It is likely that Budget Conference Committees will meet today to continue their efforts to work out differences between the House and Senate budgets. Meanwhile, both chambers will hold floor sessions to consider several bills of interest including bills relating to mental health, personnel, workforce education, and elections. Today’s schedule is posted below and will…
The Florida Senate passed a massive education bill Thursday that would create a new private school voucher that is funded out the state’s per-student funding traditionally reserved almost solely for districts. Its passage marks yet another victory for those wanting to expand different schooling options funded by the state, but likely sets a course for…
It is likely that Budget Conference Committees will meet today to continue their efforts to work out differences between the House and Senate budgets. Meanwhile, both chambers will hold floor sessions to consider several bills of interest including ongoing consideration of the Senate’s omnibus education bill — SB 7070 – that addresses public and private…
The Senate is offering a less-ambitious increase to per-pupil funding, moving more toward the House’s position on money for Florida schools. Members from both chambers met for the first time Wednesday to work out funding differences for the PreK-12 education system. Among other revisions, the Senate offered to lessen its per-pupil spending increase from $350 to…
As reported in Tuesday’s Session Spotlight, the Budget Conference Committees have been assembled and begun work on resolving differences between the House and Senate budgets. Last night, the Higher Education Budget Conference Committee met and the House has made an initial offer on a variety of issues, including Workforce Education. The PreK-12 Conference Committee is…
Leadership in the House and Senate seem to think they’ll wrap the annual 60-day lawmaking process in a timely manner this year as budget conferences were set to begin Tuesday evening. Budget chiefs Sen. Rob Bradley and Rep. Travis Cummings delivered optimistic remarks while standing side-by-side after the first joint appropriations meeting Tuesday afternoon. Read More
Today’s agenda includes just two committee meetings. Of particular interest, the Senate Appropriations Committee will consider its version of an omnibus education bill — SB 7070 — that expands public and private school choice programs and addresses a variety of other issues. An 85-page strike-all amendment has been filed to this controversial bill, so a…
The Florida Senate didn’t have a formal vote on the bill that would allow classroom teachers to be armed on Wednesday, but they did adopt a major amendment that could settle one of the biggest lingering questions of the debate: who gets to decide if teachers in a school can be armed? Read More
Florida’s school safety bill has divided Republicans and Democrats over the issue of allowing classroom teachers to carry guns on campus. But as the bill heads for a vote by the full Senate, other provisions dealing with mental health, campus crime reporting and active shooter policies have broad bipartisan support. Despite what both parties view as…
Today’s agenda includes both House and Senate floor sessions followed by a Senate committee meeting. Of particular interest, during the Senate Session, the Senate will consider its school safety bill (which has now been renamed “Implementation of Legislative Recommendations of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High Public Safety Commission”) – on 2nd Reading. Several amendments have…