Bill > H0423

This bill creates a new law requiring public schools to develop comprehensive procedures for managing student elopement, which is defined as a student with autism or another disability leaving a supervised area without authorization or awareness of potential risks. The law mandates that each public school establish a School Staff Assistance for Emergencies (SAFE) Team, consisting of the school principal, an assistant principal, and at least three other members including a school resource officer. The SAFE Team must create an elopement plan that includes immediate procedures for contacting parents and conducting on-campus searches if a student leaves school grounds. For students with a history of elopement, the team must also develop a detailed student-specific quick reference guide containing identifying information, photograph, communication level, personal interests and behaviors, health considerations, potential GPS tracking options, and likely locations the student might go. The team is responsible for training school personnel on the elopement plan, distributing the reference guides to relevant staff and parents, and submitting the plan annually to the district school board. The State Board of Education is authorized to create additional rules for implementing these requirements, with the law set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Education

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/423