TODAY’S HAPPENINGS
In the House Education Committee:
HB 7033 – Middle Grades Education by K-12 – PASSED WITH A CS
Requires school that includes certain grades to include information in its school improvement plan & implement early warning system to identify students in need of additional academic support; includes middle grades schools under provisions prohibiting hazing; revises penalties; specifies requirements relating to additional FTE funding based on completion of courses or programs & issuance of industry certification; provides requirements for professional development for middle grades educators. [NOTE: The bill was substantially amended to add a number of new provisions including requiring district school boards to notify parents of return on investment associated with a student earning an industry certification; authorizing an Advanced Placement computer science course or equally rigorous course to substitute for one of the three science credits required for high school graduation; revising requirements for scholar and merit designations; creating the collegiate high school program; establishing weighted funding for certain certificates and industry certifications; authorizing bonus for teachers who teach students who earn such certificates and certifications; etc.]
HB 7083 – Charter Schools by Choice & Innovation – PASSED WITH A CS
Revises charter school provisions relating to applications & contracts, termination of charter, student enrollment, use of school district facilities, & model forms, contracts, & evaluation instruments; revises provisions relating to high-performing charter schools & high-performing charter school systems; specifies conditions under which virtual instruction provider’s contract is automatically terminated; revises eligibility for receipt of capital outlay funding. [NOTE: The bill was substantially amended to add several new provisions including authorizing charter schools to enter into cooperative agreements with other charter schools and educational institutions; authorizing school boards to charge rent for district facilities that are made available to charter schools; revising provisions relating to high-performing charter schools; revising criteria for local education agency status for certain charter school systems; requiring transfer of funds when students transfer from a charter school to a district-operated public school, or vice versa; etc. FSBA is opposed to this bill. The Senate companion – SB 1528 – has been significantly amended and does not contain any of the provisions of this House bill.]
In the House Health & Human Services Committee:
HB 159 – Mental Health First Aid Training Program by Berman – PASSED WITH A CS
Requires DCF to establish mental health first aid training program; provides course requirements & requires certification of instructors; provides for expiration of program; provides appropriation.
In the House Regulatory Affairs Committee:
HB 785 – Workmans’ Compensation by Albritton – PASSED WITH A CS
Authorizes employers to negotiate retrospectively rated premium with insurers under certain conditions.
In the House Local & Federal Affairs Committee:
HB 651 – Value Adjustment Board Proceedings by Hutson – PASSED WITH A CS
Requires clerk of VAB to have available & distribute specified forms; authorizes owner of multiple items of tangible personal property to file joint petition with VAB; requires property appraiser to include property record card in an evidence list for VAB hearing.
HB 1315 – Public Officers and Employees by McBurney – PASSED WITH A CS
Authorizing the electors of a political subdivision to impose additional or more stringent standards of conduct and disclosure requirements upon the political subdivision’s officers and employees; providing that a respondent is entitled to a public hearing upon a finding of probable cause of a violation of a local ethics ordinance; requiring a local ethics ordinance to establish certain procedures; etc. [NOTE: The committee approved a “strike-all” amendment that substantially revised the bill. This brief summary reflects the new, revised version of the bill.]
In the Senate Governmental Oversight & Accountability Committee:
SB 286 – Concrete Masonry Education by Richter – PASSED WTH A CS
Creating the “Concrete Masonry Education Act”; creating the Florida Concrete Masonry Education Council, Inc.; authorizing the council to accept grants, donations, contributions, and gifts under certain circumstances; providing for collection of a voluntary assessment on concrete masonry units; requiring manufacturers who elect to pay the assessment to commit to paying the assessment for a specified period, etc.
SB 1318 – Public Records / Public-Private Partnerships by Evers – PASSED
Creating an exemption from public records requirements for unsolicited proposals for a qualifying public-private project received by a responsible public entity for a specified period; creating an exemption from public meetings requirements for portions of meetings at which confidential and exempt information is discussed; requiring a recording to be made of a closed portion of a meeting; providing for future repeal and legislative review of the exemptions; providing statements of public necessity, etc.
SB 1628 – Government Accountability by Bean – PASSED WITH A CS
Revising the responsibilities of department heads, the Supreme Court as it relates to the state courts system, the Justice Administrative Commission, state attorneys, public defenders, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, the Guardian Ad Litem program, the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation, local governmental entities, and governing bodies of charter schools to include the responsibility of establishing certain internal controls; expanding the definition of the term “agency head”, etc.
In the House Session, members considered the House Appropriations bills on 3rd Reading, including the following items and others:
HB 5001 – Appropriations by Appropriations – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
HB 5003 – Appropriations Implementing by Appropriations – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
HB 5005 – FRS / Contribution Rates by Appropriations – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
HB 5101 – Education Funding by Education Appropriations – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
[NOTE: These bills were immediately certified to the Senate with the request that the Senate pass the House bills or, failing that, agree to include the bills in the Budget Conference. ]
In the Senate Session, members considered the Senate Appropriations bills on 2nd Reading and considered the House companion bills. The Senate essentially amended each House bill by stripping off the House text and replacing it with the Senate text. This process places the House and Senate version of each bill in the correct posture for the Conference Committees to begin working on resolving any differences – that process is likely to begin sometime next week.
SB 2500 – Appropriations by Appropriations – READ 2ND TIME; AMENDED; SUBSTITUTED FOR HB 5001; SB 2500 LAID ON THE TABLE
HB 5001 – Appropriations by Appropriations – SUBSTITUTED FOR SB 2500; READ 2ND TIME; AMENDED; READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE
SB 2502 – Appropriations Implementing by Appropriations – READ 2ND TIME; SUBSTITUTED FOR HB 5003; SB 2502 LAID ON THE TABLE
HB 5003 – Appropriations Implementing by Appropriations – SUBSTITUTED FOR SB 2502; READ 2ND TIME; AMENDED; READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE
SB 2506 – Florida Retirement System / Contribution Rates by GOAC – READ 2ND TIME; SUBSTITUTED FOR HB 5005; SB 2506 LAID ON THE TABLE
HB 5005 – FRS / Contribution Rates by Appropriations – SUBSTITUTED FOR SB 2506; READ 2ND TIME; AMENDED; READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE
SB 852 – Education Assessments by Education – READ 2ND TIME; SUBSTITUTED FOR HB 5101; SB 852 LAID ON THE TABLE
HB 5101 – Education Funding by Education Appropriations – SUBSTITUTED FOR SB 852; READ 2ND TIME; AMENDED; READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE
[NOTE: The SB 852 was significantly amended to add several new provisions in order to create the Senate’s version of an education funding conforming bill. We will provide a side-by-side comparison of the provisions of the House and Senate versions as soon as possible.]
SB 864 – Instructional Materials / Adoption by Hays – READ 2ND TIME; PLACED ON CALENDAR ON 3RD READING
Providing that the district school board has the constitutional duty and responsibility to select and provide adequate instructional materials for all students; requiring a district school board or consortium of school districts to implement an instructional materials program; repealing provisions relating to bids, proposals, and advertisement regarding the adoption of instructional materials; requiring the district school board, rather than the commissioner, to conduct an independent investigation to determine the accuracy of district-adopted instructional materials, etc. [NOTE: FSBA is opposed to the Senate version of this bill. The House companion – HB 921 – has been substantially amended to retain the current state level adoption process and provide guidelines for districts that choose to follow the optional local adoption process.]
SB 1642 – Education Accountability by Education – READ 2ND TIME; AMENDED; PLACED ON CALENDAR ON 3RD READING
Providing definitions for the statewide, standardized assessment program and school grading system; requiring the Department of Education to develop a district report card; revising criteria that necessitate a school’s improvement plan to include certain strategies; revising legislative intent for the K-20 education performance accountability system, etc. [NOTE: This bill reflects DOE’s plan for the transition to the new state standards and assessments. While it contains many desirable provisions, FSBA is concerned that it does not address all of the areas of concern to ensure a thoughtful and successful transition.]
SB 358 – Volunteers / Organized Youth Sports by Ring – READ 2ND TIME; AMENDED; PLACED ON CALENDAR ON 3RD READING
Revising the definition of the term “athletic coach”; expanding provisions relating to athletic coaches for independent sanctioning authorities to require such authorities to conduct specified background screening of certain coaches of youth athletic teams; providing that the duty may not be delegated; providing for disqualification; providing for exemption from disqualification; requiring that specified documentation be maintained for a specified period by such authorities, etc.
COMING UP TOMORROW
Because the House and Senate were able to complete their Session agendas today, they have cancelled Sessions that were previously scheduled for tomorrow and there are now no meetings of interest scheduled for tomorrow. However, we hope to provide you with the latest FSBA Video Update and other materials tomorrow.
IN THE NEWS
Tampa Tribune – 4/3/14
House panel OKs bill to allow guns in Florida schools
http://tbo.com/news/politics/
Tampa Bay Times – 4/3/14
School grading revisions make their way through the Florida Legislature
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/
Florida Current – 4/2/14
Senate waters down school vouchers bill for disable students; passes another committee
http://www.thefloridacurrent.
