CS for CS for SB 1264                            First Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       20241264e1
       
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the history of communism; amending
    3         s. 1003.42, F.S.; requiring instruction in public
    4         schools on the history of communism; providing
    5         requirements for the instruction; authorizing the
    6         department to prepare and offer standards for the
    7         instruction and to seek input from certain educational
    8         organizations; creating s. 1004.89, F.S.; creating the
    9         Institute for Freedom in the Americas at Miami Dade
   10         College; providing the purpose of the institute;
   11         requiring the institute to partner with the Adam Smith
   12         Center for Economic Freedom for specified purposes;
   13         requiring the institute to enter into an agreement
   14         with the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom for
   15         specified purposes; requiring Miami Dade College to
   16         approve a direct-support organization to support the
   17         institute; requiring the President of the Senate, the
   18         Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
   19         Governor to appoint the board of the direct-support
   20         organization, subject to certain requirements;
   21         amending s. 1004.6496, F.S.; conforming a provision to
   22         a change made by the act; amending s. 1004.64991,
   23         F.S.; renaming the Adam Smith Center for the Study of
   24         Economic Freedom as the Adam Smith Center for Economic
   25         Freedom; revising the goals of the center; requiring
   26         the Department of State, in collaboration with the
   27         Department of Education, to consult with stakeholders
   28         to provide a recommendation to the Legislature by a
   29         specified date for the creation of a museum of the
   30         history of communism; providing for future expiration;
   31         providing an effective date.
   32          
   33  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   34  
   35         Section 1. Paragraph (v) is added to subsection (2) of
   36  section 1003.42, Florida Statutes, to read:
   37         1003.42 Required instruction.—
   38         (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
   39  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
   40  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
   41  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
   42  highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy,
   43  following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
   44  approved methods of instruction, the following:
   45         (v)1. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, the history
   46  of communism. Such instruction must be age appropriate and
   47  developmentally appropriate and include:
   48         a. The history of communism in the United States and
   49  domestic communist movements, including their histories and
   50  tactics.
   51         b. Atrocities committed in foreign countries under the
   52  guidance of communism.
   53         c. Comparative discussion of political ideologies, such as
   54  communism and totalitarianism, which conflict with the
   55  principles of freedom and democracy essential to the founding
   56  principles of the United States.
   57         d. The increasing threat of communism in the United States
   58  and to our allies through the 20th century, including the events
   59  of the Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China and
   60  other mass killings from communist regimes.
   61         e. The economic, industrial, and political events that have
   62  preceded and anticipated communist revolutions.
   63         f. The communist policies of Cuba and the spread of
   64  communist ideologies throughout Latin America, including the
   65  roots of the Communist Party of Cuba and guerilla forces
   66  throughout Latin America.
   67         2. The department shall prepare and offer standards for the
   68  instruction required by this paragraph and may seek input from
   69  any individual who was a victim of communism or any state or
   70  nationally recognized organization dedicated to the victims of
   71  communism.
   72  
   73  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
   74  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
   75  Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the
   76  recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is
   77  offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or
   78  other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness
   79  initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u).
   80         Section 2. Section 1004.89, Florida Statutes, is created to
   81  read:
   82         1004.89 Institute for Freedom in the Americas.—
   83         (1) The Institute for Freedom in the Americas is hereby
   84  created at Miami Dade College to preserve the ideals of a free
   85  society and promote democracy in the Americas. The institute
   86  shall be located at the Freedom Tower and shall:
   87         (a) Partner with the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom
   88  to hold workshops, symposiums, and conferences that provide
   89  networking opportunities for leaders throughout the region to
   90  gain new insights and ideas for promoting democracy, including
   91  knowledge of and insight into the intellectual, political, and
   92  economic freedoms that are foundational to a democratic society.
   93         (b) Enter into an agreement with the Adam Smith Center for
   94  Economic Freedom to provide participants with academic
   95  coursework and programs that advance democratic practices and
   96  economic and legal reforms.
   97         (c) Provide educational and experiential opportunities for
   98  regional leaders committed to careers in democracy and
   99  governance.
  100         (2) Miami Dade College, in accordance with s. 1004.70,
  101  shall approve a direct-support organization to support the
  102  institute in its mission to develop partnerships throughout the
  103  Americas. Notwithstanding s. 1004.70(2), the board of the
  104  direct-support organization shall be composed of five members,
  105  as follows: one member appointed by the President of the Senate;
  106  one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
  107  Representatives; and three members appointed by the Governor,
  108  including a representative from Miami Dade College and a
  109  representative from the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom.
  110         Section 3. Paragraph (e) of subsection (3) of section
  111  1004.6496, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  112         1004.6496 Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic
  113  Education.—
  114         (3) The goals of the center are to:
  115         (e) Coordinate with the Florida Institute for Governance
  116  and Civics created pursuant to s. 1004.6499 and the Adam Smith
  117  Center for the Study of Economic Freedom created pursuant to s.
  118  1004.64991 and assist in the curation and implementation of
  119  Portraits in Patriotism created pursuant to s. 1003.44.
  120         Section 4. Section 1004.64991, Florida Statutes, is amended
  121  to read:
  122         1004.64991 The Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic
  123  Freedom.—
  124         (1) The Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic Freedom
  125  at Florida International University is hereby created.
  126         (2) The goals of the center are to:
  127         (a) Study the effect of government and free market
  128  economies on individual freedom, educational freedom, and human
  129  prosperity.
  130         (b) Conduct and promote research on the effect of political
  131  and economic systems on human prosperity.
  132         (c) Plan and host research workshops, symposiums, and
  133  conferences to allow students, scholars, and guests to exchange
  134  in civil discussion of democracy and capitalism.
  135         (d) Provide fellowship and mentoring opportunities to
  136  students engaged in scholarly studies of the effect of political
  137  and economic systems on human prosperity.
  138         (e) Partner with the Institute for Freedom in the Americas
  139  to support its mission, which includes promoting economic and
  140  individual freedoms as a means for advancing human progress with
  141  an emphasis on Latin American and the Caribbean.
  142         (3) In order to carry out the purpose set forth in this
  143  section, the center institute is authorized to:
  144         (a) Hire necessary faculty and staff pursuant to s.
  145  1001.741;
  146         (b) Enroll students;
  147         (c) Develop curriculum and offer new courses, including
  148  honors courses, certificates, degrees, and major and minor
  149  programs;
  150         (d) Hold events, including fundraisers;
  151         (e) Fulfill other actions approved by the president of the
  152  university; and
  153         (f) Generate resources based on student credit hour
  154  enrollment, in the same manner as any college within the
  155  institution.
  156         Section 5. The Department of State, in collaboration with
  157  the Department of Education, shall consult with state and
  158  national stakeholders to provide a recommendation to the
  159  Legislature, no later than December 1, 2024, on the creation of
  160  a museum of the history of communism. This section expires July
  161  1, 2025.
  162         Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.