Florida Senate - 2026 SB 656
By Senator Bradley
6-00558B-26 2026656__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Internet crimes against
3 children programs; amending s. 943.0411, F.S.;
4 defining terms; renaming the Online Sting Operations
5 Grant Program created within the Department of Law
6 Enforcement as the Internet Crimes Against Children
7 Grant Program; revising the purpose of the grant
8 program; revising the authorized uses for grant
9 program funds; creating s. 943.0421, F.S.; providing a
10 short title; providing legislative findings; defining
11 the term “task force”; creating the Internet Crimes
12 Against Children Task Force Funding Program within the
13 Department of Law Enforcement; specifying how program
14 funds may be used; requiring specified percentage
15 distribution of program moneys; authorizing the
16 department to adopt rules; providing an effective
17 date.
18
19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21 Section 1. Section 943.0411, Florida Statutes, is amended
22 to read:
23 943.0411 Internet Crimes Against Children Online Sting
24 Operations Grant Program for local law enforcement affiliates
25 agencies to protect children.—
26 (1) As used in this section, the term “affiliate” means a
27 local law enforcement agency in this state which has a current
28 memorandum of understanding with an established Internet crimes
29 against children task force or which has been designated by the
30 department as being in good standing. As used in this
31 subsection, the term “Internet crimes against children task
32 force” means an Internet crimes against children task force
33 located in this state which is recognized by the United States
34 Department of Justice.
35 (2) There is created within the department the Internet
36 Crimes Against Children Online Sting Operations Grant Program to
37 award grants to local law enforcement affiliates agencies to
38 support their work to combat online child exploitation and
39 creation of sting operations to target individuals online
40 preying upon children or attempting to do so.
41 (3)(2) The department shall annually award to local law
42 enforcement affiliates agencies any funds specifically
43 appropriated for the grant program to cover expenses related to
44 their work to combat Internet crimes against children. The funds
45 may be awarded to cover overtime pay, travel, investigative or
46 digital forensics training, hardware, or computers, electronics,
47 software, and other related necessary supplies. Grants must be
48 provided to local law enforcement agencies if funds are
49 appropriated for that purpose by law. The total amount of grants
50 awarded may not exceed funding appropriated for the grant
51 program.
52 (4)(3) The department may establish criteria and set
53 specific time periods for the acceptance of applications and for
54 the selection process for awarding grant funds.
55 Section 2. Section 943.0421, Florida Statutes, is created
56 to read:
57 943.0421 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
58 Funding Program.—
59 (1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Florida
60 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Funding Program
61 Act.”
62 (2) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that:
63 (a) The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
64 program, run through the United States Department of Justice,
65 helps state and local law enforcement agencies develop an
66 effective response to technology-facilitated child sexual
67 exploitation and Internet crimes against children. This help
68 encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and
69 technical assistance, victim services, and community education.
70 The program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces
71 representing over 5,400 federal, state, and local law
72 enforcement and prosecutorial agencies.
73 (b) There is a lack of dedicated state resources to combat
74 Internet crimes against children. As a result, many of the cases
75 involving Internet crimes are not adequately investigated. The
76 Legislature intends to create an account dedicated to combating
77 Internet crimes against children, promoting education on
78 Internet safety to minors and to the public, and rescuing child
79 victims from abuse and exploitation.
80 (3) DEFINITION.—The term “task force” means an Internet
81 Crimes Against Children Task Force program located in this state
82 which is recognized by the United States Department of Justice.
83 (4) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Internet Crimes Against
84 Children Task Force Funding Program is created within the
85 department to provide a stable funding source for the task
86 forces.
87 (a) Funding for the program shall consist of moneys
88 appropriated by the Legislature. Program funds may be used only
89 to support the administration and activities of law enforcement
90 agencies in their efforts to combat Internet crimes against
91 children, including the funding of personnel, overtime pay,
92 training, travel, and technology purchases.
93 (b) Moneys appropriated to the program must be distributed
94 in the following amounts:
95 1. Eighty percent divided equally among the task forces;
96 and
97 2. Twenty percent to the department to support its efforts
98 in combating Internet crimes against children.
99 (5) RULEMAKING.—The department may adopt rules to implement
100 and administer this section.
101 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.