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Senate Advances Legislation to Expand Bright Futures Scholarship

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SB 4 Secures Permanent Expansion of Bright
Futures Academic and Medallion Scholarships

Senate Bill 4, the Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2018, sponsored by Senator Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton), today passed the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education. The legislation expands the state university and student financial aid portions of the higher education agenda advanced last session in the Senate, a top priority of Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). The bill includes provisions for the permanent expansion of the Bright Futures Academic Scholar award at 100 percent of tuition and fees, and the Bright Futures Medallion Scholar award at 75 percent of tuition and fees.
“Senate Bill 4 will help alleviate some of the financial burdens facing Florida students and their families,” said Senator Galvano. “Financial security enables students to put their focus where it should be, on their academic success and graduating on time. A permanent expansion of Bright Futures and flexible tuition policies, combined with continued investments in need-based student financial aid will make on-time graduation much more attainable for students across our state.”
“This week I had the opportunity to meet with several representatives of student government organizations at our state universities. These dedicated students are excited about the permanent expansion of Bright Futures and the ability for students to plan their investment in a college or university education with more certainty,” said President Negron. “Florida has some of the brightest students in the nation. Senate Bill 4 sends a strong message that if students work hard to earn the privilege to attend one of our great state colleges or universities, financial insecurities will not stand in the way of their dream of pursuing a higher education.”
Summary of Senate Bill 4 – The Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2018
PRESERVE ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
Senate Bill 4 expands merit-based and need-based financial aid funding and establishes flexible tuition policies available to families so every student in Florida who qualifies and earns the privilege to attend one of our state universities has the opportunity to pursue a higher education.
Expands Student Financial Assistance and Support

  • Expands need-based state aid, and university or college gift aid, for students with demonstrated financial need.
    • Expands the First Generation Matching Grant Program to include community college students and doubles the state match for private donations supporting the program (2:1 match).
    • Creates a new Florida Farmworker Student Scholarship for children of migrant families to earn technical and college credentials.
  • Expands merit-based state gift aid for high-performing students.
    • Reinstates full funding of the Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholar award at 100 percent of tuition and fees, plus $300 in fall and spring semesters to cover instructional materials and other costs, beginning in this 2017-2018 academic year.
    • Guarantees funding for 2018 summer term tuition and fees for Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholar awards.
    • Reinstates funding for the Bright Futures Florida Medallion Scholar award at 75 percent of tuition and fees for fall and spring semesters, beginning in fall semester of the 2018-2019 academic year.
    • Expands Benacquisto Scholarship awards (full cost of attendance) to recruit out-of-state National Merit Scholar award winners.

Establishes Flexible Tuition and Fee Policies

  • Requires universities to implement an institutional block tuition and fee policy for full-time, in-state, undergraduate resident students.
    • Fall 2018 semester implementation for at least the entering freshman class – may be extended to include other students.
    • Must accommodate full-time student enrollment in at least 30 credits across any combination of fall, spring, or summer terms of the academic year.
    • Must maximize accelerated and transfer credit to facilitate on-time graduation and minimize excess hours.
    • Must be publicly approved by university boards of trustees and the Board of Governors, with updates and progress reports provided to the Legislature.

Increases Student Access to Internship and Job Opportunities

  • Requires each state university to use labor market projections and related degree production analyses to identify internship opportunities for students to benefit from industry experts and mentors, earn industry certifications, and become employed in high-demand fields.

RECRUIT AND RETAIN TOP FACULTY
Senate Bill 4 expands and enhances policy and funding tools state universities can leverage to recruit and retain the very best faculty, enrich professional and graduate school strength and viability, and bring aging infrastructure and research laboratories into the 21st century.
Establishes World Class Faculty Scholar Program

  • Creates the World Class Faculty Scholar Program to help universities

Establishes University Professional and Graduate Degree Excellence Program

  • Creates the University Professional and Graduate Degree Excellence Program to promote quality and GAA.

ELEVATE UNIVERSITY DISTINCTION AND NATIONAL PROMINENCE
Senate Bill 4 ensures universities remain accountable to Florida taxpayers by refining university performance expectations to incentivize and reward state university performance excellence and recognition in academics, instruction, research, and community accomplishments and achievements.
Incentivizes On-Time Graduation of Full-Time Students

  • Refines university performance expectations to incentivize and reward institutions for graduating full-time bachelor degree students in four years.
    • Preeminent State Research University: Upgrades the graduation metric to a 4-year graduation rate of 60 percent or higher. The current metric is a 6-year rate at 70 percent or higher. The bill provides one transitional year for any university having earned preeminent or emerging preeminent status based on the 2018 determination under current metrics to maintain that status for the 2018-19 academic year and receive 2018-19 preeminence funds accordingly.
    • University Performance Incentive Funding: Updates metrics to specify a 4-year graduation rate and require benchmarks for the “access” metric that reward institutions for performance success in serving Pell grant students.
  • Tightens state university relationships with their direct-support organizations’ leadership, use of funds, and public disclosure activities.

Promotes State University Programs of Excellence

  • Directs the Board of Governors to establish standards and measures to recognize, enhance, and promote individual degree programs in state universities across the system, which reflect national excellence, prominence, and distinction.

For more information, please visit www.FLSenate.gov.

GOP-led Senate defeats Nelson's amendment to protect Medicare

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By a vote of 47 to 51, the U.S. Senate today defeated an amendment offered by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) earlier today to block Republicans’ efforts to cut more than $473 billion from Medicare.
“Why in the world would we want to cut $473 billion from Medicare?,” Nelson said on the Senate floor moments before the Senate began voting on his amendment. “My amendment simply restores that cut and replaces it with eliminating a number of the tax loopholes. It’s a simple amendment. Save Medicare.”
Nelson’s measure, which he filed today as an amendment to the Republicans’ budget plan currently being considered in the Senate, would have restored the $473 billion in cuts to Medicare by closing special interest tax loopholes instead.
The text of Nelson’s amendment is available here.
You can watch video of Nelson’s remarks on the Senate floor prior to the vote here: https://youtu.be/LUicdWWNNDU.

And here’s a rush transcript:
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
Remarks on the Senate floor
October 18, 2017
Sen. Nelson: Before Medicare, one half of senior citizens in this country did not have health care health insurance. Medicare changed that.
Why in the world would we want to cut $473 billion from Medicare?
It doesn’t make sense. So my amendment simply restores that cut and replaces it with eliminating a number of the tax loopholes.
It’s a simple amendment. Save Medicare.

Senator Farmer Urges Governor to Veto HB 7069

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Senator Gary M Farmer Jr. sent the following letter today to Governor Rick Scott urging him to veto HB 7069, a bill that would deal a devastating blow to Florida’s public school system.
 

June 13, 2017

Governor Rick Scott,
As you are well aware on Monday May 8, the State Legislature passed HB 7069. This bill, which faced bipartisan opposition in the State Senate, has the potential to devastate Florida’s public education system.
This dreadful piece of legislation, if signed into law, would dramatically reduce the ability of school districts across the state to devote resources towards improving our public education. HB 7069 would force school districts to give an even split of locally derived capital outlay funds to charter schools. This would cut $13 million a year from Broward County’s budget alone. In Palm Beach County, officials have predicted that this piece of legislation could impact districts so harshly that districts may see their credit ratings decrease, as mandated spending rises. This funding would be on top of PECO dollars that charters have regularly been receiving from general revenue.
What is further troubling about the proposed new capital outlay mandate is that it would allocate funds for charter schools to construct privately owned buildings. This will allow private management companies to build facilities for charter schools, which will then revert to private ownership in the event that the charter school either closes down or relocates. While we had language in the Senate education bill which would have prohibited the use of capital outlay funds for individual or corporate enrichment, this language was not included in HB 7069.
This bill would also mandate that traditional public schools allow charter schools to use their facilities at a deeply discounted rate, which does not reflect the fair market value of the property. It would allow charter schools to use vacant space in existing district facilities. This poses a major potential problem, as it would severely limit a school district’s ability to adequately plan for future growth.
HB 7069 also creates potentially harmful exemptions for charter schools with regard to zoning laws. This bill would allow charter schools to bypass land use or zoning requirements of local jurisdictions. This could harm both communities and students, by placing students in locations that are not suited for schools, and causing local complications such as negatively altering traffic patterns. There is a reason zoning laws are localized, and no industry should be exempt from this oversight designed to preserve and protect neighborhoods.
In addition to the negative policy effects of HB 7069, the process through which this bill was passed also raises some serious transparency issues. One of the highlights of your time as governor of this great state has been your commitment to making Florida one of the most transparent states in the nation. While there are many issues which you and I fundamentally disagree upon, making sure that the people have a clear view of our government during every step in the process, is something on which we see eye to eye. Unfortunately, the process by which HB 7069 was passed through both the House and the Senate was anything but transparent.
Until May 5, HB 7069 was a bill which dealt entirely with the Best and Brightest Scholarship Program. However, that afternoon the bill was fundamentally changed into a 278-page amendment that slashes funding for struggling schools and requires school districts to pay for charter school projects that they cannot afford. This amendment also included provisions that were the subject of some 55 other bills, the vast majority of which either had been voted down in committee or had stalled. The amendment also hijacked unrelated issues, such as recess and Gardiner Scholarships for students with special abilities, in a blatant attempt to borrow support. That may be the most offensive part of this process, as these issues enjoyed broad, bipartisan support – unlike the other controversial provisions of the bill.
This massive amendment was not released to the public until it was proposed during the appropriations conference committee meeting, leaving no time for public review or comment before it was agreed upon. This bill is a textbook example of a failure in government transparency.
Governor Scott, on behalf of my constituents in Broward County as well as parents and students across the state I implore you to please exercise your authority to veto HB 7069. While there are small pockets of good policy hidden within this bill, it is a monstrosity when coupled with the multitude of bad policies that have been included. Understanding the bad policy that is contained in this bill and the lack of transparency employed in its passage I urge you to please veto HB 7069.

Sincerely,

Senator Gary M. Farmer
District 34

Gov. Scott Applauds Senate’s Focus on Jobs; Concerned House is Slashing Jobs Programs

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Governor Rick Scott released the below statement on the proposed budgets within the Florida Senate and Florida House. The Florida Senate’s proposed budget includes more than $80 million for Enterprise Florida programs and $76 million for VISIT FLORIDA, while the Florida House’s proposed budget eliminates Enterprise Florida and slashes VISIT FLORIDA’s budget to $25 million. 

Governor Scott said, “Over the past few months, Floridians and job creators from across the state have come together in support of important economic development programs like Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA. I want to thank the Florida Senate for listening to our families and job creators by proposing to fully fund Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA. 

“Unfortunately, at this time, the Florida House has chosen to continue ignoring the Floridians they serve. The House’s decision to severely cut the budget of VISIT FLORIDA is especially shocking when we look at how disastrous this has been in other states. A reduction of tourism marketing means a reduction of visitors and revenue, which increases the tax burden for our families and threatens the jobs of more than 1.4 million Floridians who rely on the tourism industry. 

“Over and over again, politicians in the House have failed to understand that Florida is competing for job creation projects against other states and countries across the globe. Eliminating Enterprise Florida means we will not be able to effectively compete for new opportunities. Furthermore, while the House originally claimed that the role of EFI could be relocated to DEO, their proposed budget instead slashes positions within DEO’s Division of Business Development. The individuals in these positions are crucial to ensuring businesses honor their contracts and job creation goals before receiving any economic incentive dollars. Eliminating the majority of these positions puts our taxpayers’ hard-earned money at risk.”

Legislation to Keep BP Oil Funds in Northwest Florida Advances

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The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development today passed Senate Bill 364, The Recovery Fund for the Deepwater Horizon Incident. The legislation, sponsored by Senator George Gainer (R-Panama City), Senator Doug Broxson (R-Pensacola), and Senator Bill Montford (D-Tallahassee), will ensure funds received in the settlement of the state’s economic damage claims caused by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill remain in Northwest Florida’s eight disproportionately affected counties. The initial settlement payment was received by the state in July of 2016, and future payments are scheduled to be paid annually from 2019 through 2033.
“Settlement funds represent a historic opportunity for our communities,” said Senator Gainer. “We need to make certain that not only the currently-held settlement payments, but also all future settlement payments are transferred directly to Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., where we know they will be used to ensure the ongoing economy recovery of Northwest Florida.”
Under current law, the eight disproportionately affected counties are to receive 75 percent of all economic damage settlement funds received by the state. Senate Bill 364 appropriates the initial settlement payment directly to Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., and appropriates future settlement payments directly to Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., no later than 30 days after they are received by the state.
“Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. will develop a comprehensive economic improvement plan for Northwest Florida to ensure that our communities benefit from these funds now and in the future. The bill makes it clear that settlement funds should be transferred directly to Triumph Gulf Coast and provides the checks and balances needed to ensure the funds are properly accounted for,” said Senator Broxson.
“This legislation is very important to our constituents. They expect current and future settlement funds to benefit our disproportionately affected counties, and they want to see progress as soon as possible,” said Senator Montford. “For far too long, families and businesses in our communities have been feeling the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. This legislation affirms our longstanding commitment to keep these critical funds in Northwest Florida.”
The eight Florida counties disproportionately affected by the Deepwater Horizon Spill include: Bay County, Escambia County, Franklin County, Gulf County, Okaloosa County, Santa Rosa County, Walton County and Wakulla County.
In 2013, under the leadership of former Senate President Don Gaetz (R-Niceville), the Florida Senate developed legislation (Senate Bill 1024), sponsored by current Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart), which created Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., to ensure that economic damage settlement funds coming to the state would both benefit the eight disproportionately affected counties and be properly accounted for. Under this legislation, the Triumph Gulf Coast Board, chaired by former Florida House Speaker Allen Bense, is responsible for utilizing the settlement proceeds to promote job creation through lasting economic development.
Currently, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Chief Financial Officer, each appoint one board member. Senate Bill 364 expands the number of board members from five to seven. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives will each appoint an additional private sector member from one of the four least populous disproportionately affected counties, so that two such counties are represented on the board.
Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., is tasked to make awards to programs and projects that meet the priorities for economic recovery, diversification, and enhancement of the disproportionately affected counties. This includes economic development projects, grants to support programs of excellence that prepare students for future occupations, as well as infrastructure projects. The corporation is required to abide by the state’s public record laws and public meeting notice requirements.

Senate Passes Florida Student and School Personnel Religious Liberties Act

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Legislation Protects Constitutional Rights In Public Schools

The Florida Senate today passed Senate Bill 436, Religious Expression in Public Schools, by Senator Dennis Baxley (R-Lady Lake). The legislation creates the “Florida Student and School Personnel Religious Liberties Act,” and specifies that a school district may not discriminate against a student, parent, or school personnel on the basis of a religious viewpoint or religious expression.
“Freedom of Religion is a central right protected by our Constitution. The government should not impose a religion, but all too often we see the other extreme where we are taking away people’s right to free speech and their right to practice their faith in a way they believe is appropriate,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). “Students of any faith, or no faith, have a right to free speech. By passing this legislation today, we are taking the steps necessary to protect this important constitutional right of public school students, parents, teachers, and school administrators.”
“Students should not have to surrender their constitutional rights or their religious beliefs at the school house door. Neither should teachers, administrators or parents,” said Senator Baxley. “For many Floridians, instilling faith in their religious convictions is a central component of child rearing and family life. Students should not be prevented from discussing these convictions with their peers, or incorporating religious beliefs in their attire, assignments, and extracurricular activities. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion are fundamental to our way of life as Americans and this legislation ensures that we protect these critical rights in our taxpayer-funded public schools.”
Senate Bill 436 authorizes students to express religious beliefs in written and oral assignments, free from discrimination. Students may also wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry that display a religious message or symbol to the same extent secular types of clothing, accessories, and jewelry that display messages or symbols are permitted in public school dress codes. Further, students may pray, or engage in and organize religious activities before, during, and after the school day, to the same extent student engagement in secular activity or expression, and the organization of secular activities and groups are permitted.
The legislation requires a school district to comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and specifies that a school district may not prevent school personnel from participating in religious activities on school grounds that are student-initiated at reasonable times before or after the school day.
Districts must allow a religious group access to the same school facilities for assembling as a secular group without discrimination. Additionally, the bill requires school districts to adopt a policy that establishes a limited public forum for student speakers at any school event at which a student is to speak publicly. The legislation also requires the Florida Department of Education to develop and publish on its website a model policy regarding a limited public forum and the voluntary expression of religious viewpoints by students and school personnel in public schools. The model policy must be adopted and implemented by each district school board.

Florida lawmakers persist in their efforts to protect vulnerable Floridians, fix Sober Homes issue

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Florida State Senator Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) and Representative Bill Hager (R-Boca Raton) have been working for several years to put the brakes on the unchecked proliferation of sober homes.  They will continue their work this upcoming Session making sure that Floridians in recovery get the care they need while keeping our communities safe.
Building on a policy that makes it easier for the state to track recovery residences, SB 788, which was filed yesterday in the Senate, cracks down on fraudulent marketing and patient brokering.  Unethical marketing practices purposefully mislead patients and their families, mostly motivated by profit.  The bill creates licensing and certification standards for marketers directing patients to specific treatment programs and provides criminal penalties for violators.  In addition, the measure implements an effective and comprehensive plan to control the housing component of the recovery and treatment process and eliminate the exploitation of those in recovery by providers and residence operators.
“It’s hard to measure the strain that has been placed on families and communities by those sober homes operators taking advantage of the system,” Clemens said.  “The good operators have joined with us to improve the system for everyone.”
“Sober homes provide assistance for recovering alcohol and drug addicts. This legislation puts in place a standard of care which will benefit the residents of these homes and their neighbors while the patients continue on the road to recovery,” Hager said. “This bill puts in place new regulations across the state for the benefit of Floridians.”
The recommended changes are the result of the Palm Beach County Sober Homes Task Force led by Dave Aronberg, State Attorney for the 15th Judicial Circuit.  The Task Force is made up of three groups: a Law Enforcement Task Force to help identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing criminal laws, a Proviso Task Force to study the issues and make specific legislative changes and regulatory enhancements, and a larger, more inclusive group of industry representatives, public officials, private organizations, and individuals.
Representative Hager will file a companion bill in the House of Representatives.

Terrorism Prevention Legislation Filed in House and Senate

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Bill will expand the definition of terrorism and provide new and
increased penalties for those involved in any aspect of terrorism.

Senator Aaron Bean (R-Jacksonville) and Representative Julio Gonzalez (R-Sarasota) have filed Senate Bill 476 and House Bill 457, Terrorism and Terrorist Activities, expanding the definition of the term “terrorism” and providing new and increased penalties for those involved in any aspect of terrorism.
“In the wake of the horrific terror attack in Orlando, the State of Florida must take a strong stance against terrorism,” said Senator Bean. “This bill will provide new and harsher punishments for those engaging in acts of terror and will allow law enforcement to combat this rising threat more effectively.”
The bill provides that violation of specified provisions with certain intent is a crime of terrorism. In addition, the bill provides penalties for any person who willfully becomes a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization and serves with the intent to pursue illegal acts.
“Combating those who threaten our democracy and our way of life is pivotal to maintaining a vibrant republic and to protecting our future. I am thrilled to join Senator Bean and Commissioner Swearingen in the fight against terrorism in our state,” stated Representative Gonzalez.
The bill also prohibits providing material support or resources to any designated foreign terrorist organizations and prohibits engaging in other illegal actions in connection with these organizations. Lastly, it will require the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to create specified guidelines pertaining to terrorism.
“We appreciate this legislation and its support of our mission to promote public safety and strengthen domestic security,” said FDLE Commissioner Swearingen. “By providing law enforcement with the tools to help prevent future attacks, we are poised to take a more proactive approach in fighting terrorism.”

Statement following today’s Senate Appropriations Committee meeting

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Statement By: Gil Langley, Chairman, Florida
Association of Destination Marketing Organizations

“On behalf of Florida’s destination marketing organizations, we support and endorse U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow’s presentation on tourism marketing given at today’s Senate Appropriations committee meeting. We are thankful to have an expert who has witnessed the power of travel promotion first-hand represent our industry and address Senator Latvala and his committee. Roger Dow has seen the positive results of a strong tourism marketing campaign, and he has seen immediate repercussions for states who slash tourism budgets. In the increasingly competitive travel industry, it’s more important than ever to promote the state’s and local communities’ tourism offerings to potential travelers across the globe.
Maintaining our status as a premier travel destination is critical to our local communities, which rely on tax revenue resulting from visitor spending and the jobs created for 1.4 million of our fellow Floridians.
Over the past five years alone, we have seen incredible growth in Florida’s tourism. This is a direct result of state and local tourism marketing programs and the strategic investment made in those efforts. It is imperative that we continue to attract new visitors to our great state. Visitors spend money, and that money allows Florida to reinvest into programs that benefit all citizens. We applaud Roger Dow for advocating on behalf of Florida citizens, families and businesses who are all impacted by our tourism promotion programs.”

Senate Regulated Industries Committee Passes Comprehensive Gaming Legislation

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Senator Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton) released the following statement regarding Senate Bill 8, Gaming, which today passed the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries.
“Gaming is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Just as we do with any other industry in our state, we want to make sure our laws provide an environment of certainty and reliability that allows private entities to make educated business decisions about the jobs families rely on. In turn, all Florida families can make informed decisions about the communities in which they live and work.
“These are real dollars that impact real people, families, and communities across our state. Today’s action is an important step towards finalizing a comprehensive, statewide approach that respects the interests of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, other business owners who operate gaming facilities, and the authority of local voters.
“I look forward to the work ahead and hope this legislation will provide a foundation for further discussions with Governor Scott, our colleagues in the Florida House, the Seminole Tribe, industry stakeholders, and constituents. My goal is to resolve this issue early in session to provide the certainty and finality all stakeholders are seeking.”