There was a
flurry of
activity on
education bills
in the House
this week.
After a marathon
8 hour committee
meeting on
Monday, to hear
HB 7189 on
teacher pay, the
House quickly
moved all four
controversial
education bills
on class size,
end of course
exams, vouchers
and teacher pay
to the floor.
The House bills
were all laid on
the table and
Senate bills 2,
4, 6 and 2126
substituted.
This is a
procedural move
that would allow
them to send the
bills directly
to the governor,
if there were no
amendments
adopted. After a
two day debate
on these bills
with discussion
on SB 6-teacher
pay-dominating
the debate, all
four bills were
passed and are
all on their way
to the Governor.
There were no
amendments
adopted, even
though there
were several
good amendments
filed.
SB 2
(class size)
passed on a
party line vote
77-41,
but
SB 2126
(vouchers) had
bi partisan
support passing
handily
95-23.
SB 4 (EOC
exams) passed
106-12
and
SB 6
narrowly passed
64-55 at
2:26 a.m.,
Friday morning.
In another
procedural move,
The House
adjourned at
2:30 a.m., but
reconvened at
2:40 a.m. in
order to send
the bill to the
governor on
Friday.
Technically, if
the House
reconvenes it is
considered a new
session (on a
new day), which
enabled them to
send the bill to
the governor on
Friday without a
2/3 majority
vote.
Your messages
were heard.
During the class
size debate,
Rep. Bill Heller
stated that the
state PTA was
against the
bill.
To see how your
Representative
voted on these
bills, please
follow the links
below.
House Floor Vote
SB2
House Floor Vote
SB4
House Floor Vote
SB6
House Floor Vote
SB2126
Bill Update
In other action
SB 316,
booster seats,
SB 1096
Civics Education
and
HB 1233,
Educational
Plant Surveys
passed their
last committees
of reference and
are on their way
to the floor.
Bill to watch:
SJR 2550,
a constitutional
amendment that,
if adopted,
would allow
public funds for
religious
schools, moved
out of
committee.
Voters would be
asked to change
the constitution
to allow public
tax dollars to
go to
religiously
affiliated
programs. The
amendment would
add the
following
language to the
constitution,
"An individual
may not be
barred from
participating in
any public
program because
that individual
has freely
chosen to use
his or her
program benefits
at a religious
provider."
Several states
have a clause in
their
constitutions-also
known as the
Blaine Amendment
which was
adopted in the
mid 1800's, but
was the basis by
which the
Florida Supreme
Court overturned
the voucher
bill. Removing
that language
and adding the
new
language, will
lift the
constitutional
ban on vouchers.
The House bill
has not yet seen
action. The
measure would
need a super
majority vote in
both Houses and
60% majority at
the ballot box.
For a complete
bill update go
to:
FPTA Legislative
Report
2010 Bills
Thank You
