NewsState

Actions

Florida grand jury to examine school safety law compliance

WPTV gavel wooden
Posted
and last updated

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Supreme Court is granting Republican Ron DeSantis' request to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate whether school districts are following laws enacted in the wake of the Parkland high school shooting that left 17 dead.

The Supreme Court issued the order Tuesday, less than two weeks after DeSantis called for the grand jury. The 18-member panel will meet for a year.

The grand jury will have the power to call witnesses and return indictments. It will mark yet another probe launched in the aftermath of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Special Section: Parkland school shooting

The grand jury will investigate whether school officials have committed fraud by misusing money intended for school safety and whether they are failing to report criminal activity in schools to the Department of Education.