In the April 14, 2026 report, Director Taylor Mejia Roberts briefed the board on HB 757, which would allow postsecondary institutions like FSCJ to participate in the Guardian Program, enabling trained and certified staff to carry weapons on campus. The update notes that implementation would require coordination with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for training and certification, alignment with existing campus police and security operations, rulemaking, and a budget appropriation. This indicates that, once enacted and funded, FSCJ will need to design new security policies, training regimes, and potentially technology and equipment acquisitions to support the program.Security training firms, policy consultants, and physical security technology providers can help FSCJ plan for a compliant and effective rollout if the college opts in. A helpful next conversation is with Campus Security/Campus Police leadership and administration to understand their appetite for implementing the Guardian Program, anticipated training and equipment needs, and how external experts can augment in-house capacity for planning, documentation, and community communication.

HB 757 will require significant policy development, training, and coordination with law enforcement before any weapons-carrying staff are deployed.