Two education-related bills are expected to overshadow the rest over the next few days in Tallahassee: The Legislature’s response to last month’s shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County, and final votes on the wide-ranging HB 7055.
But below the radar, there are a few other issues worth watching going into the legislative session’s final week.
Pieces of HB 7055
The Florida House has scheduled votes today on two bills that mirror portions of HB 7055, which is expected to come up for a vote in the Senate.
One, HB 1, would create the Hope Scholarship program championed by Speaker Richard Corcoran and revamp oversight of private school choice programs. The other, HB 495, contains proposed changes to charter school oversight, “innovation zones” and charter school capital outlay funding.
That other school choice bill
SB 732 is another substantial education bill ready for a floor vote in the Senate. However, none has been scheduled, with time winding down.
The measure replicates a few parts of HB 7055, such as the reading scholarship proposal. But it would also expand a public-school personalized learning program statewide and clarify freedoms for Florida homeschoolers. And those changes are not currently contained in other bills. The House has already passed its versions of those proposals in multiple bills.
Eyes on the budget
Both HB 7055 and HB 495 would revamp capital outlay funding for charter schools. But the linchpin of that plan lies in the state budget, where the House originally proposed spending $120 million on charter schools.
That, along with a handful of other key education-related issues, remains undecided as legislative leaders head into the final hours of budget talks. Next year’s state spending plan needs to be finalized and printed by Tuesday for the legislative session to reach its regularly scheduled conclusion Friday evening.
