Senate Bill 1014e1

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    CS for SB 1014                           First Engrossed (ntc)



  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.

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

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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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    CS for SB 1014                           First Engrossed (ntc)



  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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    CS for SB 1014                           First Engrossed (ntc)



  1         Section 4.  This act shall take effect on the same date

  2  that CS/CS SB 366, 1st Eng., or similar legislation, 1999

  3  Regular Session, takes effect.

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