S 1062

CS for CS for SB 1062  First Engrossed
20261062e1
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to speech and debate education;
3creating s. 265.0042, F.S.; creating the Florida
4Speech and Debate Hall of Fame; requiring the
5Department of Management Services to set aside an area
6in the Capitol Building for the hall of fame;
7requiring the department to consult with the Florida
8Education Foundation and the Commissioner of
9Education; providing the duties for the hall of fame;
10requiring the hall of fame to convene a committee for
11specified purposes; creating s. 683.221, F.S.;
12designating Florida Speech and Debate Week annually in
13February; providing purposes for the annual
14observance; authorizing specified entities to observe
15Florida Speech and Debate Week; creating s. 1000.09,
16F.S.; providing legislative findings and intent;
17establishing the Florida Debate Initiative, Inc.,
18(FDI) as a statewide speech and debate organization
19that performs certain functions in support of the
20Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) in the
21Department of Education; providing the duties of FDI;
22providing construction; authorizing FDI to establish
23and maintain certain partnerships; specifying
24activities for FDI and FCDI; providing authorized uses
25of funds for FDI; requiring FDI to publish online and
26submit annually by a specified date to the department
27a specified report; specifying requirements for the
28report; authorizing a certified teacher to earn an
29endorsement in speech and debate; specifying
30requirements for the endorsement; requiring the
31department to collaborate with FDI to establish
32regional traveling debate teams; authorizing a school
33district to use school buses to transport students to
34speech and debate competitions; amending s. 1001.42,
35F.S.; requiring each district school board annually to
36publish online and submit to the department a report;
37specifying requirements for the report; creating s.
381004.0983, F.S.; requiring the Board of Governors of
39the State University System and the State Board of
40Education to develop specified undergraduate and
41graduate coursework, certificates, and micro
42credentials; authorizing the Board of Governors and
43the State Board of Education to collaborate with FDI
44to develop coursework; requiring the department to
45approve specified dual enrollment courses; providing
46an appropriation; providing an effective date.
47
48Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
49
50Section 1. Section 265.0042, Florida Statutes, is created
51to read:
52265.0042Florida Speech and Debate Hall of Fame.—
53(1) There is created the Florida Speech and Debate Hall of
54Fame. The Department of Management Services shall set aside an
55area on the Plaza Level of the Capitol Building and shall
56consult with the Florida Education Foundation and the
57Commissioner of Education regarding the design and theme of the
58area.
59(2)The hall of fame shall do all of the following:
60(a)Honor distinguished students, coaches, educators,
61alumni, veterans, public servants, benefactors, and supporters
62who have elevated speech and debate in this state.
63(b)Preserve the history, impact, and cultural significance
64of competitive debate.
65(c)Inspire future generations of Florida students to
66pursue speech, debate, public leadership, and civic excellence.
67(3)The hall of fame shall convene a committee to establish
68procedures to nominate and select individuals to be featured.
69Section 2. Section 683.221, Florida Statutes, is created to
70read:
71683.221 Florida Speech and Debate Week.—
72(1) February 1 through February 7 shall be annually
73designated as “Florida Speech and Debate Week.”
74(2) Florida Speech and Debate Week shall be observed for
75all of the following purposes:
76(a) To recognize the academic, civic, and leadership value
77of competitive speech and debate.
78(b) To honor educators, coaches, judges, and school
79districts that support debate programming.
80(c) To inspire students statewide to participate in debate
81as a pathway to civic engagement.
82(d) To promote Florida’s role as the national leader in
83scholastic speech and debate.
84(3) Public and charter schools, state agencies, and other
85entities may observe Florida Speech and Debate Week.
86Section 3. Section 1000.09, Florida Statutes, is created to
87read:
881000.09Competitive speech and debate.—
89(1)LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—
90(a)The Legislature finds that speech and debate
91significantly improve literacy, critical thinking, research
92ability, civic knowledge, and leadership for students of this
93state.
94(b)The Legislature also finds that this state’s civics and
95debate expansion has become a national model, increasing access
96to this instruction in all regions. Sustaining and improving
97this success requires a permanent statewide organization with
98specialized expertise, program capacity, and year-round
99operational support.
100(c)The Legislature further finds that the Florida Debate
101Initiative has demonstrated statewide effectiveness and is
102uniquely positioned to ensure continuity, equitable access,
103quality programming, tournament infrastructure, and
104instructional rigor.
105(d) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish a
106comprehensive statewide infrastructure, under the Florida Debate
107Initiative’s direction, which expands, supports, and elevates K
10820 speech and debate education.
109(2)CREATION, DESIGNATION, AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—In
110alignment with, and in support of, the Department of Education
111and the program it operates called the Florida Civics and Debate
112Initiative (FCDI), the Florida Debate Initiative, Inc., (FDI) is
113established as this state’s nonprofit statewide speech and
114debate organization that manages, develops, and expands K–20
115civics, speech, and debate programs.
116(a)1.FDI shall support and expand access to statewide
117civic literacy and speech and debate programs by undertaking the
118following, which list is not exhaustive:
119a. Educating and training coaches and students.
120b. Training judges and volunteers.
121c. Promoting educational competition opportunities.
122d. Leading training and leadership development experiences.
123e. Establishing competition standards.
124f.Maintaining statewide data reporting.
125g. Assisting the FCDI, upon request, in civics-focused
126education, training, and programming initiatives.
1272. This paragraph may not be construed to prohibit schools,
128districts, or students from participating in civics, speech and
129debate activities, leagues, or competitions not operated or
130supervised by FDI.
131(b) FDImay establish and maintain partnerships with school
132districts, charter schools, state agencies, postsecondary
133institutions, nonprofit organizations, private entities, and
134national or international organizations to achieve the purposes
135of this section, including collaborative efforts with FCDI. In
136such collaboration:
1371. FCDI and FDI shall jointly host and operate the annual
138National Civics and Debate Championship known as The Great
139Debate, a nationally recognized synthesis of civics education
140and debate competition that challenges students’ civic
141knowledge, debate skills, and endurance through multi-day,
142multi-event competition.
1432. FCDI shall lead specific civics immersion events,
144including FCDI Day at the Capitol and the Great American Civics
145Challenge, which includes the Ronald Reagan Presidential Debates
146and the We The People Civics Showdown.
1473. FDI shall provide logistical support, debate tournament
148operations support, and tournament coordination support for The
149Great Debate and other collaborative initiatives to advance
150statewide speech and debate opportunities.
151(3)AUTHORIZED USES OF FUNDS.—FDI may expend program funds
152on all of the following:
153(a)Administrative operations, including staffing,
154insurance, compliance, reporting, and statewide infrastructure.
155(b)Programmatic operations, including curriculum,
156training, summer programs, workshops, camps, and mentorship
157programs.
158(c)Tournament operations, including logistics, staff,
159judge training, technology, awards, and regional team
160operations.
161(d)Travel, lodging, training, and transportation for
162participants, including local, state, and national travel to
163competitions hosted by FDI, FCDI, or other civics, speech, and
164debate organizations.
165(e)Public-private partnership development, including
166sponsorship and philanthropic support.
167(f) Memberships, affiliations, and participation fees
168related to civics education, speech, debate, leadership, and
169academic competition programs, provided such memberships,
170affiliations, and participation advance the purposes of this
171section.
172(4)REPORTING.—FDI shall make publicly available online and
173submit, no later than December 31 of each year, an annual report
174to the Department of Education which includes all of the
175following:
176(a)Student participation in statewide FDI programs, by
177district and demographics.
178(b)The number of active student teams in statewide FDI
179speech and debate programs.
180(c)Competitive and educational outcomes of statewide FDI
181programs.
182(d)A categorized summary of all expenditures.
183(5)ENDORSEMENT IN SPEECH AND DEBATE.—Pursuant to s.
1841012.56 and State Board of Education rule, a certified teacher
185may earn an endorsement in speech and debate if he or she
186demonstrates all of the following:
187(a)Completion of coursework approved by the board in
188argumentation, rhetoric, communication, or debate instruction.
189(b)Completion of professional development offered by FDI
190or equivalent professional development offered by a Florida
191College System institution or state university.
192(c)Competency, as determined by the board, in the rules,
193events, and competitive standards of scholastic debate.
194(6)REGIONAL TRAVELING DEBATE TEAMS.—The department shall
195collaborate with FDI to establish regional traveling debate
196teams to represent Florida in national competitions. Teams must
197be accessible to students at Title I and rural schools. Teams
198must provide competitive training and coaching for speech and
199debate.
200(a)All travel costs may be covered through legislative
201appropriation, public-private partnerships, and sponsorships.
202(b)A school district may use school buses to transport
203students to and from speech and debate competitions.
204Section 4. Present subsection (29) of section 1001.42,
205Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (30), and a new
206subsection (29) is added to that section, to read:
2071001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
208district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
209powers and perform all duties listed below:
210(29)SPEECH AND DEBATE COMPETITION REPORTING.—Each district
211school board shall annually make available online and submit to
212the Department of Education, by a date set by the department, a
213report that includes all of the following information:
214(a)The number of active speech and debate teams.
215(b)Student participation rates.
216(c)Competitive performance and public service engagement.
217(d)Transportation, facilities, and administrative support
218provided.
219(e)Resources needed to expand the program.
220Section 5. Section 1004.0983, Florida Statutes, is created
221to read:
2221004.0983Speech and debate training pathways.—The Board of
223Governors and the State Board of Education shall develop
224undergraduate and graduate coursework, certificates, and micro
225credentials in speech and debate education, coaching, and
226tournament operations.
227(1)Coursework may include all of the following:
228(a)Rhetoric, argumentation, and communication theory.
229(b)Coaching methods and competitive event instruction.
230(c)Tournament management and adjudication.
231(d)Public speaking pedagogy.
232(2)The Board of Governors and the State Board of Education
233may collaborate with the Florida Debate Initiative, Inc., to
234develop coursework.
235Section 6. The Department of Education shall approve
236courses developed pursuant to s. 1004.0983, Florida Statutes,
237for inclusion in dual enrollment programs under s. 1007.271,
238Florida Statutes.
239Section 7. For the 2026–2027 fiscal year, the sum of $2.4
240million in recurring funds is appropriated from the General
241Revenue Fund to support the Florida Debate Initiative, Inc.’s
242responsibilities assigned under s. 1000.09(1), Florida Statutes,
243including administrative, programmatic, and tournament operation
244duties.
245Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.