Volume Twelve / Number Eight • April 24, 2006

The session is now at a point where information changesrapidly. The Education Conferees met Sunday evening,with the House making the first offer toward reconcilingeach chamber’s spending plans, which included an offer ofadditional enrollment growth money for state universities.The budget conference is expected to continue the rest ofthe week, and legislators are hoping to have their finalagreements in place by Friday or Saturday (see relatedstory).

Another central issue is additional PECO monies for stateuniversities, and the odds for that are tipped against theSUS. Currently, legislators feel that the K-12 class-sizeamendment, which voters added to Florida’s constitution afew years ago, takes precedence over funding constructionand facility upgrades at state universities.

Meanwhile, committees dealing with substantivelegislation will have their final meetings today andtomorrow. Any bills not on their agendas will have anuphill battle for passage by their chambers. Among thosestill not scheduled to be heard is the bill that would cutfinancial assistance to foreign students. Another is the billthat would allow for tuition waivers for undocumentedaliens, which was intended to benefit children of migrantworkers, but also changed the student residency policy; ithad already failed in a committee last week. Mostsignificant is the “death” of the University Governance bill,which the Board of Governors and SUS had worked on formonths.

The final, frenetic weeks of any session-this one included-are often the most critical. While a number of importantissues remain in play, the budget continues to be theprimary focus. You can follow all of the action live on TheFlorida Channel, local cable channel 4.

As always, please feel free to contact me if you havequestions, concerns or need copies of bills and theiranalyses. I can be reached at (850) 644-4453 or via e-mail at kdaly@mailer.fsu.edu.

Budget ConferenceThe Budget Conference process began last week andproceeded through the weekend. Both, SenatePresident Tom Lee and Speaker of the House AllanBense (FSU Alum) appointed conferees who areworking to compromise on unsettled issues in the2006-07 General Appropriations Act. Below are thisyear’s conferees:

Budget Conference - At Large Members

Negron, Joe (Chair)Carlton, Lisa (Chair)Bowen, MarshaBrummer, FredGardiner, AndyGoodlette, J. DudleyGreenstein, Ronald L.

‘Ron‘Jennings, Jr., EdMiller, Jr., Lesley

Rubio, MarcoRyan, TimSansom, Ray (FSU

Alum)Seiler, John P.Simmons, DavidVillalobos, J. Alex (FSU

Alum)Waters, Leslie (FSU

Alum)Budget Conference - Education Members

Pickens, Joe (Chair)Alexander , JD (Chair)King, Jr., James E. ‘Jim‘

(Vice Chair) (FSUAlum)

Altman, ThadArza, RalphAttkisson, FrankBaxley, Dennis K. (FSU

Alum)Bendross-Mindingall,

DorothyBullard (L), Larcenia J.Coley, Marti (FSU

Alum)

Constantine, LeeFlores, AnitereJustice, CharlieKlein, Ronald A.Lynn, Evelyn J.Mealor, David J.Miller, Jr., LesleyPatterson, PatRichardson, Curtis (FSU

Alum)Rivera, DavidStargel, John (FSU

Alum)Vana, ShelleyWise, Stephen R.

SESSION SCHEDULE

SENATE SESSIONWednesday, April 26, 2006

- Friday, April 2810:00 a.m. until

completion of agenda

HOUSE SESSIONMonday, April 24,1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, April 25, 200610:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 26, 200610:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 27, 20069:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Friday, April 28, 20069:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

SB 1016 — Independent CollegiateAssistance by Senator Stephen Wise (R –Jacksonville), creates the Florida IndependentCollegiate Assistance Grant Program to providegrants to certain students who attend nonpublicinstitutions of higher education and who areenrolled in programs leading to specifiedoccupations. The bill requires DOE to administerprogram and provides requirements for criteriaand priorities for funding. Additionally, the billrequires OPPAGA to make certain assessments andsubmit a report to the Legislature. The bill will beheard in the Education Appropriations Committeetoday. The companion in the House, HB 387 byRepresentative Pat Patterson (R – DeLand)is in the Education Appropriations Committee.

SB 1554 — Sales Tax Exemption/Textbooksby Senator Mike Haridopolis (R –Melbourne), exempts certain textbooks from taxon sales, use, & other transactions. The billprovides requirements, provides definitions, and,provides a sales tax exemption on rental, lease, orgranting of license for use of real property bycertain bookstore operations at postsecondaryeducational institutions. The bill is now in the Waysand Means Committee. The companion in theHouse, HB 15 by Representative AnitereFlores (R – Miami) is now in the Finance and TaxCommittee.

SB 918 — Medical Schools by Senator LeeConstantine (R – Altamonte Springs),authorizes the creation of colleges of medicine atthe University of Central Florida and at FloridaAtlantic University. The bill will be heard today inthe Ways and Means Committee. The companionin the House, HB 1237 by RepresentativeDavid Mealor (R – Lake Mary) is on the HouseCalendar.

SB 2380 — School District Funding bySenator Lisa Carlton (R– Osprey), increases the amount that a districtschool board may spend for new construction ofeducational plant space and revises requirementsfor calculating the number of students perclassroom for fiscal year 2006-2007. The billpassed out of the Education AppropriationsCommittee last week. The companion bill in theHouse, HB 5005 by Representative JoePickens (R – Palatka) was amended in theSenate and returned to the House for concurrence,the House refused to concur and has requested aconference committee be appointed.

HB 7097 — Postsecondary Education by theCommunity Colleges and WorkforceCommittee authorizes an articulation agreementfor delivery of associate in applied science degreeprograms by career centers and provides forcharter technical career center to use designation“technical college.” The bill revises provisionsregarding the establishment of inter-institutional

mechanisms by public postsecondary educationalinstitutions and establishes School District CareerCenter Facility Enhancement Challenge GrantProgram, etc. The bill passed out of the EducationCouncil on Friday. The Companion in the Senate,SB 2326 by Senator Carey Baker (R – Eustis)was amended by the Commerce and ConsumerServices Committee and is now in GovernmentalOversight and Productivity.

Update on BillsHB 7257 — University Governance by theColleges & Universities Committee,revises, creates, and clarifies provisions relatingto the Board of Governors of the StateUniversity System, state university boards oftrustees, State Board of Education,Commissioner of Education, DOE, andpostsecondary educational institutions. The billis not moving at this time.

HB 1027 — Biomedical Research byRepresentative Adam Hasner (R – DelrayBeach, FSU Alum), redirects fundsestablished for the FSU Chiropractic School tothe Biomedical Research Trust Fund forpurposes of William G. “Bill” Bankhead, Jr., &David Coley Cancer Research Program andprovides for deposit of certain proceeds ofLawton Chiles Endowment Fund intoBiomedical Research Trust Fund for purposesof William G. “Bill” Bankhead, Jr,. & DavidColey Cancer Research Program; establishesWilliam G. “Bill” Bankhead, Jr., & David ColeyCancer Research Program within DOH. Thebill is set to pass the House. The companionbill, SB 1826 by Senator Burt Saunders (R– Naples) is on the Senate Calendar.

SB 2084 —Science & TechnologyResearch by Senator J.D. Alexander (R– Lake Wales), creates the 21st CenturyTechnology, Research, and ScholarshipEnhancement Act. The bill creates the FloridaTechnology, Research, & Scholarship Boardwithin Board of Governors of State UniversitySystem and requires the board to providerecommendations for 21st Century WorldClass Scholars Program & Centers ofExcellence Program. The bill requiresminimum investment of private funds andprovides for future repeal of the act. The billwill be heard in the Education AppropriationsCommittee today. A similar bill in the House,HB 1237 by Representative David Mealor(R – Lake Mary) is on the House Calendar.

SB 428 — Travel Expenses/Reimbursementby Senator Al Lawson (D – Tallahassee,FSU Alum), revises per diem, subsistence andmileage rates for purposes of reimbursement of

travel expenses of public officers, employees andauthorized persons. The bill passed out of theSenate last week. A similar bill in the House, HB6001 by Representative Marti Coley (R –Marianna, FSU Alum) is on the HouseCalendar.

HB 795 — Student Financial Assistanceby Representative Anitere Flores (R –Miami), creates the First Generation MatchingGrant Program to provide financial aid toundergraduate students with financial needwhose parents have not earned a baccalaureatedegree. The bill provides for appropriation,allocation, & distribution of funds and providesstudent eligibility requirements. Additionally,the bill provides additional category withinwhich students may be classified as residentsfor tuition purposes. The bill is on third readingon the House calendar. Companion bills in theSenate, SB 366 by Senator FredericaWilson (D – Miami) reported unfavorably outof the Domestic Security committee last weekand, SB 1750 by Senator Al Lawson (D –Tallahassee, FSU Alum) will be heard todayin the Education Appropriations Committee. Asimilar bill in the House, HB 119 byRepresentative Juan Zapata (R – Miami)was heard in the Education Council on Friday.

HB 1171 — Travel To Terrorist States byRepresentative David Rivera (R – Miami),prohibits use of any state or non-state fundsmade available to community colleges andstate universities to implement, organize,direct, coordinate, or administer activitiesrelated to or involving travel to a terroriststate. The bill is on the House calendar. Theidentical bill in the Senate, SB 2434 by MikeHaridopolis (R – Melbourne) was heard inthe Domestic Security committee last week.

Office ofGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS

Kathleen M. DalyAssistant Vice President

Toni MooreSenior Administrative Assistant

Chris AdcockOffice Manager

(850) 644-4453www.fsu.edu/~govrel