Volume 21 | Number 11 | June 27, 2014

Florida State University came out of the 2014 Legislative Session on top, with Gov. Rick Scott signing a state budget that supports the university’s priorities.

These include continuation of pre-eminence funding and increased levels of funding of university system- wide performance metrics, support for building maintenance and construction of the Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Building and enhanced support for the university’s student-veterans.

All in all we had a highly successful legislative session. Our pre-session goals were met and the governor didn’t veto any FSU projects, securing a 7.3% increase in base funding.

We would like to express our gratitude for the support received from the Legislative Liaison Committee members. These important members of our team contributed much hard work and patience during the 2014 Legislative Session.

Anne Blankenship Liz Maryanski Karen Gibson Academic Affairs University Relations Purchasing

Kyle Clark Mike Crame Paul Trombley Finance and Administration University Attorney Laboratory Animal Research Eric Algoe Vicki Dobiyanski Finance and Administration Student Government Marcy Driscoll College of Education Michael Lake Stefano Cavallaro Budget and Analysis Student Government John Fogarty College of Medicine Melissa Morrison Cueto Vanessa Fuchs Budget and Analysis Athletics Laura Brock College of Medicine Gary Tyson Dennis Bailey Faculty Senate Facilities Judith Durdle College of Nursing Kristin Roberts Dan Dayhoff Mag Lab Facilities Lynn Wicker High Linda McCorvey Darryl Marshall Office of Research Financial Aid John Hughes Florida Center for Mary Coburn Renisha Gibbs Reading Research Student Affairs Human Resources

Brandon Bowden Phaedra Harris Student Affairs Human Resources 2014 Legislative Priorities and Outcomes

Each year, administrators identify priorities determined to be vital to the operation and growth of the university. Below were the top three priorities for the 2014 Legislative Session, which began on March 4th and ended on May 5th. Session outcomes are listed after each priority.

1. Support for the continuation of preeminence performance funding – $15 million

Last session the legislature passed SB 1076, which established performance standards state universities need to meet in order to be granted preeminent status. Currently, only FSU and UF meet those criteria. Florida State University’s annual base budget is supplemented by $15 million, but additional preeminence funds are requested. Additional system metrics are also in development and are tied to separate performance funds. This funding will also be a priority.

Outcome: The Legislature included an additional $5 million, on top of the $15 million for preeminence to Florida State University for a total of $20 million in recurring preeminence funds annually. In addition, $200 million in performance funds, tied to a separate set of BOG prepared metrics passed the legislature for the State University System. Performance funds total an additional $21 million of new revenue for Florida State University this fiscal year.

2. Support facilities funding

New facilities, renovations, and the expansion of existing facilities, as well as funding for general maintenance, has fallen short of the university’s needs because of diminishing Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) funds, enrollment and programmatic growth, and the impact of the recession. To address these critical needs, state universities have established the “Hard Hats for Higher Education” campaign. This initiative will involve both fiscal and policy issues, including requests for non-recurring dollars for priority projects and building-maintenance needs, legislation that gives universities more financing flexibility through public/private partnerships, and addressing the backlog of private gifts for educational facilities that qualify for state matching grants. The top three projects on FSU’s priority list are:

1. FAMU-FSU College of Engineering III -- This request involves a joint-use project between Florida State University and Florida A&M University that will provide approximately 75,000 sq. ft. of space for the Colleges operations. $15 million requested.

Outcome: $10,000,000 appropriated for this building.

2. EOAS (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science) Building -- The two-phased EOAS complex will be the focus of earth, ocean and atmospheric sciences. The idea is to create an environment where earth science disciplines such as these can interact in a collaborative effort to teach, conduct research, and public service. The facility will provide space primarily for classroom/teaching lab, study, research lab, administrative and academic support functions. $30 million requested.

Outcome: $20,000,000 appropriated for this building.

3. Building Maintenance – The University’s utility systems, infrastructure, and physical plant continue to be in need of renovation and expansion to keep pace with the growth of the campus population.

Outcome: $5,681,291 appropriated to FSU. Additionally, the legislature passed within the larger tax package legislation, an initiative that will fortify the current Public Education Capitol Outlay (PECO) trust fund over the next three years. The PECO trust fund money is earmarked for the building, renovation and maintenance of education facilities.

4. Support for veteran initatives

In its ongoing effort to be the most veteran-friendly university in the nation, Florida State has taken the lead in advocating for in-state tuition for veterans, regardless of their state of residency. These efforts were launched at a Capitol press conference during September’s interim committee meetings. In addition to former FSU President Eric Barron, the press conference included Student Body President Rosie Contreras and current student-veteran Andrew Wright Sloan.

Outcome: The first bill to pass the 2014 Legislative Session was HB 7015 that creates the “Congressman C.W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Program,” which waives out-of-state fees for honorably discharged veterans of the Armed Forces, the United States Reserve Forces, and the National Guard. The bill also appropriates $5 million in recurring funds to the Florida Department of Military Affairs to pay the tuition and fees for certain deployed Florida National Guard members at a state university or Florida College System institution; and $250,000 in nonrecurring funds for information technology upgrades to administer this program. Additionally, the bill revises Florida’s veterans’ preference in employment statutes to include all veterans, and not just wartime and disabled veterans, as well as members of the Florida National Guard and the United States Armed Forces Reserves.

The bill appropriates a total of $26.55 million in General Revenue for tuition assistance and its administration, base buffering, and armory renovations.

2014-2015 Quick Budget Reference Guide HB 5001

Page Description Line Item

Operating Budget

42 General Revenue $251,210,215 143

Included in the Base:

American Legion Boys and Girls State Housing $100,000 NR

Campus Compact $200,000 NR

Pepper Center for Long Term Care $500,000 R

Health Equity Research Institute $400,000 NR

Florida Institute for Child Welfare $1,000,000 R

*College of Law Scholarships $2,000,000 R/NR

STEM Enhancement $2,500,000 R

Endowed Professorship $600,000 R

Learning Systems Institute (SB 850) $500,000 R

4 Preeminence – Additional $5,000,000 = $20,000,000 18

43 Lottery $39,510,136 143

2014-2015 Quick Budget Reference Guide Page 1 Page Description Line Item

44 Student and Other Fees $227,550,703 151

Student Financial Assistance $1,467,667

43 SUS Performance Based Incentive $200,000,000 143

FSU’s portion of Performance Incentive – Includes $10,700,000 from the base $31,700,000

College of Medicine

44 General Revenue $34,320,985 147

5 Lottery $605,115 22

45 Student and Other Fees $11,572,716 147

94 FSU – College of Medicine – Immokalee $300,000 NR 461

6 PECO

SUS FCO – Maintenance, Repair, Renovation, and Remodeling $37,649,378 25

FSU – Maintenance, Repair, Renovation, and Remodeling $5,681,291 28

8 FSU Critical Deferred Maintenance $2,698,731

FAMU/FSU College of Engineering. Joint-Use Facility $10,000,000

Earth Ocean Atmospheric Science Building $20,000,000

7 SUS Lab School – PECO $4,798,454 26

Proviso: …shall be distributed among the lab schools based upon full-time equivalent student membership

9 WFSU-TV/FM Tower Renovation – PECO $115,000 32

15 Florida National Merit Scholars Incentive Program $2,870,820 70C

16 SUS – Honorably Discharged Graduate Assistance/GAP $1,000,000 75

26 Performance Adjustments – Lab Schools 100A

Proviso: …shall be provided to each of the following: FSU Broward Lab School $50,000

27 Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resource Center 102

General Revenue – FSU $450,000 2014-2015 Quick Budget Reference Guide Page 2 Page Description Line Item

27 Autism/CARD – FSU College of Medicine

General Revenue $1,267,477

30 Communication/Autism Navigator – FSU $2,600,000 R 112

32 Public Broadcasting 119

Statewide Gov. & Cultural Affairs Programming $497,522

Florida Channel Closed Captioning – GR $340,862

Florida Channel Year Round Coverage – GR + Proviso $2,272,414

FSU – Public Television $307,447

FSU – Public Radio Stations $100,000

FSU – Satellite Transponder $800,000

Proviso… From the funds provided in Specific Appropriation 119, “Governmental Affairs for Public Television” shall be produced by the same contractor selected by the Legislature to produce “The Florida Channel.”

43 Performance Incentives $200,000,000 143

Proviso … From the $200,000,000, which includes $100,000,000 new funding and $100,000,000 redistributed from the base, for State University Performance Based Incentives in Specific Appropriation 143 from the General Revenue Fund, the Board of Governors shall allocate all of such appropriated funds pursuant to the performance funding model approved by the board on January 16, 2014, subject to the following modification:

1. All universities eligible for new funding shall have their base funding, including the performance funds allocated by the Board during 2013-2014, to be restored as provided in the Board of Governors’ model; and

2. All universities that failed to meet the board’s benchmarks for new funding shall submit a plan to the Board of Governors that specifies how their base funding, including the performance funds allocated by the Board during 2013- 2014, will be expended to improve upon the metrics that disqualified the universities from receiving new funding.

46 Contracted Services – FAMU/FSU College of Engineering $500,000 159

Proviso … $500,000 is provided to the Board of Governors for the procurement, no later than July 1, 2014, of an academic

2014-2015 Quick Budget Reference Guide Page 3 Page Description Line Item

feasibility analysis by an independent, non-Florida-based organization of options relating to separation of the FAMU- FSU College of Engineering with the goal of achieving world class engineering education opportunities for students in both universities.

The study shall examine the pros and cons of:

1. Maintaining the status quo collaboration between the two universities, including an examination of the original mission.

2. Developing differentiated engineering programs at each university.

The study shall include a cost-benefit analysis of each option analyzed in the context of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and U.S. v. Fordice, 505 U.S. 717 (1992) and other United States Supreme Court opinions interpreting those provisions. The study shall be completed no later than January 1, 2015, and the Board of Governors shall make its decision based on the study no later than March 1, 2015. If, based on the analysis, the Board of Governors decides that a non-status quo option should be implemented, the Board of Governors shall submit its funding request to the Legislature.

322 Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center $1,500,000 2447

326 Proviso … may be utilized to promote and enhance $632,639 2492 collaborative research among State Universities. The Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model located at Florida International University may consult with the private sector and the Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center…

326 Enhancements to Public Hurricane Loss Model – Proviso… $1,543,300 2492A

FIU shall update the Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model in Coordination with the Office of Insurance Regulation; the Division of Emergency Management; the Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center, The Center for Ocean- Atmospheric Prediction Studies, and the Meteorology Department at FSU.

401 State Health Insurance Plans and Benefits – Proviso Section 8

State Paid Premiums

…For coverage period beginning August 1, 2014, the state share shall continue at the current rate...

404 Proviso... Each state agency, at the discretion of the agency Section 8 head, may expend funds provided in this act for bar dues and...

2014-2015 Quick Budget Reference Guide Page 4 Page Description Line Item

...for legal education courses for employees who are required to be a member of the Florida Bar as a condition of employment.

406 Proviso... Facilities may be constructed or acquired from non- Section 11 appropriated sources, which upon completion will require generalLEGISLETTER revenue funds to operate. FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS Florida State University – Postal Services/Receiving, Warehouse-type space, 15,000 gsf. Located on the south side of the main campus.

Volume 19 | Number 1 | January 9, 2012 Note: Page numbers are in correlation with the printed page numbers, * Half Non-Recurring (NR) there may be some variation from the online page numbers. Half Recurring (R) The budget may be found at myfloridahouse.gov

BILLS BILLSTHAT PASSED THAT HAVE PASSED• Requires OR FAILED the Commissioner of • Establishes the Florida Academic Education to oversee a plan for Library Services Cooperative at HB 5101 – Education Funding establishing digital classrooms and the University of West Florida. The by Representative Erik Fresen requires the Office of Technology bill authorizes the university to (R – Miami, FSU Alum), a budget and Information Services in the hire a director for the cooperative conforming bill that: Department of Education to and submit an annual report develop a plan for establishing to the Legislature regarding • Requires a portion of all revenues digital classrooms. the cooperative. collected from gross receipts taxes be deposited into a separate • Revises eligibility requirements for • Creates the Complete Florida account within the Public developmental research schools to Plus Program at the University of Education Capital Outlay and Debt receive the sparsity supplement. West Florida; Service Trust Fund to provide for • Revises the mission and goals of • Establishes the Complete Florida the timely payment of principal and New College of Florida and provides Degree Initiative requiring the interest on bonds and a portion to for a master’s degree program in program to develop and manage be deposited into an account for data science and analytics at New a catalog of distance learning principal payments. College of Florida; courses, make online services • Prohibits the Florida College and support available on a • Establishes the Florida Center for System from approving statewide basis. Cybersecurity within the University baccalaureate degree program of South Florida; • Requires the University of West proposals for the period of March Florida to submit an annual report 31, 2014 through May 31,2015. to the Legislature regarding student performance outcomes and relevant standards in verbal, the program. by integrating technology in analytical writing, and quantitative classroom teaching and learning reasoning skills. In addition, the • Requires the Northwest Regional and requires school districts to bill specifies certain requirements Data Center to provide data center develop a digital classrooms plan. regarding demonstration of mastery services to support the catalog and of professional preparation and the statewide advising services. • Authorizes the capital outlay education competence. millage levy to be used for a • Provides for the transfer of the district’s digital classrooms plan. The bill repeals a provision requiring Florida Virtual Campus resources, a longitudinal study comparing CHAPTER LAW 2014-56, EFFECTIVE agreements, and contracts to the the performance of teachers who University of West Florida. JULY 1, 2014 UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED. earned certificates through certain • Requires the Articulation specified “routes.” The study has Coordinating Committee to make HB 433 – Teacher Certification been completed. recommendations relating to an by Representative Ross Spano The bill allows candidates to renew online system for collecting data (R – Riverview, FSU Alum), a subject area specialization by regarding requests for transfer states that beginning on July 1, passage of a Florida-developed of credit. 2014, a school district may assign a subject area examination or a newly hired teacher to a “D” or “F” standardized examination specified • Requires schools to provide students school if the individual has received by rule. The SBE must adopt rules in grades K-12 opportunities for an effective or highly effective that would expand training for receiving computer science and rating in the immediate prior renewal of professional certificates technology instruction. year’s performance evaluation, has in areas which require training in • Revises provisions relating to successfully completed or is enrolled the instruction of students with dual enrollment articulation in a teacher preparation program disabilities, allowing such candidates agreements, postsecondary specified in current law or a teacher to “bank” excess credits for use in institutions participating in dual prep program specified in State subsequent certificate renewals. enrollment programs, and funding Board of Education rule, with two The bill also requires the SBE to for dual enrollment. years of high quality mentoring during adopt rules specifying certain the first 2 years of employment. requirements for reinstatement of a • Restricts the Board of Trustees professional certificate. of St. Petersburg College from The term “mentoring” includes the establishing baccalaureate degree use of student achievement data The bill establishes requirements programs until May 31, 2015. combined with at least monthly for instructional personnel who observations to improve the supervise or direct teacher • Requires public postsecondary educator’s effectiveness in improving preparation students during field institutions to provide a website student outcomes. Mentoring may experience courses or internships link to the distance learning catalog be provided by a school district, in another state or on a U.S. under certain circumstances. a statutorily approved teacher military base outside the U.S. preparation program’ or a teacher through a Florida online or distance • Revises provisions of the Rosewood program. Instructional personnel in Family Scholarship Program; preparation program specified in State Board of Education rule. another state must have received • Creates the Florida National “clinical educator” training or its Merit Scholar Incentive Program The bill re-states the methods by which equivalent in that state, hold a valid and provides student eligibility a candidate for educator certification professional certificate issued by requirements and the amount of may demonstrate mastery of subject that state, and have at least three incentive awards. area knowledge, including passage years of teaching experience in of a Florida-developed subject area prekindergarten through grade 12. • Revises the requirements for examination or a standardized Instructional personnel on a U.S. the supplemental academic examination specified by rule. military base outside the U.S. must instruction categorical fund The bill also allows a candidate to have received “clinical educator” and the research-based reading demonstrate mastery of general training or its equivalent; hold a instruction allocation. knowledge by achieving passing valid professional certificate issued scores, as identified by the State by a state, U.S. territory, or the • Creates the Florida digital Board of Education (SBE) in rule, on a Department of Defense; and have at classrooms allocation to national or international examination least 3 years teaching experience in support efforts to improve that tests comparable content prekindergarten through grade 12. CHAPTER 2014-32, EFFECTIVE JULY which only a preeminent institution • Research protocols and approvals. 1, 2014. may request to increase their tuition differential to the Board of Governors • Purchase and billing records HB 851 – Postsecondary Tuition from 15% to 6%. The bill specifies related to animal research and Fees by Representative that the tuition differential may be or activities. Jeanette Nunez (R – Miami), increased if the university meets • Animal care and committee records. revises provisions relating to the or exceeds performance standard • Facility and laboratory records determination of resident status for targets for that university established related to animal research tuition purposes. annually by the Board of Governors for the following preeminent or activities. The bill provides that a United States performance standards, amounting The bill provides for retroactive citizen who is a dependent child may to no more than a 2% increase application of the public record not be denied classification as a in the tuition differential for each exemption. The bill passed the resident for tuition purposes based performance standard: Legislature last week and will go to solely upon the immigration status the Governor for signature. of his or her parent. It amends the 1. An increase in the 6-year definitions of “dependent child” graduation rate for full-time, CHAPTER 2014-37, EFFECTIVE JULY and “parent” regarding establishing first-time-in-college students, 1, 2014. residency for tuition purposes. as reported annually to the Integrated Postsecondary HB 115 – Public Meetings/ The bill clarifies that students Education Data System. University Direct-Support who are eligible for specific tuition Organization by Representative exemptions or waivers are classified 2. An increase in the total annual Cary Pigman (R – Sebring), as residents for tuition purposes. research expenditures. creates a public meeting exemption 3. An increase in the total patents for any portion of a meeting of the The bill exempts the following types awarded by the United States board of directors of the DSO, or of of students from the payment of out- Patent and Trademark Office for a committee of the DSO, in which of-state fees: the most recent years. the board or committee discusses a proposal seeking research funding • Veterans of the United States Finally, the bill clarifies the maximum from the DSO or a plan or program Armed Forces, including reserve amount a university may be paid by a for either initiating or supporting components, who physically reside prepaid tuition contract. research. The bill passed the in Florida while enrolled in a last week and will go to postsecondary institution; and CHAPTER LAW 2014-62, EFFECTIVE the Governor for signature. JULY 1, 2014. • Students who attend a Florida high school for 3 consecutive years CHAPTER 2014-27, EFFECTIVE HB 993 – Public Records/ and enroll in a postsecondary OCTOBER 1, 2014. Animal Researchers at institution within 24 months Public Research Facilities, after graduation, provided they SB 646 – Postsecondary submit their high school transcript by Representative Travis Education Records and as documentary evidence of Cummings (R – Orange Park), Applicant Records by Senator attendance and graduation. creates a public records exemption Bill Montford (D – Tallahassee, for personal identifying information FSU Alum), continues the Students who are not required to of a person employed by, under current public records exemption pay out-of-state fees under the contract with, or volunteering for for a student’s education records new provisions may be reported for a public research facility, including and an applicant’s records at a purposes of state funding. a state university, that conducts public postsecondary educational animal research or is engaged in institution by removing the repeal Additionally, the bill eliminates the activities related to animal research. date. The exemption was scheduled automatic annual rate of inflation Such information is exempt from to repeal on October 2, 2014, without increases currently authorized for public records requirements when the passage of this legislation. state universities, Florida colleges, the information is contained in the and workforce education programs if following records: CHAPTER 2014-11, EFFECTIVE no other tuition increases are stated OCTOBER 1, 2014. in the general appropriations act. • Animal records, including animal care and treatment records. SB 1036 – Nursing Education The bill also reduces the rate at Programs by Senator (R – Sebring), was Peters (R – St. Petersburg), The bill requires school districts amended last week, the amendment: requires state agencies to consider to estimate by July 1 each year the the prior relevant experience of number of classroom teachers • Requires a person who fails to a vendor when evaluating the expected to be employed by the take the licensure examination responses to a request for proposal district or a charter school in the within 6 months after graduation or invitation to negotiate. Currently, district, and thus eligible to receive to complete an examination agencies may consider such prior funds through the Program, on preparatory class that is approved relevant experience, but agencies are September 1. by the Board of Nursing. The bill, as not required to do so. passed by the Senate, required the The bill establishes an earlier, optional class after a 1-year delay. CHAPTER LAW 2014-135, EFFECTIVE date by which Program funds may JULY 1, 2014. be disbursed to classroom teachers • Prohibits the use of state or federal depending on when the teachers funds to pay for the prep class. HB 7015 -- Military and Veteran are determined to be eligible by the Support by Representative school district. The district may • Requires the graduate passage Jimmie Smith (R – Lecanto), distribute by August 1 proportionate rate to be calculated based on creates the “Congressman C.W. shares of Program funds to first-time test takers who take Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver classroom teachers determined to be the examination within 6 months Program,” which waives out-of- eligible as of July 1. For teachers who of graduation. state fees for honorably discharged are determined eligible after July 1, or if the district elects not to disburse • Requires an approved program to veterans of the United States Armed funds by August 1, the proportionate require a graduate who does not Forces, the United States Reserve shares of Program funds must be take the exam within 6 months Forces, and the National Guard. disbursed by September 30. of graduation to enroll in a The bill also appropriates $5 million prep class. in recurring funds to the Florida Department of Military Affairs to CHAPTER 2014-31, EFFECTIVE JULY • Requires the plan of remediation pay the tuition and fees for certain 1, 2014. for a program that is placed on deployed Florida National Guard probation to include specific members at a state university or SB 850 – Education by Senator benchmarks to identify progress Florida College System institution; (R – Lutz), expands toward the required passage rate. and $250,000 in nonrecurring rigorous curricular, instructional, funds for information technology and assessment options available to • Authorizes the Board of Nursing to upgrades to administer this program. public elementary, middle, and high extend a program’s probationary Additionally, the bill revises Florida’s school students. The bill expands period for 1 year if the program veterans’ preference in employment options to elementary students, is meeting a majority of statutes to include all veterans, expands options and strengthens the benchmarks. and not just wartime and disabled requirements for middle school veterans, as well as members of the and high school students, creates • Extends the implementation study Florida National Guard and the United a new middle grades early warning by 5 years to January 30, 2020. States Armed Forces Reserves. system to identify at-risk students, expands and strengthens anti-hazing The amendment retains provisions The bill appropriates a total of $26.55 provisions, and requires the Florida from the earlier bill related to million in General Revenue for tuition College System (FCS) institutions deadlines for programs to become assistance and its administration, to establish a collegiate high school accredited; the definitions of “clinical base buffering, and armory program for students in every school training” and “practice of practical renovations. district in the colleges’ designated nursing”; continuing education for service area. Specifically, the bill: nurses with specialty certification; CHAPTER 2014-1, EFFECTIVE JULY clinical training location; passage 1, 2014. • Clarifies digital skill areas rates for students transferring from and certificate options for a closed program; and rulemaking HB 337 – Florida Teacher elementary students; authority of the Board of Nursing. Classroom Supply Assistance Program by Representative • Expands acceleration options CHAPTER LAW 2014-92, EFFECTIVE Erik Fresen (R – Miami, FSU and strengthens accountability JULY 1, 2014. Alum), provides funding for requirements for middle teachers to purchase supplies and grade students; HB 953 – State Contracting materials for their classrooms. by Representative Kathleen • Requires any public school that includes any of the middle grades earned by the student while in Nunez (R – Miami), requires the to implement an early warning public school. Legislature to convene in Regular system to identify students at-risk Session on January 12, 2016, creating of not graduating from high school • Issue a project grant award to a pilot program. The pilot program and annually report information the Learning System Institute will determine if the legislature will and data on the school’s early at the Florida State University convene in January of each even year warning system in its school to which participating private and March of each odd year. improvement plan; schools must report the scores of participating students on the CHAPTER LAW 2014-106, EFFECTIVE • Expands anti-hazing provisions nationally norm-referenced tests UPON BECOMING LAW. to the middle grades and requires or the statewide assessments each school district to adopt in administered by the private PCS SB 1666 -- Child Abuse rule a policy which prohibits hazing school in grades 3 through 10. and Child Welfare Services by and establishes consequences The project term is 2 years, and Senator (D – for hazing; the amount of the project is up to Jacksonville, FSU Alum), makes $500,000 per year. The project numerous changes to statutes • Specifies professional development grant award must be reissued in designed to protect children from requirements for middle grade 2 year intervals. abuse and neglect. The bill seeks to teachers related to accountability improve the quality of child abuse requirements and new digital skills The bill also expands eligibility for investigations conducted by the and content available to students; sparsity supplement funds to lab Department of Children and Families schools with permanent high school • Requires that, for the purposes of (DCF) and certain sheriff’s offices. centers in operation as of September calculating grade point average, The bill increases child welfare 1, 2013. a grade in a course that leads to expertise in the DCF, improves child an industry certification must be abuse investigator qualifications, Additionally, the bill establishes bonus and creates a consortium of schools weighted the same as a grade in an funding for elementary schools and Honors course. of social work to advise the state teachers who directly assist students on child welfare policy. Specifically, • Establishes the Florida Personal in attaining new digital skills, and the bill: Learning Scholarship Accounts expands funding to middle and high Program to provide the option schools and teachers who directly • Establishes a child protection and for a parent to better meet the assist students in attaining digital child welfare personnel tuition individual educational needs of his skills and industry certifications. exemption program and sets out or her eligible disabled child Bonus funding is calculated as a the qualifications for obtaining component of the FEFP. the exemption. The program is for • Establishes requirements for FCS high-performing child protection institutions and school districts CHAPTER LAW 2014-184, EFFECTIVE and child welfare personnel who to provide a collegiate high school JULY 1, 2014. do not have a master’s degree in pathway for high school students social work or a certificate in an to earn a full year of college credit CS/SB 1642 – Education area related to child welfare. while enrolled in high school; Accountability by Senator John Legg (R – Lutz), the • Establishes a student loan • Provides additional, career-themed bill makes substantial changes to forgiveness program for child options for students in high school Florida’s public school statewide protection and child welfare staff grades through new innovation assessment and accountability and sets out the qualifications for courses and acceleration programs system by eliminating the current obtaining the loan forgiveness. that, if successfully completed, are FCAT test, including revisions Approximately half of all graduates eligible to earn both high school to school grading and school from the state university system and college credit; and improvement rating systems. have a student loan debt.64 The The bill provides for a one-year bill allows the DCF or a lead agency • Authorizes industry certification transition period to new statewide, to pay up to $3,000 per year providers to notify students and standardized assessments. towards the student loan debt as parents about the college credits an incentive for degreed social earned by the students, and the CHAPTER 2014-23, EFFECTIVE JULY workers to become child protection savings associated with earning 1, 2014. or child welfare personnel. the college credits, as a return on the investment of state dollars HB 9 – Legislature by • Establishes the Florida Institute for the industry certifications Representative Jeanette for Child Welfare (FICW) and to set forth the purpose, duties, and $100,000,000 in tax cuts. The bill: purchased from a college or other responsibilities of the institute. The institution of higher learning by FICW is defined as a consortium • Reduces the state students currently enrolled at of the state’s public and private Communications Services Tax that college or other institution of university schools of social work. rate by 0.52 percentage points. higher learning. The FICW is charged to advise the state on child welfare policy, • Creates a 3-day “back to school” The amendment has a significant, improve the curriculum for social sales tax holiday. negative fiscal impact on state and work degree programs, and local government revenues. develop on-the-job training for • Changes the tax treatment of child protective investigators and mobile phone prepaid calling plans. CHAPTER LAW 2014-38, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2014. child welfare case managers. The • Allows a local government to bill requires the FICW to provide repeal or reduce local business HB 7073 – Information a report annually by October 1 taxes without having to establish Technology Governance by to the governor, the president an equity study commission. of the Senate, and the speaker Representative Seth McKeel of the House of Representatives • Allows sales tax dealers to receive (R – Lakeland), establishes an to describe its activities in the credits or refunds of 25% of sales enterprise information technology preceding fiscal year, present taxes paid on purchases made (IT) governance structure within the significant research findings and with uncollectable private-label executive branch. Specifically the bill: results of other programs, and credit card accounts. make specific recommendations • Creates the Agency for State for improving child protection and • Revises the calculation of the Technology (AST) within the child welfare services. premium tax imposed on bail bond Department of Management premiums so that the tax rate is Services (DMS) and establishes • Adds child protection and child applied only to the amount of the an executive director of the welfare personnel who meet premium received by the insurance agency who serves as the state’s specified criteria to the list of company, excluding amounts chief information officer and is persons exempted from payment retained by the bail bondsman. appointed by the Governor and of tuition and fees at a state confirmed by the Senate. college or state university under • Creates a revolving loan fund certain circumstances. program for television productions • Establishes eleven other positions filmed in the state. The amendment within the AST to include a deputy • Creates the Florida Institute for does not appropriate any moneys executive director, a chief planning Child Welfare within the Florida to the fund. officer, six strategic planning State University College of coordinators, a chief operations Social Work. The purpose of the • Creates a 12-day sales tax holiday officer, a chief information institute is to advance the well for hurricane supplies. security officer, and a chief being of children and families by technology officer. improving the performance of • Reduces the Sales Tax rate on child protection and child welfare electricity purchases by 2.65 • Authorizes a type two transfer services through research, percentage points, from 7% to of all records, property, policy analysis, evaluation, 4.35% and creates an additional unexpended balances of and leadership development. Gross Receipts Tax rate on appropriations, administrative The institute shall consist of a electricity purchases of 2.6%, authority, administrative rules in consortium of public and private thereby increasing the combined chapters 71A-1 and 71A-2, Florida universities offering degrees Gross Receipts tax rate on these Administrative Code, pending in social work and shall be purchases from 2.5% to 5.1%. issues, and existing contracts housed within the Florida State The effect of these changes is of the Agency for Enterprise University College of Social Work. to provide a small tax reduction Information Technology to the AST. to purchasers of electricity and CHAPTER LAW 2014-224, EFFECTIVE deposit additional revenues in • Authorizes a type two transfer of JULY 1, 2014. the Public Education Capital the Northwood and Southwood Outlay Trust Fund to be used for Shared Resource Centers from the SB 5601 – Economic construction and maintenance of DMS to the AST and creates the Development by educational facilities. state data center. Representative Ritch Workman • Exempts prepaid meal plans (R – Melbourne), creates nearly Defines the duties and responsibilities MISCELLANEOUS BILLS mixture, or preparation of such plant of the AST to include: THAT PASSED or its seeds or resin that is dispensed only from a dispensing organization. -- Developing and implementing IT SB 156 – Motor Vehicle and architecture standards, Mobile Home Taxes, Fees, and Cancer patients as well as those who Surcharges by Senator Joe suffer from sever muscle spasms or -- Establishing project management Negron (R – Palm City), reduces seizures and who do not respond to and oversight standards, some car and truck tag fees to pre- other treatments would be eligible to be put on a “compassionate -- Performing project oversight on 2009 rates. It is estimated that the average driver will save $25 a year. use” registry maintained by the IT projects with total costs of $10 Department of Health Office of million or more, providing opera- CHAPTER 2014-06, EFFECTIVE Compassionate Use. As a condition tional management and oversight SEPTEMBER 1, 2014. of prescribing low-THC cannabis, of the state data center, the physician must determine that -- Identifying opportunities for stan- SB 392 – State Speed Zones, no other satisfactory treatment dardization and consolidation of by Senator (R options exist and obtain a voluntary IT services that support common – St Petersburg), allows the informed consent. business functions, Department of Transportation to increase the speed limit from 70 mph Criminal misdemeanor penalties are -- Recommending addition- to 75 mph on interstate highways and created for a physician who orders al consolidations of agency up to 65 mph on other roadways. low-THC cannabis for a patient data centers or computing without a reasonable belief that the facilities, and, VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR ON patient is suffering from a qualifying JUNE 2, 2014. condition and for any person who -- Performing project oversight on fraudulently represents himself any cabinet agency IT project that HB 7005 -- Department of or herself as having a qualifying has a total project cost of $50 mil- Highway Safety and Motor condition for the purpose of obtaining lion or more and impacts another Vehicles, by Representative an order for low-THC cannabis. agency or agencies. Frank Artiles (R – Miami, FSU CHAPTER LAW 2014-157, EFFECTIVE Alum), reduces driver’s license • Establishes the Technology JULY 1, 2014. suspension for minor offenses. Advisory Council within the Additionally, the bill requires motorist AST for purposes of making SB 224 – Tobacco and Nicotine on the left-hand lane to move to the recommendations to the executive Product Regulation by Senator right when overtaken from the rear director and defines the council’s Lizbeth Benacquisto, defines by another vehicle. The bill also membership. a “nicotine product” as any product requires motorists to move over that contains nicotine, including liquid when approaching a parked utility or • Clarifies the IT security duties of nicotine, that is intended for human sanitation vehicle. the AST, individual agencies and consumption, whether inhaled, the Florida Department of Law chewed, absorbed, dissolved or CHAPTER LAW 2014-216, EFFECTIVE Enforcement’s Cybercrime Office. ingested by any means. The definition JULY 1, 2014. • Requires the AST to conduct a does not include a tobacco product feasibility study and to provide under Florida law, a drug or device recommendations managing state CS/CS/SB 1030 – Low-THC Cannabis by Senator Rob under Federal Law, or a product that government data. contains incidental nicotine. Bradley (R – Orange Park), • Repeals sections of law relating creates the “Compassionate Medical The bill redefines “nicotine to the AEIT, the NSRC and the Cannabis Act of 2014.” The bill dispensing devices” as any product SSRC; energy efficient standards changes the definition of low-THC that employs an electronic, chemical, for data centers; and statewide cannabis to mean a plant of the or mechanical means to produce e-mail service. genus Cannabis, the dried flowers vapor from a nicotine product, of which contain 0.8 percent or less including, but not limited to, an • Appropriates a total of $3.2 of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and electronic cigarette, any similar million and 27 full-time equivalent more than 10 percent of cannabidiol device or product, any replacement positions for Fiscal Year 2014-2015. (CBD) weight for weight; the seeds cartridge, and any container of thereof; the resin extracted from any nicotine in a solution or other form CHAPTER LAW 2014-221, EFFECTIVE part of such plant; or any compound, for such devices or products. JULY 1, 2014. manufacture, salt, derivative, The bill provides that the sale or giving of “nicotine products” and “nicotine Alan Hays (R – Umatilla), and Management Center located at The dispensing devices” to minors HB 135 by Representative Dave Florida State University. The House under the age of 18 is prohibited Kerner (D – Palm Springs), bill died on the calendar while the and punishable as a second degree provided and exemption from public Senate bill remained in committee. misdemeanor. It provides defenses, records requirements of any personal including a defense based on the identifying information of an applicant SB 1034 – Renovation of appearance of the underage person for president, provost, or dean of a Educational Facilities by and whether the underage person state university or Florida College Senator (R falsely misrepresented their age. System institution. Additionally – Clearwater) and HB 359 the bill provided an exemption from by Representative Carl CHAPTER LAW 2014-65, EFFECTIVE public meeting requirement for Zimmermann (D – Dunedin), JULY 1, 2014. any meeting held for the purpose required school districts, state identifying or vetting applicants. The universities and Florida College bills died in committee. System institutions to retrofit the BILLS THAT FAILED doors and windows of educational HB 7157 – State Group facilities to comply with certain HB 355 – Postsecondary Insurance Program by Florida Building Code standards. The Education Textbook and Representative Seth McKeel bills died in committee. Instructional Materials (R – Lakeland), directed the Affordability by Representative Department of Management CS/SB 212 -- High School Elizabeth Porter (R – Lake Services develop a plan to provide Graduation Requirements City, FSU Alum) and SB 530 premium alternatives that reflect by Senator Dorothy Hukill by Senator Anitere Flores the cost to the program for medical (R – Port Orange) and HB 367 (R – Miami), required the State and prescription drug benefits under by Representative Heather Board of Education and the Board several scenarios. DMS was required Fitzenhagen (R – Ft. Myers), of Governors to adopt textbook and to report on the alternatives to required credits for high school instructional materials affordability the Governor, the President of the graduation and a standard high policies, procedures, and guidelines. Senate, and the Speaker of the House school diploma to include one-half The bill provided requirements of Representatives by December 1, credit for instruction in personal for use of adopted undergraduate 2014. The bill died in committee. financial literacy and seven and textbooks and instructional materials one-half, rather than eight, credits and required public postsecondary SB 1114 – Florida Retirement in electives, etc. The bills died institution to post in the course System by Senator Wilton in committee. registration system and on its website Simpson (R – New Port Richey) information relating to required and HB 7173 by Representative HB 753 – School Safety by and recommended textbooks and (R – Bradenton, Representative Greg Steube instructional materials and prices FSU Alum), established a cash (R – Sarasota) and SB 968 thereof. The bills died in committee. balance retirement plan for Florida by Senator Alan Hays (R Retirement System (FRS) employees – Umatilla), allowed school HB 541 – Public featuring individual employee superintendents, upon approval Private Partnerships by accounts that are guaranteed a of the district school board, to Representative Greg Steube minimum retirement benefit. The bill create a school safety designee (R – Sarasota) and SB 900 also changed the vesting period from program through which the school by Senator Jack Latvala (R 8 years to ten years. The bills died on superintendent may designate – Clearwater), authorized state the calendar. one or more individuals to carry universities or certain direct-support a concealed weapon or firearm organizations (DSOs) to utilize HB 391 – Florida Catastrophic on school property. The bills died public-private partnerships (P3s) as Storm Risk Management in committee. an alternate procurement process Center by Representative Bill to build, upgrade, operate, own or Hagar (R – Boca Raton) and HB 801 – Local Government finance qualifying projects. The bills SB 482 by Senator Alan Hays Construction Preferences died in committee. (R – Umatilla), provided that the by Representative Heather State Board of Administration would Fitzenhagen (R – Ft. Myers) SB 728 – Public Records annually transfer a portion of the and SB 612 by Senator Alan and Public Meetings/ investment income from the Florida Hays (R – Umatilla), provided Postsecondary Education Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to the that for a competitive solicitation for Executive Search by Senator Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk construction services in which 20 percent or more of the cost was to be • Prior payment of local taxes, (R – Sanford), addressed several paid from funds appropriated by the assessments, or duties within a areas of health care, including state, a local ordinance or regulation particular local jurisdiction. hospital obstetrical services, trauma would not restrict a certified centers, telehealth, the certificate of contractor from competing for the It required a state college, county, need review process, and advanced award based on the vendor’s: municipality, school district, or other practice registered nurses. The political subdivision to disclose bill died in returning messages to • Maintaining an office or place certain information regarding the use the House. of business within a particular of funds appropriated by the state in local jurisdiction; its competitive solicitation document. The bills died in committee. • Hiring employees or subcontractors from within a CS/HB 7113 – Health Care by particular local jurisdiction; or Representative

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