Tech Center Legislative Update: Career in a Year Update 2

Dear Colleagues,

Hope you all had a relaxing holiday.  Everything is beginning to move at a more rapid pace with two committee weeks in January and three in February prior to the March 3^rd start of the session.

Here is the latest information that we have as of today:

·         We are still on track regarding each of the 7 points of our legislative platform.

·         OPPAGA’s presentation (Mark Baird) to the House Higher Ed and Workforce Subcommittee yesterday was positive and reinforced our mission as the premier occupational training centers in the State.  Mark also introduced their review of Technical Colleges and our quest to become one.  Please view his presentation at http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/VideoPlayer.aspx?eventID=2443575804_2014011025&committeeID=2712.  His presentation starts at about 1:27.

·         On Wednesday, January 15, we are going to make a presentation at 10:00 to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Workforce Education and Technical Centers.  We have been working with the DOE (Rod/Tara), and the Senate Staff (Tim Elwell/Mark Armstrong) to re-familiarize the Committee as to who we are and what we do.(The committee requested Bob Crawford, Diane Culpepper and Doug Wagner to present.)

·         The House has almost completed its draft of “the bill” that will come forth through the Higher Ed Committee.  We have been working with them Heather Sherry and Kathy Mizereck to develop the actual bill language. (We have not actually seen “the bill”, but have responded to questions from staff.)

·         Please continue to meet with your local legislators, business/industry and others regarding our value and worth in putting people to work.

·         Our tag line of “Career In A Year” has stuck, so please use this to sell our message of Jobs, Jobs, Jobs.

·         We plan to conduct a webinar through FACTE before the end of January to bring everyone up to date on where we are and next steps.  Marsan will send out the information soon.  Please get everyone to watch, listen and participate.

·         We need to keep the pressure on to move our agenda forward.  Thank you again for all that each of you have done to date.

Overview of Legislative Committee - Week of January 13, 2014

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

8:00-10:00 am   

House-Higher Education & Workforce

            NOT MEETING

10:00-12:00

Senate-Education Appropriations

CS/CS/SB 84 by Education / Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security / Latvala—Waivers of Out-of-state Fees for Veterans

Workshop on Postsecondary Education in Career and Technical Centers

Discussion of constitutionally required trust fund creations, re-creations and terminations

2:30-4:30

House-Education Appropriations

Meeting Overview/Summary:
Implementation Updates:
District Technology Plans & Distribution of Technology Funding
Safe Schools Security Assessments

Thursday, January 16, 2014

9:00-11:00

House-Education Committee

Meeting Overview/Summary:
Workshop on Early Learning

HB 277 - Joint Use of Public School Facilities

Appear at Meeting

General Bill   by Spano Joint Use of Public School Facilities: Encourages district school board to promote public access to outdoor recreation & sports facilities on school property, increase number of joint-use agreements, & provide appeal process if negotiations for joint-use agreement fail; provides immunity from liability for district school board that adopts public access policies or enters into joint-use agreement except in instances of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

HB 319 - Maximum Class Size

Appear at Meeting

General Bill   by Moraitis (CO-SPONSORS) Edwards Maximum Class Size: Calculates school district's class size categorical allocation reduction at school average when maximum class size requirements are not met; revises calculation.

HB 337 - Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program

Appear at Meeting

General Bill   by Fresen Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program: Revises procedures for distributing program funds to classroom teachers. CS/CS/SB 84 - Waivers of Out-of-state Fees for Veterans General Bill   by Education and Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security and Latvala (CO-SPONSORS) Evers; Grimsley; Detert; Sachs; Bradley; Montford Waivers of Out-of-state Fees for Veterans: Citing this act as the "Congressman C. W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Act"; establishing the Congressman C. W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Program; requiring a state university or Florida College System institution to waive out-of-state fees for certain veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States, including the National Guard and reserve components thereof; requiring a state university and Florida College System institution to report to the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education, respectively, the number and value of all fee waivers, etc.

SB 178 - Disability Awareness

General Bill   by Ring Disability Awareness: Requiring that each district school board provide disability history and awareness instruction in all K-12 public schools; providing for individual presenters who have disabilities to augment the disability history and awareness instruction; requiring each public school to establish a disability history and awareness advisory council, etc.

SB 236 - Edison State College

General Bill   by Richter Edison State College: Renaming Edison State College as “Florida SouthWestern State College”, etc.