Florida 2025 Regular Session Status: Passed House Bipartisan · 3 R · 3 D cosponsors

HB 257 — Exceptional Students and Video Cameras in Public Schools

Last action — Died in Rules

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Exceptional Students and Video Cameras in Public Schools; Removes references to Video Cameras in Public School Classrooms Pilot Program; removes obsolete definition; requires certain district school boards to vote to establish policy to provide video cameras in self-contained classrooms upon request of parent; prohibits school or school district from concealing identity of employee in video recording; & provides that video recording made available after request must include accompanying audio.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

209 added · 232 removed

209 line(s) added, 232 removed.

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Latest
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 257 2025 A bill to be entitled An act relating to exceptional students and video cameras in public schools;
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 CS/HB 257 2025 A bill to be entitled An act relating to exceptional students and video cameras in public schools;
1003.57, F.S.;
1003.574, F.S.;
prohibiting district school superintendents and principals from increasing the total number of students in certain classes by more than a specified percentage;
deleting references to the Video Cameras in Public School Classrooms Pilot Program;
creating s.
deleting an obsolete definition;
1003.5741, F.S.;
requiring certain district school boards to vote to establish a policy to provide video cameras in self-contained classrooms upon the request of a parent;
providing definitions;
prohibiting a school or school district from concealing the identity of an employee in a video recording;
requiring a video camera be placed in certain public school classrooms, including certain charter school classrooms;
providing that a video recording made available after a request must include accompanying audio;
providing requirements for such video cameras;
requiring a written explanation if the operation of such cameras is interrupted;
requiring such explanation to be maintained for a specified time period;
requiring a school or charter school to provide written notice of the placement of a video camera to certain persons;
providing requirements for retaining and deleting video recordings;
providing prohibitions for the use of such video cameras and recordings;
providing that a school or charter school principal is the custodian of such video cameras and recordings;
providing requirements for such principals and video recordings;
providing requirements relating to student and school employee privacy;
providing requirements for the viewing of such video recordings;
providing an appeal process for Page 1 of 9 CODING:
Words stricken are deletions;
words underlined are additions.
hb257-00 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 257 2025 actions of a school, school district, or charter school;
providing that incidental viewings of video recordings by specified persons are not a violation of certain provisions;
providing construction;
requiring the Department of Education to collect specified information;
authorizing the State Board of Education to adopt rules;
Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section 1003.57, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
Section 1003.574, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1003.57 Exceptional students instruction.— (1) (e) In providing for the education of exceptional students, the district school superintendent, principals, and teachers shall utilize the regular school facilities and adapt them to the needs of exceptional students to the maximum extent appropriate.
1003.574 Video cameras in public school classrooms;
To the extent appropriate, students with disabilities, including those students in public or private institutions or other facilities, shall be educated with students who are not disabled.
pilot program.—Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, the Video Cameras in Public School Classrooms Pilot Program is created for a period of 3 school years.
Segregation of exceptional students shall occur only if the nature or severity of the exceptionality is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved Page 2 of 9 CODING:
(1) As used in this section, the term:
(a) "Incident" means an event, a circumstance, an act, or an omission that results in the abuse or neglect of a student Page 1 of 8 CODING:
hb257-00 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 257 2025 satisfactorily.
hb257-01-c1 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 CS/HB 257 2025 by:
During the school year, a district school superintendent or principal may not impact the special instruction or services being provided to an exceptional student in a separate class by increasing the total number of students in the class by more than 50 percent.
Section 2.
Section 1003.5741, Florida Statutes, is created to read:
1003.5741 Video cameras in certain public school classrooms.— (1) As used in this section, the term:
(a) "Incident" means an event, a circumstance, an act, or an omission that results in the abuse or neglect of a student by:
An employee of a public school, school district, or charter school;
An employee of a public school or school district;
(b) "Self-contained classroom" means a classroom at a public school or a charter school in which at least one student in regular attendance is nonverbal and is provided special education services and is assigned to one or more such classrooms for at least 50 percent of the instructional day.
(b) "School district" means the Broward County Public Schools.
(c) "Video recorded" or "video recording" includes any accompanying audio recorded by a video camera.
(b)(c) "Self-contained classroom" means a classroom at a public school in which a majority of the students in regular attendance are provided special education services and are assigned to one or more such classrooms for at least 50 percent of the instructional day.
(2) A school district must provide a video camera to each school with a self-contained classroom.
(2)(a) Each district school board, except a district school board within a fiscally constrained county as defined in s.
Show all 106 changed rows (66 more)
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A charter school must Page 3 of 9 CODING:
218.67(1), shall vote to establish a policy to provide video cameras in self-contained classrooms upon the request of a parent under paragraph (b).
(b)(a) A school district shall provide a video camera to any school with a self-contained classroom upon the written request of a parent of a student in the classroom.
(c)(b) Within 30 days after receipt of the request from a parent, a video camera must shall be operational in each self- contained classroom in which the parent's student is in regular attendance for the remainder of the school year, unless the parent withdraws his or her request in writing.
(3) If the student who is the subject of the initial request is no longer in attendance in the classroom and a school Page 2 of 8 CODING:
hb257-00 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 257 2025 provide a video camera to each self-contained classroom.
hb257-01-c1 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 CS/HB 257 2025 discontinues operation of a video camera during a school year, no later than the 5th school day before the date the operation of the video camera is discontinued, the school must notify the parents of each student in regular attendance in the classroom that operation of the video camera will cease unless the continued use of the camera is requested by a parent.
(3)(a) A video camera placed in a self-contained classroom must be capable of all of the following:
No later than the 10th school day before the end of each school year, the school must notify the parents of each student in regular attendance in the classroom that operation of the video camera will not continue during the following school year unless a written request is submitted by a parent for the next school year.
(4)(a) A video camera placed in a self-contained classroom must be capable of all of the following:
(b) A video camera placed in a self-contained classroom may not monitor a restroom or any other area in the self- contained classroom in which a student changes his or her clothes, except for the entryway, exitway, or hallway outside a restroom or other area in which a student changes his or her clothes because of the layout of the self-contained classroom.
(b) A video camera placed in a self-contained classroom may not monitor a restroom or any other area in the self- contained classroom where a student changes his or her clothes, except for the entryway, exitway, or hallway outside a restroom or other area where a student changes his or her clothes because Page 3 of 8 CODING:
(c) A video camera placed in a self-contained classroom is not required to be in operation when students are not present in the self-contained classroom.
(d) If there is an interruption in the operation of the video camera for any reason, an explanation must be submitted in writing to the school or charter school principal and, if applicable, the district school board which explains the reason for and duration of the interruption.
The written explanation must be maintained at the charter school or district school board office for at least 1 year.
Page 4 of 9 CODING:
hb257-00 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 257 2025 (4) Before a school or charter school initially places a video camera in a self-contained classroom pursuant to this section, the school or charter school shall provide written notice of the placement of such video camera to all of the following:
hb257-01-c1 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 CS/HB 257 2025 of the layout of the self-contained classroom.
(c) A video camera placed in a self-contained classroom is not required to be in operation when students are not present in the self-contained classroom.
(d) If there is an interruption in the operation of the video camera for any reason, an explanation must be submitted in writing to the school principal and the district school board which explains the reason for and duration of the interruption.
The written explanation must be maintained at the district school board office for at least 1 year.
(5) Before a school initially places a video camera in a self-contained classroom pursuant to this section, the school shall provide written notice of the placement of such video camera to all of the following:
(c) The school district, if applicable.
(c) The school district.
(d) Each school or charter school employee who is assigned to work with one or more students in the self-contained classroom.
(d) Each school employee who is assigned to work with one or more students in the self-contained classroom.
(5) A school or charter school shall:
(6) A school shall:
(a) Retain video recorded from a video camera placed pursuant to this section for at least 3 months after the date the video was recorded, after which the recording shall be deleted or otherwise made irretrievable;
(a) Retain video recorded from a video camera placed pursuant to this section for at least 3 months after the date the video was recorded, after which the recording must shall be Page 4 of 8 CODING:
or (b) Retain the recording until the conclusion of any investigation or any administrative or legal proceedings that result from the recording have been completed, including, without limitation, the exhaustion of all appeals.
(6) A school, school district, or charter school may not:
(a) Allow regular, continuous, or continual monitoring of video recorded under this section;
or Page 5 of 9 CODING:
hb257-00 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 257 2025 (b) Use video recorded under this section for teacher evaluations or any purpose other than for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of students receiving special education services in a self-contained classroom.
hb257-01-c1 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 CS/HB 257 2025 deleted or otherwise made irretrievable unretrievable;
(7) The school or charter school principal is the custodian of a video camera operated pursuant to this section, all recordings generated by that video camera, and access to such recordings.
or (b) Retain the recording until the conclusion of any investigation or any administrative or legal proceedings that result from the recording have been completed, including, without limitation, the exhaustion of all appeals.
(7) A school or school district may not:
(a) Allow regular, continuous, or continual monitoring of video recorded under this section;
or (b) Use video recorded under this section for teacher evaluations or any purpose other than for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of students receiving special education services in a self-contained classroom;
or (c) Conceal the identity of a school or school district employee who appears in a video recording.
(8) The principal of the school is the custodian of a video camera operated pursuant to this section, all recordings generated by that video camera, and access to such recordings.
(b) A school, school district, or charter school shall:
(b) A school or school district shall:
Conceal the identity of each student and school employee who appears in a video recording but is not involved in the alleged incident documented by the video recording, which the school allows to be viewed under subsection (8), including, without limitation, blurring the face of the uninvolved student or school employee.
Conceal the identity of any student who appears in a video recording, but is not involved in the alleged incident documented by the video recording, which the school allows to be viewed under subsection (9), including, without limitation, blurring the face of the uninvolved student.
However, the face of a school employee involved in the incident may not have his or her face blurred.
Page 5 of 8 CODING:
2.
Protect the confidentiality of all student records contained in a video recording in accordance with s.
1002.22.
(8)(a) Within 7 days after receiving a request to view a video recording a school, school district, or charter school must have the video recording pertinent to the incident prepared for viewing and shall allow the following persons to view a video recording made under this section:
Page 6 of 9 CODING:
hb257-00 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 257 2025 1.
hb257-01-c1 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 CS/HB 257 2025 2.
A school, school district, or charter school employee who is involved in an alleged incident that is documented by the video recording as part of the investigative process;
Protect the confidentiality of all student records contained in a video recording in accordance with s.
1002.22.
(9)(a) Within 7 days after receiving a request to view a video recording, a school or school district shall allow the following individuals to view a video recording with its accompanying audio made under this section:
1.
A school or school district employee who is involved in an alleged incident that is documented by the video recording as part of the investigative process;
A parent of a student who is involved in an alleged incident that is documented by the video recording and has been reported to the school, school district, or charter school;
A parent of a student who is involved in an alleged incident that is documented by the video recording and has been reported to the school or school district;
A school, school district, or charter school employee as part of an investigation into an alleged incident that is documented by the video recording and has been reported to the school, school district, or charter school;
A school or school district employee as part of an investigation into an alleged incident that is documented by the video recording and has been reported to the school or school district;
(b) A person who requests to view a recording shall make himself or herself available for viewing the recording within 30 days after being notified by the school, school district, or charter school that the person's request has been granted.
(b) A person who requests to view a recording must shall make himself or herself available for viewing the recording within 30 days after being notified by the school or school Page 6 of 8 CODING:
(c) A person who views the recording and suspects that child abuse has occurred must report the suspected child abuse to the Department of Children and Families.
(9)(a) A person may appeal to the State Board of Education an action by a school, school district, or charter school which Page 7 of 9 CODING:
hb257-00 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 257 2025 the person alleges to be in violation of this section.
hb257-01-c1 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 CS/HB 257 2025 district that the person's request has been granted.
(c) A person who views the recording and suspects that child abuse has occurred must report the suspected child abuse to the Department of Children and Families.
(10)(a) Any individual may appeal to the State Board of Education an action by a school or school district which the individual alleges to be in violation of this section.
(10) A school, school district, or charter school does not violate subsection (7) if a contractor or other employee of the school, school district, or charter school incidentally views a video recording made under this section in connection with the performance of his or her duties related to the following:
(11) A school or school district does not violate subsection (8) if a contractor or other employee of the school or school district incidentally views a video recording made under this section in connection with the performance of his or her duties related to either of the following:
(11) This section does not:
(12) This section does not:
(b) Waive any immunity from liability of a school district or charter school or an employee of a school district or charter school.
(b) Waive any immunity from liability of a school district or an employee of a school district.
(c) Create any liability for a cause of action against a school, school district, or charter school or an employee of a school, school district, or charter school carrying out the duties and responsibilities required by this section.
(c) Create any liability for a cause of action against a Page 7 of 8 CODING:
(d) Apply to self-contained classrooms in which the only students receiving special education services are those who have Page 8 of 9 CODING:
hb257-00 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 257 2025 been deemed gifted.
hb257-01-c1 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 CS/HB 257 2025 school or school district or an employee of a school or school district carrying out the duties and responsibilities required by this section.
(12) The department shall collect information relating to the installation and maintenance of video cameras under this section.
(d) Apply to self-contained classrooms in which the only students receiving special education services are those who have been deemed gifted.
(13) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to implement this section.
(13) The department shall collect information relating to the installation and maintenance of video cameras under this section.
Section 3.
(14) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to implement this section.
Section 2.
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hb257-00
hb257-01-c1
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Action History

  1. Died in Rules

  2. Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration

  3. Received

  4. Referred to Rules

  5. In Messages

  6. CS passed; YEAS 106, NAYS 0

  7. Read 3rd time

  8. Added to Third Reading Calendar

  9. Placed on 3rd reading

  10. Read 2nd time

  11. Bill added to Special Order Calendar (4/25/2025)

  12. Added to Second Reading Calendar

  13. Bill released to House Calendar

  14. Reported out of Education & Employment Committee

  15. Favorable by Education & Employment Committee

  16. Added to Education & Employment Committee agenda

  17. Now in Education & Employment Committee

  18. Reported out of PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee

  19. Favorable by PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee

  20. Added to PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee agenda

  21. Now in PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee

  22. Referred to Education & Employment Committee

  23. Referred to PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee

  24. 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)

  25. CS Filed

  26. Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)

  27. Reported out of Student Academic Success Subcommittee

  28. Favorable with CS by Student Academic Success Subcommittee

  29. Added to Student Academic Success Subcommittee agenda

  30. 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)

  31. Now in Student Academic Success Subcommittee

  32. Referred to Education & Employment Committee

  33. Referred to PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee

  34. Referred to Student Academic Success Subcommittee

  35. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 4 co-sponsors · 157 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (4)

Not signed on (157)

157 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 157 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Passage, Third Reading

Passed 106 Yea · 0 Nay · 13 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 74007
Democrat 27006
Unaffiliated 5000
Total 1060013
% of votes cast 89%0%0%11%
How each member voted (119)
Member Party Vote
Caruso — Yea
Casello — Yea
Temple — Yea
Tomkow — Yea
Lopez, V. — Yea
Alvarez, Jose Democrat Yea
Antone, Bruce Hadley Democrat Yea
Aristide, Wallace Democrat Yea
Bartleman, Robin Democrat Yea
Bracy Davis, LaVon Democrat Not Voting
Campbell, Daryl Democrat Yea
Chambliss, Kevin D. Democrat Yea
Cross, Lindsay Democrat Yea
Daley, Dan Democrat Yea
Daniels, Kimberly Democrat Yea
Driskell, Fentrice Democrat Yea
Dunkley, Lisa Democrat Not Voting
Edmonds, Jervonte "Tae" Democrat Not Voting
Eskamani, Dr. Anna V. Democrat Yea
Franklin II, Gallop Democrat Yea
Gantt, Ashley Viola Democrat Yea
Gottlieb, Michael "Mike" Democrat Yea
Harris, Jennifer "Rita" Democrat Yea
Hart-Lowman, Dianne "Ms Dee" Democrat Yea
Hinson, Yvonne Hayes Democrat Yea
Hunschofsky, Christine Democrat Yea
Joseph, Dotie Democrat Yea
López, Johanna Democrat Yea
Nixon, Angela "Angie" Democrat Not Voting
Rayner, Michele K. Democrat Yea
Robinson, Felicia Simone Democrat Yea
Rosenwald, Mitch Democrat Not Voting
Skidmore, Kelly Democrat Yea
Smith, Carlos Guillermo Democrat Yea
Spencer, Leonard Democrat Yea
Tant, Allison Democrat Yea
Tendrich, Debra Democrat Yea
Woodson, Marie Paule Democrat Not Voting
Abbott, Shane G. Republican Yea
Albert, Jon Republican Yea
Alvarez, Daniel Antonio "Danny" Republican Yea
Anderson, Adam Republican Not Voting
Andrade, Robert Alexander "Alex" Republican Yea
Baker, Jessica Republican Yea
Bankson, Douglas Michael "Doug" Republican Yea
Barnaby, Webster Republican Not Voting
Basabe, Fabián Republican Yea
Benarroch, Yvette Republican Yea
Berfield, Kimberly Republican Yea
Black, Dean Republican Yea
Blanco, Omar Republican Yea
Booth, Erika Republican Yea
Borrero, David Republican Yea
Botana, Adam Republican Yea
Brackett, Robert A. "Robbie" Republican Yea
Brannan III, Robert Charles "Chuck" Republican Yea
Buchanan, James Republican Yea
Busatta, Demi Republican Yea
Canady, Jennifer Republican Yea
Cassel, Hillary Republican Yea
Chamberlin, Ryan Republican Yea
Chaney, Linda Republican Yea
Cobb, Nan Republican Yea
Conerly, William "Bill" Republican Yea
Duggan, Wyman Republican Yea
Esposito, Tiffany Republican Yea
Fabricio, Tom Republican Yea
Garrison, Sam Republican Yea
Gentry, Richard Republican Yea
Gerwig, Anne Republican Yea
Giallombardo, Mike Republican Yea
Gonzalez Pittman, Karen Republican Yea
Gossett-Seidman, Peggy Republican Yea
Greco, Sam Republican Yea
Griffitts Jr., Philip Wayne "Griff" Republican Yea
Grow, J.J. Republican Yea
Holcomb, Jeff Republican Not Voting
Jacques, Berny Republican Yea
Johnson, Chad Republican Yea
Kendall, Kim Republican Yea
Kincart Jonsson, Jennifer Republican Yea
Koster, Traci Republican Not Voting
LaMarca, Chip Republican Yea
Maggard, Randall Scott "Randy" Republican Yea
Maney, Patt Republican Yea
Mayfield, Debbie Republican Yea
McClure, Lawrence Republican Yea
McFarland, Fiona Republican Yea
Melo, Lauren Republican Yea
Michael, Kiyan Republican Not Voting
Miller, Monique Republican Yea
Mooney Jr., James Vernon "Jim" Republican Yea
Nix Jr., Danny Republican Yea
Oliver, Vanessa Republican Yea
Overdorf, Tobin Rogers "Toby" Republican Yea
Owen, Michael Republican Yea
Partington, Bill Republican Yea
Perez, Daniel Republican Yea
Persons-Mulicka, Jenna Republican Yea
Plakon, Rachel Saunders Republican Yea
Plasencia, Susan Republican Not Voting
Porras, Juan Carlos Republican Yea
Redondo, Mike Republican Yea
Rizo, Alex Republican Yea
Robinson Jr., William Cloud "Will" Republican Yea
Salzman, Michelle Republican Yea
Sapp, Judson Republican Yea
Shoaf, Jason Republican Yea
Sirois, Tyler I. Republican Yea
Snyder, John Republican Yea
Stark, Paula A. Republican Yea
Steele, Kevin M. Republican Yea
Trabulsy, Dana Republican Not Voting
Tramont, Chase Republican Yea
Tuck, Kaylee Republican Yea
Valdés, Susan L. Republican Yea
Weinberger, Meg Republican Yea
Yarkosky, Taylor Michael Republican Yea
Yeager, Bradford Troy "Brad" Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

education
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Frequently asked questions

What does HB 257 do?
Exceptional Students and Video Cameras in Public Schools; Removes references to Video Cameras in Public School Classrooms Pilot Program; removes obsolete definition; requires certain district school boards to vote to establish policy to provide video cameras in self-contained classrooms upon request of parent; prohibits school or school district from concealing identity of employee in video recording; & provides that video recording made available after request must include accompanying audio.
Who sponsors HB 257?
HB 257 is sponsored by Weinberger, Meg (Republican), Mooney Jr., James Vernon "Jim" (Republican), López, Johanna (Democrat), Harris, Jennifer "Rita" (Democrat), Tramont, Chase (Republican), Chambliss, Kevin D. (Democrat), and Student Academic Success Subcommittee.
What is the current status of HB 257?
This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 257?
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