Bill Text: FL S1468 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Education

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (? 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-04 - Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 7069 (Ch. 2017-116), SB 2502 (Ch. 2017-71) [S1468 Detail]

Download: Florida-2017-S1468-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2017                                    SB 1468
       
       
        
       By Senator Galvano
       
       
       
       
       
       21-00774A-17                                          20171468__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to education; amending s. 11.45, F.S.;
    3         requiring the Auditor General to conduct annual audits
    4         of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind;
    5         amending s. 1001.10, F.S.; authorizing the
    6         Commissioner of Education to coordinate with specified
    7         entities to assess needs for resources and assistance
    8         in an emergency situation; amending s. 1004.345, F.S.;
    9         extending the timeframe by which the Florida
   10         Polytechnic University must meet specified criteria
   11         established by the Board of Governors of the State
   12         University System; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Upon the expiration and reversion of the
   17  amendment to section 11.45, Florida Statutes, pursuant to
   18  section 36 of chapter 2016-62, Laws of Florida, paragraph (d) of
   19  subsection (2) of section 11.45, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   20  read:
   21         11.45 Definitions; duties; authorities; reports; rules.—
   22         (2) DUTIES.—The Auditor General shall:
   23         (d) Annually conduct financial audits of the accounts and
   24  records of all district school boards in counties with
   25  populations of fewer than 150,000, according to the most recent
   26  federal decennial statewide census, and the Florida School for
   27  the Deaf and the Blind.
   28  
   29  The Auditor General shall perform his or her duties
   30  independently but under the general policies established by the
   31  Legislative Auditing Committee. This subsection does not limit
   32  the Auditor General’s discretionary authority to conduct other
   33  audits or engagements of governmental entities as authorized in
   34  subsection (3).
   35         Section 2. Subsection (8) is added to section 1001.10,
   36  Florida Statutes, to read:
   37         1001.10 Commissioner of Education; general powers and
   38  duties.—
   39         (8) In the event of an emergency, the commissioner may
   40  coordinate through the most appropriate means of communication
   41  with local school districts, Florida College System
   42  institutions, and satellite offices of the Division of Blind
   43  Services and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to assess
   44  the need for resources and assistance to enable each school,
   45  institution, or satellite office the ability to reopen as soon
   46  as possible after considering the health, safety, and welfare of
   47  students and clients.
   48         Section 3. Upon the expiration and reversion of the
   49  amendment to section 1004.345, Florida Statutes, pursuant to
   50  section 36 of chapter 2016-62, Laws of Florida, subsection (1)
   51  of section 1004.345, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   52         1004.345 The Florida Polytechnic University.—
   53         (1) By December 31, 2017 2016, the Florida Polytechnic
   54  University shall meet the following criteria as established by
   55  the Board of Governors:
   56         (a) Achieve accreditation from the Commission on Colleges
   57  of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools;
   58         (b) Initiate the development of the new programs in the
   59  fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;
   60         (c) Seek discipline-specific accreditation for programs;
   61         (d) Attain a minimum FTE of 1,244, with a minimum 50
   62  percent of that FTE in the fields of science, technology,
   63  engineering, and mathematics and 20 percent in programs related
   64  to those fields;
   65         (e) Complete facilities and infrastructure, including the
   66  Science and Technology Building, Phase I of the Wellness Center,
   67  and a residence hall or halls containing no fewer than 190 beds;
   68  and
   69         (f) Have the ability to provide, either directly or where
   70  feasible through a shared services model, administration of
   71  financial aid, admissions, student support, information
   72  technology, and finance and accounting with an internal audit
   73  function.
   74         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.