2016 Legislative Session Weekly Update
1/16/2016
Committee Reports:
Senate Higher Education Committee – January 11, 2015
Two bills were passed by the committee.
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S0962 by Senator Gaetz – Vocation Rehabilitation
o Codifies the Vocation Rehabilitation performance funding metrics from last year’s budget.
S0984 by Senator Legg – Educational Access and Affordability
o SB 984 modifies requirements related to higher education textbooks and instructional materials
affordability and promotes public awareness on higher education costs. Specifically, the bill:
 Expands textbook provisions to include instructional materials.
 Modifies the textbook and instructional materials affordability policies, procedures, and
guidelines adopted by the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors for the State
University System of Florida to include new issues and specifies reporting requirements
regarding textbooks and instructional materials.
 Establishes college affordability provisions to identify strategies and initiatives to reduce the
cost of higher education, and specifies annual reporting requirements regarding college
affordability.
 Establishes notification requirements to inform students and the public, clearly and specifically,
about any upcoming institutional boards of trustees meeting at which a vote will be taken on
proposed increases in tuition and fees.
Three additional bills were workshopped (discussed but no votes taken) by the Committee. The bills are very similar.
Please see attached crosswalk for the differences in the bill.
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S1060 by Senator Legg – Career and Adult Education
SB 0726 by Senator Ring – Career and Adult Education
SB 0836 by Senator Gaetz – Rapid Response Education and Training Program
There is one provision, of these workshopped bills, that has a direct impact on UWF. That provision pertains to the
Rapid Response Training Program. There are two differing ways to approach the program in the bills.
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SB 726 creates the Rapid Response Grant Program to award competitive grants through the Department of
Education to career centers for expanding or implementing high-demand postsecondary programs.
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SB 836 creates the Rapid Response Education & Training Program to award competitive grants through the
Complete Florida Plus Program at the University of West Florida to any public/private education and training
program providers for enhancing business and industry recruitment and retention efforts.
Senate Ethics and Elections
The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee met on Tuesday and reviewed quite a few appointments. The appointments
of Trustees Bob Jones and Bentina Terry successfully moved through the committee and now await the final
confirmation vote before the full Florida Senate.
House Higher Education and Workforce Committee – January 13, 2015
The House Higher Education held a short committee to hear HB 0793 –The bill allows an eligible student to defer their
bright futures award while participating in a full-time religious or service obligation, repeals the higher SAT or ACT score
requirement for home education students, and creates the Florida Gold Seal CAPE-Vocational Scholars award as an
alternative to the current Florida Gold Seal Vocational award. The bill was passed unanimously by this committee.
Senate Fiscal Policy Committee – January 14, 2015
The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee held a committee which one of the bills heard has an impact on UWF students. SB
520 allows students to defer the 2-year initial bright futures award period and the 5-year renewal period until the
student completes the religious or service obligation. The bill also alters the community service requirement and
eliminates the high score requirement on ACT and SAT for homeschooled students. The bill was passed unanimously by
this committee.
Priority Bill Report
Performance Based Funding Bills
SB 524 - Relating to State University System Performance-based Incentives
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
10/14/15
SENATE
Filed
10/21/15
SENATE
Referred to Higher Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations
11/09/15
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Higher Education, 11/17/15, 10:00 am, 412 K
11/17/15
SENATE
Favorable with CS by Higher Education; 9 Yeas, 0 Nays
11/19/15
SENATE
SENATE
Committee Substitute Text (C1) Filed
Now in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
11/23/15
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, 12/03/15, 3:30 pm, 412
K
12/03/15
SENATE
Favorable with CS by Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; 6 Yeas, 1 Nay
12/07/15
SENATE
Now in Appropriations
SB 524 codifies and modifies performance based funding for the colleges and universities and educator liability
insurance program by:
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Requiring the Board of Governors (BOG) to adopt a regulation implementing the State University System
Performance-Based Incentive Program. The program must include wage thresholds that reflect the added value
of a baccalaureate degree and minimum performance funding eligibility thresholds that, if not met, will make an
institution ineligible for the state’s investment in performance funding. Likewise, any institution that fails to
meet the threshold for the institutional investment will have its entire institutional investment withheld. The
ability for a state university to submit an improvement plan to the BOG, in an effort to restore its institutional
investment, is limited to one fiscal year.
Requiring the State Board of Education (SBE or state board) to establish performance-based metrics for the
Florida College System (FCS) and minimum performance funding eligibility thresholds that, if any FCS institution
does not meet, will make the institution ineligible for a share of the state’s investment in performance funding.
Likewise, any FCS institution that fails to meet the threshold for the institutional investment shall have a portion
of its institutional investment withheld.
Eliminating the July 1, 2016, expiration date of the educator liability insurance program that provides a
minimum of $2 million in liability coverage for all full-time public school instructional personnel.
The bill also amends the preeminent state research universities program, to require the BOG to designate each state
university that meets at least six of the 12 academic and research excellence standards identified in law as an “emerging
preeminent state research university.” The bill modifies the academic and research excellence standards of the
preeminent state research universities program and establishes funding parameters for universities designated as
“preeminent” or “emerging preeminent.”
HB 7043 - Relating to Education
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
12/03/15
HOUSE
Filed (Formerly PCB EDC3)
12/18/15
HOUSE
HOUSE
Referred to Education Appropriations Subcommittee
Now in Education Appropriations Subcommittee
The bill maintains the following programs created in the 2015-2016 General Appropriations Act by:
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Requiring the Board of Governors (BOG) to adopt a regulation implementing the State University System
Performance-Based Incentive Program. The program must include wage thresholds that reflect the added value
of a baccalaureate degree and minimum performance funding eligibility thresholds that, if not met, will make an
institution ineligible for the state’s investment in performance funding. Likewise, any institution that fails to
meet the threshold for the institutional investment will have its entire institutional investment withheld. The
ability for a state university to submit an improvement plan to the BOG, in an effort to restore its institutional
investment, is limited to one fiscal year.
Requiring the State Board of Education (SBE) to establish, by rule, performance-based metrics for the Florida
College System that must include retention; program completion and graduation rates; postgraduation
employment, salaries, and continuing education for workforce education and baccalaureate degree programs,
with wage thresholds that reflect the added value of the certificate or degree; and outcome measures
appropriate for associate degree recipients. The SBE must establish minimum performance funding eligibility
thresholds that, if any FCS institution does not meet, will make the institution ineligible for a share of the state’s
investment in performance funding. Likewise, any FCS institution that fails to meet the threshold for the
institutional investment shall have a portion of its institutional investment withheld. Each FCS institution’s share
of performance funding is calculated based on its relative performance on the established metrics in conjunction
with the institution’s size and scope.
Eliminating the July 1, 2016, expiration date of the educator liability insurance program that provides a
minimum of $2 million in liability coverage for all full-time public school instructional personnel.
Establishing, in law, the “Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program” that provides $10,000 to highly rated
teachers who achieved certain ACT or SAT scores. Once a teacher is deemed eligible by the school district,
including a teacher deemed eligible in the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the teacher remains eligible as long as he or
she is employed by the school district and maintains a highly effective rating or, if a first-year teacher, is rated
highly effective.
As part of the educator liability insurance program, the bill prohibits postsecondary educational institutions and school
districts from requiring a student participating in a clinical field experience to purchase liability insurance as a condition
of participation.
The bill also amends the Preeminent State Research Universities Program to require the Board of Governors to
designate each state university that meets at least six of the 12 academic and research excellence standards identified in
law as an “emerging preeminent state research university.” The bill modifies the academic and research excellence
standards of the preeminent state research universities program and establishes funding parameters for universities
designated as “preeminent” or “emerging preeminent.”
Access and Affordability
HB 7019 - Relating to Postsecondary Access and Affordability
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
11/18/15
HOUSE
Filed (Formerly PCB HEWS1)
11/23/15
HOUSE
HOUSE
Referred to Education Appropriations Subcommittee; Education Committee
Now in Education Appropriations Subcommittee
11/24/15
HOUSE
On Committee agenda - Education Appropriations Subcommittee, 12/01/15, 3:30 pm, 17 H
12/01/15
HOUSE
HOUSE
Favorable by Education Appropriations Subcommittee; 12 Yeas, 0 Nays
Now in Education Committee
Promotes college affordability by:
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Requiring public postsecondary institutions to publicly notice any proposal to increase tuition or fees at least 28
days prior to consideration by the board of trustees.
Eliminating the ability for state universities to seek approval from the Board of Governors (BOG) for an increase
in the tuition differential fee.
Clarifying that preeminent universities may increase the tuition differential by no more than 6 percent only if
they meet specific performance benchmarks established by the BOG.
Removing the requirement that seventy percent of revenues generated by the tuition differential fee be spent
on undergraduate education.
Removing the authority for the BOG to delegate the establishment of tuition for graduate and professional
programs and out-of-state fees to the university boards of trustees.
Requiring the SBE and the BOG to annually identify strategies and initiatives to promote college affordability
(including the impact of tuition and fees, financial aid policies, and textbook costs) and submit an annual report
to the Governor, Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Enhancing the current textbook affordability law to provide students with sufficient time and information to
seek out the lowest available prices by:
o Authorizing state universities and Florida College System institutions to create innovative price
structures for instructional materials by incorporating the cost of integrated digital materials into the
cost of specific courses.
o Requiring public postsecondary institutions to conduct cost benefit analyses and report annually to
chancellors on implementation of textbook affordability policies;
o Requiring chancellors to summarize institutional reports and submit a summary to SBE and BOG
respectively; and
o Requiring public postsecondary institution boards of trustees to report, by semester, the cost variance
among sections and length of time textbooks and other materials are in use for all general education
courses. This provision expires July 1, 2018.
o
SB 984 - Relating to Education Access and Affordability
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
12/01/15
SENATE
Filed
12/11/15
SENATE
Referred to Higher Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations
01/04/16
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Higher Education, 01/11/16, 1:30 pm, 412 K
01/11/16
SENATE
Favorable with CS by Higher Education; 9 Yeas, 0 Nays
01/13/16
SENATE
Committee Substitute Text (C1) Filed
01/14/16
SENATE
Now in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
SB 984 modifies requirements related to higher education textbooks and instructional materials affordability and
promotes public awareness on higher education costs. Specifically, the bill:




Expands textbook provisions to include instructional materials.
Modifies the textbook and instructional materials affordability policies, procedures, and guidelines adopted by
the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors for the State University System of Florida to include
new issues and specifies reporting requirements regarding textbooks and instructional materials.
Establishes college affordability provisions to identify strategies and initiatives to reduce the cost of higher
education, and specifies annual reporting requirements regarding college affordability.
Establishes notification requirements to inform students and the public, clearly and specifically, about any
upcoming institutional boards of trustees meeting at which a vote will be taken on proposed increases in tuition
and fees.
Rapid Response Training Program
SB 836 - Relating to Rapid Response Education and Training Program
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
11/12/15
SENATE
Filed
11/19/15
SENATE
Referred to Higher Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations
01/04/16
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Higher Education, 01/11/16, 1:30 pm, 412 K - Workshop (no vote to
be taken)
01/11/16
SENATE
Workshopped by Higher Education (no vote taken)
SB 836 creates the Rapid Response Education & Training Program to award competitive grants through the Complete
Florida Plus Program at the University of West Florida to any public/private education and training program providers
for enhancing business and industry recruitment and retention efforts.
SB 726 - Relating to Career and Adult Education
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
11/03/15
SENATE
Filed
11/18/15
SENATE
Referred to Higher Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations
01/04/16
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Higher Education, 01/11/16, 1:30 pm, 412 K - Workshop (no vote to
be taken)
01/11/16
SENATE
Workshopped by Higher Education (no vote taken)
SB 726 creates the Rapid Response Grant Program to award competitive grants through the Department of Education to
career centers for expanding or implementing high-demand postsecondary programs.
Bright Futures
SB 520 - Relating to Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
10/13/15
SENATE
Filed
10/21/15
SENATE
Referred to Higher Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Fiscal Policy
11/09/15
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Higher Education, 11/17/15, 10:00 am, 412 K
11/17/15
SENATE
Favorable by Higher Education; 9 Yeas, 0 Nays
11/18/15
SENATE
Now in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
11/23/15
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, 12/03/15, 3:30 pm, 412
K
12/03/15
SENATE
Favorable with CS by Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; 7 Yeas, 0 Nays
12/07/15
SENATE
Now in Fiscal Policy
01/11/16
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Fiscal Policy, 01/14/16, 10:45 am, 412 K - PCS
01/14/16
SENATE
Favorable with CS by Fiscal Policy; 10 Yeas, 0 Nays
01/15/16
SENATE
Committee Substitute Text (C1) Filed
SB 520 modifies the permissible activities in which a student can participate to meet the service work requirements for
Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program awards, allows an eligible student to defer the award while participating in a
full-time religious or service obligation, repeals the higher SAT or ACT score requirement for home education students,
and creates the Florida Gold Seal CAPE-Vocational Scholars award as an alternative to the current Florida Gold Seal
Vocational award.
HB 793 - Relating to Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
11/30/15
HOUSE
Filed
12/10/15
HOUSE
Referred to Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee; Education Appropriations
Subcommittee; Education Committee
Now in Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee
HOUSE
01/11/16
HOUSE
On Committee agenda - Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee, 01/13/16, 1:00 pm, 102
H
01/13/16
HOUSE
Favorable by Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee; 11 Yeas, 0 Nays
01/14/16
HOUSE
Now in Education Appropriations Subcommittee
The bill modifies the initial eligibility period for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program for students who are
unable to accept an award due to full-time religious or service obligations lasting at least 18 months. Eligible students
can defer the 2-year initial award period and the 5-year renewal period until the student completes the religious or
service obligation. The organization sponsoring the full-time religious or service obligation must be a federal government
service organization or satisfy the Internal Revenue Code’s requirements for nonprofit status.
The bill also modifies student community service work requirements for eligibility for the Florida Bright Futures
Scholarship Program awards, including Florida Academic Scholars (FAS), Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS), and the
Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (FGSVS) awards.
The number of community service hours required for each Bright Futures award remains unchanged, however the
requirements for community service are revised by:
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Clarifying that community service work must be volunteer work and prohibits any student from receiving
remuneration or academic credit for such work;
Expanding volunteer service work areas to include a civic issue or a professional area of interest;
Providing that volunteer work may include, but not be limited to, a business or government internship,
employment with a nonprofit community service organization, or activity on behalf of a candidate for public
office; and
Establishing accountability requirements for student volunteer work that includes documentation in writing by
the student, the student’s parent, and a representative of the organization for which the student worked.
The bill also eliminates references to outdated eligibility requirements for the FAS and FMS awards, and removes the
differentiated standardized test score requirement for home education students whose parents cannot document a
college-preparatory curriculum.
Concealed Weapons on Campus
HB 4001 - Relating to Licenses to Carry Concealed Weapons or Firearms
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
08/03/15
HOUSE
Filed
08/27/15
HOUSE
HOUSE
Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee;
Judiciary Committee
Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
09/09/15
HOUSE
On Committee agenda - Criminal Justice Subcommittee, 09/16/15, 10:30 am, 404 H
09/16/15
HOUSE
HOUSE
Favorable by Criminal Justice Subcommittee; 8 Yeas, 5 Nays
Now in Higher Education and Workforce Subcommittee
10/28/15
HOUSE
On Committee agenda - Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee, 11/04/15, 8:00 am, 102
H
11/04/15
HOUSE
HOUSE
Favorable by Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee; 10 Yeas, 3 Nays
Now in Judiciary Committee
11/12/15
HOUSE
On Committee agenda - Judiciary Committee, 11/19/15, 9:00 am, 404 H
11/19/15
HOUSE
HOUSE
Favorable by Judiciary Committee; 13 Yeas, 5 Nays
Placed on Calendar
Currently, it is prohibited for persons who have valid concealed weapons or concealed firearms licenses from carrying a
concealed weapon or firearm into any college or university facility unless the licensee is a registered student, employee,
or faculty member of such college or university and the weapon is a stun gun or nonlethal electric weapon or device
designed solely for defensive purposes which does not fire a dart or projectile.
The bill repeals the statute to authorize persons who have a valid concealed weapons or concealed firearms license to
carry a concealed weapon or firearm into any college or university facility.
SB 68 - Relating to Licenses to Carry Concealed Weapons or Firearms
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
08/03/15
SENATE
Filed
08/19/15
SENATE
Referred to Criminal Justice; Higher Education; Judiciary; Rules
09/09/15
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Criminal Justice, 09/16/15, 9:00 am, 37 S
09/16/15
SENATE
Favorable by Criminal Justice; 3 Yeas, 2 Nays
09/17/15
SENATE
Now in Higher Education
10/12/15
SENATE
On Committee agenda - Higher Education, 10/20/15, 9:00 am, 412 K
10/20/15
SENATE
Favorable by Higher Education; 5 Yeas, 3 Nays
10/21/15
SENATE
Now in Judiciary
Identical to HB 4001
Archeological Artifacts
HB 803 - Relating to Historic and Archaeological Artifacts
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
11/30/15
HOUSE
Filed
12/10/15
HOUSE
Referred to Economic Development & Tourism Subcommittee; Transportation & Economic
Development Appropriations Subcommittee; Economic Affairs Committee
Now in Economic Development & Tourism Subcommittee
HOUSE
01/14/16
HOUSE
On Committee agenda - Economic Development & Tourism Subcommittee, 01/19/16, 1:30 pm,
12 H
Under Florida law, the Division of Historical Resources of the Department of State (Division) is responsible for protecting
historical resources abandoned on state-owned lands or on state-owned sovereignty submerged lands. In addition to
many other powers authorized by law to carry out such responsibility, Florida Statutes authorize the Division to
“implement a program to administer finds of isolated historic artifacts from state owned river bottoms whereby the
Division may transfer ownership of such artifacts to the finder in exchange for information about the artifacts and the
circumstances and location of their discovery.”
Currently, no such program exists. Moreover, any person that removes or attempts to remove or defaces, destroys, or
otherwise alters historical resources on state land without a permit is subject to criminal penalties. The only permits
presently available are reserved for professional archaeologists for field investigations and other professional or
educational research and commercial salvors for exploration and salvage of historic shipwreck sites.
The bill requires the Division to implement a program to administer the discovery of isolated historic or archaeological
artifacts from sovereignty submerged lands. The program must, at a minimum, include the following:
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an application for an annual permit and an application fee of $100;
a written agreement to report all discovered and removed artifacts to the Division within 14 days after the
discovery and removal, along with a map indicating the location of the discovery and photographs of the
artifacts, and to allow the Division to inspect, analyze, and photograph any such artifacts;
a requirement that tools may not be used for the excavation of any isolated artifacts, except that a trowel or
hand-held implement may be used to extract exposed artifacts from a packed matrix in a river or lake bottom;
a map, that must be provided to an applicant with the issuance of a permit, of clearly defined areas and sites
that are excluded from excavation activities;
authorization to transfer ownership rights for discovered artifacts to the permit-holder;
penalties for violations of program requirements, including, but not limited to, an administrative fine of up to
$1,000 and forfeiture of the permit and ownership rights for any artifacts discovered under the program.
SB 1054 - Relating to Historic and Archaeological Artifacts
Actions
Date
Chamber
Action
12/04/15
SENATE
Filed
12/17/15
SENATE
Referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Appropriations Subcommittee on
Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development; Fiscal Policy
Identical to HB 803.