FL H0423

Creates Section 1003.211, Florida Statutes, requiring each public school to establish a School Staff Assistance for Emergencies (SAFE) Team and school elopement plan for students with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities who are at risk of elopement

SAFE Team must include the school principal, assistant principal, school resource officer, and at least three additional appointed members responsible for creating and annually updating the elopement plan, responding to elopements, and training all school personnel

Elopement plans must include procedures for immediately contacting parents/guardians and conducting coordinated on-campus searches, with emergency services contacted only when a student is reasonably believed to have left school grounds and be at risk of harm

SAFE Teams must create student-specific quick reference guides for elopement-prone students, including identifying information, current photograph, communication level, interests/behaviors, health considerations, GPS technology information, and likely elopement locations

Public schools must annually submit elopement plans to their district school board; effective date is July 1, 2026