TODAY’S HAPPENINGS
In the Senate Session:
Bills on 2nd Reading
SB 790 – Education Technology by Legg – TEMPORARILY POSTPONED; RETAINED ON CALENDAR ON 2ND READING
Providing the purpose for the Florida digital classrooms allocation; requiring the State Board of Education to adopt a Florida digital classrooms plan that establishes certain protocols, parameters, requirements, and digital tools; repealing provisions relating to a pilot program for the transition to electronic and digital instructional materials; establishing the Florida Center for Library Automation, etc. [NOTE: This bill also was postponed on Thursday; it is likely that this bill will continue to be delayed until the chambers have come to agreement on the policy and funding implications of this bill in budget negotiations.]
SB 732 – Florida Prepaid College Program by Galvano – READ 2ND TIME; PLACED ON 3RD READING
Redefining the term “tuition differential”; prohibiting the amount of the aggregate sum of registration fees, the tuition differential fee, and local fees paid by the board to a state university on behalf of a qualified beneficiary of an advance payment contract from exceeding a certain percentage of the amount charged by the state university for the aggregate sum of those fees; prohibiting the amount of the dormitory fees paid for by the board to a state university on behalf of a qualified beneficiary of an advance payment contract from exceeding a certain percentage of the amount charged by the state university for those fees, etc.
Bills on 3rd Reading
HB 313 – Single Gender Public School Programs by M. Diaz – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE; PASSED THE LEGISLATURE
Providing requirements for a district school board when establishing a gender-specific elementary, middle, or high school; requiring school administrative and instructional personnel to participate in professional development, etc.
HB 785 – Workers’ Compensation by Albritton – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE; PASSED THE LEGISLATURE
Authorizing employers to negotiate the retrospectively rated premium with insurers under certain conditions, etc.
SB 850 – Education by Legg – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE; IN MESSAGES TO THE HOUSE
Requiring a school that includes certain grades to include information, data, and instructional strategies in its school improvement plan; revising the kind of lab schools that receive a proportional share of the sparsity supplement; requiring a district school board, in consultation with the district school superintendent, to make CAPE Digital Tool certificates and CAPE industry certifications available to students, including students with disabilities, in prekindergarten through grade 12, to enable students to attain digital skills; authorizing district school boards to execute a contract with a state university or certain independent colleges and universities to establish the collegiate high school program, etc.
SB 602 – Residency/Candidates/Public Officers by Latvala – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE SENATE; IN MESSAGES TO THE HOUSE
Requiring a candidate or public officer required to reside in a specific geographic area to have only one domicile at a time; providing factors that may be considered when determining residency; providing exceptions for active duty military members; specifying the applicability of residency requirements on the Governor and Cabinet officers; specifying that the act does not apply to members of the Legislature, etc.
In the House Session:
Bills on 2nd Reading
HB 7107 – Administrative Procedures by Rulemaking – READ 2ND TIME; PLACED ON 3RD READING
Revises requirements for notice of rule development, notice of proposed rule, & notice of change; authorizes electronic delivery of certain notices; revises requirements for certain agency filings with JAPC; requires certain agency personnel to attend public hearings; requires agency to publish notice of convening separate proceeding & tolling rulemaking deadlines during separate proceedings; revises requirements for substantially affected persons to submit proposals for lower cost regulatory alternatives following notice of change; revises requirements for agency’s consideration of lower cost regulatory alternatives; provides addition documents to be listed on agency website under certain conditions; provides additional requirements for calculation of estimated regulatory costs; creates presumption of adverse impact on small business; requires petition to establish community development district to include certain economic impacts statement.
HB 753 – School Safety by Stube – READ 2ND TIME; PLACED ON 3RD READING
Permits school superintendent, with approval of the school board, to authorize school safety designee to carry concealed weapon or firearm on school property; provides requirements for school safety designees; provides exception to prohibition on possession of firearms or other specified devices on school property or other specified areas; provides for fingerprint processing & retention; requires that fees be borne by school safety designee or school; requires school boards to formulate policies & procedures for dealing with active shooters & hostage situations in consultation with law enforcement; requires district school boards & private schools allow campus tours by local law enforcement agencies for specified purposes & that their recommendations be documented; permits district school boards to commission one or more school safety officers on each school campus. [NOTE: This bill has been amended to require authorization by the school board and designations to be made by the district superintendent, which makes it slightly more palatable. However, FSBA remains opposed to this bill.]
Bills on 3nd Reading
HB 7181 – Public Retirement Plans by State Affairs – READ 3RD TIME; AMENDED; PASSED THE HOUSE
Provides that certain members enrolled in FRS are vested in pension plan after 10 years of creditable service; revises provisions relating to compulsory membership in FRS Investment Plan, membership in Elected Officers’ Class & Senior Management Service Class, elected official membership eligibility, & Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program; closes Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program to new members; revises provisions relating to disability benefits; provides certain members with specified time to choose participation in pension plan or investment plan; revises provisions related to firefighters’ & police officers’ pension trust fund & pension plans; revises provisions relating to benefits funded from premium tax revenues & defined contribution plans; provides declaration of important state interest.
HB 487 – Agricultural Industry Certifications by Raburn – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
Requires DOACS to annually provide to SBE & DOE industry certifications for farm occupations to be considered for placement on industry certification funding lists; defines industry certification as part of career education programs; requires rules for implementing industry certification process for farm occupations.
HB 1053 – Teacher Education by Castor Dentel – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
Revises eligibility criteria for receipt of minority teacher education scholarship; requires Florida Fund for Minority Teachers, Inc., to submit annual report to Legislature relating to scholarship funds & recipients; revises funding for administration & training program carried out by board of directors of Florida Fund for Minority Teachers, Inc.
COMING UP TOMORROW
There are no meetings currently scheduled during the weekend, though it is likely that the budget chairs will continue to meet tonight and through the weekend. We will let you know of any important news.
IN THE NEWS
Tampa Bay Times – 4/25/14
Hernando teacher: “Dear Students, I’m Sorry”
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/
St Augustine Record – 4/25/14
Voucher expansion draws opposition
http://staugustine.com/news/
The Florida Current – 4/24/14
Lawmakers poised to change state pension
http://www.thefloridacurrent.
