FSBA WEEKLY VIDEO UPDATE
Our first Video Update for the 2016 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 1 under “Legislative Session Updates” (located below the pictures on our main page) or by using this direct link: https://fsba.org/2016-
TODAY’S HAPPENINGS
[NOTE: The bills listed below are linked to the each bill’s website where you can find information about the bill including the bill sponsor, committees of reference, and staff analysis. The committees/subcommittees are linked to each committee’s website where you can find information about the committee including the committee’s leadership, membership and staff, the committee’s meeting packets, contact information, and related materials.]
In the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee:
HB 225 – Self-Authentication of Documents by Fitzenhagen – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE (CS)
Allows certified copies of official public documents to be filed electronically; provides method for authenticating public documents other than by certified copies. [NOTE: The bill was amended to remove references to the method for authenticating public documents other than by certified copies.]
In the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee:
SB 774 – Liability Insurance Coverage by Montford – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Adding company employee adjuster to the list of persons who may respond to a claimant’s written request for information relating to liability insurance coverage; requiring a company employee adjuster who provides a specified statement to consult with certain personnel within the company to verify information disclosed in the statement. [NOTE: This short summary reflects the amendments made to the bill today.]
In the Senate Community Affairs Committee:
SB 1004 – Public Records/Security Systems by Hays – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Revising exceptions to a public records exemption relating to security systems.
In the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee:
PCB CRJS 16-03 — Expunging / Sealing Criminal History Records – SUBMITTED AS A COMMITTEE BILL
Amends Florida’s expunge and seal laws by creating a nonjudicial process for the sealing of criminal history records and expanding application of the court-ordered expunction and sealing processes to additional types of criminal history records.
PCB CRJS 16-04 — Public Records/Expunging / Sealing Criminal History Records – SUBMITTED AS A COMMITTEE BILL
Provides that records expunged or sealed pursuant to PCB CRJS 16-03 (above) confidential and exempt from public records.
In the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee:
HB 305 – Procurement Procedures by Educational Institutions by Drake — PASSED
Authorizes specified educational institutions to make purchases through online procurement system, electronic auction service, or other efficient procurement tool.
In the Senate Governmental Oversight & Accountability Committee:
SB 352 – Self-authentication of Documents by Bradley – NOT CONSIDERED
Allowing certified copies of official public documents to be filed electronically; providing a method for authenticating public documents other than by certified copies, etc.
SB 724 – Public Records / Custodian by Joyner – TEMPORARILY POSTPONED
Authorizing a court to hold a custodian of a public record personally liable for the reasonable costs of enforcement, including attorney fees, in a civil action to enforce ch, 119, F.S., if certain conditions exist, etc.
SB 752 – Public Records/Agency Inspector General by Abruzzo – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Providing an exemption from public records requirements for certain identifying and location information of current or former agency personnel whose duties include conducting internal audits, and the spouses and children thereof; providing for future 8 legislative review and repeal, etc. [NOTE: This short summary reflects the amendment made to the bill today.]
SB 598 – Public Works Projects by Brandes – NOTE CONSIDERED
Prohibiting the state and political subdivisions that contract for the construction, maintenance, repair, or improvement of public works from imposing restrictive conditions on contractors, subcontractors, or material suppliers or carriers; prohibiting the state and political subdivisions from restricting qualified bidders from submitting bids, etc.
PCB 7050 – Information Technology Security – SUBMITTED AS A COMMITTEE BILL
Revising the membership of the Technology Advisory Council to include a cybersecurity expert; requiring the council, in coordination with the Florida Center for Cybersecurity, to identify and recommend STEM training opportunities; providing for the establishment of computer security incident response teams within state agencies; revising entities directed to adopt a unified state plan for K-20 STEM education to include the Technology Advisory Council, etc.
PCB 7052 – Government Efficiency – SUBMITTED AS A COMMITTEE BILL
Requiring the Governor to develop government efficiency recommendations on an annual basis; requiring submission of recommendations to the Legislature; requiring state agencies to report quarterly regarding implemented recommendations and any cost impacts for a specified period of time, etc.
SB 582 – Public Corruption by Gaetz – RECONSIDERED; AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Revising the definition of the term “bribery”; revising requirements for prosecution; revising the prohibition against unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior; revising the prohibition against official misconduct; revising applicability of the offense to include public contractors; revising the prohibition against bid tampering; revising applicability of the offense to include specified public contractors; authorizing the award of attorney fees to public servants and public contractors under certain conditions; reenacting provisions relating to official misconduct and relating to appointment, application, suspension, revocation, application fee, bond, and oath of notaries public; reenacting provisions relating to criminal use of personal identification information; reenacting provisions relating to the Criminal Punishment Code offense severity ranking chart, etc. [NOTE: This bill had been considered unfavorably in a previous meeting of this Committee. The bill was reconsidered and substantially amended today. This summary captures most of the amendments made to the bill today.]
COMING UP TOMORROW
[NOTE: Nearly all meetings may be viewed via live webcast or archived videos on the Florida Channel at http://thefloridachannel.org/.
The House Government Operations Subcommittee will meet (9:00 – 11:00 am) to consider the following items and others:
HB 527 – Scrutinized Companies by Workman
Establishes reporting requirements for executive director of SBA regarding companies boycotting Israel; requires SBA to identify companies in which public moneys are invested that are conducting businesses that boycott Israel; requires SBA to create & maintain certain scrutinized companies lists that name all such companies; requires SBA to divest of all publicly traded securities of scrutinized company under certain conditions; providing reporting requirements; prohibiting local governmental entities from entering into contracts with companies on scrutinized list.
HB 593 – Government Accountability by Metz
Revises auditing protocols for certain agencies, councils, & state schools; revises responsibilities of certain state officials & employment or contractual relationships; revises provisions governing collection methods for certain unpaid automatic fines; revises entities subject to lobbyist registration and registration procedures; requires counties, municipalities, & special districts to maintain certain budget documents on entities’ websites for specified period; revises certain compensation protocols; revises requirements for financial statements & audits of certain governmental entities.
HB 869 – Public Records/Security Systems by Harrison
Provides exemption from public records requirements for video & audio recordings from security system camera included in security system plan held by agency; provides exemption for video & audio recordings from security system camera for properties owned or leased by, or in possession of, certain entities; provides criteria for disclosure of such confidential & exempt information; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemptions; repeals provisions relating to exemptions from public records & public meeting requirements for information relating to certain security systems; provides statement of public necessity.
HB 1021 – Award of Attorney Fees / Public Records by Steube
Revises conditions under which award of attorney fees is authorized in certain civil actions for enforcement of chapter 119, F.S.; provides that award of such attorney fees is within discretion of court.
The House K-12 Subcommittee will meet (9:00 – 11:00 am) to consider the following items:
HJR 759 – Charter Schools by Diaz
Proposes amendment to State Constitution to require SBE to establish statewide system for approval of charter schools. [NOTE: FSBA has significant concerns about this proposed constitutional amendment.]
HB 887 – Computer Coding Instruction by Adkins
Requires high schools to offer computer coding courses; requires Florida College System institutions & state universities to recognize the credits as foreign language credits; requires Commissioner of Education to identify computer coding courses that may satisfy two credits of foreign language instruction; requires inclusion of certain computer coding courses in Course Code Directory; requires each district school board to submit plan for computer coding curriculum to commissioner & Legislature.
HB 693 – Education / Biliteracy by Fresen
Creates State Seal of Biliteracy Program; provides for administration of program & award of seal; revises eligibility for Florida Academic Scholars award; requires specified calculation of additional FTE student membership for certain students; provides directive to DOLRI.
HB 705 – Interpreters / Hearing Impaired by Berman
Defines term “educational interpreters” for inclusion in classification of instructional personnel; provides minimum qualifications for persons functioning as educational interpreters; provides SBE with rulemaking authority; provides duties of DOE.
Workshop on HJR 539 – School Districts and School Boards by Caldwell
Proposes amendment to State Constitution to authorize contiguous area of state to constitute school district; provide for selection of school board by partisan or nonpartisan election or designation of county or municipal governing body; provide that school district may be abolished by law; & provide that operation, control, & supervision of public schools, & determination of school district levies, within abolished school district shall be prescribed by law. [NOTE: FSBA Executive Director Andrea Messina and NSBA Executive Director Tom Gentzel will provide information and testimony on the implications of this proposed constitutional amendment.]
The House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee will meet (12:00 – 2:00 pm) to consider the following item:
HB 669 – Educational Choice by Sprowls
Revises list of public & private educational choice options available to students; requires school districts to provide & publish certain information; revises controlled open enrollment process; requires school district to establish process for parent to request that his or her child be transferred to another classroom; revises components of Credit Acceleration Program.
The Senate Education PreK-12 Committee will meet (1:30 – 3:30 pm) to consider the following items:
SB 290 — STEM Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program by Smith
Creating the STEM Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program; providing for the administration and funding of the program; providing for student eligibility and the use of funds, etc.
SB 432 – STEM Teachers Pilot Program by Hutson
Requiring the Department of Education to implement and administer the STEM Teachers Pilot Program; authorizing certain school districts to hire an individual who is not a certified educator, but who holds a specified degree, to teach courses related to his or her degree, etc.
SB 500 – Children & Youth Cabinet by Montford
Revising the membership of the cabinet to include a superintendent, etc.
SB 806 – Homebound & Hospitalized Students by Legg
Requiring school districts to provide instruction to homebound or hospitalized students; requiring the State Board of Education to adopt rules related to student eligibility, methods of providing instruction to homebound or hospitalized students, and the initiation of services; requiring each school district to enter into an agreement with certain hospitals within its district by a specified date, etc.
SB 884 – Youth Suicide Awareness by Benacquisto
Requiring the Department of Education to incorporate training in youth suicide awareness and prevention into certain instructional personnel continuing education or inservice training requirements; requiring the department, in consultation with the Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention and suicide prevention experts, to develop a list of approved materials for the training, etc.
SB 886 – Parent & Student Rights by Benacquisto
Revising public school educational choice options available to students throughout the state to include CAPE Digital Tool certificates, CAPE industry certifications, and collegiate high school programs; deleting the definition of and provisions relating to the term “controlled open enrollment”; requiring each school district board to establish a classroom teacher transfer process for parents, to approve or deny a transfer request within a certain timeframe, to notify a parent of a denial, and to post an explanation of the transfer process in the student handbook or a similar publication, etc.
SB 894 – Education Personnel by Detert
Authorizing certain employees or agents of the Department of Education to have access to certain reports and records; authorizing rather than requiring the Department of Education to sponsor a job fair meeting certain criteria; providing requirements regarding liability insurance for students performing clinical field experience; abrogating the scheduled expiration of the educator liability insurance program, etc.
SB 978 – Public School Teachers by Legg
Establishing the Florida Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program; requiring a school district to annually submit the number of eligible teachers to the Department of Education; providing for funding and disbursement of funds, etc.
SB 1060 – Career and Adult Education by Legg
Revising the membership requirements for the State Apprenticeship Advisory Council; revising the attributes that characterize apprenticeable occupations; increasing the maximum number of certain CAPE Digital Tool certificates that the Commissioner of Education may recommend be added to the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List, etc.
SB 1064 – Special Facility Construction Account by Flores
Providing that a school district may not receive funds from the Special Facility Construction Account under certain circumstances; providing that certain capital outlay full-time equivalent student enrollment estimates be determined by specified estimating conferences; requiring the total cost per student station to include certain cost overruns; requiring a school district to levy the maximum millage against certain property value under certain circumstances, etc.
SB 1634 – School Choice by Legg
Specifying that the calculation for compliance with maximum class size requirements for a specified district innovation school of choice is at the school level; requiring the State Board of Education to review at a specified interval the performance metrics of each individual innovation school of choice for compliance with certain requirements, etc.
SB 1714 – Competency-Based Education by Brandes
Establishing a competency-based innovation pilot program within the Department of Education; authorizing certain schools to apply to the department for approval of a competency-based innovation pilot program; providing for expiration of the pilot program, etc.
The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee will meet (4:00 – 6:00 pm) to consider the following items and others:
SB 390 – Public Records by Simpson
Requiring that a public agency contract for services include a statement providing the contact information of the public agency’s custodian of records; revising required provisions in a public agency contract for services regarding a contractor’s compliance with public records laws, etc.
SB 7000 – Developments of Regional Impact by Community Affairs
Providing that a proposed development that is consistent with certain comprehensive plans is not required to undergo review pursuant to the state coordinated review process, etc.
I hope you find this information useful. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Ruth
Ruth Haseman Melton
Director of Government Relations
Florida School Boards Association
Office: 850 / 414-2578
Cell: 850 / 509-6411
Email: melton@fsba.org
