LAST WEEK OF SESSION NOTES
During the last week of the Legislative Session bills and amendments – both on the floor of each chamber and between the two chambers — can move very quickly and, sometimes, unexpectedly. We will make every effort to keep you informed of what is happening and will continue to provide a summary of each day’s events at the end of the day, but the following day’s schedule will no longer be available in a timely manner. As a result, our “Coming Up Tomorrow” section in our Update may not be complete for the remainder of the Session. However, when bills of interest come up unexpectedly, we will send a Legislative Alert – as we did earlier today with regard to Instructional Materials – so that, hopefully, you will have an opportunity to contact legislators in a timely manner with your message of opposition or support. Even with things moving so quickly, please remember that, if you have questions about the status of any bill, you may contact me at melton@fsba.org or Dr. Blanton at Blanton@fsba.org.
BUDGET UPDATE
Yesterday and today the Appropriations Committee chairs – Senator Negron and Representative McKeel – met several times to resolve the remaining differences between the House and Senate budgets. All issues appear to be settled. We have not seen a funding summary but we anticipate that there will be an increase in FEFP funding of approximately 2.65% over current year funding. This translates into total FEFP funding of about $18.9 billion. The budget is expected to be printed and made available for review sometime tomorrow so we will provide more detailed information in tomorrow’s Daily Update.
TODAY’S HAPPENINGS
In the Senate Session:
Bills on 2nd Reading
SB 790 – Education Technology by Legg – TEMPORARILY POSTPONED ON 2ND READING; RETAINED ON CALENDAR
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 has been postponed several times because the budget conference committee had not come to agreement on public school technology policy and funding. Now that negotiations have concluded, it is likely that this bill will finally be considered. Please note that some of the provisions of this bill are the Senate version of the provisions in the House conforming bill – HB 5101 – relating to the exclusive use of the Florida Information Resource Network (FIRN) and use of federal E-Rate funds.]
Bills on 3rd Reading
SB 732 – Florida Prepaid College Program by Galvano – TEMPORARILY POSTPONED ON 3RD READING; RETAINED ON CALENDAR
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.
In the House Session:
Bills on 2nd Reading
HB 921 – Instructional Materials / Adoption by M. Gaetz – LAID ON THE TABLE
SB 864 – Instructional Materials / Adoption by Hays – READ 2ND TIME; AMENDED; READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE
SB 864 was substantially amended in the House today so that it mirrors, in most respects, the provisions that FSBA supported in HB 921. AS AMENDED, SB 864 now retains the state-level adoption process; retains the local OPTION for the school board to handle its own textbook adoption process; providing that each district school board is responsible for the content of all instructional materials used in a classroom; requiring district school boards to provide a process for public review of, and comment on, instructional materials; provides additional requirements for those school districts that choose to exercise the option for local instructional materials review and adoption; revises criteria for state-level instructional materials reviewers; requires school boards to adopt a policy outlining a process for parental objection of instructional materials and a process by which a parent may contest the district school board’s adoption of a specific instructional material; etc. [NOTE: Representative Gaetz offered the main, strike-all amendment to the Senate bill. Since the bill that was passed by the Senate has now been amended by the House, the next step is for this revised Senate bill to be returned to the Senate for consideration.]
Bills on 3rd Reading
HB 7107 – Administrative Procedures by Rulemaking – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE; IN MESSAGES TO THE SENATE
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 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE; IN MESSAGES TO THE SENATE
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. FSBA supported the amendment to make these provisions subject to local school board policy, but remains opposed to this bill as a whole. While it appears unlikely that the Senate will take action on this bill, it is certainly possible and we will keep you informed of any developments. In the meantime, it’s important to note that the Senate bill – SB 968 – DOES NOT include the provisions making the provisions subject to local school board policy.]
COMING UP TOMORROW
The Senate will be in Session – 10:00 am-6:00 pm; Florida Channel webcast – to consider the following items and others:
Bills on 2nd Reading
SB 790 – Education Technology by Legg
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.
HB 487 – Agricultural Industry Certifications by Raburn
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.
Bills on 3rd Reading
SB 732 – Florida Prepaid College Program by Galvano
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.
SB 1702 – Early Learning by Education
Providing a directive to the Division of Law Revision and Information; including large family child care homes in local zoning regulation requirements; providing requirements for nonpublic schools delivering certain voluntary prekindergarten education programs and school readiness programs; revising provisions for licensure, registration, and operation of family day care homes; requiring a child care facility operating as a provider of certain voluntary prekindergarten education programs or child care programs to comply with minimum standards, etc.
SB 1318 – Public Records / Public-Private Partnerships by Evers
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 886 – Teachers Classroom Supply Program by Montford
Revising procedures for distributing program funds to classroom teachers, etc.
SB 698 – Sexual Misconduct with Students by Stargel
Citing this act as the “Sexual Misconduct with Students by Authority Figures Act”; providing for reclassification of specified sexual offenses committed against a student by an authority figure; providing for severity ranking of offenses; providing for application of the severity ranking chart of the Criminal Punishment Code, etc.
SB 444 – Workers’ Compensation by Galvano
Revising powers of the Department of Financial Services relating to compliance with and enforcement of workers’ compensation coverage requirements; revising requirements for the release of stop-work orders; revising rate formulas related to the determination of compensation for disability and death; revising provisions relating to the assessment rate of the Special Disability Trust Fund, etc.
The House will also be in Session but the agenda of bills on 2nd and 3rd Reading was not available as of this writing.
IN THE NEWS
Tampa Bay Times – 4/28/14
House approves plan to arm teachers
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/
St. Augustine Record – 4/28/14
Fla. legislators face a busy final week of session
http://staugustine.com/news/
