Florida · House Bill 561 · 2026 Regular Session

Educator Preparation and Certification

HB 561 Sponsored by Anne Gerwig Became law

  1. Introduced Dec 1, 2025
  2. In committee Dec 12, 2025
  3. Passed the House  
  4. Passed the Senate  
  5. To the governor May 21, 2026
  6. Became law May 22, 2026

What it does

The legislature's own summary of the bill, or its official long title.

Educator Preparation and Certification; Authorizing an educator preparation institute to allow certain program participants to enroll in introductory coursework; revising the criteria for the award of a temporary educator certification to include certain persons with expired professional certificates; requiring that subject area coverages and endorsements for a certificateholder be reinstated with the…

Read the full title (176 words)

Educator Preparation and Certification; Authorizing an educator preparation institute to allow certain program participants to enroll in introductory coursework; revising the criteria for the award of a temporary educator certification to include certain persons with expired professional certificates; requiring that subject area coverages and endorsements for a certificateholder be reinstated with the certificateholder's professional certificate; revising requirements for reinstatement of a professional certificate; providing that certain requirements for reinstatement of a professional certificate may not be satisfied using specific inservice points; requiring the Florida Center for Teaching Excellence to collaborate with the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching for specified purposes; requiring, rather than authorizing, the center to submit a specified professional learning system for approval by the department; requiring the center to allow certain certified educators to use such professional learning system for specified purposes at no cost to the educator; requiring the center to submit inservice points for such educators to the department; requiring the center to provide information on certain school district professional learning systems to certain certified educators, etc.

Every action

41 steps, oldest first, as the legislature records them.

Show the 33 earlier steps
  1. HouseFiled
  2. CommitteeReferred to Careers & Workforce Subcommittee · House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
  3. CommitteeReferred to PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee · House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
  4. CommitteeReferred to Education & Employment Committee · House Education & Employment Committee
  5. CommitteeNow in Careers & Workforce Subcommittee · House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
  6. CommitteeAdded to Careers & Workforce Subcommittee agenda · House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
  7. House1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
  8. CommitteeFavorable by Careers & Workforce Subcommittee · House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee15–0 vote
  9. CommitteeReported out of Careers & Workforce Subcommittee · House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
  10. CommitteeNow in PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee · House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
  11. CommitteeAdded to PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee agenda · House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
  12. CommitteeFavorable by PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee · House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee13–0 vote
  13. CommitteeReported out of PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee · House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
  14. CommitteeNow in Education & Employment Committee · House Education & Employment Committee
  15. HousePCS added to Education & Employment Committee agenda
  16. CommitteeFavorable with CS by Education & Employment Committee · House Education & Employment Committee20–0 vote
  17. CommitteeReported out of Education & Employment Committee · House Education & Employment Committee
  18. HouseLaid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
  19. HouseCS Filed
  20. House1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
  21. HouseBill referred to House Calendar
  22. HouseAdded to Second Reading Calendar
  23. HouseBill added to Special Order Calendar (2/25/2026)
  24. HouseRead 2nd time
  25. HouseAdded to Third Reading Calendar
  26. HouseRead 3rd time
  27. HouseCS passed; YEAS 112, NAYS 0
  28. SenateIn Messages
  29. CommitteeReferred to Rules · Senate Rules
  30. SenateReceived
  31. CommitteeWithdrawn from Rules -SJ 612 · Senate Rules
  32. SenatePlaced on Calendar, on 2nd reading
  33. SenateSubstituted for SB 1718 -SJ 612
  1. SenateRead 2nd time -SJ 612
  2. SenateRead 3rd time -SJ 612
  3. SenateCS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 61237–0 vote
  4. HouseIn Messages
  5. HouseOrdered enrolled
  6. GovernorSigned by Officers and presented to Governor
  7. GovernorApproved by Governor
  8. Chapter No. 2026-106

Roll calls

5 recorded votes: 2 on the floor, 3 in committee. Each shows how every member voted.

Passage · Full House

112–0
Feb 25, 2026 · journal entry
Yes 112 No 0 Not voting 5
Democrats: 32 yes, 0 no Republicans: 80 yes, 0 no
How each member voted

Yes · 112

Not voting · 5

CS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 612 · Full Senate

37–0
Mar 5, 2026 · journal entry
Yes 37 No 0 Not voting 2
Democrats: 10 yes, 0 no Independents: 1 yes, 0 no Republicans: 26 yes, 0 no
How each member voted

Yes · 37

Not voting · 2

Committee and other votes

DateWhereQuestionResult
Jan 14, 2026 House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee Favorable by Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
Members

Yes · 15

Not voting · 3

 Passed 15–0
Feb 4, 2026 House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee Favorable by PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
Members

Yes · 13

Not voting · 2

 Passed 13–0
Feb 10, 2026 House Education & Employment Committee Favorable with CS by Education & Employment Committee
Members

Yes · 20

Not voting · 1

 Passed 20–0

Sponsors

The member who introduced it, joined by 5 cosponsors: 3 Republicans, 2 Democrats.

  • Anne GerwigR Primary sponsor · District 93
  • E& Education & Employment Committee Sponsoring committee
All 5 cosponsors

From Florida's official records (flsenate.gov), checked Nov 2, 2026. Text links go to the official versions; LegiList does not copy bill text.