Several important bills and issues were debated last week, the third of the 2001 Session. The Republican-led House approved Governor Jeb Bush's “Service First” plan for overhauling the state employment system. House Bill 369 would reclassify 16,000 Career Service workers into Selected Exempt Service status, which allows agency managers to use “sound discretion” in disciplining or firing an employee. Leon County's legislative delegation - Representatives Ausley (D), Kendrick (D), Kilmer (R), and Richardson (D), - voted against this 200-page bill, but it was sent to the Senate on a 74-43 vote.
Another of the Governor's priority bills, House Bill 367, passed the House 65-50. This bill would give the Governor the authority to choose Florida's trial and appeal judges, as well as the people who screen judicial candidates. Currently, boards screen applicants for judicial appointments in Florida's 20 judicial circuits, five District Courts of Appeal, and the state Supreme Court. These boards are made up of nine volunteers; three are appointed by the Governor and three by the Florida Bar, and those six then choose the remaining three members. Under HB 367, the Governor would appoint all nine members of these boards.
The Education Governance bills will be heard this week in the Senate Education Committee and the House Colleges and Universities Committee. These bills propose the Board of Regents be replaced by individual, Governor-appointed boards of trustees on July 1, 2001, a date that is two years earlier than was suggested in the original 2000 legislation (see related story). In other education-related news, the House gave final approval last Thursday to a bill that would enable students in overcrowded public schools to transfer to private schools with state-paid tuition vouchers (see Spotlight on Bills).
The state-budget bills passed the full funding committees in the House and Senate late last week and will be heard late this week in both chambers (see related story).
This Thursday, March 29, is FSU Day at the Capitol. It'll be a day of displays, entertainment, and “old-fashioned” Garnet and Gold festivity. The theme will be our sesquicentennial. Please join us, if you can, from 10:00 until 2:00 on Thursday.
As always, I welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions. I can be reached at 644-4453, or by e-mail at kdaly@govrel.fsu.edu.
BUDGET NEWS
The Senate and House budget committees passed their versions of the $50 billion state funding plan late last week. These proposals will be heard in their respective Chambers later this week and then sent to conference committees by next week. There are differences between the two budgets but both set aside the bulk of the state's dollars for education and health and human services programs. The Senate dedicates $14.8 billion for education while the House allocates $15.5 billion.
The biggest difference between the two plans is $350 million in the Senate's overall budget that is not included in the House spending plan. (The Senate decided not to cut taxes this year while the House offers more than $300 million in tax exemptions.) Major differences appear in the university budgets as well; a significant one is that the Senate's bill requires hundreds of professors to teach an extra class, which creates a $43.7 million disparity between the House and Senate spending plans. One other major spending difference between the budgets is their enrollment funding proposals. The Senate's plan would not reimburse universities who enroll more students than projected. That proposal could result in an overall $40 million reduction to the ten state universities.
