Child arrest, school safety bills fail in Florida legislature

A child safety bill failed to pass in the Florida legislature on Friday that would increase safety for students and limit the age at which a student could be arrested. 

The news comes following the arrest of Kaia Rolle, a 6-year-old in the Florida school system who was arrested, zip-tied, booked and fingerprinted. 

Debate ensued Friday, as the Florida state House and Senate could not decide on a measure added to a larger existing bill meant to improve the existing school safety law, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The child safety bill was passed in 2018, following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

The measure added to the bill by the state Senate is aimed at prohibiting the arrest of children under 7 years of age. However, lawmakers could not agree on whether the measure would apply to both public and charter schools. 

The state’s Senate advocated for charter schools in Florida to be exempt from a blanket code of conduct. However, the state’s House was unwilling to accept this caveat. In the end, the news source reported, the two chambers could not come to an agreement, and the bill “bounced.” 

Rolle was arrested late last month after she reportedly threw a tantrum and hit staff. In a video released in February, the 6-year-old can be heard screaming for help and pleading for a second chance. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the school resource official affiliated with the police department was fired shortly after the incident occurred.