Senate Bill 1014c1

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



    Florida Senate - 1999                           CS for SB 1014

    By the Committee on Fiscal Policy and Senator Cowin





    309-1649-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to trust funds; creating the

  3         School Readiness Trust Fund within the

  4         Executive Office of the Governor; providing for

  5         sources of moneys and purposes; providing for

  6         future review and termination or re-creation of

  7         the trust fund; providing a contingent

  8         effective date.

  9

10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

11

12         Section 1.  The School Readiness Trust Fund is created

13  in the State Treasury, to be administered by the Executive

14  Office of the Governor.  Funds shall be credited to the trust

15  fund as provided in CS/SB 366 and 382 or similar legislation,

16  1999 Regular Session, to be used for the purposes set forth

17  therein.

18         Section 2.  Funding; School Readiness Trust Fund.--

19         (1)  The intent of the School Readiness Trust Fund is

20  to ensure a seamless service delivery system for all publicly

21  funded early education and child care programs operating in

22  this state.

23         (2)  Funds budgeted for the prekindergarten early

24  intervention program, the subsidized child care program, and

25  other state or locally funded education and care programs for

26  preschool children may be transferred to the School Readiness

27  Trust Fund for implementation of the school readiness

28  programs.  Additional funds, including state-appropriated

29  incentive funds, may be placed in the trust fund for purposes

30  of this section.

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    Florida Senate - 1999                           CS for SB 1014
    309-1649-99




  1         (3)  All funds transferred to and retained in the trust

  2  fund shall be invested pursuant to section 18.125, Florida

  3  Statutes. Any interest accruing to the trust fund shall be for

  4  the benefit of school readiness coalitions providing a school

  5  readiness program. Notwithstanding section 216.301, Florida

  6  Statutes, and pursuant to section 216.351, Florida Statutes,

  7  any undisbursed balance remaining in the trust fund and

  8  interest accruing to the trust fund not distributed at the end

  9  of the fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund and shall

10  increase the total funds available for the coalitions

11  implementing a school readiness program.

12         (4)  The Florida Partnership for School Readiness shall

13  annually distribute to the fiscal agent for each school

14  readiness coalition funds from the School Readiness Trust Fund

15  for the benefit of that coalition. Additional funds and

16  investment income from the trust fund shall be distributed to

17  the coalitions implementing school readiness programs based on

18  achievement of performance outcomes or need, or a combination

19  thereof.

20         (5)  State funds appropriated for the school readiness

21  program may not be used for the construction of new

22  facilities, the transportation of students, or the purchase of

23  buses, but may be used for educational field trips that

24  enhance the curriculum.

25         Section 3.  Pursuant to the provisions of section

26  19(f)(2), Article III of the State Constitution, the School

27  Readiness Trust Fund shall, unless terminated sooner, be

28  terminated on July 1, 2003. Prior to its scheduled

29  termination, the trust fund shall be reviewed as provided in

30  section 215.3206(1) and (2), Florida Statutes.

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






    Florida Senate - 1999                           CS for SB 1014
    309-1649-99




  1         Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999, if

  2  CS/SB's 366 and 382 or similar legislation, 1999 Regular

  3  Session, is adopted in the same legislative session or an

  4  extension thereof.

  5

  6          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  7                             SB 1014

  8

  9  The Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1014 contains the
    following provisions:
10
    Creates the School Readiness Trust Fund to be administered by
11  the Executive Office of the Governor.

12  Specifies that the funds budgeted for the prekindergarten
    early intervention program, the subsidized child care program,
13  and other state or locally funded education and care programs
    for preschool children may be transferred to the School
14  Readiness Trust Fund. Allows additional funds, including
    state-appropriated incentive funds, to be placed in the trust
15  fund.

16  Requires all funds transferred to and retained in the trust
    fund to be invested pursuant to s. 18.125, Florida Statutes.
17  Any undisbursed balance remaining in the trust fund and
    interest accruing to the trust fund not distributed at the end
18  of the fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund to increase
    the total funds available for the coalitions.
19
    Requires the Partnership for School Readiness to annually
20  distribute to the fiscal agent funds from the trust fund for
    the benefit of that coalition. Additional funds and investment
21  income from the trust fund shall be distributed to the
    coalitions implementing school readiness programs based on
22  achievement of performance outcomes or need, or a combination.

23  Prohibits the use school readiness funds for the construction
    of new facilities, the transportation of students, or the
24  purchase of buses; however, allows their use funds for
    educational field trips that enhance the curriculum.
25
    Specifies that the termination date of the trust fund is July
26  1,2003.  Prior to its scheduled termination, the trust fund
    shall be reviewed as provided in Section 215.3206 (1) and (2),
27  Florida Statutes.

28  Creates an effective date of July 1, 1999, if CS/SB 366 and
    382 or similar legislation is adopted in the same legislative
29  session or an extension thereof.

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