Welcome to the second edition of Capital Connection 2023. This month rounded out the final committee weeks before the 2023 Legislative Session which is set to begin on Tuesday, March 7^th. This month consisted of both a special session and committee weeks. The scope of the special session can be found here. Committee weeks continued with presentations as well as the introduction of bills. Bills of interest included SB 102 the “Live Local Act” an omnibus housing package sponsored by Senator Alexis Calatayud, (R-Miami) and HB 1 relating to School Choice sponsored by Representative Kaylee Tuck, (R-Sebring). As session gets underway look for a significant number of bills to start moving through the legislative process.

Presentations of interest on education, healthcare, and fiscal cliffs from committees during the month of February may be found below:

House Committee Presentations-

2/9/23 House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee

2/16/23 House Education & Employment Committee

2/16/23 House Health & Human Services Committee

2/22/23 House Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee

2/23/23 House Prek-12 Appropriations Subcommittee

Senate Committee Presentations-

2/21/23 Senate Committee on Education Prek-12

As bills have continued to be filed during the month of February for the 2023 legislative session we have added them to the tracker below.

We look forward to bringing you more information in the coming weeks.

Until next time!

Sincerely,

The Florida Alliance of Children's Councils & Trusts

HB 121 - Florida Kidcare Program Eligibility

Rep. Bartleman

❶❷❸

SB 246 Florida Kidcare Program Eligibility

Sen. Calatayud

❶❷❸

These similar bills increase the income eligibility threshold for coverage under the Florida Kidcare program, require applicants seeking coverage under the program to provide specified documentation, require that premiums for certain enrollees under the program be based on a tiered system of uniform premiums, and provide that certain amendments made by this act are subject to federal approval through a waiver or state plan amendment.

HB 435 - Newborn Hearing Screenings

Rep. Melo

❶❷❸

SB 394 - Newborn Hearing Screenings

Sen. Polsky

❶❷❸

These identical bills define the term "congenital cytomegalovirus test" and revise newborn hearing screening requirements to require that all newborns, rather than only those who fail the initial newborn hearing screening, be tested for congenital cytomegalovirus, etc.

SB 538 - Provisional Child Care Licensing

Sen. Trumball

❶❷❸

Requires a local licensing agency or the Department of Children and Families to issue a provisional license or registration for a family day care home under certain circumstances.

HB 447 - Child Care Facilities Exempt from Licensing

Rep. Altman

❶❷❸

This bill exempts child care facility licensed by branch of United States Department of Defense or United States Coast Guard from certain state licensing requirements.

HB 1021 - Child Care and Early Learning Providers

Rep. McFarland

❶❷❸

SB 990 - Child Care and Early Learning Providers

Sen. Grall

❶❷❸

These similar bills revise provisions relating to taxes for preschools & child care providers, licensing, training requirements, screenings, timeframes, insurance, & regulation. Provides an exemption for public and private preschools from specified special assessments levied by a municipality, a tax credit for certain contributions made to a child care facility, authorizes specified tax credits for corporations establishing and operating or making payments to, child care facilities for their employees under certain conditions, requires the Department of Children and Families to conduct specified screening of child care personnel within a specified timeframe and issue provisional approval of such personnel, and provide that an insurer may not deny, cancel, or refuse to renew a policy on the basis that the policyholder operates a large family child care home.

HB 703 - Early Childhood Music Incentive Program

Rep. Garcia

❶❷❸

SB 478 - Early Childhood Music Incentive Program

Sen. Perry

❶❷❸

These identical bills rename the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program as the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Program. Revises criteria for a school district’s eligibility to participate in the program and deletes an obsolete provision requiring the University of Florida’s College of Education to conduct a specified evaluation.

HB 193 - Instructional Hours for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program

Rep. Nixon

❶❷❸

SB 426 - Instructional Hours for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program

Sen. Davis

❶❷❸

These identical bills revise instructional hours required in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to provide for an 8-hour program day in summer & school-year programs.

K-12 Education

HB 1 - School Choice

Rep. Tuck

❶❷❸

SB 202 - K-12 Education

Sen. Simon

❶❷❸

These similar bills revise provisions relating to the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, obligations of eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organizations, and part-time enrollment in public schools. Require the State Board of Education to provide recommendations by a specified date to the Governor and the Legislature for repeals and revisions of the Florida Early Learning-20 Education Code to be considered in the 2024 legislative session. Authorize vehicles other than buses to transport students and permits district school boards to use advanced degrees in setting salary schedules for instructional personnel or school administrators.

SB 758 - Reading Strategies

Sen. Calatayud

❶❷❸

Requires that certain reading instructional and intervention programs exclude specified programs, certain instructional materials exclude specified materials, and that certain teacher training exclude specified training. Revises a requirement pertaining to school districts' comprehensive reading plans.

HB 465 - Workforce Education

Rep. Esposito

❶❷❸

Requires Commissioner of Education to approve or disapprove final Master Credential List; requires Credentials Review Committee to submit a new list to the commissioner within the specified timeframe & increases amount DOE may reimburse an institution through Open Door Grant Program for a completed workforce training program.

HB 379 - Student Use of Social Media Platforms

Rep. Yeager

❶❷❸

SB 52 - Required Instruction in Public Schools

Sen. Burgess

❶❷❸

These similar bills require members of the instructional staff of public schools to provide instruction on social media safety; defines the term "social media"; requires the Department of Education to make social media instructional material available online, requires district school boards to notify parents of the availability of the instructional material, and requires each school district to prohibit & prevent students from accessing social media platforms through use of internet access provided by school districts.

Out-Of-School Time Programs

HB 249 - Level 2 Background Screenings

Rep. Trabulsy

❶❷❸

SB 676 - Background Screenings

Sen. Grall

❶❷❸

These similar bills revise provisions related to level 2 background screenings for certain persons who have access to children & participation in the Care Provider Screening Clearing House. These bills require the clearinghouse to allow the results of certain screenings after a certain date to be shared among specified agencies and qualified entities. The bills revise requirements for independent sanctioning authorities to participate in specified background screening system, expand agencies & entities which may utilize the Criminal Justice Information Program for fingerprint searches, and requires the program to develop, for federal approval, a specified method for identifying or verifying individuals and requires specified entities to initiate criminal history checks through FDLE or clearinghouse by a specified date. Provides requirements for clearinghouse and revises requirements for educator certification or employment in positions that require direct contact with certain students.

HB19 - Individual Education Plan

Rep. Tant

❶❷❸

SB 636 - Individual Education Plans

Sen. Simon

❶❷❸

These identical bills require IEPs for certain students to contain information and instruction on legal rights & responsibilities that transfer to students at age 18 and require information to include ways in which a student may provide informed consent to allow his or her parent to continue to participate in educational decisions.

HB 223 - Public School Student Progression for Students with Disabilities

Rep. Bartleman

❶❷❸

SB 290 - Public School Student Progression for Students with Disabilities

Sen. Jones

❶❷❸

These similar bills require comprehensive plans for student progression to provide for specified students with disabilities to be retained in prekindergarten at the discretion of a student’s parent, requiring such students to receive intensive reading interventions, and revising the requirements for certain students with disabilities to receive a good cause exemption from mandatory retention in grade 3.

SB 272 - Children and Young Adults in Out of Home Care

Sen. Garcia

❶❷❸

Requires the Department of Children and Families to establish the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman to serve a specified purpose. Specifies dates by which the office must be established and certain information and training and processes provided. Requires the department to work with all stakeholders to educate children and young adults in out-of-home care regarding their rights and protections and the benefits available to them, and requires specified staff to provide certain materials to children and young adults in out-of-home care and explain certain rights and protections. Requires the department to adopt rules.

SB 488 - Appointment of Attorneys for Dependent Children with Certain Special Needs

Sen. Bradley

❶❷❸

Revises the circumstances under which the court must appoint an attorney for a dependent child, increases the maximum attorney fees that may be charged per child per year by attorneys appointed to represent dependent children, and requires the Department of Children and families to enter into an agreement with the Justice Administrative Commission to obtain specified federal funds.

HB 143 - Task Force on the Monitoring of Children in Out-of-Home Care

Rep. Williams

❶❷❸

SB 204 - Task Force on the Monitoring of Children in Out-of-Home Care

Sen. Rouson

❶❷❸

These similar bills create a Task Force on Monitoring of Children in Out-of-Home Care and provides for membership. Requires the task force to convene by specified date, authorizes the task force to conduct meetings through teleconference or other electronic means, and provides duties of the task force. Requires the Florida Institute for Child Welfare to conduct focus groups & submit its findings to the task force, requires DCF to submit certain monthly reports to the task force, requires the task force to submit report to Governor & Legislature, and provides for repeal of the task force.

HB 573 - Costs of Supervision or Care of Children

Rep. Barnaby

❶❷❸

Removes provisions for fees for costs of care or supervision of certain children & for assessment & collection of such fees, provides such fees may not be ordered, balances for such fees may not be collected, unpaid civil judgments for such fees are void & unenforceable, warrants issued solely based on alleged failure to pay such fees are void & any person whose driver license was suspended for failure to pay such fees shall be eligible for reinstatement.

Economic Self-Sufficiency

HB 627 - Housing

Rep. Busatta Cabrera

❶❷❸

SB 102 - Housing

Sen. Calatayud

❶❷❸

These identical bills cite this act as the "Live Local Act" and delete the authority of local governments to adopt or maintain laws, ordinances, rules, or other measures that would impose controls on rents. Provides an exemption from ad valorem taxation for land that meets certain criteria, authorizes local governments to adopt ordinances to provide an ad valorem tax exemption for portions of property used to provide affordable housing meeting certain requirements, suspends, for a specified period, the General Revenue Fund service charge on documentary stamp tax collections, and authorizes the Governor, under the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, to approve state or local public infrastructure projects to facilitate the development or construction of affordable housing.