*VIDEO* FSBA Legislative Update – 2019 Session, Week 1
FSBA Legislative Update Video – 2019 Session, Week 1 from Florida School Boards Assoc on Vimeo.
FSBA Session Spotlight — March 7, 2019
The first week of the Legislative Session is winding down with only a few meetings of interest on the schedule. Bills that were considered today address teacher preparation, Bible study, and civics education and the outcome on these bills is available in the file below. There are no meetings of interest scheduled for tomorrow so our…
Florida school voucher bill passes first committee but Republicans disagree on funding source
It was only the second day of the legislative session, but Tuesday already saw a packed committee room and spirited debate over an education package bill that could be one of the most consequential bills of the 2019 session. Senate Bill 7070 passed the Senate Education Committee along party lines on Tuesday. Read More
FSBA Session Spotlight — March 6, 2019
The schedule for the 2nd day of the 60-day Legislative Session may appear to be light, but some very significant issues will be under consideration that are likely to produce lively discussion and debate. Of particular interest, the Senate Education Committee will consider a Proposed Committee Bill (PCB) that addresses expansion of existing scholarship programs,…
FSBA Session Spotlight — March 5, 2019
Welcome to the opening of the 2019 Legislative Session! As is typical for the opening day, each chamber will hold separate sessions in the morning to hear from their chamber’s leader and conduct other business. The two chambers then will meet in joint session to receive the State of the State address by Governor DeSantis. …
FSBA Session Spotlight — February 22, 2019
This was the last round of Legislative Interim Committee Meetings prior to the start of the 2019 Legislative Session. The schedule of committee/subcommittee meetings was relatively light this week, with bills and presentations addressing a wide variety of topics including, among others, school board member term limits, school choice, and impact fees. In related news,…
Senate Education Leaders Announce 2019 Priorities
Senator Manny Diaz, Jr. (R-Hialeah Gardens), Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Senator Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, and Senate President Pro Tempore David Simmons (R-Altamonte Springs) today announced key components of legislation the Senate will consider during the 2019 Legislative Session. Read More
School board term limits moves through second House committee
A proposal to let Florida voters decide whether to impose term limits on school board members (HJR 229) cleared another hurdle in the Florida House on Wednesday, but reservations over the details began to emerge. Unlike its first stop, where the measure won unanimous bipartisan backing, the bill hit some speed bumps in the Oversight,…
DeSantis: Use Trump tax plan to expand charter schools
Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to leverage a tax incentive championed by President Donald Trump to launch a five-fold expansion of charter schools in the state. The DeSantis budget proposed linking the state‘s Schools of Hope program to federal “opportunity zones”created by Trump’s $1.5 billion tax plan. At least 247 Florida communities would be eligible for…
FSBA Session Spotlight — February 15, 2019
In sad remembrance of the tragic school shooting on February 14, 2018, it seemed fitting that, one year later, the focus of attention during Legislative Interim Committee Meeting Week #5 was school safety. Committees/subcommittees in both the House and Senate received reports and considered legislation designed to improve and refine school safety policies an procedures and Governor DeSantis issued…