Florida Senate - 2026                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 656
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì740992AÎ740992                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  01/20/2026           .                                
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       The Committee on Criminal Justice (Bradley) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment 
    2  
    3         Delete lines 26 - 75
    4  and insert:
    5         (1) As used in this section, the term:
    6         (a) “Affiliate” means a local law enforcement agency in
    7  this state which has a current memorandum of understanding with
    8  an established Internet crimes against children task force or
    9  which has been designated by the department as being in good
   10  standing.
   11         (b) “Good standing” means a local law enforcement agency in
   12  this state that receives CyberTips from one of the task forces
   13  and follows Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program
   14  standards in its investigation of Internet crimes against
   15  children.
   16         (c) “Internet crimes against children task force” means an
   17  Internet crimes against children task force located in this
   18  state which is recognized by the United States Department of
   19  Justice.
   20         (2) There is created within the department the Internet
   21  Crimes Against Children Online Sting Operations Grant Program to
   22  award grants to local law enforcement affiliates agencies to
   23  support their work to combat online child exploitation and
   24  creation of sting operations to target individuals online
   25  preying upon children or attempting to do so.
   26         (3)(2) The department shall annually award to local law
   27  enforcement affiliates agencies any funds specifically
   28  appropriated for the grant program to cover expenses related to
   29  their work to combat Internet crimes against children. The funds
   30  may be awarded to cover overtime pay, travel, investigative or
   31  digital forensics training, hardware, or computers, electronics,
   32  software, and other related necessary supplies. Grants must be
   33  provided to local law enforcement agencies if funds are
   34  appropriated for that purpose by law. The total amount of grants
   35  awarded may not exceed funding appropriated for the grant
   36  program.
   37         (4)(3) The department may establish criteria and set
   38  specific time periods for the acceptance of applications and for
   39  the selection process for awarding grant funds.
   40         Section 2. Section 943.0421, Florida Statutes, is created
   41  to read:
   42         943.0421 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
   43  Funding Program.—
   44         (1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Florida
   45  Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Funding Program
   46  Act.”
   47         (2) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that the
   48  Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program administered
   49  by the United States Department of Justice helps state and local
   50  law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to
   51  technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and Internet
   52  crimes against children. This help encompasses forensic and
   53  investigative components, training and technical assistance,
   54  victim services, and community education. The program is a
   55  national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over
   56  5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement and
   57  prosecutorial agencies. The