FSBA Session Spotlight — March 21, 2017

The Senate Education Committee held a Workshop this afternoon that included a review of several Senate bills relating to assessment and accountability.  During the Workshop, each bill sponsor provided an overview of their bill, but there was no substantive debate or discussion of any of the bills and no votes were taken.  Even so, the Workshop provided an opportunity to note similarities and differences among the bills, possibly with an eye toward combining two or more of the bills into one omnibus bill. Several school district representatives and individuals offered brief testimony in support of one or more of the bills.  Senate staff prepared a Quick Reference Summary of Senate Assessment & Accountability Bills and more detailed summaries of these bills are provided below.

SB 584 by Montford – Alternative High School Graduation Requirements
The bill provides that, beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2016-2017 school year, certain students may be eligible for an alternative pathway to a standard high school diploma. To be eligible for an alternative pathway to a standard high school diploma, a student must not have passed the grade 10 ELA assessment or the statewide, standardized Algebra I EOC assessment. A student may satisfy the requirements for a standard high school diploma through the alternative pathway option by documenting all of the following:

• Completion of the minimum high school graduation course credit requirements established by rule of the State Board of Education.
• Attainment of the certain industry certifications, occupational completion points, and postsecondary credits.
• A mastery of the academic standards or competencies that had not previously been met, as indicated by the student in a portfolio containing quantifiable evidence of such mastery.

A school district must establish an Alternative Pathway to Graduation Review Committee for each student who chooses to obtain a standard high school diploma through the alternative pathway and establishes the membership and responsibilities of the Review Committee. The bill provides that a student must be awarded a standard high school diploma upon completion of the requirements of the alternative pathway graduation plan and documentation of the completion. Documentation must be verified by the Alternative Pathway to Graduation Review Committee and approved by the principal. The decision by the principal is final and may not be appealed by the student or the student’s parent.  The bill also establishes certain waiver provisions to align with the provisions of the bill. [NOTE: The House companion bill – HB 407 – is similar but has not been heard in any of the three committees of reference.]

SB 782 by Mayfield – High School Graduation Requirements
The bill removes a requirement that a student participating in an interscholastic sport pass a competency test on personal fitness to satisfy the physical education credit requirement for high school graduation. [NOTE: The House companion bill – HB 6015 – is identical but has not been heard in any of the two committees of reference.]

SB 906 by Steube – Student Assessments
The bill that, by July 31, 2017, and every 3 years thereafter, the Commissioner of Education must publish on the department’s website any assessment administered or adopted during the previous school year, including, but not limited to, any statewide standardized assessment, end-of-course assessment, alternative assessment, or national or international assessment. [NOTE: The House companion bill – HB 549 — is similar and was amended and passed in the first of three committees of reference]

SB 926 by Flores – K-12 Student Assessments
The bill:

• Requires the Commissioner of Education to review specified college entrance examinations to determine their alignment with the core curricular content for high school level English Language Arts and mathematics established in state standards and to submit a report on the results of the review to the Governor, Legislature, and State Board of Education by December 1, 2017.
• Revises provisions relating to achievement levels to provide that, beginning with any new contract for the ELA assessment and the mathematics assessment entered into after July 1, 2017, achievement level 3 shall be defined as proficient for each new assessment. 
• Revises test administration schedules to provide that, beginning with the 2017-2018 school year and with the exception of the grade 3 Reading assessment, the ELA assessment in grades 3 – 10 and the mathematics assessment in grades 3 – 8 must be administered no earlier than during the last 3 weeks of the school year as determined by a district school board’s policy and within a testing window not to exceed 3 weeks.
• Provides that, beginning with any new contract for the ELA assessment and the mathematics assessment entered into after July 1, 2017, each new assessment must be made available once per quarter for students who the school district has identified through competency-based education as having mastered the content and who are prepared to take the applicable assessment. 
• Revises the timeframe for the return of text results to provide that a school district must provide a student’s performance results on district-required local assessments to the student’s teachers within 1 week and to the student’s parents no later than 30 days after administering such assessments, unless there are extenuating circumstances identified by the superintendent. The results of statewide, standardized ELA and mathematics assessments must be reported in an easy-to-read and understandable format to each student’s current teacher of record and to each student’s teacher of record for the subsequent school year before the start of that school year.  The bill identifies specific elements that must be included in the report of student assessment results

[NOTE: The House companion bill – HB 773 — is identical and was passed in the first of three committees of reference.]

SB 964 by Montford – Education Accountability
The bill limits annual assessments to just what the federal ESSA requires as follows:

• Repeals all EOC requirements except Algebra I and Biology I. Geometry, Algebra II, U.S. History and Civics EOCs would no longer be administered or required.
• Authorizes the selection of a nationally recognized high school assessment (PSAT, SAT, ACT) in lieu of administering the tenth grade FSA.
• Repeals the requirement for a specific 9th grade ELA assessment. ESSA only requires the administration of one assessment for high school

 The bill revises test administration and reporting as follows:

• Authorizes tests to be administered using paper/pencil or nonelectronically.
• Requires the FSA to be administered no earlier than the last four weeks of school.
• Requires the FSA, Algebra I, and Biology I EOC results to be available within 30 days of administration.
• Requires the Commissioner of Education to provide a detailed analysis of information relating to student achievement levels and learning gains on statewide, standardized assessments. Requires the analysis to be included in the department’s annual report to the Governor and Legislature.

 The bill revises performance evaluations for teachers and administrators as follows:

• Repeals the Value Added Model (VAM) and returns the teacher and administrator evaluation system to the local level.
• Reduces unnecessary assessments that are only given to measure performance for the sake of a teacher or administrator evaluation.
• Provides that the performance evaluation would be composed of two components – the performance of students and instructional practice for teachers or instructional leadership for administrators.

 The bill revises school grading and accountability as follows:

• Modifies school grading system to incorporate the elimination of EOCs.
• Requires DOE to develop a model for retaining learning gains in the school grading system, particularly high schools, which incorporates the flexibility to adopt a nationally recognized high school assessment.
• Defines learning gain as maintaining achievement level 3, 4 or 5 or increasing such achievement level.
• Authorizes, for school grade purposes, the grades for high school courses taken in middle school to also be reflected in the school grade for the high school to which the student will transfer.
• Incorporates provisions for calculating the high school graduation rate authorized by ESSA to include the use of a five-year graduation rate.
• Requires that at least ten percent of the school grade must be based upon at least one measurable indicator of school quality or student access that may include, but not be limited to, student engagement, educator engagement, student access to and completion of advanced coursework, postsecondary readiness, school climate and safety, student attendance, or student persistence.

[NOTE: The House companion bill – HB 1249 — is identical but has not been heard in any of the three committees of reference.]

SB 1222 by Bradley – School Grades
Under current law, a school that serves any combination of K-3 students that does not receive a school grade as a result of its students not being tested receives the school grade of a K-3 feeder pattern school if at least 60% of the students are assigned to the graded school. The bill revises the number of students required to establish a school feeder pattern from 60% to a majority. [NOTE: The House companion bill – HB 781 — is similar and was passed in two of the three committees of reference.]

SB 1280 by Rodriguez – Mandatory Retention
The bill removes the requirement for mandatory retention of a third grade student based on his or her performance on the English Language Arts assessment and conforms statutes to align with this repeal. [NOTE: The House companion bill – HB 131 — is identical but has not been heard in any of the three committees of reference.]

 In addition to this informative Workshop, several other bills of interest that were under consideration today.  Please click on the link below to access information on the content and outcome on those bills.

[toggle title=”Today’s Happenings – March 21, 2017“]

In the House Careers & Competition Subcommittee meeting:
HB 1021 – Construction by Avila — PASSED
The bill addresses various issues relating to the Florida Building Code, renewable energy and energy standards, and local government authority to impose certain requirements. Of particular interest to school boards, the bill incorporates findings and recommendations made by the Construction Industry Workforce Task Force (CIWT), including:

• Requiring the Department of Education (DOE) and Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) to create a study on how to implement the following CIWT recommendations: 
  • Determining the appropriateness of transferring apprenticeship programs from DOE to DEO; 
  • Expanding the definition of local education agency; 
  • Providing clarity on how current apprenticeship programs are funded from the state to the local educational agencies and how they spend apprenticeship funding; 
  • Requiring the State Board of Education to accept the curriculum developed by the National Center for Construction Education and Research, as credit for scholarships; 
  • Providing additional support to K-12 programs to ensure construction-related education programs are offered through existing career and technical education programs; and 
  • Authorizing an alternative instructor certification process through DOE which does not require certification through local educational agencies.
• Requiring CareerSource Florida, Inc.(CSF) to fund construction training programs using existing federal funds awarded to CSF for training purposes.
• Requiring DBPR to contribute $150,000 from the permit surcharge fund for continuation of the CIWT.

In the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee meeting:
HB 749 – Adoption Benefits by Combee — PASSED
The bill revises definition of term “qualifying adoptive employee” to include employees of charter schools & Florida Virtual School for purpose of extending state employee adoption benefits to such employees; provides for retroactive application; requires such employees to apply to their school directors to obtain monetary benefits; requires CFO to transfer funds for such purpose.

In the House PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee meeting:
HB 655 — Exceptional Student Instruction by Porter — PASSED
The bill removes one of the options currently available to a school district receiving an exceptional student with a disability who resides in a residential facility. Under current law, the receiving school district must provide educational instruction to the student, contract with another provider or facility to provide the educational instruction, contract with the residential care facility in which the student resides to provide the educational instruction, or decline to provide or contract for educational instruction.  The bill removes the option for the school district to decline to provide or contract for educational instruction for the student.

HB 757 — Voluntary Prekindergarten Education by Donalds – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE (CS)
The bill requires the Just Read, Florida! Office to train Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) through grade 3 personnel on effective research-based reading instructional strategies and interventions; requires each Early Learning Coalition to coordinate with the Florida’s Office of Early Learning (OEL) to assign student identification numbers to each VPK student; requires each public and private school in the VPK program to provide parents the results of the evidence based pre- and post-assessments within 10 days after administration of each assessment; requires statewide kindergarten screening to emphasize and directly assess early literacy and numeracy skills; authorizes a child that is at risk of not attaining the VPK performance standards to reenroll in one of the school-year programs for the subsequent year at the request of the child’s parent; and changes the date the DOE must report its findings on district implementation of reading plans from February 1, to December 1, and clarifies that the report must include findings from the previous school year.  The bill appropriates $10 million to the DOE for development and training of VPK through grade 3 teachers, reading coaches and school principals on research-based reading instructional strategies and interventions.

HB 1131 — Shared Use of Public School Playground Facilities by Drake – TEMPORARILY POSTPONED
The bill requires the Department of Education (DOE) to provide technical assistance to school districts to promote community use of shared facilities and provides funding to the DOE to provide short-term grants to districts, establish guidelines for funding eligibility for the grants and develop a grant application process. The bill creates a Shared Use Task Force to identify barriers in creating shared use agreements and to make recommendations to facilitate the shared use of school facilities generally and in high-need communities.

HB 1391 – Education/Home Education by Eisnaugle – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
The bill:

• Requires a parent’s notice of intent to provide home education to their child(ren) include the student’s full legal name and provides that the notice is prima facie evidence of the validity of the provided information;
• Authorizes school districts to provide a home education student access to career and technical courses and programs;
• Authorizes school districts to offer industry certifications, national assessments and statewide, standardized assessments to a home education student;
• Reimburses dual enrollment instructional materials expenses to a home education program student;
• Prohibits a district school superintendent from requiring evidence of a child’s age if the child meets regular attendance requirements by attending certain educational institutions or programs;
• Limits the documentation a school district can require from a home education student;
• Exempts a home education program student from the grade point average requirement for admission to a dual enrollment program if the student meets the minimum score on a college placement test;
• Exempts dual enrollment students from paying postsecondary institution technology fees and explicitly exempts public school, private school or home education dual enrollment students from payment of registration, tuition, technology and laboratory fees; and
• Clarifies that private school and a home education program students are not required to reimburse tuition for dual enrollment.

[NOTE: The bill was amended to remove an appropriation of $1 million of recurring general revenue for the 2017-2018 fiscal year and reference to the use of the funds. The short summary above reflects those changes.]

In the House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee meeting:
HB 1239 – School Bus Safety by Eagle — PASSED
The bill creates the Cameron Mayhew Act, providing that, in addition to any other civil, criminal, or administrative penalty, a person who fails to stop for a school bus and this causes or results in the serious bodily injury or death of another person must serve 120 hours of community service in a trauma center or hospital and participate in a victim’s impact panel session in a judicial circuit or attend a specified driver improvement course. A fine of $1,500 and a one-year driver license suspension also would apply in these circumstances. In addition, the bill provides that additional points are added to a driver license record for passing a stopped school bus.

HB 1427 – School Bus Safety by J. Cortes – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
The bill reclassifies passing a stopped school bus on the side the children enter and exit the bus as reckless driving (rather than a moving violation). Reckless driving is either a misdemeanor in the first degree or a felony in the third degree, depending upon the circumstances.

In the Senate Session:
SB 436 – Religious Expression in Public Schools by Baxley – READ SECOND TIME; PLACED ON 3^RD READING FOR 3/23/17
The bill creates the “Florida Student and School Personnel Religious Liberties Act”. The bill requires that students’ work be graded according to the expected academic standards, without regard for any religious content. The bill provides that, if students in a given school setting are permitted to wear clothing, jewelry, or accessories that display a secular message or symbol, then students may also wear items displaying religious messages or symbols. In addition, the bill authorizes students to express themselves in a religious manner, and to engage in and organize religious activities to the same extent as secular expressions and activities are permitted. The bill also provides that school districts may not discriminate against their employees on religious grounds and school personnel may not be barred from joining in certain types of student-initiated religious activities. Such activities must be on school grounds, occur at reasonable times before or after school, be voluntary, and not conflict with the duties of the employee joining the student-initiated activity. The bill requires school districts to allow religious groups to have access to the same facilities for assembly that it permits such access to secular groups. School districts are required to adopt a policy establishing a “limited public forum” for student speakers at certain school events. This policy must include certain elements and must include or be comprised entirely of the model limited public forum policy developed and published by the Florida Department of Education.

In the House Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee meeting:
HB 697 – Federal Immigration Enforcement by Metz – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
Designates act “Rule of Law Adherence Act”; prohibits sanctuary policies; requires state & local governmental agencies to comply with & support enforcement of federal immigration law; provides requirements concerning immigration detainers & certain arrested persons; Prohibits restrictions on transfer of certain information related to enforcement of immigration law; authorizes law enforcement agency to transport unauthorized alien; authorizes ordinances for recovery immigration detainer costs; provides whistle-blower protections for certain officials; requires AG to prescribe format for complaints; provides injunctive relief & civil penalties; prohibiting the expenditure of public funds for specified purposes; provides cause of action for personal injury or wrongful death attributed to sanctuary policy; prohibits discrimination on specified grounds; provides for implementation; requires repeal of existing sanctuary policies. [NOTE: A technical amendment was approved, but several other amendments that sought to address concerns about civil rights and related constitutional issues failed.  There was extensive testimony in opposition to this bill.]

In the Senate Agriculture Committee meeting:
SB 1692 – School Garden Programs by Torres — PASSED
The bill requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to annually provide information to each school district related to establishing a school garden program at schools within the district.  A school that establishes a school garden program may select one day a week to allow students who qualify for free or reduced-price school lunch to select and receive produce from the garden under procedures established by the school district. A school that establishes a school garden program is exempt from any portion of statute or rule that prohibits a student from receiving and consuming produce grown through the school garden program.

In the Senate Children, Families, & Elder Affairs Committee meeting:
SB 286 – Human Traffic Education In Schools by Steube — PASSED
The bill revises the required health education in public schools to include information regarding the dangers and signs of human trafficking. The bill provides elements that must be included in the instruction and provides that a student may elect to opt out of the instruction of this portion of the health education by providing the school with a written note from his or her parent.

In the Senate Education Committee meeting:
[NOTE:  In addition to the Workshop on Assessment & Accountability bills described above, the Committee considered the following bills.  Amendments to the bills listed below were technical or minor and did not substantively revise the bills.]

SB 642 by Garcia – Public Educational Facilities — PASSED
The bill provides that, for purposes of determining the capacity of school facilities, a school containing students in kindergarten through grade 5 is considered an elementary school and a school containing students in grades 6 through 8 is considered a middle school. The bill provides that, upon request by a district school board, the commissioner shall grant an exemption from the State  Requirements for Educational Facilities (SREF).  The district school board must provide a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis along with its request for an exemption from the SREF. Any district school board that is granted such exemption must continue to comply with applicable provisions of the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code.

SB 772 by Rouson – Assistive Technology Devices – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
The bill revises provisions relating to the accessibility and use of assistive technology devices by persons with disabilities.

SB 780 by Stargel – Adoption Benefits – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
The bill revises the definition of the term “qualifying adoptive employee” to include persons employed by charter schools and the Florida Virtual School for the purpose of extending adoption benefits to those employees. The bill authorizes such employees of charter schools and the Florida Virtual School to apply retroactively for the adoption benefit in certain circumstances.

SB 808 by Mayfield – Maximum Class Size — PASSED
The bill revises the method for calculating the penalty to be at the school average for any school that fails to comply with class size requirements. The bill repeals an increase in the penalty for failure to comply with the class size requirements and provides that a district may not have its class size categorical allocation reduced for the 2017-18 or 2018-19 fiscal years if it meets certain requirements.

SB 890 by Bean – Review of the Florida Endowment for Vocational Rehabilitation – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
The bill repeals statutes that provide for future review and repeal of provisions governing the Florida Endowment for Vocational Rehabilitation, abrogating the scheduled repeal.

SB 896 by Simmons – Direct-support Organization for the Florida Prepaid Tuition Scholarship Program — AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
The bill amends statutes to extend, from 2017 to 2022, the repeal date of the direct-support organization for the Florida Prepaid Tuition Scholarship Program.

SB 1252 by Galvano – Education — PASSED
The bill deletes obsolete provisions relating to a requirement that the Department of Education have an operating electronic individual education plan system in place for potential statewide use, revises the membership of the Higher Education Coordinating Council, and revises the date by which the Board of Governors of the State University System must annually submit an accountability report.

SB 1458 by Simmons – Direct-support Organizations – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
The bill abrogates the scheduled repeal of provisions relating to the blind services direct-support organization and the Florida Endowment for Vocational Rehabilitation.

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[toggle title=”Coming Up Tomorrow – March 22, 2017“]

Please note that the meetings listed below may be viewed via live webcast or archived videos on the Florida Channel. Also, for real-time updates on these meetings and other legislative activities, please click HERE to access our Twitter feed.

The House Government Accountability Committee will meet (9:15 am-12:15 pm; 17 HOB) to consider the following items and others:
HB 11 — Labor Organizations by Plakon
The bill requires an employee organization to include the following information in its annual financial report for each certified bargaining unit that the organization represents:

• The number of employees in the bargaining unit who are eligible for representation by the employee organization; and
• The number of employees who are represented by the organization, specifying the number of members who pay dues and the number of members who do not pay dues.

If a registered employee organization does not submit this information for a certified bargaining unit it represents, the organization’s certification for that unit is revoked (this provision does not apply to an employee organization that represents law enforcement officers, correctional officers, or firefighters). The bill also requires an employee organization that has been certified as the bargaining agent for a unit whose dues-paying membership is less than 50% of the employees eligible for representation in that unit to petition the commission for recertification as the exclusive representative of all employees in the unit within one month after the date on which the organization applies for registration renewal. The certification of an employee organization that does not comply with this requirement is revoked (again, this requirement does not apply to an employee organization that represents law enforcement officers, correctional officers, or firefighters).

HB 479 – Government Accountability by Metz
The bill amends statutes pertaining to government accountability and auditing. Of particular interest to school boards, the bill:

•  Specifies that the Governor or Commissioner of Education, or designee, may notify the Legislative Auditing Committee of an entity’s failure to comply with certain auditing and financial reporting requirements;
• Provides definitions for the terms “abuse”, “fraud”, and “waste”;
• Requires each agency, the judicial branch, the Justice Administrative Commission, state attorneys, public defenders, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, the Guardian Ad Litem program, local governmental entities, charter schools, school districts, Florida College System institutions, and state universities to establish and maintain internal controls;
• Revises the composition of auditor selection committees;
• Requires completion of an annual financial audit of the Florida Virtual School;
• Requires a local governmental entity, district school board, charter school, or charter technical career center, Florida College System board of trustees, or university board of trustees to respond to audit recommendations under certain circumstances;
• Requires an independent certified public accountant conducting an audit of a local governmental entity to determine, as part of the audit, whether the entity’s annual financial report is in agreement with the entity’s audited financial statements;
• Limits to $150 the amount that may be reimbursed per day for travel lodging expenses for state agency and judicial branch employees under certain circumstances; and
• Prohibits a board or commission from requiring a member of the public to provide an advance written copy of his or her testimony or comments as a precondition of being given the opportunity to be heard.

 HB 599 – Public Works Projects by Williamson
The bill prohibits the state or a political subdivision, except when required by state or federal law, from requiring a contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier or carrier engaged in a public works project to:

• Pay employees a predetermined amount of wages or prescribe any wage rate;
• Provide employees a specified type, amount, or rate of employee benefits;
• Control, limit, or expand staffing; or
• Recruit, train, or hire employees from a designated, restricted, or single source.    

In addition, the bill provides that the state or a political subdivision that contracts for a public works project may not prohibit a contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier or carrier from submitting a bid on the project or being awarded the relevant contract if such individual is otherwise qualified to do the work described. This provision does not apply to vendors that have been convicted of a public entity crime or have been found to have committed discrimination.

HB 7021 — Local Government Ethics Reform by Public Integrity & Ethics
The bill makes numerous changes to Florida’s Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees (Code) as it relates to local government officers, employees, and lobbyists. Of particular interest to school boards, the bill creates or amends ethics provisions related to the following:

• Corrects an oversight with respect to the Code’s prohibition on conflicting employment or contractual relationships;
• Strengthens the law on voting conflicts of interest by requiring local officers that must abstain from voting on a measure due to a voting conflict of interest to disclose the conflict prior to participating in the measure;
• Requires each officer subject to the annual ethics training requirement to provide the training provider’s name on his or her annual financial disclosure form;
• Adds school districts to the list of governmental entities that may withhold salary-related payments for failure to timely file disclosure of financial interests;
• Requires a person who wishes to lobby certain local governmental entities, including school districts, to register as a lobbyist with the Commission on Ethics;
• Expands the duties of the Commission on Ethics to include rendering advisory opinions.

 HB 7023 — Local Government Lobbyist Registration Trust Fund by Public Integrity & Ethics
The bill creates the Local Government Lobbyist Registration Trust Fund within the Commission on Ethics. The trust fund’s purpose is to administer the Local Government Lobbyist Registration System, with annual registration fees collected to fund the administration of the program, including the payment of salaries and expenses. [NOTE: This bill is linked to HB 7021 discussed above.]

The Senate Community Affairs Committee will meet (1:30-3:30 pm; 301 SOB) to consider the following item and others:
SB 148 — Students Remaining on School Grounds During School Hours by Garcia
The bill authorizes district school boards to adopt policies for allowing students to leave school grounds during school hours, with some exceptions.  The bill clarifies that district school board procedures for granting permission for students to leave school grounds during school hours includes the school lunch period.  In addition, the bill provides that in a district that has more than 100,000 students in prekindergarten through grade 12, a school may not permit a student to leave school grounds for the lunch period unless the student’s parent has, in writing, consented for his or her child to leave school grounds during the lunch period for the school year.

The Senate Government Oversight & Accountability Committee will meet (1:30-3:30 pm; 401 SOB) to consider the following item and others:
SB 534 – Public Works Projects by Perry
The bill prohibits the state and its political subdivisions that contract for public works projects from imposing restrictive conditions on certain contractors, subcontractors, or material suppliers or carriers, except as otherwise required by federal or state law. Specifically, the state or political subdivision that contracts for a public works project may not require that a contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier or carrier engaged in the project:

• Pay employees a predetermined amount of wages or prescribe any wage rate;
• Provide employees a specified type, amount, or rate of employee benefits;
• Control, limit, or expand staffing; or
• Recruit, train, or hire employees from a designated, restricted, or single source.

 The bill specifies that public works projects include only those projects for which 50 percent or more of the cost will be paid from state-appropriated funds.  The bill also prohibits the state or a political subdivision from restricting a qualified contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier or carrier from submitting a bid on any public works project or being awarded any contract, subcontract, material order, or carrying order.

SB 1540 – Department of Management Services by Brandes
The bill creates the Statewide Procurement Efficiency Task Force for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness and value of state and local procurement laws and policies to the taxpayers of this state and determining where inconsistencies in such laws and policies exist. The task force shall be composed of 11 members including the Secretary of Management Services, two members appointed by the President of the Senate, two members appointed by the Speaker of the House, and six members appointed by the Governor. A school board member must be among those appointed by the Governor.  Task force members must be appointed by July 1, 2017.  The task force must submit a final report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by July 1, 2018.  The report must, at a minimum, include recommendations for consideration by the Legislature to promote procurement efficiency, streamline procurement policies, establish best management practices, and encourage increased use of state term contracts.

 The Senate Ethics & Elections Committee will meet (4:00-6:00 pm; 412 KOB) to consider the following item and others:
SB 278 – Local Referenda by Steube
The bill requires local governments to hold a referendum during a general election to adopt or amend local option discretionary sales surtaxes.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet (4:00-6:00 pm; 110 SOB) to consider the following items and others:
SB 1330 – Weapons and Firearms by Stargel
Current law (section 790.115, F.S.) prohibits carrying a firearm or weapon on any school property, subject to exceptions in the statute. The term “school” is defined to include preschools through colleges and universities, public or private, as well as career centers. The bill restricts the application of this law to public schools so this section would no longer apply to private schools. The effect of this change is limited by other state and federal laws regulating weapons and firearms.

SB 612 – Federal Matching Funds Information by Gibson
The bill requires each state agency and the judicial branch to include the following information in its annual legislative budget request for each appropriation category:

• An identification of each program that receives some, but does not maximize available federal matching funding.
• An identification of the amount of state or local funds that would be required to maximize the amount of federal matching funds provided to the state.
• A listing of federal programs that the agency or judicial branch does not participate in, but for which the agency could receive federal funding by participating in such programs.
• An estimate of the amount of federal funds the agency or state does not draw down as a result of non-participation in the federal match programs identified.

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