S 178

ENROLLED
2026 Legislature  CS for CS for SB 178, 1st Engrossed
  2026178er
1
2An act relating to athletics in public K-12 schools;
3amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; requiring the Florida High
4School Athletic Association to adopt bylaws
5authorizing a head coach to support the welfare of a
6student by using personal funds to provide certain
7effects to the student; providing requirements for
8such bylaws; requiring the head coach to report such
9use of personal funds to the association; providing
10that such use of personal funds is presumed not to be
11an impermissible benefit; providing exceptions;
12providing a limitation on the annual amount of
13personal funds a head coach may use per athletic team;
14authorizing other athletic associations to adopt
15similar bylaws; amending ss. 768.135, 1002.20,
161006.165, and 1012.468, F.S.; conforming cross
17references; providing an effective date.
18
19Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21Section 1. Present paragraphs (c) through (n) of subsection
22(2) of section 1006.20, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
23paragraphs (d) through (o), respectively, and a new paragraph
24(c) is added to that subsection, to read:
251006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
26(2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS, POLICIES, OR GUIDELINES.—
27(c) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that authorize the head
28coach of an athletic team to support the welfare of a student he
29or she coaches only by using personal funds to provide, in good
30faith, effects such as food, transportation, and recovery
31services. The bylaws must require a parent to provide written
32consent before a head coach may provide such effects to a
33student. The bylaws must also restrict such use of funds to one
34head coach per athletic team.
351. A head coach who uses personal funds to provide such
36effects must report such use to the FHSAA in a manner provided
37by FHSAA bylaw.
382. Such use of personal funds is presumed not to be an
39impermissible benefit, unless such use of personal funds is:
40a. Not reported;
41b. Reported and deemed not to be in good faith by the
42FHSAA; or
43c. Used for recruiting purposes.
443. The maximum amount of personal funds a head coach may
45use per athletic team per year is $15,000.
46
47Any other organization governing interscholastic athletic
48competition in this state may adopt bylaws similar to those
49required by this paragraph.
50Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 768.135, Florida
51Statutes, is amended to read:
52768.135 Volunteer team physicians; immunity.—
53(3) A practitioner licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459,
54chapter 460, or s. 464.012 or registered under s. 464.0123 who
55gratuitously and in good faith conducts an evaluation pursuant
56to s. 1006.20(2)(d) s. 1006.20(2)(c) is not liable for any civil
57damages arising from that evaluation unless the evaluation was
58conducted in a wrongful manner.
59Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (17) of section
601002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
611002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
62school students must receive accurate and timely information
63regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
64of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
65students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
66rights including, but not limited to, the following:
67(17) ATHLETICS; PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.—
68(b) Medical evaluation and electrocardiogram.—Before
69participating in athletics, students must:
701. Satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year,
71unless the parent objects in writing based on religious tenets
72or practices, in accordance with s. 1006.20(2)(e) s.
731006.20(2)(d); and
742. As applicable under s. 1006.20, receive an
75electrocardiogram, unless the parent objects in writing based on
76religious tenets or practices or secures a certificate of
77medical exception in accordance with s. 1006.20(2)(e) s.
781006.20(2)(d) or the school district is unable to obtain a
79public or private partnership for the provision of an
80electrocardiogram pursuant to s. 1006.165.
81Section 4. Subsection (3) of section 1006.165, Florida
82Statutes, is amended to read:
831006.165 Well-being of students participating in
84extracurricular activities; training.—
85(3) Each school district must pursue public and private
86partnerships to provide low-cost electrocardiograms to the
87student. A student athlete is exempt from the requirement in s.
881006.20(2)(d)4. s. 1006.20(2)(c)4. if he or she resides in a
89school district that is unable to obtain a public or private
90partnership to provide an electrocardiogram at a rate of less
91than $50 per student.
92Section 5. Paragraph (g) of subsection (2) of section
931012.468, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
941012.468 Exceptions to certain fingerprinting and criminal
95history checks.—
96(2) A district school board shall exempt from the screening
97requirements set forth in ss. 1012.465 and 1012.467 the
98following noninstructional contractors:
99(g) An investigator for the Florida High School Athletic
100Association (FHSAA) who meets the requirements under s.
1011006.20(2)(f) s. 1006.20(2)(e).
102Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.