FSBA Session Spotlight — April 25, 2019

It is likely that Budget Conference Committees will meet today to continue their efforts to work out differences between the House and Senate budgets. Meanwhile, both chambers will hold floor sessions to consider several bills of interest including ongoing consideration of the Senate’s omnibus education bill — SB 7070 – that addresses public and private…

Details

Budget conference: Student spending gap shrinks

The Senate is offering a less-ambitious increase to per-pupil funding, moving more toward the House’s position on money for Florida schools.  Members from both chambers met for the first time Wednesday to work out funding differences for the PreK-12 education system. Among other revisions, the Senate offered to lessen its per-pupil spending increase from $350 to…

Details

FSBA Session Spotlight — April 24, 2019

As reported in Tuesday’s Session Spotlight, the Budget Conference Committees have been assembled and begun work on resolving differences between the House and Senate budgets. Last night, the Higher Education Budget Conference Committee met and the House has made an initial offer on a variety of issues, including Workforce Education.  The PreK-12 Conference Committee is…

Details

Finish line: Legislative leadership optimistic as budget conferences begin

Leadership in the House and Senate seem to think they’ll wrap the annual 60-day lawmaking process in a timely manner this year as budget conferences were set to begin Tuesday evening.  Budget chiefs Sen. Rob Bradley and Rep. Travis Cummings delivered optimistic remarks while standing side-by-side after the first joint appropriations meeting Tuesday afternoon. Read More

Details

Florida Senate passes bill that allows classroom teachers to be armed – nearly along party lines

More than a year after last year’s Valentine’s Day shooting in Parkland that shocked the state and blurred party lines in the state Capitol, the Florida Senate passed a follow-up bill that has become increasingly partisan because of its expansion of a program that would allow classroom teachers to be armed.  It succeeded on a…

Details

FSBA Session Spotlight — April 23, 2019

With less than two weeks remaining in this Legislative Session, the tempo of business is likely to increase and meeting schedules will become more unpredictable. After today, committees will meet only if called for a specific reason and both chambers will devote most of their time to floor sessions and conference committee work.  In addition,…

Details

FSBA Session Spotlight — April 18, 2019

Today’s agenda includes just two committee meetings. Of particular interest, the Senate Appropriations Committee will consider its version of an omnibus education bill — SB 7070 — that expands public and private school choice programs and addresses a variety of other issues. An 85-page strike-all amendment has been filed to this controversial bill, so a…

Details

Senate panel temporarily pulls plug on school board term limit bill

A bill that would impose term limits on local school board members stalled in a Senate panel on Wednesday. Sen. Dennis Baxley’s bill (SJR 274) proposes a constitutional amendment on the question, requiring a statewide approval of 60% to be added to the state’s governing document.  But the need for a statewide vote on a…

Details