FSBA Session Spotlight — January 26, 2018

The Constitution Revision Commission Education Committee met this afternoon to consider several important education-related proposals to amend the Florida Constitution, including, among others, proposals relating to public and charter school authorizers, school choice programs, and the prohibition against using public revenues in aid of religious entities. You may wish to review our Discussion and Key…

Florida constitution committee keeps alive an education surprise

Proposals to ask voters in November to expand vouchers and school choice were given a predicted green light Friday as a key committee of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission moved forward in what is a top priority of Florida’s Republican leaders.  The biggest school choice victory of the day was the unanimous vote of the…

FSBA Session Spotlight — January 25, 2018

Several bills of interest were considered today including a significant Proposed Committee Bill (PCB) by the House Education Committee that addresses private school accountability, school choice programs, district flexibility, and a new reading scholarship program. Other bills of interest address early learning, students with disabilities, public meetings and records, and labor organizations.  Please click on…

FSBA Session Spotlight — January 24, 2018

Today, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee chairs released their budget proposals for their specific budget areas. The initial proposal submitted by Senate PreK-12 Education Appropriations Subcommittee chair Kathleen Passidomo provides more than $21.1 billion in FEFP funding — an increase of more than $535.2 million or 2.60%.  This increase is due, in part, by maintaining the…

FSBA Session Spotlight — January 23, 2018

Today, the House Appropriations Subcommittee chairs released their budget proposals for their specific budget areas. The initial proposal submitted by House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee chair Manny Diaz provides more than $21 billion in FEFP funding — an increase of more than $506.8 million or 2.46%.  This increase is due, in part, by allowing the Required…

FSBA Session Spotlight — January 21, 2018

This will be a busy week with several bills of interest under consideration throughout the week, release of budget proposals from the chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Tuesday and Wednesday, and meetings of the Constitution Revision Commission Committees scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Please click on the link below for the…

Lawmakers to Grapple With State Budget and Other Issues

Florida legislators are heading into the third week of their 60-day session where they are ready to start grappling with a state budget that will exceed $80 billion.  While passing the budget is the only obligation the Florida Legislature has each year, there are dozens of other bills being considered ranging from a duck license…

Proposal to end Florida school board member pay voted down in Constitution Revision Commission committee, again

For a second time, the Florida Constitution Revision Commission education committee has killed a proposal to end school board member salaries.  Committee members in the majority argued that the change could eliminate the diversity of people able to serve, particularly in poor and rural counties. Memorializing such a move in the constitution would limit the state’s…

Panel weighs ban on support for religious groups

Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero on Friday urged a Constitution Revision Commission panel to repeal a constitutional ban on state support for religious groups.  Cantero told the commission’s Education Committee that the so-called “no-aid” provision in the Florida Constitution is unnecessary and would likely be held unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court based…

FSBA Session Spotlight — January 19, 2018

The Constitution Revision Commission Education Committee met this afternoon to consider several important education-related proposals to amend the Florida Constitution, including, among others, proposals relating to school board member salaries, charter school authorizers, and the prohibition against using public revenues in aid of religious entities. As a result of a new procedure for managing the…