PCS/CS/SB 264 – Higher Education by Senator Ray Rodrigues (R – Ft. Myers), adds requirements designed to protect the expression of diverse viewpoints at Florida College System (FCS) institutions and state universities. The bill:

• Requires each FCS institution and state university to annually assess the intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity at that institution using a survey adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE) or the Board of Governors of the State University System (BOG), as applicable.
• Specifies that the SBE, the BOG, FCS institutions, and state universities may not shield students from protected free speech.
• Includes in the definition of protected expressive activities the recording and publishing of video and audio recorded in classrooms, and clarifies that protected expressive activities include the nonconsensual recording and publication of video and audio recorded in outdoor areas of campus and in classrooms.
  • The bill was amended to clarify s that the right of a student to record communications in the classroom extends only to recordings made for the personal use of the student.

The amended bill reported favorably by the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.  A similar bill in the House, HB 233 by Representative Spencer Roach (R – North Ft. Myers), reported favorably by the Post-Secondary Education and Lifelong Learning Subcommittee.

PCS/CS/SB 52 – Postsecondary Education by Senator Ray Rodrigues (R – Ft. Myers), contains provisions to help postsecondary institutions provide certain educational and financial benefits and support to students and employees. Specifically, the bill:

• Clarifies that postsecondary tuition and fee exemptions apply to a student who is currently in the custody of the Department of Children and Families or a specified relative or nonrelative, or who was at the time he or she reached 18 years of age.
• Establishes the Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program to reimburse eligible postsecondary institutions for tuition and related costs for dual enrollment courses taken by certain students, and specifies reporting deadlines.
• Authorizes a university board of trustees, subject to approval by the Board of Governors, to target certain employees for bonuses by implementing a bonus scheme based on awards for work performance or employee recruitment and retention.

For the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program is estimated to cost $28.5 million.
The bill reported favorably by the Appropriations subcommittee on Education. A similar bill in the House, HB 281 by Representative Wyman Duggan (R – Jacksonville), is waiting to be heard in the Secondary Education & Career Development Subcommittee.

SB 86 - Student Financial Aid by Senator Dennis Baxley (R – Lady Lake), requires that eligibility for state financial aid awards and tuition assistance grants be reevaluated each term and identify students’ program of study. Beginning with the 2022-23 academic year, eligibility for such awards and grants is contingent on the student’s enrollment in career certificate or degree program on an approved list. The bill revises the formula for calculating how Florida Public Student Assistance Grant Program funds are distributed. Additionally, the bill authorizes a Bright Futures Scholarship recipient to apply the unused portion of a Florida Academic Scholars award or Florida Medallion Scholars award toward graduate study for a specified academic year. Finally, the bill establishes the Florida Bright Opportunities Grant Program and the Florida Endeavor Scholarship Program.  The bill was filed last week.

SB 146 – Civic Education by Senator Jeff Brandes (R – St. Petersburg), authorizes the development and integration of a nonpartisan civic literacy practicum and the designation of a public school providing high-quality civic learning as a Freedom School. Specifically, the bill requires:

• The Commissioner of Education to develop minimum criteria for a nonpartisan civic literacy practicum that may be incorporated into a school’s curriculum for the high school United States Government course, along with a process for district school boards to verify student completion of the practicum.
• School districts to include and accept nonpartisan civic literacy practicum activities and hours in requirements for academic awards.
• The State Board of Education to annually designate each public school in the state which provides students with high-quality civic learning as a Freedom School, based on specified criteria.

The bill reported favorably by the Education Committee and is waiting to be hard by the Appropriations Committee.  The House companion, HB 611 by Representative Ben Diamond (D – St. Petersburg), is waiting to be heard by the Secondary Education and Career Development Subcommittee.

HB 439 - Prohibited Governmental Transactions with Technology Companies and for Chinese Products by Representative Randy Fine (R – Palm Bay), prohibits an agency or local governmental entity from purchasing any good made, or that contains specified percentage of parts that were produced, in China. The bill prohibits an agency or local governmental entity from purchasing any good or service made, sold, or provided by certain technology companies. Additionally, the bill provides that contract for purchase or provision of goods or services by an agency or local governmental entity must include a provision authorizing termination of such contract in certain circumstances.
The bill is waiting to be heard by the Public Integrity and Elections Committee. A similar bill in the Senate, SB 810 by Senator Joe Gruters (R – Sarasota, FSU Alum) has been referred to the commerce and Tourism, Governmental Oversight and Accountability, Community Affairs, Appropriations, and Rules committees.

SB 1110 - Relations Between Postsecondary Institutions and Communist Regimes by Senator Manny Diaz (R – Hialeah Gardens), removes the Florida-China Institute from the list of authorized Florida linkage institutes and prohibits the creation or funding of linkage institutes based on agreements between the Board of Governors or the State Board of Education and a counterpart organization in a country governed by a communist regime.  Additionally, the bill requires the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education to withdraw from any such agreements by a January 1, 2022. The bill also prohibits certain postsecondary institutions from entering into specified agreements with a communist regime, or an entity that is organized and exists under the laws of a country governed by a communist regime.
The bill has been referred to the Education Committee, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, and the Appropriations Committee. A similar bill in the House, HB 1047 by Representative Tom Fabricio (R – Hialeah), has been filed.

HB 845 - State University Free Seat Program by Representative David Smith (R – Winter Springs), creates the State University Free Seat Program. The bill provides an exemption from tuition and fees, including lab fees, for one online course at a state university for certain resident students. The bill prohibits a state university from charging such students more than the specified percentage of tuition rate and tuition differential under certain circumstances, and provides that qualified students are eligible to receive up to 110 percent of the required credit hours of the degree program. The bill is waiting to be heard by the Post-Secondary Education and Lifelong Learning Subcommittee. There is no Senate companion at this time.