CS/HB 613 – Higher Education by Representative Ray Rodriguez (R – Ft. Myers), requires the Board of Governors (BOG) and the State Board of Education (SBE) to report annually on the intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity at each institution by conducting a survey. Additionally, the bill:

• Revises the data for academic and research excellence standards of preeminent institutions by using more timely performance data and requiring the standards to be reported annually in the BOG Accountability Plan.
• Repeals the emerging preeminent state research university designation and creates State Universities of Distinction. The bill requires the BOG to establish standards and measures for State Universities of Distinction which identify universities who are achieving excellence, meeting state workforce needs, and fostering an innovation economy.
• Modifies state university performance funding metrics to include metrics that focus on the success rate of “2+2” Associate in Arts (AA) degree transfer students and Pell Grant students; and prohibits the adjustment of such metrics once data has been received.
• Requires Florida College System (FCS) institutions and state universities be given the choice to provide either an opt-in or an opt-out provision to students regarding textbook and instructional materials affordability.
• Removes the limitation that prohibits a Phosphate Research and Activities Board member from serving more than 180 days after the expiration of his or her term, until a successor is appointed.
• Requires the BOG legislative budget request to include 5-year trend information on the number of faculty and administrators at each university along with the proportion of full-time equivalent (FTE) dedicated to instruction and research compared to administration and specifies that the growth rate of administrators at any state university may not exceed the growth rate of faculty.

The bill was amended before the holidays to exclude preeminent universities from programs of distinction funding.  The amended bill reported favorably by the House Higher Education Committee. A comparable bill in the Senate, SB 72 by Senator Kelli Stargel (R – Lakeland) has a hearing in the Senate Education Committee today.

SB 72 modifies provisions relating to the prioritization of capital outlay projects at FCS institutions, the carry forward of operational funds at state universities and FCS institutions, state student financial aid, and textbook affordability at public postsecondary institutions. Specifically, the bill:

• Modifies a criterion for new construction, remodeling, or renovation projects at FCS institutions that have not been previously state funded to be added to the Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) priority list.
• Modifies reporting deadlines and spending plan provisions relating to the carry forward of operational funds at state universities and FCS institutions.
• Replaces the State University System Programs of Excellence with the State Universities of Distinction program and establishes requirements.
• Aligns student eligibility, maximum awards, fund distribution, remittance deadlines, and reporting requirements between the four Florida Student Assistance Grant programs.
• Clarifies initial and renewal award requirements for the Benacquisto Scholarship Program.
• Provides that pricing and payment options relating to textbook affordability may include either an opt-in or opt-out provision for students.

CS/HB 171 – Postsecondary Education for Certain Military Personnel by Representative Mel Ponder (R – Ft. Walton Beach, FSU Alum), requires the Board of Governors (BOG) to adopt regulations and the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt rules to create a process that enables servicemembers and veterans of the United States Armed Forces to earn uniform postsecondary credit or career education clock hours across all Florida public postsecondary educational institutions for college-level training and education acquired in the military.

The regulations and rules must be developed in consultation with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and include procedures for credential evaluation and the uniform award of postsecondary credit or career education clock hours, including, but not limited to, equivalency and alignment of military coursework with appropriate postsecondary courses and course descriptions. The bill requires the Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC) to:

• convene a workgroup to develop a process for determining when courses taken and occupations held by individuals during their service in the military is appropriate for postsecondary credit or career education clock hours;
• provide recommendations to the BOG and the SBE regarding a process for determining postsecondary course equivalencies; and
• approve a list of postsecondary course equivalencies and the minimum credit or career education clock hours that must be awarded for courses taken and occupations held by individuals during their service in the military.

The bill requires the BOG and the SBE to adopt the list approved by the ACC. State universities, Florida College System (FCS) institutions, and career centers must award postsecondary credit or career education clock hours based on the list adopted by the BOG and the SBE, provided the credit is applicable toward the student’s degree or certificate.

The bill authorizes institutions to award additional postsecondary credit or career education clock hours, if appropriate, and guarantees credit and career education clock hours awarded in accordance with minimum credit and clock hour requirements to transfer to other state universities, FCS institutions, and career centers as if the credit or clock hours were earned at the receiving institution.

State universities, FCS institutions, and career centers must waive the transcript fee for active duty members and honorably discharged veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States, and their spouses and dependents.

The bill reported favorably by the Higher Education and Career Readiness Subcommittee.  A similar bill in the Senate, CS/SB 372 by Senator Tom Lee (R – Brandon) reported favorably by the Education Committee.

HB 287 – Student Athletes, by Representative Byron Donalds (R – Naples, FSU Alum), allows student athletes to receive compensation for the use of the student’s name, image, or likeness.  The bill prohibits a postsecondary educational institution, athletic association, conference, or other group or organization with authority over intercollegiate athletics from preventing a student athlete in this state from obtaining professional representation in relation to contracts or legal matters, including, but not limited to, representation provided by an athlete agent or legal representation provided by an attorney.  The bill is waiting to be heard in the Higher Education and Career Readiness Subcommittee, however the topic will be workshopped today in a joint House Education, Commerce and Judiciary Committee meeting.  A similar bill in the Senate, SB 646 by Senator Debbie Mayfield (R – Melbourne) has been referred to the Education; Innovation, Industry, and Technology; Rules committees.