We’re back! Today, we resume our FSBA Daily Updates on activities each day during the 2015 Legislative Session. These updates are sent to school board members, superintendents, and district staff members as well as hundreds of state and local government officials, parent and citizen advocates, and others who have asked to be included in our distribution list. Please let me know if there are other individuals in your community that wish to be added to our FSBA Daily Update distribution list.
2015 LEGISLATIVE SESSION RESOURCE CENTER
We have reopened our Legislative Session Resource Center on the FSBA website. Our Resource Center concentrates a wealth of legislative session information and advocacy tools in one convenient location. To access our Resource Center, simply go to the FSBA website at www.fsba.org and click on the tab on the right labeled “2015 Session Resource Center” or use this direct link to the Center: https://fsba.org/2015-
COMING UP TOMORROW
[NOTE: Nearly all legislative meetings, including the floor sessions and committee meetings listed below, may be viewed via live webcast or archived videos on the Florida Channel athttp://thefloridachannel.org/]
Tomorrow marks the official opening of the 2015 Legislative Session. In the morning, both the House and Senate will be in Session (House beginning at 9:30 am, Senate beginning at 10:00 am). During these initial Sessions, each chamber will conduct traditional and ceremonial business and each chamber’s leader — Senate President Andy Gardiner and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli – will offer remarks to their respective chambers in which they will outline their legislative priorities. The two chambers will then meet in Joint Session (11:00 am, Florida Channel webcast) to hear the State of the State Address by Governor Rick Scott.
In addition –
The House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee will meet (2:00 – 4:00 pm; Florida Channel webcast) to consider:
HB 55 – Children and Youth Cabinet by Harrell
Revises membership of Children and Youth Cabinet to include a superintendent of schools appointed by the Governor.
CIS1 — School Choice by Choice & Innovation
The bill creates the Florida Institute for Charter School Innovation at the Florida State University; strengthens charter school accountability; expands student access to charter schools; revises charter school funding provisions; removes the statutory eligibility requirements for enrollment in public K-12 virtual education; revises criteria triggering automatic termination of a state-approved virtual provider’s contract; revises the criteria enabling a charter school system to serve as a LEA for purposes of administering federal education funds; etc. [NOTE: This is the first formal discussion of this proposed committee bill (PCB). It is likely that it will undergo at least some revision. As written, the bill contains several provisions that FSBA supports, but also contains provisions that give rise to concern. In its current form, the bill has an estimated fiscal impact of $5.7 million.]
The House Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee will meet (4:30-6:30 pm, Florida Channel webcast) to consider the following item and others:
HB 35 – Resident Status for Tuition Purposes by Stark
Revises criteria relating to classification of active duty members of U.S. Armed Services, and spouses and dependent children, as residents for tuition purposes; classifies veterans, and spouses and dependent children, as residents for tuition purposes under certain circumstances.
The House Local Government Affairs Subcommittee will meet (4:30-6:30 pm, Florida Channel webcast) to consider the following item and others:
HB 113 – Local Government Construction Preferences by Perry
Prohibits local ordinances & regulations from restricting a certified contractor’s competition for award of contract for construction services based upon certain conditions; requires state college, school district, or other political subdivision to make specified disclosures in competitive solicitation documents; provides construction.
IN THE NEWS
Today’s education news was dominated by reports of difficulties that school districts encountered in the first administration of the new state Florida Standards Assessment (FSA). We have posted several news stories on the FSBA website on our news page: https://www.fsba.org/news/
I hope you find this information useful. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Ruth Haseman Melton
Director of Government Relations
Florida School Boards Association
Office: 850 / 414-2578
Cell: 850 / 509-6411
Email: melton@fsba.org
