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





                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 309

    Amendment No.    

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11  Senator Horne moved the following amendment:

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13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 1, line 9,

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16  insert:

17         Section 1.  (1)  The Task Force on Public School

18  Funding is created to examine and make recommendations to the

19  Governor and the Legislature on the funding of the state

20  system of public schools.  The task force is assigned to the

21  Office of Legislative Services, created by section 11.147,

22  Florida Statutes, for administrative and fiscal accountability

23  purposes.

24         (2)  The task force shall consist of 15 members

25  selected from among business and community leaders and the

26  Lieutenant Governor and Commissioner of Education, who shall

27  serve as voting ex officio members.  By June 30, 1999, the

28  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

29  House of Representatives shall each appoint 5 members to serve

30  for the duration of the task force.  If a vacancy occurs, the

31  official who had appointment jurisdiction for the vacated

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 309

    Amendment No.    





 1  position shall appoint a member to fill the vacancy.  Each

 2  appointing authority may remove his or her appointee for

 3  cause, and shall remove an appointee who, without cause, fails

 4  to attend three consecutive meetings. Members of the task

 5  force shall serve without compensation but are entitled to

 6  reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the

 7  performance of their duties as provided in section 112.061,

 8  Florida Statutes.

 9         (3)  The task force shall hold its organizational

10  meeting by September 1, 1999; and, thereafter, shall meet at

11  the call of the chair, but shall meet at least monthly before

12  submitting its final recommendations.  The task force shall be

13  chaired by a member designated by the Governor.  The task

14  force shall elect a vice chair to serve in the absence of the

15  chair.  The task force shall adopt procedures or bylaws

16  necessary for its efficient operation and may appoint

17  subcommittees from its membership.

18         (4)  The task force shall examine the funding of state

19  system of public schools as provided by the Florida Education

20  Finance Program created by section 236.081, Florida Statutes,

21  and implemented by the general appropriations acts.  The task

22  force shall consider at least the following:

23         (a)  The funding of public schools based on their

24  performance in educating students as evidenced by the

25  achieving of equitable outcomes that meet the state academic

26  achievement standards for all students.

27         (b)  The relationship between state funding and local

28  funding for public schools.

29         (c)  The maintenance of funding equity in the

30  allocation of dollars among school districts and schools.

31         (d)  The acquisition and support of technology to

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 309

    Amendment No.    





 1  assist in the instructional process.

 2         (e)  The funding support for parental choice in the

 3  selection of educational services for children.

 4         (f)  The results and recommendations of public school

 5  funding studies conducted by nationally recognized experts,

 6  groups, and other states.

 7         (g)  Funding for students enrolled in "basic education

 8  program" compared to funding for students enrolled in "special

 9  education programs."

10         (h)  The differences among school districts in

11  identifying students for weighted funding.

12         (i)  The use of prior year school district expenditures

13  to establish program cost factors.

14         (j)  The ratio of classroom teachers to total school

15  district employees.

16         (k)  The expenditure of funds for district classroom

17  instruction compared to indirect expenditures.

18         (l)  The impact to local school districts of property

19  which is exempt from ad valorem taxation for the purpose of

20  public school funding.

21         (m)  Current practices relating to levels of ad valorem

22  assessments.

23         (n)  The relationship between the use of categorical

24  funds and FEFP funds, and whether categorical funding should

25  be continued.

26         (5)  The Office of Legislative Services and the

27  Commissioner of Education shall designate personnel of the

28  Department of Education to assist the task force.

29         (6)  The task force:

30         (a)  May enter into contracts or agreements with

31  nationally recognized school-finance experts to serve in a

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 309

    Amendment No.    





 1  consulting and advisory capacity.

 2         (b)  May apply for and accept funds, grants, donations,

 3  expenses, in-kind services, and other valued goods or services

 4  from the government of the United States or any of its

 5  agencies or any other public or private sources.  Funds or

 6  services acquired or accepted under this paragraph must be

 7  used to carry out the task force's duties and

 8  responsibilities.

 9         (c)  Shall keep full, detailed, and accurate records

10  pursuant to chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

11         (d)  By September 1, 2000, shall submit draft

12  recommendations and, by February 1, 2002, shall submit final

13  recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,

14  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  Before

15  adopting final recommendations, the task force shall conduct

16  at least one public hearing in each of the five service

17  regions of the Department of Education between September 1 and

18  December 31, 2001.

19         (7)  This section expires June 30, 2002.

20         Section 2.  Section 236.081, Florida Statutes, 1998

21  Supplement, is repealed effective June 30, 2003, subject to

22  prior review by the Task Force on Public School Funding.

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24  (Redesignate subsequent sections.)

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27  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

28  And the title is amended as follows:

29         On page 1, line 2, delete that line

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31  and insert:

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 309

    Amendment No.    





 1         An act relating to education; creating the Task

 2         Force on Public School Funding; providing for

 3         the appointment and organization of the task

 4         force; specifying powers and duties; specifying

 5         duties of the Department of Education;

 6         requiring certain reports and public hearings;

 7         repealing s. 236.081, F.S., relating to the

 8         Florida Education Finance Program; amending

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