TODAY’S HAPPENINGS
In the House Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee:
HB 1083 – Employment of Individuals With Disabilities by Rooney — PASSED
Provides legislative findings & purpose; requires specified state agencies & organizations to develop & implement interagency cooperative agreement for certain purposes.
In the Senate Community Affairs Committee:
SB 1372 – Government Accountability by D. Gaetz – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE (CS)
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.
SB 238 – Athletic Coaches by Ring — PASSED
Requiring an independent sanctioning authority to dismiss an athletic coach ejected from a game for the remainder of that sport season under certain circumstances; authorizing such athletic coach to resume working under certain circumstances, etc.
SB 934 – Public Works Projects by Brandes – FAILED; LAID ON THE TABLE
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 Governmental Oversight & Accountability Committee:
SB 824 – Public-Private Partnerships by Evers – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Deleting provisions creating the Public-Private Partnership Guidelines Task Force; deleting a provision that requires approval of the local governing body before a school board enters into a comprehensive agreement; revising the conditions necessary for a responsible public entity to approve a comprehensive agreement; deleting provisions relating to notice to affected local jurisdictions, etc.
SB 826 – Public Records / Public-Private Partnerships by Evers – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Transferring, renumbering, and amending provisions relating to qualifying public-private projects for public facilities and infrastructure; providing an exemption from public records requirements for unsolicited proposals received by a responsible public entity for a specified period; providing an exemption from public meeting requirements for any portion of a meeting of a responsible public entity during which exempt proposals are discussed; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemptions; providing a statement of public necessity, etc.
SB 782 – County Officers by Montford – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Requiring, beginning in a specified fiscal year, that a county official’s adjusted salary rate be identical to the official’s adjusted salary rate in the prior fiscal year if the official’s adjusted salary rate would otherwise be less than the prior fiscal year’s adjusted salary rate due to certain circumstances, etc.
In the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee:
HB 85 – Public School Instruction / Terrorist Attacks by Hill — PASSED
Requires that instructional staff of public schools provide instruction to students about terrorist attacks occurring on September 11, 2001, & impact of those events.
HB 1045 – Homebound Instruction by Burgess — PASSED
Requires school districts to provide instruction to homebound or hospitalized students; provides for student eligibility, methods of providing instruction to homebound or hospitalized students, & initiation of services.
HB 1145 – Education / Parent and Student Rights by Sprowls – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Revises provisions relating to public & private school choice, fiscal transparency, controlled open enrollment, educational funding accountability, assignment of teachers, salary incentives, & certification of adjunct educators. [NOTE: Today’s amendment expanded on the fiscal transparency requirements. Although FSBA supports public school choice in concept, this bill contains several very troubling provisions that are likely to be very disruptive not only for students, but also with respect to district planning and budgeting and potentially damaging to existing district public school choice options. There are also significant concerns about the rights of local taxpayers.]
HB 7125 – Postsecondary Access & Affordability by Higher Education — PASSED
Revises provisions relating to apprenticeships, postsecondary tuition & fees, tuition differentials, career education, textbooks & instructional materials, & Higher Education Coordinating Council; creates Florida Apprenticeship Grant Program & Rapid Response Education & Training Program; provides requirements for programs.
HB 7127 – Higher Education by Higher Education — PASSED
Revises provisions relating to apprenticeships, baccalaureate degree programs, career centers & charter technical career centers, applied technology diplomas, common placement test, & adult & workforce education programs.
In the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee:
SB 180 – School Safety by Evers – TEMPRORARILY POSTPONED
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. [NOTE: FSBA has grave concerns about the possible tragedies and other unintended consequences if a school district were to choose to pursue the provisions of the bill.]
SB 352 – American Founders’ Month by Flores — PASSED
Designating the month of September as “American Founders’ Month”; authorizing the Governor to annually issue a proclamation designating the month and urging participation; requiring district school boards to celebrate the American Founders and the principles inherent in the country’s founding documents by observing American Founders’ Month, etc.
SB 344 – Mental Health First Aid Training Program by Sobel – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Requiring the Department of Education to provide public school districts with information to maximize grants for mental health education, awareness, and training; requiring the department to post such information on its website and to provide annual electronic notification of such grants to school districts. [NOTE: The bill was amended with a “strike all” amendment. This summary reflects the provisions of the revised bill.]
SB 448 – Educational Facilities by Flores — PASSED
Providing for school district construction flexibility; authorizing exceptions to educational facilities construction requirements under certain circumstances, etc.
SB 572 – School Support Organizations by Montford — PASSED
Defining the term “school support organization”; authorizing such organizations to pay tax on specified items purchased for resale in lieu of collecting the tax upon resale, etc.
SB 888 – Educational Professional Practices by Detert — PASSED
Authorizing certain employees or agents of the Department of Education to have access to certain reports and records; revising the membership of the Education Practices Commission; authorizing the Commissioner of Education to appoint emeritus members to the commission; authorizing the commissioner to issue a letter of guidance in response to a complaint against a teacher or administrator in lieu of a probable cause determination, etc.
SB 1474 – District School Boards by Legg – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Requiring district school boards to adopt a strategic plan; revising provisions relating to standards of ethical conduct to apply to administrative personnel and school officers; requiring a school to monitor and evaluate its instructional practices and intervention strategies relating to the early warning system; authorizing district school boards to adopt a standard student attire policy; establishing criteria for and the purpose of the policy; providing immunity from civil liability for district school boards that implement a standard student attire policy under certain conditions. [NOTE: The bill was amended with a “strike all” amendment that, among other things, incorporated provisions relating to standard student attire similar to provisions contained in HB 7043. This summary reflects the provisions of the revised bill.]
In the House Appropriations Committee:
HB 695 – Value Adjustment Boards by Avila – TEMPORARILY POSTPONED
Revises provisions related to VAB proceedings; revises provisions related to appointments & selection of special magistrates; authorizes property appraisers to contract to examine & audit homestead exemption claims; revises provisions addressing payment plans for payment of certain taxes, interest, & penalties; specifies that certain unpaid tax liens be included in next assessment roll; revises provisions providing information required on notice of proposed property taxes & non-ad valorem assessments; specifies that certain persons may seek or obtain funds from the failure of other persons to comply with certain tax laws; provides statement of important state interest.
HB 913 – State Board of Administration by Trumbull — PASSED
Repeals provisions relating to investments in institutions doing business in or with Northern Ireland; provides for distribution of Fund B Surplus Funds Trust Fund assets to certain participants.
HB 7015 – Agriculture and Consumer Services by Agriculture – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Revising provisions relating to limited certification for urban landscape commercial fertilizer application; Florida Food Safety Act; power & duties of DACS relating to program services; designation of Pompano State Farmers Market; powers & duties of Division of Administration relating to information technology support; powers & duties of Division of Food Safety relating to food & feed sample analysis; powers & duties of Division of Marketing and Development relating to dealers in agricultural products; powers & duties of Division of Consumer Services relating to dealers in agricultural products; Florida Agriculture Center & Horse Park; Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign; notice of infection of plants; School Food & Nutrition Service programs; Florida Farm Fresh Schools Program; children’s summer nutrition program; commodity distribution services; bond & certificate of deposit prerequisite for agricultural products dealers; & security requirements for grain dealers; & provides for specified property owned by Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to be deeded to DACS; directs DACS to sell portion of such property & provides for use of proceeds.
COMING UP TOMORROW
[REMINDER: Most meetings may be viewed via Florida Channel webcasts at http://thefloridachannel.org]
The House Education Committee will meet (8:30 – 10:30 am) to consider the following items and others:
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 Educations
Creates “Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program Act”; establishes Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program & Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities; provides that certain students with physical or mental disorder are exempt from specified tuition & fees.
The House Health & Human Services Committee will meet (8:30 – 10:30 am) to consider the following items and others:
HB 935 – Individuals with Disabilities by R. Rodrigues
Creates “Florida Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act”; requires Florida Prepaid College Board to establish direct-support organization known as “Florida ABLE, Inc.”; authorizes organization to use certain services, property, & facilities of Florida Prepaid College Board; provides that specified moneys, assets, & income of qualified ABLE program, including Florida ABLE program, are not subject to attachment, levy, garnishment, or certain legal process in favor of certain creditors or claimants.
HB 937 – Trust Fund / Florida ABLE Program by Rodrigues
Creates Florida ABLE Trust Fund within State Board of Administration; authorizes sources of funds; specifies purpose of trust fund & authorized uses of assets; provides for future review & termination or re-creation of trust fund; provides for contingent effect.
HB 939 – Public Records / Florida ABLE Program
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.
The Senate will be in SESSION (10:00 am – 6:00 pm) to consider the following items and others:
Bills on 3rd 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.
Bills on 2nd Reading:
SB 2500 – 2015-2016 Appropriations by Appropriations
Providing moneys for the annual period beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016, to pay salaries, and other expenses, capital outlay-buildings, and other improvements, and for other specified purposes of the various agencies of state government, etc.
SB 2502 – 2015-2016 Appropriations Implementing Bill by Appropriations
Incorporating by reference certain calculations of the Florida Education Finance Program; providing that funds for instructional materials must be released and expended as required in specified proviso language, notwithstanding other provisions of law; revising the basis for allocating fixed capital outlay funds for existing satisfactory facilities, etc.
SB 7038 – FRS / Employer Contributions by Governmental Oversight
Revising the employer contribution rates for the retiree health insurance subsidy; revising the required employer retirement contribution rates for members of each membership class and subclass of the Florida Retirement System, etc.
SB 2508 – Education Appropriations Conforming Bill by Appropriations
Requiring a state research university to enter into and maintain a formal agreement with a specified organization to offer college-sponsored merit scholarship awards as a condition of designation as a preeminent state research university; revising the term “full-time student” for the purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program; requiring supplemental academic instruction categorical funds and research-based reading instruction allocation funds to be used by a school district with at least one of certain lowest-performing elementary schools for additional intensive reading instruction at such school during the summer program in addition to the school year, etc.
SB 642 – Individuals with Disabilities by Benacquisto
Creating the “Florida Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act”; requiring the Florida Prepaid College Board to establish a direct-support organization known as “Florida ABLE, Inc.”; authorizing the organization to use certain services, property, and facilities of the Florida Prepaid College Board; providing that specified moneys, assets, and income of a qualified ABLE program, including the Florida ABLE program, are not subject to attachment, levy, garnishment, or certain legal process in favor of certain creditors or claimants, etc.
SB 644 – Trust Fund / Florida ABLE Program by Benacquisto
Creating the Florida ABLE Trust Fund within the State Board of Administration; authorizing sources of funds; specifying the purpose of the trust fund and authorized uses of the assets; providing for future review and termination or re-creation of the trust fund, etc.
SB 646 – Public Records / Florida ABLE Program by Benacquisto
Held by the Florida Prepaid College Board, Florida ABLE, Inc., and the Florida ABLE program; Providing an exemption from public records requirements for certain personal financial and health information held by the Florida Prepaid College Board, Florida ABLE, Inc., the Florida ABLE program, or an agent or service provider thereof; authorizing the release of such information under specified circumstances; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of public necessity, etc.
SB 602 – Students With Disabilities by Gaetz
Revising scholarship application deadlines and guidelines; requiring authorized program funds to support the student’s educational needs; providing future repeal of provisions pertaining to an implementation schedule of notification and eligibility timelines; authorizing a prepaid college plan to be purchased, accounted for, used, and terminated under certain circumstances, etc.
SB 7030 – Postsecondary Ed./Students with Disabilities by Higher Education
Creating the “Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program Act”; establishing eligibility requirements for enrollment in the Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program; establishing the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities; establishing a Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program Scholarship for certain qualified students, etc.
SB 616 – Education Accountability by Legg
Revising the powers of the State Board of Education to require adoption of rules regarding notification forms for grade 3 retention and midyear promotion, and high school graduation requirements and options; removing the requirement that English Language Arts statewide assessments be administered to students in grade 11; revising requirements for a district school board’s comprehensive student progression plan; specifying alternative assessments that may be accepted by public postsecondary educational institutions in lieu of the common placement test, etc.
The House will be in SESSION (11:00 am – completion of business) to consider the following items and others:
Bills on 2nd Reading:
HB 5001 – 2015-2016 Appropriations by Appropriations
Provides moneys for annual period beginning July 1, 2015, & ending June 30, 2016, & supplemental appropriations for period ending June 30, 2015, to pay salaries & other expenses, capital outlay—buildings & other improvements, & for other specified purposes of various agencies of state government.
HB 5003 – 2015-2016 Appropriations Implementing Bill by Appropriations
Implements specific appropriations of the General Appropriations Act for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.
HB 5005 – FRS / Employer Contributions by Appropriations
Increases employer contribution to retiree health insurance subsidy for members of state-administered plan; increases employer contribution to health insurance subsidy for members of Elected Officers’ Class; increases employer contribution to health insurance subsidy for members of Senior Management Service Class; increases employer contribution to health insurance subsidy for members of Regular, Special Risk, & Special Risk Administrative Support Classes; revises amount of employer contributions to FRS for 2015-2016 fiscal year; provides findings of important state interest.
HB 5011 – Best & Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program by Appropriations
Establishes Florida Best & Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program within DOE; provides legislative intent; provides for funding, eligibility, & disbursement of funds; defines term “school district” for purposes of act.
Ruth Haseman Melton
Director of Government Relations
Florida School Boards Association
Office: 850 / 414-2578
Cell: 850 / 509-6411
Email: melton@fsba.org
