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SB 500FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026Died on Calendar

Proposed Security Details for Statewide Candidates

Original title: Security for Statewide Constitutional Office Candidates

March 13, 2026

electionspublic safetygovernment securityFlorida lawelectors and elections

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The Frame

What this does

The bill establishes a new state-funded security obligation for the Department of Law Enforcement, shifting the responsibility for protecting major-party statewide candidates from private or local resources to state law enforcement during the general election cycle.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Department of Law Enforcement

The department is mandated to provide and manage protective security details for eligible candidates.

Major-party statewide candidates

These candidates receive state-provided protective security details during the general election period.

What changed

Last recorded activity March 13, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Background

  • The bill was introduced during the 2026 legislative session and ultimately did not pass, dying on the calendar. context

Summary

This bill would require the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to provide protective security details to major-party candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and cabinet offices during the general election period. Security would begin after the primary election results are certified and continue until the candidate concedes or the general election results are certified.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which candidates would be eligible for this security?
Major-party nominees for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and cabinet offices would be eligible. Nominees from minor political parties are excluded.
When does the security detail start and end?
It starts after the primary election results are certified and ends upon concession or the certification of the general election results. Officers-elect receive protection until they take office.

Why It Matters

The bill establishes a new state-funded security obligation for the Department of Law Enforcement, shifting the responsibility for protecting major-party statewide candidates from private or local resources to state law enforcement during the general election cycle.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

State-funded candidate security

The bill represents a shift toward formalizing state-provided security for candidates during the general election phase, rather than relying on existing arrangements.

Department of Law Enforcement

Connected Entities

organizationDepartment of Law Enforcement“The agency tasked with providing the protective security detail.”Map →
otherLieutenant Governor“Office whose major-party candidates would receive security.”Map →
organizationElections Canvassing Commission“The body whose certification of election results triggers the start and end of t”Map →
otherGovernor“Office whose major-party candidates would receive security.”Map →
date2026“The legislative session or election year associated with the bill.”Map →
bill_numberSB 500“The specific legislation regarding candidate security.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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