Meanwhile, HB 1071, an omnibus bill moving through the House, has been labeled a “related bill.” While HB 1071 touches on some of the same statutory areas as SB 320, it does not include SB 320’s administrative efficiency provisions. The overlap is thematic, not substantive. Any serious attempt at deregulation this session will require significant negotiation between chambers.
In the Florida House
HB 1071 (Trabulsy)
This sweeping omnibus bill continues to move through committees. At its most recent stop in the House Education Budget Subcommittee, Rep. Trabulsy agreed to remove language requiring school districts to cooperate with law enforcement campus visits—including K-9 units—after widespread concern that the provision would facilitate increased ICE activity in schools.
However, the bill still includes:
- A requirement for instruction on human embryologic and fetal development in grades 6–12, including a “high-definition, medically accurate ultrasound video”—language strikingly similar to the controversial “Baby Olivia” video.
- Broad restrictions related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including prohibitions on public schools spending for:
- Membership in organizations deemed discriminatory; and
- Programs that violate the Florida Educational Equity Act or promote DEI, political, or social activism as defined by the State Board of Education.
The companion bill to HB1071, SB1090, carried by Sen. Grall, has not yet been heard in any of its three assigned committees.
HJR 583 – Protection of Religious Expression in Public Schools
This proposed constitutional amendment is ready for a House floor vote. It would ask voters to add language protecting students’ and staff’s religious expression in public schools, including in:
- Schoolwork,
- Clothing,
- Prayer or moments of silence, and
- Opening remarks at high school events.
During committee hearings, many religious leaders and interfaith advocates warned the measure could privilege certain beliefs, blur church–state boundaries, invite litigation, and allow religious or political ideology to enter classrooms under the guise of free expression.
The identical Senate companion, SJR 1104 (Masullo), will be heard in Senate Education PreK–12 on February 3.
Other Bills on the Move
- HB 125 / SB 194 – Designates October 14 as “Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance.”
- HB 31 / SB 1106 – Requires official state materials, including school instructional and library materials, to replace “West Bank” with “Judea and Samaria.”
- SB 420 – Requires state-supplied portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to be displayed prominently in every public school classroom. The House companion, HB371, is not moving.
- SB 1756 – Medical Freedom Act – Allows parents to exempt children from school immunization requirements based on conscience. Passed its first Senate committee.
- The House companion, HB 917, also prohibits health care providers from discriminating based on vaccination status.
- On January 30, First Lady Casey DeSantis and Surgeon General Joe Ladapo held a press conference criticizing pediatric practices that drop unvaccinated children.
- HB 1119 – Harmful to Minors – Allows challenges to library or instructional materials depicting sexual conduct and prohibits boards from considering literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. Ready for a House floor vote. The Senate companion, SB1692, has not been heard. If you are concerned about book challenges and censorship, you should be following the Florida Freedom to Read Project.
- HB 1073 / SB 1620 – Creates a “District School Board Members’ Bill of Rights,” despite school boards already being constitutional officers, with their rights to “operate, control and supervise all free public schools within the school district” already enshrined in the Constitution. The bill was proposed by a single school board member in Volusia County and is not supported by the Florida School Boards Association. SB 1620 also add school boards to the list of state agencies restricted from the employment of relatives—potentially limiting who can serve in districts where schools are the largest employer. SB1620 will be heard for the first time on Tuesday, 02/03/26 in Senate Education Pre-K-12 committee.
- SB 824 / HB 1147 – Requires districts with declining enrollment to identify unused land and, absent a construction contract by July 1, 2027, offer it to charter school operators. SB824 will also be heard in Tuesday’s Senate Education Pre-K-12 committee.
Rulemaking Watch
The Florida Department of Education has released proposed rule changes for Schools of Hope, addressing charter co-location on public school campuses. While DOE claims the changes clarify cost responsibility and application limits, the rule remains controversial.
The proposal is now open for feedback. You can read the rule (Proposed 6A-1.0998271) here. It will be voted on at the next State Board of Education meeting in Key West on February 20th. Until then, you can submit comments/concerns here.
This overview captures only a fraction of the education-related legislation moving through Tallahassee this session. It is by no means a comprehensive list of the bills that warrant close scrutiny, nor does it reflect the full scope of proposals that could significantly affect Florida’s public schools, students, educators, and communities. With several weeks still to go, new language, late-filed amendments, and last-minute dealmaking are all but guaranteed. Staying engaged, informed, and vocal will be essential as the legislative landscape continues to shift.