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HB 423FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026dead

New Safety Requirements for Students with Disabilities

Original title: Student Elopement

November 13, 2025

Companion · SB 494same policy, Senate version
educationdisability rightsstudent safetyschool policy

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Where This Stands

Currently dead. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Last action
Died in RulesMar 13, 2026
Lead sponsor
Anna Eskamani

Procedural history

14 actions
  1. Feb 24, 2026House
    Added to Second Reading Calendar
  2. Feb 24, 2026House
    Bill released to House Calendar
  3. Feb 24, 2026House
    Reported out of Education & Employment Committee
  4. Feb 24, 2026HouseCommittee
    Favorable by Education & Employment Committee
  5. Feb 20, 2026House
    Added to Education & Employment Committee agenda
  6. Feb 5, 2026House
    Now in Education & Employment Committee
Show 8 earlier actions
  1. Feb 5, 2026House
    Reported out of Student Academic Success Subcommittee
  2. Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
    Favorable by Student Academic Success Subcommittee
  3. Feb 3, 2026House
    Added to Student Academic Success Subcommittee agenda
  4. Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
    1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
  5. Nov 18, 2025House
    Now in Student Academic Success Subcommittee
  6. Nov 18, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Education & Employment Committee
  7. Nov 18, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Student Academic Success Subcommittee
  8. Nov 13, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill would have established a standardized statewide protocol for responding to student , creating new administrative requirements for school principals and staff to manage safety risks for students with autism or intellectual disabilities.

Who is mentioned in the record

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

Students with disabilities

The bill would have required the creation of individual safety plans and quick reference guides for students with autism or intellectual disabilities prone to elopement.

Public school principals

Principals would have been required to serve on the SAFE Team, appoint additional members, and ensure the annual submission of elopement plans to the district.

School resource officers

The bill would have mandated their inclusion as members of the school's SAFE Team.

What changed

Last recorded activity November 13, 2025.

What's next

Introduced.

Background

  • The bill was introduced in the 2026 legislative session and passed the Florida House of Representatives with a unanimous vote before failing to progress further. context

Summary

This bill would have required all public schools to create specialized safety teams and individual emergency plans for students with disabilities who are at risk of wandering away from school grounds. It mandated that schools develop 'quick reference guides' for these students to assist staff and emergency responders in locating them quickly.

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

What is 'elopement' in the context of this bill?
It refers to a student with a disability, such as autism, leaving a safe area or school grounds without authorization or awareness of risk, provided the behavior is related to their disability.
Who would have been on the SAFE Team?
The team would have included the school principal, an assistant principal, and at least three other members appointed by the principal, including the school resource officer.
What information would have been in the quick reference guide?
The guide would have included the student's identifying information, a current photo, communication level, interests, health considerations, GPS technology details, and a list of places the student might go.

Why It Matters

The bill would have established a standardized statewide protocol for responding to student , creating new administrative requirements for school principals and staff to manage safety risks for students with autism or intellectual disabilities.

News Coverage

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

Voting Record

Outcome not reportedhouse2/24/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable (Education & Employment Committee)

Total

42

Yes

31

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

11

Abstain

0

Outcome not reportedhouse2/5/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable (Student Academic Success Subcommittee)

Total

26

Yes

24

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

2

Abstain

0

Full roll-call analysis →

Sponsors

Show 11 more sponsors

Discoveries

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

policy shift90% confidence

Standardization of Safety Protocols

The bill represents a move toward formalizing individualized safety planning for students with disabilities into state law rather than leaving it to individual school discretion.

State Board of EducationSchool Staff Assistance for Emergencies (SAFE) Team

Connected Entities

organizationStudent Academic Success Subcommittee“Committee reviewing the bill”Map →
otherHouse Calendar“Where the bill is scheduled for consideration”Map →
organizationEducation & Employment Committee“Committee reviewing the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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