HB 1125

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to the allocation and expenditure of state
3lottery revenues; amending s. 24.121, F.S.; requiring a
4portion of Powerball net revenues to be allocated to
5voluntary prekindergarten education programs; providing
6for the use of funds; providing an effective date.
7
8Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10     Section 1.  Subsection (5) of section 24.121, Florida
11Statutes, is amended to read:
12     24.121  Allocation of revenues and expenditure of funds for
13public education.--
14     (5)(a)  Public educational programs and purposes funded by
15the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund may include, but are not
16limited to, endowment, scholarship, matching funds, direct
17grants, research and economic development related to education,
18salary enhancement, contracts with independent institutions to
19conduct programs consistent with the state master plan for
20postsecondary education, or any other educational program or
21purpose deemed desirable by the Legislature. Prior to the
22expenditure of these funds, each school district shall establish
23policies and procedures that define enhancement and the types of
24expenditures consistent with that definition.
25     (b)  Except as provided in paragraphs (c), (d), and (e),
26and (f), the Legislature shall equitably apportion moneys in the
27trust fund among public schools, community colleges, and
28universities.
29     (c)  A portion of such net revenues, as determined annually
30by the Legislature, shall be distributed to each school district
31and shall be made available to each public school in the
32district for enhancing school performance through development
33and implementation of a school improvement plan pursuant to s.
341001.42(18). A portion of these moneys, as determined annually
35in the General Appropriations Act, must be allocated to each
36school in an equal amount for each student enrolled. These
37moneys may be expended only on programs or projects selected by
38the school advisory council or by a parent advisory committee
39created pursuant to this paragraph. If a school does not have a
40school advisory council, the district advisory council must
41appoint a parent advisory committee composed of parents of
42students enrolled in that school, which is representative of the
43ethnic, racial, and economic community served by the school, to
44advise the school's principal on the programs or projects to be
45funded. Neither school district staff nor principals may
46override the recommendations of the school advisory council or
47the parent advisory committee. These moneys may not be used for
48capital improvements or for any project or program that has a
49duration of more than 1 year; however, a school advisory council
50or parent advisory committee may independently determine that a
51program or project formerly funded under this paragraph should
52receive funds in a subsequent year.
53     (d)  No funds shall be released for any purpose from the
54Educational Enhancement Trust Fund to any school district in
55which one or more schools do not have an approved school
56improvement plan pursuant to s. 1001.42(18) or do not comply
57with school advisory council membership composition requirements
58pursuant to s. 1001.452(1). The Commissioner of Education shall
59withhold disbursements from the trust fund to any school
60district that fails to adopt the performance-based salary
61schedule required by s. 1012.22(1).
62     (e)  All components of the Florida Bright Futures
63Scholarship Program shall be funded annually from the
64Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. Funds shall be allocated to
65this program prior to application of the formula for equitable
66distribution to public schools, community colleges, and state
67universities. If shortages require reductions in estimated
68distributions from the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, funds
69for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program shall be
70reduced only after reductions in all other distributions are
71made.
72     (f)  A portion of Powerball net revenues, as determined
73annually by the Legislature, shall be distributed to enhance
74voluntary prekindergarten education programs. Such funds shall
75be allocated to each voluntary prekindergarten education program
76in an equal amount for each student enrolled. Such funds must be
77used for direct classroom expenditures and may not be used for
78administrative costs.
79     (g)(f)  Each school district shall, on a quarterly basis,
80make available to the public and distribute, in an easy to
81understand format, the expenditures of lottery funds allocated
82to the school district.
83     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.