F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 747 2024
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to law enforcement officers; amending
3 s. 943.03, F.S.; providing legislative findings;
4 requiring the Department of Law Enforcement to create
5 a program to appoint and supervise unpaid auxiliary
6 law enforcement officers with statewide jurisdiction
7 to support law enforcement agencies; specifying the
8 status of such officers; providing that certain
9 training courses may be taught from any location in a
10 virtual classroom without an instructor present;
11 providing an effective date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Subsections (17) and (18) are added to section
16 943.03, Florida Statutes, to read:
17 943.03 Department of Law Enforcement.—
18 (17)(a) The Legislature finds that there is a need to
19 develop and implement a comprehensive statewide strategy to
20 coordinate law enforcement efforts in combating the recent surge
21 in hate crimes based on religious and ethnic heritage. The
22 Legislature further finds that the state will benefit from the
23 further engagement of community members as unpaid auxiliary law
24 enforcement officers who can support multiple jurisdictions to
25 enhance, among other things, the exchange and collectio n of
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 747 2024
26 intelligence information, thereby benefitting statewide law
27 enforcement efforts.
28 (b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the
29 department shall create a program to appoint and supervise
30 unpaid auxiliary law enforcement officers with statewide
31 jurisdiction to support law enforcement agencies throughout the
32 state. An auxiliary law enforcement officer appointed under this
33 paragraph shall not be considered as holding an office under the
34 government of the state or the counties and municipalities
35 therein as a result of the appointment.
36 (18) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, non -
37 high-liability law enforcement officer training courses of eight
38 or fewer students taught using a virtual classroom may be
39 conducted from any location without a commission-certified
40 instructor present in the classroom.
41 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
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