FSBA LEGISLATIVE VIDEO UPDATE #3
Our Video Update for the 3nd week of the 2015 Legislative Session has been posted on the FSBA website at www.fsba.org – you may access the video by clicking on the link to 2015 Legislative Session Video Update 3 under “Legislative Session Updates” (located below the pictures on our main page) or by using this direct link: https://www.fsba.org/2015-
EDUCATION BUDGET UPDATE
Since filming the Video Update #3 (outlined above), the House and Senate have each released the first DRAFT of their full budget proposals which provide a great deal more detail and information than was available last week. We are working to update and expand our comparison chart and analyses of these materials and will notify you when they are available on the FSBA website. Meanwhile, our “at-a-glance” chart comparing the various budget proposals as of Friday is still available at https://fsba.org/wp-content/
TODAY’S HAPPENINGS
In the Senate Community Affairs Committee:
SB 850 – Local Government / Impact Fees by Hays – TEMPORARILY POSTPONED
Authorizing the use of impact fees to provide, construct, improve, repair, alter, or replace new and existing capital facilities; authorizing a county or municipality to impose a surcharge on documents taxable under s. 201.02, F.S., for the purpose of funding certain capital improvements and capital facilities in lieu of impact fees; prohibiting a county or municipality that imposes a surcharge for an authorized purpose from also assessing an impact fee for the same purpose, etc.
SB 1054 – Retirement by Evers — PASSED
Authorizing local agency employers to reassess designation of positions for inclusion in the Senior Management Service Class; providing for removal of certain positions, etc.
SB 934 – Public Works Projects by Brandes – FAILED; PENDING RECONSIDERATION
Prohibiting state and political subdivisions that contract for the construction, maintenance, repair, or improvement of public works from imposing certain conditions on certain contractors, subcontractors, or material suppliers or carriers; providing an exception; prohibiting state and political subdivisions from restricting qualified bidders from submitting bids, being awarded any bid or contract, or performing work on a public works project, etc.
In the Senate Criminal Justice Committee:
SB 180 – School Safety by Evers — PASSED
Permitting a school superintendent, with approval of the school board, to authorize a school safety designee to carry a concealed weapon or firearm on school property; requiring school boards to formulate policies and procedures for managing active-shooter and hostage situations; permitting district school boards to commission one or more school safety officers on each school campus, etc.
SB 1112 – Sexting by Abruzzo – NOT CONSIDERED
Providing penalties for specified crimes; providing for a private cause of action for damages, costs, and fees; providing for liability for an owner of public accommodations under certain circumstances for damages, costs, and fees, etc.
SB 1464 – Privacy / Public Facilities by Dean – NOT CONSIDERED
Providing penalties for specified crimes; providing for a private cause of action for damages, costs, and fees; providing for liability for an owner of public accommodations under certain circumstances for damages, costs, and fees, etc.
In the Senate Higher Education Committee:
SB 880 – Student Loan Default Rates by Ring – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE (CS)
Requiring certain institutions to maintain a federal student loan cohort default rate below a specified percentage; revising the minimum standards the Commission for Independent Education must use to evaluate an institution for licensure to include the institution’s federal student loan cohort default rate; revising the minimum criteria for an independent postsecondary educational institution to apply for a license by accreditation to include a maximum percentage for the institution’s federal student loan cohort default rate, etc.
SB 938 – Postsecondary Education Affordability by Flores — AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Exempting textbooks required for a course offered by a public or nonpublic postsecondary educational institution from the sales and use tax; requiring the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education to identify strategies and initiatives to reduce the cost of higher education; prohibiting resident tuition at a Florida College System institution from exceeding a specified amount per credit hour; prohibiting resident undergraduate tuition at a state university from exceeding a specified amount per credit hour, etc.
SB 942 – Rapid Response Education & Training Program by D. Gaetz — PASSED
Establishing the Rapid Response Education and Training Program within the Complete Florida Plus Program; requiring the Complete Florida Plus Program to work with Enterprise Florida, Inc., to offer certain education and training commitments to businesses, etc.
SB 948 – Career Education and Job Training by D. Gaetz — AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Clarifying State Apprenticeship Advisory Council membership; revising characteristics of an apprenticeable occupation; revising funding to include career and professional academies; establishing the Rapid Response Education and Training Program within the Complete Florida Plus Program; requiring the Complete Florida Plus Program to work with Enterprise Florida, Inc., to offer education and training programs to businesses’ employees, etc.
SB 1252 – Higher Education by Stargel — AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Deleting a provision prohibiting the State Board of Education from approving Florida College System institution baccalaureate degree program proposals during a certain timeframe; revising accountability measures for the Department of Education regarding career education to include program standards that reflect the quality components of the career and technical education programs, etc.
SB 1522 – Workforce Training by Detert — PASSED
Requiring the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Economic Opportunity, to identify and recommend specified apprenticeship programs; requiring the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Economic Opportunity, to identify and recommend specified preapprenticeship programs, etc.
COMING UP TOMORROW
[REMINDER: Most meetings may be viewed via Florida Channel webcasts at http://thefloridachannel.org]
The House Government Operations Subcommittee will meet (8:00 am – 12:00 pm) to consider the following item(s) and others:
HB 585 – Holidays & Observances / Sir Lancelot Jones by Raschein
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
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
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
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.
HB 1083 – Employment of Individuals With Disabilities by Rooney
Provides legislative findings & purpose; requires specified state agencies & organizations to develop & implement interagency cooperative agreement for certain purposes; authorizes agencies & organizations to adopt rules.
The Senate will be in SESSION (10:00am – 12:00 pm) to consider the following items and others:
Bills on 3rd Reading:
SB 290 – Concealed Weapon / Evacuations by Brandes
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
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.
The House K-12 Subcommittee will meet (10:00am – 12:00 pm) to consider:
HB 1253 – School District of Palm Beach County by Rooney
Allows district to install signs recognizing business partnerships.
HB 1045 – Homebound Instruction by Burgess
Defines “homebound instruction”; provides eligibility for certain students to receive homebound instruction, instruction requirements, & award of course credit; encourages school districts to pursue certain instruction methods; provides for rulemaking.
HB 1145 – Parent and Student Rights by Sprowls
Provides right of parent to know average amount of money expended for education of his or her child; requires DOE to provide each school district with such information & requires school districts to provide notification to parents; authorizes information to be published in student handbook or similar publication; deletes definition of and provisions relating to controlled open enrollment; requires each school district to instead establish a public school parental choice policy that allows students to attend any public school that has not reached capacity in their district; provides for student placement; defines term “capacity” for certain purposes; authorizes parent to enroll his or her child in any public school that has not reached capacity in state; requires charter school with space available to be open to any student in state; requires each school district board to establish classroom teacher transfer process & post an explanation of transfer process in student handbook; & authorizes certain parent to request that his or her child be transferred to another classroom teacher within school & grade.
The House Education Appropriations Subcommittee will meet (1:00 – 3:00 pm) to consider:
HB 35 – Out-of-State Fee Waivers / Veterans by Stark
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
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.
HB 587 – Educational Professional Practices by Spano
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
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
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.
The Senate Ethics & Elections Committee will meet (4:00 – 6:00 pm) to consider the following items and others:
SB 984 – Exemption/Legislative Lobbying Requirements by Braynon
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
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.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet (4:00 – 6:00 pm) to consider the following items and others:
SB 330 – Missing Persons with Special Needs by Dean
Providing immunity from civil liability for certain persons who comply with a request to release information concerning missing persons with special needs to appropriate agencies; requiring the Department of Law Enforcement, contingent on funding, to provide electronic monitoring devices to certain persons with autism spectrum disorder; requiring the Department of Children and Families, contingent on funding, to provide electronic monitoring devices to certain persons with dementia, etc.
SB 718 – Administrative Procedures by T. Lee
Providing conditions under which a proceeding is not substantially justified for purposes of attorney fees and costs; requiring agencies to set a time for workshops for certain unadopted rules; conforming proceedings based on invalid or unadopted rules to proceedings used for challenging existing rules; providing criteria for establishing whether a nonprevailing party participated in a proceeding for an improper purpose; revising provisions providing for the award of attorney fees and costs by the appellate court or administrative law judge, etc.
Ruth Haseman Melton
Director of Government Relations
Florida School Boards Association
Office: 850 / 414-2578
Cell: 850 / 509-6411
Email: melton@fsba.org
