FL H0079

Creates section 1003.211 of Florida Statutes establishing requirements for public schools to address student elopement, defined as a student with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability who wanders, walks, runs, or escapes from school supervision unsupervised or unnoticed before the end of the school day.

Requires each public school to create a School Staff Assistance for Emergencies (SAFE) Team led by the school principal and assistant principal, plus at least five additional appointed members, responsible for creating and annually updating an elopement plan and providing staff training.

Mandates school elopement plans include a search grid of campus and surrounding areas (bodies of water, intersections, train tracks, parks, playgrounds), notification and search procedures for staff, coordinated response procedures including "Code Gray" alerts and immediate parent contact, and SAFE Team member names and contact information.

Requires the SAFE Team to create student-specific elopement quick reference guides for students prone to elopement, containing identifying information, current photograph, communication level, interests and behaviors, health considerations, available GPS technology, and possible locations where the student may go.

Requires public schools to annually submit elopement plans to district school boards and authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt administrative rules; effective July 1, 2020.