G O V E R N M E N T A L R E L A T I O N S
G O V E R N M E N T A L R E L A T I O N SVolume 6, Number 4
March 24, 1997
Management Efficiency
As the third week of the 1997 Legislative Session came to a close on Friday, the House education budget committee reviewed its timetable. After meeting all afternoon, Representative Bill Sublette, Chairman of the Education Appropriations Committee, announced the committee will not meet again until Wednesday, March 26, when he will unveil an education budget. He intends to have the committee vote on that education budget on April 2. Meanwhile, the Senate education budget comittee hopes to have their recommendations finalized by Thursday, March 27. We have not even seen a run of the budget numbers yet; these ambitious dates mean that legislators and staff are working overtime to stay on schedule.
House and Senate education committees addressed tuition and fees again prior to passage of financial aid bills. The House Committee on Colleges and Universities passed the technology fee bill without opposition.
All in all, last week was a busy one. A bill outlawing "roofies," otherwise known as the "date-rape" drug, was signed into law by the Governor. The "42nd Sometimes-Annual Capitol Press Corp Skits" entertained hundreds of legislators, staffers and lobbyists last Monday with no known barbs directed at FSU. Last Thursday the University of Florida football team was honored during Gator Day at the Capitol. Coach Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerful, President Lombardi and Albert the Alligator came to Tallahassee to be lauded by state officials. Many of the FSU faithful expressed their spirit by wearing garnet and gold!
The House Colleges and Universities Committee will hear the Management Efficiency bill (HB 755) this coming Tuesday, and both budget committees will meet on Wednesday. This week is a relatively short one at the capitol since members will leave town a day early because of the Easter holiday.
I appreciate your comments and questions. You can reach me, as always, at 644-4453, or by e-mail at kdaly@govrel.fsu.edu .
Kathleen Daly
Tomorrow the House Committee on Colleges and Universities will vote on House Bill 755, the State University System Management Efficiency bill, by Representatives Lee Constantine and Marjorie Turnbull.
This important piece of legislation will give universities more flexibility in the following administrative areas:
* Credit Card Payment
The bill allows the use of credit cards for payment of tuition and fees without collecting a service fee or charge.
* Property Acquisition
This provision will enable the Board and the system universities to acquire property without delays by the Department of Environmental Protection. It would allow universities to order their own appraisals and surveys and enter into optional agreements to purchase property without appraisals, if deemed necessary.
* Proceeds from Sale of Surplus Property
The 1994 Legislature delegated the surplus property function to all state agencies but required that, effective July 1, 1995, the monies from the sale of surplus property be deposited into the general revenue fund.
This action reduces or eliminates the funding source for universities to run the surplus property section.
The bill also classifies as residents for tuition purposes National Hispanic Scholars, National Achievement Scholar Finalists and National Merit Scholars and finalists. This provision is a Florida State University session priority. House Bill 755 is expected to pass.
March 24-28, 1997
HOUSE
Tuesday, March 25
8:30am-10:30am
Wednesday, March 26
8:30am-10:30am
SENATE
Wednesday, March 26
9:30am-12:00pm
Thursday, March 27
9:30am-11:00am
"Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program"
Senate Bill 858, sponsored by Senator Donald Sullivan and the Senate Education Committee, passed the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday. The bill creates a program called "Bright Futures," a $75 million lottery financed scholarship program which provides 75% to 100% of tuition for students with a B average. The bill also supports students attending vocational or private institutions. A similar bill in the House, Committee Substitute/House Bill 543 spon sored by Representative Ken Pruitt, has already been approved by the House Education Innovation Committee and is moving through the House. SB 858 will move to the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
Economically Disadvantaged Students
A bill creating a grant program designed to coordi nate various sources of financial aid to enhance assistance for economically disadvantaged students in postsecondary education, passed the Senate Education Committee last week. Committee Substitute/Senate Bill 112 by Senator George Kirkpatrick, directs the completion of an integrated student aid data base and deletes the requirement that a student must participaxÁ`in the CLAST testing program to be eligible for financial aid after the sophomore year. Other provisions in the bill include:
*Authorization of the Prepaid Postsecondary Education Expense Fund to cover activity and service fees in addition to mandatory fees
*Reduction of the portion of the allocation that must remain in the state student financial aid trust fund at the end of the fiscal year
*Revises requirements for student aid eligibility and the Florida Work Experience Program
Technology Fee Passes
PCB CU 97-04, sponsored by the Committee on Colleges and Universities, passed that committee last week. This PCB will establish a technology fee at each state university, not to exceed $50 for a full-time student per semester or the per -credit hour equivalent. The fee would be collected as a component part of tuition, retained by the university in a local technology fee fund. Fee increases and expenditures from revenues derived from the fee would be recommended by a technology fee committee, at least half of whom are students appointed by the student body president. The recommendations of the technology fee committee will take effect after approval by the university president, following consultation with the student body president, and approval by the Board of Regents. The fee may only increase once every fiscal year and must be implemented with the fall term. A similar bill has been filed in the Senate.
Financial Assistance
PCB CU 97-03, sponsored by the House Committee on Colleges and Universities also passed that committee last week. This financial aid bill incorporates a number of recommendations from recent reports published by the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission, including the development of a comprehensive student financial assistance data base; use of seventh semester information to determine the eligibility of high school students for the Undergraduate Scholars and Vocational Gold Seal awards; repeals provisions conditioning eligibility for state financial aid on participation in the college-level communications and computation skills testing program; expands participation in the Florida Work Experience Program and eliminates the requirement that a minimum of 25 percent of the program funds be used to contract with public schools; and, deletes the requirement that a student must be denied admission to an eligible State University System program to qualify for the limited access competitive grant program. The bill expands the current fee exemptions for children who remain in long -term foster care or independent living to include children who are adopted from the foster care program, and revises state financial aid eligibility requirements to includepart-time students with disabilities. The bill passed unanimously.
