Admin
Legislative Update, Sept. 20-24, 2021
Posted on 09/27/2021

Overview

Interim Committee Weeks began Monday and will continue through Dec. 3. The 2022 Florida Legislative Session formally begins Jan. 11, 2022, and ends March 11, 2022. To date, more than 250 bills have already been filed for the upcoming Session, including several education-related bills (see Bill Activity below).

The redistricting process will receive significant attention as legislators use recent census data to modify state and federal legislative districts. The Legislature officially launched its redistricting website on Wednesday. The site provides information on the redistricting process and offers an interactive map that will allow Floridians to submit their own district maps and suggestions. 



Committee Activity

The following legislative committees held meetings this week on education-related matters:


House: Secondary Education & Career Development Subcommittee 

  • Presentation by the Office of Reimagining Education and Career Help on the implementation of HB 1507, which seeks to provide coordination and alignment in Florida’s workforce development system. 

  • View a video recording of the Committee meeting. 


House: Early Learning & Elementary Education Subcommittee

  • Presentation on the implementation of HB 7011 – the Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence (RAISE) Act – which seeks to enhance school literacy supports across the state. 

  • View a video recording of the Committee meeting.


House: PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee

  • Overview of Legislative Budget Request for FY 2022-23: Department of Education

  • Presentation on the Non-enrollment Reports Pursuant to Section 5 of Chapter No. 2021-44, Laws of Florida

  • Update on Status of Allocations Versus Disbursements of Federal Coronavirus Funds

  • View a video recording of the Subcommittee meeting.


Senate: Education Committee

  • Presentation on “K-12 Standards, Assessments, and Student Supports by Jacob Oliva, Senior Chancellor, Florida Department of Education. 

  • View a video recording of the Committee meeting.



Bill Activity

Below are education-related bills filed this session that may advance through the legislative process in the coming weeks.

HB 15 / SB 236: Children with Developmental Delays (Tant / Jones)

  • Revises definition of term "exceptional student" to include additional students with developmental delays.


HB 51: Required Instruction in History of the Holocaust and History of African Americans (Thompson)

  • Requires DOE to prepare standards & curriculum related to history of African Americans; provides requirements for specified entities relating to history of Holocaust & history of African Americans instruction; provides for inclusion of such content in certain statewide, standardized assessments.


HB 59: Electrocardiograms for Student Athletes (Hawkins)

  • Requires certain students to receive electrocardiogram to participate in interscholastic athletic competition.


HB 125: Compulsory School Attendance (Chambliss, Valdés)

  • Revises required age for compulsory school attendance from 16 to 18 years of age; removes requirement that student's parent sign declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment; removes requirement that school district notify student's parent upon receipt of such declaration.

HB 165: School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program (Hinson)

  • Establishes School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program within DOE; provides for award of stipends for classroom teacher mentorship; 


HB 173 / SB 340: Care of Students with Epilepsy or Seizure Disorders (Duran / Garcia)

  • Provides for creation of individualized seizure action plan for students with epilepsy or seizure disorders to receive health care at school.


HB 175 / SB 248: Menstrual Hygiene Products in Public Schools (Grieco, Skidmore / Book)

  • Requires school districts to make menstrual hygiene products available, at no charge, in each school nurse's office or other physical school facility for health services.


HB 179: Photographic Enforcement of School Bus Safety (Altman, Slosberg)

  • Authorizes school districts to install & operate side stop signal arm enforcement systems on school buses.


HB 189: Photographic Enforcement of School Zone Speed Limits (Duran)

  • Authorizes counties & municipalities to enforce school speed zones through use of speed detection systems.

HJR 35 / SJR 244: Partisan Elections for Members of District School Boards (Roach, Sirois / Gruters)

  • Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to require members of a district school board to be elected in a partisan election, etc.


HJR 77 / SJR 192: Commissioner of Education (Driskell / Cruz)

  • Proposes amendments to the State Constitution to provide for election of Commissioner of Education & his or her inclusion as a member of the Cabinet & the State Board of Education.


SB 188: Civic Literacy Education (Brandes)

  • Requiring the Commissioner of Education to develop criteria for a civic literacy practicum that meets certain goals; authorizing the practicum to be incorporated into a school’s curriculum 


SB 212: Let Kids Play Act (Farmer)

  • Repeals the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which bars transgender female athletes from competing in activities specifically designed for girls and women.


SB 270: Funds for Student Transportation (Hutson)

  • Modifying requirements for determining student membership in a school district in order to determine the annual allocation for funding for student transportation, etc.