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 7
April 14, 1997
As the sixth week of the Legislative Session concluded, both the House and Senate gave tentative approval to their budget proposals (see related story). Rumors of extra or over-time session are flying wildly around the Capitol because of major differences between the House and Senate budgets. After the required 72-hour "cooling-off" period ends, legislators will take a final vote today on their budget bills and send them into the conference process. Conferees will be announced tomorrow.
The Senate Education Committee will continue to meet this week to consider the distance learning bills on their agenda. No further meetings are scheduled during this session for the House Colleges and Universities Committee. Substantive legislation with a fiscal impact will continue to be heard in the House and Senate budget committees this week. Last week, the House Education Appropriations Committee passed House Bill 755, the State University System Management Efficiency legislation. During a meeting last week of the Senate Executive Business, Ethics and Elections Committee, four current Regents easily won confirmation. Florida State student (and student regent) J.R. Harding, Regent Jon Moyle, Regent Jim Heekin and Regent Phil Lewis were confirmed by the panel last Monday. Their appointments must now be voted on by the entire Senate.
Thursday was Florida State University Day at the Capitol. The Flying High Circus and Marching Chiefs Pep Band performed in the Capitol Courtyard. Seminole Tribe Chief James Billie, Vice President Beverly Spencer and President D'Alemberte held a brief ceremony honoring our legislative alumni. The weather was perfect, the crowd seemed pleased and, by all accounts, it was a successful event.
As always, I appreciate your comments, concerns and questions. I can be reached at 644-4453 or by e-mail kdaly@govrel.fsu.edu.
Kathleen Daly
"There are many students who could not identify Thomas Paine as the man who said, 'Give me liberty or give me death.'"
Representative Thomas Feeney arguing why there should be tougher standards for students regarding American History. Fellow lawmakers corrected him for his misattribution of the Patrick Henry quotation.
Tallahassee Democrat, Friday, March 21, 1997
BUDGET BASICS
Last Wednesday, the House and Senate debated and amended their budget bills on the floor of their respec tive houses. Today, they passed their budgets out of their respective houses and sent them to the conference process which begins on Wednesday. Even though Republicans control both chambers, the House and Senate budgets are miles apart not only in dollar amounts, but they are also structurally and philosophi cally different. Below is a summary of the State University System budgets.
1997-98 SUS Legislative Amended Budget:
1997-98 Governor's Amended Budget:
1997-98 House:
1997-98 Senate:
SESSION SCHEDULE
April 14-18, 1997
HOUSE
Monday, April 15
1:00pm-5:30pm
Wednesday, April 16
8:30am-12:30pm
Thursday, April 17
8:30am-12:00pm
SENATE
Monday, April 14
4:15pm-6:00pm
Wednesday, April 16
9:00am-12:00pm
Thursday, April 17
9:00am-12:30pm
Jet Service
Senator Charles Williams (FSU Alumnus) sponsored Senate Bill 1162 which provides an aviation fuel tax credit or refund to a supplier that delivers aviation fuel to an air carrier offering jet service to Tallahassee. The bill was met with opposition by Senator Jim Hargrett who stated that the bill would take away aviation tax money used to help pay for airport improvements around the state. SB 1162 will be heard again in the Senate Transportation Committee this week. Representative Marjorie Turnbull is sponsoring a similar bill in the House which has already passed out of one committee in the House.
Education Vouchers Pass Committee
Last week the Education Innovation Committee approved House Bill 1177, sponsored by Representative Stephen Wise. HB 1177 will provide state money for children to use for private school tuition in Dade, Orlando and Clay counties. The program would start next fall, with its main goal aimed at providing money to those parents who would like their children to transfer from a public school to a private school and for parents of children who already attend a private school. The companion bill in the Senate, Senate Bill 1638 by Senator John McKay also passed out of the Senate Education Committee last week. SB 1638 also includes Okaloosa County.
Florida Community Outreach Partnership
Senator Matthew Meadows is sponsoring Senate Bill 1184 which directs the Secretary of Community Affairs to carry out a demonstration program to determine feasibility of facilitating partnerships between state universities and communities to solve urban problems. The bill also provides for state university grants and provisions relating to selection criteria for grant recipients, and requirements regard ing the state and nonstate share of grants. SB 1184 has been referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. An identical bill has been filed in the House, House Bill 1095 by Representative Victor Crist.
Florida Supplemental Student Grant Program
Senate Bill 1250, by Senator Fred Dudley, establishes the Florida Supplemental Student Grant and Loan Program. The program will provide annual grants and loans to students attending state universities or community colleges. The awards are based on need. The bill also establishes funding for the program through investment of student charges and authorizes refund of charges upon graduation. SB 1250 passed the Senate Education Committee favorably and is now in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
FSU Day Resolution Adopted
Both the House and the Senate passed FSU Day resolutions last week, House Bill 9145 and Senate Bill 2334 both declared April 10, 1997, as FSU Day, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of its transformation into a major research university.
Florida State University
Governmental Relations
Kathleen Daly, Director
110 Westcott Building
Tallahassee, FL 32306
