In Florida, a proposal to expand the state’s armed “school guardian” program to colleges and universities is progressing in the House of Representatives. The initiative comes in response to a tragic on-campus shooting at Florida State University (FSU) during the 2025 legislative session, which resulted in two fatalities and injuries to five others. The Education & Employment Committee unanimously endorsed the proposal, known as HB 757, on Tuesday.
Sponsored by Rep. Michelle Salzman, a Republican from Pensacola, the bill aims to train and arm select post-secondary employees. This initiative builds on enhancements made to school safety protocols following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. “This bill creates a prevention and a response mechanism unlike any other,” Salzman stated. “This will be the beacon for the nation.”
Reactions and Concerns
The bill’s advancement follows a deeply unsettling event at FSU, where Salzman was a student at the time. She described the panic among her classmates as they received live updates during the shooting. “It was a very hard moment for a lot of us. We felt very helpless sitting here in the Capitol,” she remarked.
Despite the support for the bill, concerns have been raised regarding the implications of arming faculty and staff. Emily Stewart, an assistant professor of geology at FSU, recounted her experience during the shooting, when armed law enforcement officers pointed their weapons at her amid fears of a potential second shooter. “What if I had stepped into the hallway holding a weapon because I wanted to protect my students?” Stewart questioned. “How will mixing in armed, somewhat trained civilians affect their response?”
The ongoing debate highlights the challenges of balancing safety measures with the potential risks of introducing firearms into educational environments. Rep. Alex Rizo, another supporter of the measure, expressed the need for continual improvement in school safety. “School safety is an ongoing moving target,” Rizo noted. “It’s something that we always strive to perfect.”
Details of the Proposed Legislation
Under the proposed legislation, the presidents of each college or university would have the authority to designate employees and faculty members to receive training and obtain a concealed-weapons license. The bill also includes several additional provisions:
- Post-secondary institutions must promote the use of the mobile suspicious activity reporting tool FortifyFL.
- Records related to a student’s behavior, including threat assessment reports and psychological evaluations, are to be transferred when a student moves from K-12 education to state colleges or universities.
- Establishing a second-degree felony for individuals who discharge firearms within 1,000 feet of a school during school hours, unless it is in lawful self-defense.
- Mandating all schools to adopt an active assailant response plan and train faculty and staff in mental health detection and response.
The proposal is expected to move to the Budget Committee for further consideration before it can reach the House floor for a vote. A similar measure in the Senate, identified as SB 896, has yet to be scheduled for discussion in committee.
The discussions surrounding this bill underscore a significant moment in Florida’s approach to campus security, aiming to prevent further tragedies while navigating the complexities of public safety and community trust.
