TALLAHASSEE, FL — A new bill introduced in the Florida Senate could significantly change the landscape of campus safety by allowing certain individuals to carry firearms on college campuses and expanding the state’s school guardian program to include public universities.
Filed by Sen. Don Gaetz on December 12, 2025, Senate Bill 896, titled School Safety, seeks to permit registered students, faculty, and employees of Florida’s public colleges and universities to openly carry handguns or carry concealed weapons and firearms into campus facilities. The bill also introduces new penalties for discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school and outlines additional safety measures for higher education institutions.
As of December 16, 2025, SB 896 has been referred to the Senate Committees on Criminal Justice, Appropriations for Higher Education, and Rules.
Key Provisions of SB 896:
- Campus Carry Authorization: The bill would permit certain college and university students, faculty, and staff — specifically those employed by the institution — to lawfully carry a firearm, either openly or concealed, on school property. This would remove the long-standing designation of campuses as gun-free zones for those individuals.
- Guardian Program Expansion: SB 896 allows public postsecondary institutions to join the existing Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program. Universities would be authorized to appoint certified school guardians who have undergone rigorous training and background checks.
- Emergency Protocol Enhancements: Public colleges and universities would be required to implement active assailant response plans, including campus-wide alert systems and family reunification protocols. All classroom doors must be capable of locking from the inside during an emergency.
- Mental Health and Threat Assessment: Institutions must provide mental health awareness training for faculty and establish threat management teams using the state’s behavioral threat assessment tools. These teams will coordinate resources and interventions for individuals deemed to pose a risk to campus safety.
- Mobile Threat Reporting Promotion: Universities would be required to promote the state’s suspicious activity reporting app by installing it on school-issued mobile devices and bookmarking it on institutional computers.
- Firearm Discharge Restrictions: The bill also creates a new second-degree felony offense for unlawfully discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, with exceptions for lawful defense or activity on private property.
- Data and Record Transfers: When students transfer to a public college or university, their educational records — including behavioral threat assessments and psychological evaluations — must also be transferred to ensure continuity in safety planning.
The bill is set to take effect immediately upon becoming law, except for provisions related to firearm discharge which would take effect on October 1, 2026.
Gaetz’s Motivation and Context
In public comments, Sen. Gaetz acknowledged the “sad timing” of the bill, referencing recent high-profile campus shootings, including an incident at Florida State University and an international attack on Jewish students in Australia. Speaking to Florida Phoenix, he said he felt compelled to act due to the growing threats facing educational institutions, despite his personal reluctance to introduce such legislation.
Although similar campus carry proposals have failed in previous sessions, Gaetz’s version is more limited in scope than a broader bill filed earlier in 2025 by former Sen. Randy Fine, which would have allowed all students to carry on campus. That measure did not advance.
An identical bill to SB 896 has been filed in the Florida House by Rep. Michelle Salzman.
