TODAY’S HAPPENINGS
In the House Session:
Bills on 3rd Reading:
HB 7107 – Public Employees / Retirement by State Affairs – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
Authorizes renewed membership in retirement system for certain retirees who are reemployed in position eligible for Elected Officers’ Class; provides for renewed membership in retirement system for certain retirees of Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program who are reemployed on or after specified date; requires that certain retirees who are reemployed on or after specified date be renewed members in investment plan; provides vesting requirements; prohibits renewed member from receiving specified disability benefits; requires employer & retiree to make applicable contributions to renewed member’s investment plan account; prohibits participation in pension plan; provides that retiree reemployed on or after specified date in regularly established position eligible for State University System Optional Retirement Program or State Community College System Optional Retirement Program is renewed member of that program; authorizes payment of death benefits to surviving spouse or surviving children of member in investment plan; authorizes state board & department to adopt rules; adjusts employer contribution rates in order to fund changes made by act; provides directive to the Division of Law Revision & Information; requires state funding to reduce the unfunded actuarial liability of the FRS Pension Plan; provides appropriation.
HB 183 – Administrative Procedures by Adkins – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
Revises requirements related to administrative proceedings regarding rules, proposed rules, unadopted rules, & agency statements; revises authorities of administrative law judges; revises provisions regarding noticing of agency actions; authorizes petitioners to pursue collateral challenges; expands agency reporting requirements of certain minor rules; revises certain timeframes in administrative proceedings; requires certain challenges for regulatory permits for special events to follow summary hearing provisions.
SB 230 – Missing Persons with Special Needs by Dean – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
Creates pilot projects in specified counties to provide personal devices to aid search-and-rescue efforts for persons with special needs; provides for administration of projects; requires reports; provides for expiration; provides appropriations. [NOTE: This Senate bill was amended in the House on 2nd Reading so the bill must return to the Senate for consideration.]
SB 386 – Criminal Records / Minors by Detert — READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE; PASSED THE LEGISLATURE
Provides for nonjudicial expunction of criminal history of offense after specified period for minor who is not serious or habitual juvenile offender; provides exception for specified minors to apply for expunction before attaining 21 years of age; establishes application process & requiring specified documentation be submitted; requiring sworn statement from applicant; eliminates deadline for submission of application by minor for prearrest or postarrest diversion expunction.
HB 293 – Juvenile Criminal History Records by Pritchett – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
Specifies that certain confidential information obtained under ch. 985, F.S., relating to juvenile justice, is exempt from public records requirements; revises applicability of public records requirements with respect to arrest records of certain juvenile offenders; authorizes records custodians to choose not to electronically publish specified arrest or booking photos of juveniles; provides for future review & repeal of such applicability provisions; provides exemption from public records requirements for juvenile information compiled by Criminal Justice Information Program from intrastate sources; provides exceptions; provides for future review & repeal of exemption; provides for release by FDLE of criminal history information of juvenile which has been deemed confidential & exempt; reenacts provisions; provides statement of public necessity.
HB 793 – Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program by O’Toole – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
Provides that initial award period & renewal period for students who are unable to accept initial award immediately after high school due to specific obligations begins upon completion of obligation; requires student, as prerequisite for certain awards, to identify social or civic issue or professional area of interest & develop specified plan; creates Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award; provides appropriation.
HB 791 – Local Tax Referenda by Ingoglia – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
Prohibits local government discretionary sales surtax referenda from being held during special elections; specifies varying percentage of electors voting in referendum which is required, depending on type of election at which referendum is held, to adopt or amend local government discretionary sales surtax. [NOTE: This bill would apply to referenda for the School Capital Outlay Surtax, but appears not to apply to referenda for millage levies. In addition, the bill would not impact the 2016 election cycle.]
SB 86 – Scrutinized Companies by Negron – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE; PASSED THE LEGISLATURE
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 1147 – Character Education / Life Skills by Latvala – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
Requires character-development programs to provide certain instruction to students in grades 9-12.
SB 7002 – OGSR/Audit Report & Records by Community Affairs – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE; PASSED THE LEGISLATURE
Removes scheduled repeal of public records exemption for certain information related to audit report of internal auditor or investigative report of inspector general prepared for or on behalf of local government unit.
SB 7030 – OGSR/Competitive Solicitation by Governmental Oversight – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE; PASSED THE LEGISLATURE
Removes scheduled repeal of public records & meetings exemptions for certain information related to competitive solicitation.
In the Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee:
SB 408 – Juvenile Civil Citations by Altman – AMENDED; PASSED WITH A CS
Requiring the establishment of civil citation or similar diversion programs for juveniles; specifying program eligibility, participation, and implementation requirements; providing exceptions, etc.
In the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee:
SB 124 – Public Procurement Practices by Evers — PASSED
Deleting provisions creating the Public-Private Partnership Guidelines Task Force; requiring a private entity that submits an unsolicited proposal to pay an initial application fee and additional amounts if the fee does not cover certain costs; deleting provisions relating to notice to affected local jurisdictions; authorizing a negotiated portion of revenues from fee-generating uses to be returned to the responsible public entity, etc. [NOTE: The Committee also passed a linked bill — SB 126 – that provides a public records exemption.]
SB 268 – Bullying and Harassment Policies by Ring – AMENDED; PASSED WITH A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE (CS)
Requiring school districts to revise their bullying and harassment policy at policy at specified intervals; requiring each school principal to implement the bullying and harassment policy in a certain manner and integrate it with the school’s bullying prevention and intervention program; requiring the policy to include a procedure for receiving reports of alleged acts of bullying and a list of authorized programs that provide bullying and harassment identification, prevention, and response instruction. [NOTE: Among other things, today’s amendment clarified that the school principal must implement the district bullying and harassment policy. This short summary reflects the changes made to the bill today.]
SB 706 – Culinary Education Programs by Altman — PASSED
Providing for the applicability of Department of Health sanitation rules to a licensed culinary education program; authorizing a culinary education program with a public food service establishment license to obtain an alcoholic beverage license under certain conditions; authorizing the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco to adopt rules to administer such licenses, etc.
SB 1126 – Auditory-oral Education Programs by Detert — PASSED
Requiring a school district to annually add a specified number of points to the total score of all domains on a matrix of services for certain children; specifying that such children are eligible for auditory-oral education grants under certain circumstances, etc.
SB 1160 – Art in the Capitol Competition by Detert — PASSED
Creating the Art in the Capitol Competition for students in specified grades; specifying procedures for student participation, notification, and the selection and display of winning submissions; authorizing rulemaking, etc.
SB 1190 – Growth Management by Diaz de la Portilla — PASSED
Specifying that persons do not lose the right to complete developments of regional impact upon certain changes to those developments; revising the comprehensive plan amendments that must follow the state coordinated review process; authorizing specified parties to amend certain agreements without the submission, review, or approval of a notification of proposed change when a project has been essentially built out; authorizing the exchange of one approved land use for another under certain conditions, etc.
SB 1226 – Administrative Procedures by Ring — PASSED
Providing additional requirements for the calculation of estimated adverse impacts and regulatory costs, etc.
In the Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee:
SB 824 – Dual Enrollment Program by Stargel – AMENDED; PASSED WITH A CS
Authorizing a school district to provide exceptional student education-related services to certain home education program students; requiring reporting and funding through the FEFP; exempting dual enrollment students from paying technology fees; requiring a home education secondary student to be responsible for his or her own instructional materials and transportation in order to participate in the dual enrollment program unless the articulation agreement provides otherwise; prohibiting dual enrollment course and program limitations for home education students from exceeding limitations for other students; providing an exemption from the grade point average requirement for initial enrollment in a dual enrollment program for certain home education students; requiring a postsecondary institution eligible to participate in the dual enrollment program to enter into a home education articulation agreement; requiring the postsecondary institution to annually complete and submit the agreement to the Department of Education; authorizing certain instructional materials to be made available free of charge to dual enrollment students in home education programs and private schools if provided for in the articulation agreement; requiring the Commissioner of Education to notify the district school board superintendent and the president of the postsecondary institution if the dual enrollment articulation agreement does not comply with statutory requirements; requiring a district school board and a Florida College System institution to annually complete and submit to the department a dual enrollment articulation agreement with a state university or an eligible independent college or university, as applicable; providing requirements for a private school student to participate in a dual enrollment program; requiring a postsecondary institution eligible to participate in the dual enrollment program to enter into an articulation agreement with certain eligible private schools; providing for funding for each dual enrollment course taken by certain students. [NOTE: Among other things, today’s amendments authorize a school district to provide ESE services to a home school student and provide an exemption from the grade point average requirement for initial enrollment in a dual enrollment program for a home education student. This short summary reflects the changes made to the bill today.]
SB 830 – School Choice / Charter Schools by Stargel — PASSED
Revising the required contents of a charter school application; providing for the automatic termination of a charter under certain conditions; specifying that certain limits on the number of charter schools established do not apply under certain circumstances; authorizing certain entities to apply for status as a High-Impact Charter Network; revising charter school eligibility requirements for funding allocations, etc.
SB 1068 – Education / Reading Instruction by Legg – AMENDED; PASSED WITH A CS
Revising the duties of the Just Read, Florida! Office; revising requirements for school improvement plans and early warning systems; revising core curricula requirements for certain teacher preparation programs to include certain reading instruction and interventions; requiring candidates for an educator certificate in certain areas to demonstrate competence in specified areas, etc. [NOTE: The bill was amended via a strike all amendment. Among other things, the amendment reduces some of the prescriptive language and incorporates language regarding pre- and post-testing in the early grades. We are still reviewing the amendment and will provide more details as soon as possible.]
SB 1078 – Education / Assessments by Legg — PASSED
Revising the exams each public high school is required to administer to all enrolled 10th grade students to include ACT Aspire, etc.
SB 1088 – McKay Scholarship Program by Stargel — PASSED
Exempting a foster child from specified eligibility provisions; creating a transition-to-work program for specific students enrolled in the John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program; exempting a John M. McKay Scholarship award from a specified funding calculation for purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program, etc.
SB 1356 – Re-employment / School District Personnel by Brandes – AMENDED; PASSED WITH A CS
Revising provisions relating to reemployment of retirees as instructional personal on a contract basis; providing that retirees are not eligible for a professional service contract. [NOTE: Today’s amendment removed language outlining legislative intent and reference to judgment in certain civil actions or administrative proceedings.]
SB 1462 – Educational Instruction by Latvala — PASSED
Requiring the Commissioner of Education to develop an elective course for certain students which must be included in the Course Code Directory, etc.
In the Senate Transportation, Tourism & Econ. Devel. Appropriations:
SB 1570 – School Bus Stop Safety by Simmons– PASSED
Citing this act as the “Gabby’s Law for School Bus Stop Safety”; revising the terms of violation and the penalties for failure to stop a vehicle upon approaching a school bus that displays a stop signal; authorizing school districts to use cameras and video recording devices under certain circumstances, etc.
In the Senate Session:
Bills on 3rd Reading:
SB 468 – Computer Coding Instruction by Ring – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE
Authorizing high schools to offer student opportunities to take specified computer coding courses by a specified school year; providing that high schools will not be required to offer such courses; requiring the Commissioner of Education to identify the computer coding courses that satisfy two credits of foreign language instruction under certain circumstances; requiring Florida College System institutions and state universities to recognize the credits as foreign language credits, requiring each student and his or her parent to sign a statement acknowledging and accepting that taking a computer coding course as a foreign language may not meet certain out-of-state requirements; requiring the inclusion of certain computer coding courses in the Course Code Directory; authorizing the Florida Virtual School to offer computer coding courses identified in the Course Code Directory; authorizing school districts to provide students access to such courses under certain circumstances; requiring the Department of Education to annually report certain information to the Board of Governors and the Legislature.
HB 7053 – Child Care & Development Block Grant by Education – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE; IN RETURNING MESSAGES TO THE HOUSE
Expands list of entities that have access to child abuse records for approving providers of school readiness services; requires school readiness program providers to provide DCF & local licensing agencies with access for inspection purposes; requires certain child care providers to submit affidavit of compliance with licensure requirements of ch. 402, F.S., & federal law; provides criteria for exemption from disqualification for employment with school readiness program provider; revises duties of OEL; revises provisions relating to child & parent eligibility for school readiness programs. [NOTE: This House bill was amended by the Senate on 2nd Reading, so it must return to the House for consideration.]
Bills on 2nd Reading:
SB 894 – Education Personnel by Detert – READ 2ND TIME; SUBSTITUTED FOR HB 719; SB 894 LAID ON THE TABLE
HB 719 – Education Personnel by Spano – SUBSTITUTED FOR SB 894; READ 2ND TIME; PLACED ON 3RDREADING FOR 3/2/16
Authorizing certain information to be used for educator certification discipline and review; authorizing certain employees or agents of the Department of Education to have access to certain reports and records; authorizing, rather than requiring, the department to sponsor a job fair meeting certain criteria; providing requirements regarding liability insurance for students performing clinical field experience, etc.
SB 1220 – Award of Attorney Fees / Public Records by Garcia – READ 2ND TIME; PLACED ON 3RD READING FOR 3/2/16
Revising the circumstances under which a court must assess and award the reasonable costs of enforcement against an agency in a civil action to enforce ch. 119, F.S.; prohibiting a court from assessing and awarding the reasonable costs of enforcement against an agency if certain conditions exist; specifying circumstances under which a complainant is not required to provide certain written notice of a public record request, etc.
COMING UP TOMORROW
The House Education Committee will meet (9:00 – 10:00 am) will meet to consider the following bill:
HB 701 – Art in the Capitol Competition by Lee
Creates the “Art in the Capitol Competition” for students in specified grades; provides procedures for student participation, notification, & selection & display of winning submissions.
The House Regulatory Affairs Committee will meet (9:00 am – 12:00 pm) to consider the following bill and others:
HB 535 – Building Codes by Eagle
Revises educational provisions for building code inspectors, plans examiners, & building code administrators; revises provisions related to the Florida Building Code; revises provisions regarding the Florida Building Code Compliance and Mitigation Program; restricts application of the Building Code for certain aspects of construction; revises provisions related to portable pools; revises provisions regarding the authority of building officials to issue building permits; revises provisions regarding appeal boards; revising provisions addressing certain fire service access elevators; authorizing DBPR to develop code-related training; creates task force to study electrical safety in swimming pools; creates construction industry workforce task force to study issues associated with training of construction workforce.
The Senate Appropriations Committee will meet (10:00 am – 5:00 pm) to consider the following bills and others:
SB 432 – Teacher Certification by Hutson
Providing alternative requirements for earning a professional educator certificate that covers certain grades, etc.
SB 434 – Principal Autonomy Pilot Program by Garcia
Creating the Principal Autonomy Pilot Program Initiative; providing a procedure for a school district to participate in the pilot program; requiring principals of participating schools and specified personnel to participate in the University of Virginia School Turnaround Program; requiring participating district school boards to allocate a specified percentage of certain funds to participating schools, etc.
SB 436 – Terroristic Threats by Simpson
Providing that a person commits the crime of terroristic threats if he or she communicates, directly or indirectly, a threat to commit specified acts; providing criminal penalties; requiring a person convicted of terroristic threats to, in addition to other restitution ordered, pay restitution in an amount equal to the cost of evacuation, etc.
SB 442 – Educational Facilities by Flores
Providing for school district construction flexibility; authorizing exceptions to educational facilities construction requirements under certain circumstances, etc.
SB 524 – SUS Performance-Based Incentives by Gaetz
Requiring performance-based metrics to include specified wage thresholds; requiring the Board of Governors to establish minimum performance funding eligibility thresholds; prohibiting a state university that fails to meet the state’s threshold from eligibility for a share of the state’s investment performance funding, etc. [NOTE: Several amendments have been filed for consideration including a proposed strike all amendment that, among other things, includes the charter school capital outlay/cost per student station proposal by Senator Gaetz. This language does not include any requirement for school districts sharing local capital outlay millage revenue with charter schools, but does include language that calls for a study of the calculation of the statutory cost per student station and that would limit district spending on capital projects.]
SB 572 – Involuntary Examinations / Baker Act by Altman
Authorizing physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners to execute a certificate that finds that a person appears to meet the criteria for involuntary examination under the Baker Act of persons believed to have mental illness, 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. [NOTE: Several amendments have been filed for consideration.]
SB 944 – Out of State Fee Waivers / Active Duty Service by Richter
Requiring state universities, Florida College System institutions, and certain centers to waive out-of-state fees for active duty members of the United States Armed Forces residing or stationed outside of this state; prohibiting tuition and fees charged to such students from exceeding a specified amount, etc.
SB 984 – Education Access & Affordability by Legg
Requiring tuition for an online degree program to include costs associated with the provision of instructional materials; requiring a public postsecondary institution to post information relating to required and recommended textbooks and instructional materials and prices in its course registration system and on its website; requiring a state university to publicly notice meetings at which votes on proposed tuition or fee increases are scheduled, etc.
SB 986 – Workers’ Compensation by Simpson
Requiring members of limited liability companies to submit specified notices; requiring that the Department of Financial Services allow an employer who has not previously been issued an order of penalty assessment to receive a specified credit to be applied to the penalty; eliminating the certification requirements when an expert medical advisor is selected by a judge of compensation claims; deleting the requirement that employers notify the department within 24 hours of any injury resulting in death, 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 1166 – Education Funding by Gaetz
Revising the calculation for certain supplemental funds for exceptional student education programs, etc. . [NOTE: Several amendments have been filed for consideration, including one strike all amendment that, among other things, appears to consolidate many of the provisions of several choice bills – i.e. bills relating to charter schools, bills relating to choice in athletics, and bills relating to public school open enrollment — into this one bill.]
SB 1196 – Emergency Allergy Treatment in Schools by Hutson
Authorizing a public school and a private school, respectively, to enter into certain arrangements with wholesale distributors or manufacturers for epinephrine auto-injectors, etc.
SB 1538 – Veterans’ Employment by Evers
Requiring each state agency and authorizing other political subdivisions of the state to develop and implement a veterans recruitment plan; requiring specified goals for veterans recruitment plans; requiring the Department of Management Services to collect specified data and to include the data in its annual workforce report and on its website, 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. [NOTE: Several amendments have been filed for consideration.]
The House Judiciary Committee will meet (1:00 – 4:00 pm) to consider the following bill and others:
HB 7085 – Juvenile Civil Citation / Diversion Programs by Criminal Justice
establishment of civil citation & similar diversion programs for juveniles; specifies program eligibility, participation, & implementation requirements; provides exceptions; provides applicability.
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
