In the House Government Operations Subcommittee:
HB 585 – Holidays & Observances / Sir Lancelot Jones by Raschein — PASSED
Designates second Monday in October of each year as “Sir Lancelot Jones Day”; authorizes Governor to issue proclamations commemorating occasion; encourages public officials, schools, private organizations, & citizens to commemorate occasion.
HB 599 – Exemption / Legislative Lobbying Requirements by Rogers – PASSED
Revises definition of term “expenditure”; specifies that term does not include use of public facility or public property that is made available by governmental entity to legislator for public purpose, to exempt such use from legislative lobbying requirements.
HB 939 – Public Records / Florida ABLE Program by Rodrigues – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE (CS)
Provides exemption from public records requirements for certain personal financial & health information held by Florida Prepaid College Board, Florida ABLE, Inc., Florida ABLE program, or agent or service provider thereof; authorizes release of such information under specified circumstances; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption; provides for contingent effect.
HB 1063 – Government Accountability by Metz – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Revises audit provisions to exclude water management districts; revises responsibilities of department heads, Supreme Court, Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation, Justice Administrative Commission, each state attorney & public defender, criminal conflict & civil regional counsel, capital collateral counsel, Guardian Ad Litem program, local governmental entities, & governing bodies of charter schools to include responsibility of establishing certain internal controls; revises responsibilities of district school board’s internal auditor to permit certain audits & reviews; requires each Florida College System institution to file certain annual financial statements with State Board of Education; requires each school district, Florida College System institution, & state university to establish certain internal controls. [NOTE: The bill was amended by a “strike-all” amendment. The Senate companion bill — SB 1372 – was considered in the Senate Ethics & Elections Committee later in the afternoon (see below) and was similarly amended.]
HB 1083 – Employment of Individuals With Disabilities by Rooney – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Provides legislative findings & purpose; requires specified state agencies & organizations to develop & implement interagency cooperative agreement for certain purposes; authorizes agencies & organizations to adopt rules.
In the Senate SESSION:
Bills on 3rd Reading:
SB 290 – Concealed Weapon / Evacuations by Brandes – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE
Providing an exemption from criminal penalties for carrying a concealed weapon or a concealed firearm when evacuating pursuant to a mandatory evacuation order during a declared state of emergency, etc.
Bills on 2nd Reading:
SB 7024 – State Board of Administration by Government Oversight – READ 2ND TIME; PLACED ON 3RD READING FOR 4/1/15
Repealing provisions relating to restrictions on investments in institutions doing business in or with Northern Ireland; establishing conditions for the transfer of any residual balance in the Fund B Surplus Funds Trust Fund upon self-liquidation; requiring that additional income received after distribution of the residual balance be deposited in the Local Government Surplus Funds Trust Fund, etc.
In the House K-12 Subcommittee:
HB 1253 – School District of Palm Beach County by Rooney — PASSED
Allows district to install signs recognizing business partnerships.
HB 1045 – Homebound Instruction by Burgess – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
clarifies that districts must provide instruction to homebound or hospitalized students in accordance with rules adopted by the state board; authorizes the state board to adopt rules relating to instruction for homebound or hospitalized students that must establish criteria for eligibility of K-12 homebound or hospitalized students for specially designed instruction, procedures for determining student eligibility, a list of appropriate methods for providing instruction to homebound or hospitalized students, and requirements for initiating instructional services for a homebound or hospitalized student once the student is determined to be eligible; streamlines provisions relating to school district programs of special instruction, facilities, and services for exceptional students. [NOTE: The subcommittee approved a proposed committee substitute for this bill. This summary reflects the revised bill.]
HB 1145 – Parent and Student Rights by Sprowls – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Specifies that CAPE digital tools, CAPE industry certifications, and collegiate high school programs are public educational choice options and that the Florida Personal Learning Savings Account Program is a private educational choice option; requires that parents be provided information about the average amount expended per student in their child’s school; requires each state university and Florida College System institution annually notify students of state expenditures used for the education of the student; requires district school boards to publish an open controlled enrollment process that allows a parent to enroll his or her child and transport the child to any public school; defines the term “capacity” by grade level to mean 90% of the allowable core class size; specifies that a charter school that has not reached capacity may be open to any student in the state; requires district school boards to establish a transfer process by which a parent may request that his or her child be transferred to another teacher; requires the state board to establish rules for the issuance of adjunct certificates; allows adjunct certificates to be used for full-time positions in certain circumstances; authorizes charter school boards to issue adjunct certificates. [NOTE: The subcommittee approved a proposed committee substitute for this bill. This summary reflects the revised provisions. FSBA supports for the concept of PUBLIC school choice options, but has several significant concerns about this bill, particularly with regard to the lack of local control and flexibility in managing such options and the impact that these provisions would have on existing public school choice options in several school districts.]
In the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee:
HB 35 – Out-of-State Fee Waivers / Veterans by Stark — PASSED
Revises Congressman C. W. “Bill” Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Program to include out-of-state fee waivers for certain individuals receiving specified federal educational benefits.
HB 41 – Hazardous Walking Conditions by Metz – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Revises criteria that determine hazardous walking conditions for public school students; revises procedures for inspection & identification of hazardous conditions; authorizes district school superintendents to initiate formal request for correction of hazardous conditions; requires district school boards to provide transportation to students who would be subjected to hazardous conditions; requires state or local entities with jurisdiction over roads with hazardous conditions to correct condition; provides requirements for governmental entities relating to capital improvement programs; provides requirements relating to civil actions for damages. [NOTE: The bill was amended to ensure that, in any school district that has an existing interlocal agreement with the responsible local government entity/entities that specifies a procedure for addressing hazardous walking conditions, such interlocal agreements would not be undermined by the procedures outlined in the bill.]
HB 587 – Educational Professional Practices by Spano – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Authorizes certain employees or agents of DOE to have access to certain reports & records; requires DOE to provide liability insurance to certain persons; provides coverage & notification requirements; revises membership of Education Practices Commission; authorizes Commissioner of Education to appoint emeritus members to commission; authorizes commissioner to issue letter of guidance in response to complaint against teacher or administrator in certain circumstances.
HB 7091 – Postsecondary Ed./Students with Disabilities by Higher Education — PASSED
Creates “Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program Act”; establishes Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program & Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities.
HB 7095 – Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts by Education – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Revises provisions of Florida Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts Program relating to definitions, use of funds, terms of program, DOE obligations, commissioner authority & obligations, parent & student responsibilities, administration of accounts, funding & payments, & audits; revises provisions of Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program relating to applications & audits; provides requirements for use of program funds in Florida Prepaid College Program.
In the Senate Ethics & Elections Committee:
SB 984 – Exemption/Legislative Lobbying Requirements by Braynon — PASSED
Revising the definition of the term “expenditure”; specifying that the term does not include use of a public facility or public property that is made available by a governmental entity to a legislator for a public purpose, to exempt such use from legislative lobbying requirements, etc.
SB 1372 – Government Accountability by D. Gaetz – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Specifying that the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, or the designee of the Governor or of the Commissioner of Education may notify the Legislative Auditing Committee of an entity’s failure to comply with certain auditing and financial reporting requirements; revising reporting requirements applicable to the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation; expanding the types of governmental entities that are subject to lobbyist registration requirements; revising the responsibilities of the governing board of a charter school to include the establishment and maintenance of internal controls, etc. [NOTE: The bill was amended by a “strike-all” amendment. The House companion bill — HB 1063 — was considered in the House Government Operations Subcommittee earlier (see above) and was similarly amended.]
COMING UP TOMORROW
[REMINDER: Most meetings may be viewed via Florida Channel webcasts at http://thefloridachannel.org]
The House Local Government Affairs Subcommittee will meet (8:00 – 11:00 am) to consider the following items and others:
HB 63 – Public-Private Partnerships by Steube
Deletes Public-Private Partnership Guidelines Task Force; revises provisions regarding responsible public entities & unsolicited proposals submitted for qualified projects; revises provisions regarding comprehensive agreements entered into between responsible public entities & private entities; deletes provisions relating to notice to affected local jurisdictions; revises provisions regarding responsible public entity compliance with specific financial obligations; provides duties of DMS.
HB 65 – Public Records / Public-Private Partnerships by Steube
Provides exemption from public records requirements & public meetings requirements for unsolicited proposals held by responsible public entity for specified period; provides definition; requires that recording be made of closed meeting; provides exemption from public records requirements for records generated during closed meeting for specified period; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemptions; provides statement of public necessity; provides for contingent effect.
HB 1283 – Inspectors General by Rader
Requires Chief Inspector General to publish final investigative reports on EOG’s website; requires agency inspector general to publish final investigative reports on agency’s website; requires unit of local government to publish final investigative reports on its website; specifies when investigation becomes final.
The House Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee will meet (9:00 – 11:00 am) to consider the following items and others:
HEWS1 – Postsecondary Access & Affordability by Higher Education
Promotes access and affordability for students seeking a postsecondary education.
HEWS3 – Higher Education by Higher Education
Authorizes career centers and charter technical career centers to offer college credit certificate programs; authorizes career centers and charter technical career centers to use the “technical college” designation only if they offer college credit certificate programs or technical certification programs that are terminal in nature; establishes fees for college credit programs at career centers commensurate with Florida College System fees; promotes apprenticeship programs; revises the standards for career, adult, and community education programs; adds the Chancellor for Career and Adult Education to the membership of the Higher Education Coordinating Council; requires more accurate financial reporting for workforce education programs; requires students to take the common placement test upon entry to a public postsecondary institution; eliminates common placement testing requirement in high school and the exemption from PERT testing for students who entered high school in 2003-04 or thereafter; allows all students to choose to enroll in a developmental option or a gateway college credit course after advisement; deletes the moratorium on the approval of new Florida College System institution baccalaureate degree program proposals and St. Petersburg College Board of Trustees’ authority to approve their own baccalaureate degree program proposals.
HB 1153 – Vocational Rehabilitation by Ingoglia
Provides for future repeal of designation of Division of Vocational Rehabilitation as administrative unit for purposes of Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, subject to legislative review; requires division to initiate performance improvement plan; requires division to develop & implement pilot program to improve vocational rehabilitation program.
The House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee will meet (9:00 – 11:00 am) to consider the following items and others:
HB 151 – Sexual Cyber-Harassment by Goodson
Prohibits person from willfully & maliciously sexually cyberharassing another person; authorizes law enforcement officer to arrest, without warrant, person that he or she has probable cause to believe has committed sexual cyberharassment; authorizes search warrant to be issued in specified instances; provides civil remedies; provides exceptions; authorizes law enforcement officer to arrest, without warrant, person that he or she has probable cause to believe has committed sexual cyberharassment; provides exception to prohibition on search warrants being issued to search private dwellings.
HB 845 – Sexting by DuBose
Removes court’s discretion to impose specified penalty for first violation of sexting; requires minor cited for first violation to sign & accept citation to appear or, in lieu of appearing, to complete other sanctions; requires citation to include certain information; authorizes court to order certain penalties; requires specified percentage of civil penalties be remitted to county commission for cyber-safety training for minors.
The Senate Appropriations Committee will meet (9:00am – 6:00 pm) to consider the following items and others:
SB 2500 – 2015-2016 Appropriations by Appropriations
Providing moneys for the annual period beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016, to pay salaries, and other expenses, capital outlay-buildings, and other improvements, and for other specified purposes of the various agencies of state government, etc.
SB 2502 – 2015-2016 Appropriations Implementing Bill by Appropriations
Incorporating by reference certain calculations of the Florida Education Finance Program; providing that funds for instructional materials must be released and expended as required in specified proviso language, notwithstanding other provisions of law; revising the basis for allocating fixed capital outlay funds for existing satisfactory facilities, etc.
SB 7038 – FRS / Employer Contributions by Governmental Oversight
Revising the employer contribution rates for the retiree health insurance subsidy; revising the required employer retirement contribution rates for members of each membership class and subclass of the Florida Retirement System, etc.
SB 2508 – Education by Appropriations
Requiring a state research university to enter into and maintain a formal agreement with a specified organization to offer college-sponsored merit scholarship awards as a condition of designation as a preeminent state research university; revising the term “full-time student” for the purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program; requiring supplemental academic instruction categorical funds and research-based reading instruction allocation funds to be used by a school district with at least one of certain lowest-performing elementary schools for additional intensive reading instruction at such school during the summer program in addition to the school year, etc.
SB 602 – Students With Disabilities by Gaetz
Revising scholarship application deadlines and guidelines; requiring authorized program funds to support the student’s educational needs; providing future repeal of provisions pertaining to an implementation schedule of notification and eligibility timelines; authorizing a prepaid college plan to be purchased, accounted for, used, and terminated under certain circumstances, etc.
SB 616 – Education Accountability by Legg
Revising requirements for the administration of local assessments; revising the percentage thresholds for performance evaluation criteria for instructional personnel and school administrators; authorizing a school district to request approval from the state board to use student performance results on new statewide assessments for diagnostic and baseline purposes, etc.
SB 642 – Individuals with Disabilities / Florida ABLE Program by Benacquisto
Creating the “Florida Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act”; requiring the Florida Prepaid College Board to establish a direct-support organization known as “Florida ABLE, Inc.”; authorizing the organization to use certain services, property, and facilities of the Florida Prepaid College Board; providing that specified moneys, assets, and income of a qualified ABLE program, including the Florida ABLE program, are not subject to attachment, levy, garnishment, or certain legal process in favor of certain creditors or claimants, etc.
SB 644 – Trust Fund / Florida ABLE Program by Benacquisto
Creating the Florida ABLE Trust Fund within the State Board of Administration; authorizing sources of funds; specifying the purpose of the trust fund and authorized uses of the assets; providing for future review and termination or re-creation of the trust fund, etc.
SB 646 – Public Records / Florida ABLE Program by Benacquisto
Providing an exemption from public records requirements for certain personal financial and health information held by the Florida Prepaid College Board, Florida ABLE, Inc., the Florida ABLE program, or an agent or service provider thereof; authorizing the release of such information under specified circumstances; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of public necessity, etc.
SB 778 – Local Government Construction Preferences by Hays
Prohibiting local ordinances and regulations from restricting competition for the award of a contract for construction services based upon certain conditions; requiring a state college, county, municipality, school district, or other political subdivision of the state to make specified disclosures in competitive solicitation documents, etc.
SB 802 – Vocational Rehabilitation by D. Gaetz
Providing for the future repeal of the designation of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation as the administrative unit for purposes of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, subject to legislative review of a required report; requiring the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to initiate, by a specified date, a performance improvement plan designed to achieve specified goals; requiring the division to develop and implement a pilot program to improve the state vocational rehabilitation program, etc.
The House Appropriations Committee will meet (12:00 – 6:00 pm) to consider the following items and others:
APC 1 – 2015-2016 Appropriations by Appropriations
Providing moneys for the annual period beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016, to pay salaries, and other expenses, capital outlay-buildings, and other improvements, and for other specified purposes of the various agencies of state government, etc.
APC 2 – 2015-2016 Appropriations Implementing Bill by Appropriations
Provides the statutory authority necessary to implement and execute the General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2015-2016.
APC 3 – Employer Contributions To Fund Retiree Benefits by Appropriations
Requires an annual actuarial study of the FRS; establishes the uniform contribution rates; provides for a retiree health insurance subsidy; etc.
APC 6 – Best & Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program by Appropriations
Creates the Florida Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program; designates teachers who have achieved high academic standards during their own education as Florida’s best and brightest teacher scholars; etc.
Ruth Haseman Melton
Director of Government Relations
Florida School Boards Association
Office: 850 / 414-2578
Cell: 850 / 509-6411
Email: melton@fsba.org
