Florida Senate - 2009                                    SB 1996
       
       
       
       By Senator Constantine
       
       
       
       
       22-01247A-09                                          20091996__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to state universities; amending s.
    3         1009.24, F.S.; authorizing university boards of
    4         trustees to increase the Capital Improvement Trust
    5         Fund fee subject to certain restrictions; amending s.
    6         1013.64, F.S.; increasing the monetary threshold for
    7         the utilization of funds for the replacement of minor
    8         facility projects; amending s. 1013.78, F.S.;
    9         conforming provisions; amending s. 1013.79, F.S.;
   10         revising provisions relating to the matching and
   11         expenditure of funds under a university facility
   12         challenge grant program; providing an effective date.
   13  
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Subsection (8) of section 1009.24, Florida
   17  Statutes, is amended to read:
   18         1009.24 State university student fees.—
   19         (8) The Capital Improvement Trust Fund fee is established
   20  as $2.44 per credit hour per semester. The building fee is
   21  established as $2.32 per credit hour per semester. Each
   22  university board of trustees may establish a greater Capital
   23  Improvement Trust Fund fee. However, the total of all Capital
   24  Improvement Trust Fund and building fees may not exceed 10
   25  percent of tuition for resident students or 10 percent of the
   26  sum of tuition and out-of-state fees for nonresident students.
   27  The Capital Improvement Trust Fund fee for resident students
   28  shall be limited to an increase of no more than $2 per credit
   29  hour over the prior year.
   30         Section 2. Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section
   31  1013.64, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   32         1013.64 Funds for comprehensive educational plant needs;
   33  construction cost maximums for school district capital
   34  projects.—Allocations from the Public Education Capital Outlay
   35  and Debt Service Trust Fund to the various boards for capital
   36  outlay projects shall be determined as follows:
   37         (1)
   38         (h) University boards of trustees may utilize funds
   39  appropriated pursuant to this section for replacement of minor
   40  facilities provided that such projects do not exceed $2 $1
   41  million in cost or 10,000 gross square feet in size. Minor
   42  facilities may not be replaced from funds provided pursuant to
   43  this section unless the board determines that the cost of repair
   44  or renovation is greater than or equal to the cost of
   45  replacement.
   46         Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 1013.78, Florida
   47  Statutes, is amended to read:
   48         1013.78 Approval required for certain university-related
   49  facility acquisitions.—
   50         (2) Legislative approval shall not be required for
   51  renovations, remodeling, replacement of existing facilities, or
   52  construction of minor facilities projects as defined in s.
   53  1013.64, except to the extent required pursuant to s. 1010.62.
   54         Section 4. Subsection (5) of section 1013.79, Florida
   55  Statutes, is amended to read:
   56         1013.79 University Facility Enhancement Challenge Grant
   57  Program.—
   58         (5) A project may not be initiated unless all private funds
   59  for planning, construction, and equipping the facility have been
   60  received and deposited in the separate university program
   61  account designated for this purpose. However, these requirements
   62  shall not preclude the university from expending funds from
   63  private sources to develop a prospectus, including preliminary
   64  architectural schematics or models, for use in its efforts to
   65  raise private funds for a facility. Private funds expended for
   66  planning, construction, and equipping the facility are eligible
   67  for state matching funds but do not create a financial
   68  obligation of the state and the state's share for the minimum
   69  amount of funds needed to begin the project has been
   70  appropriated by the Legislature. The Board of Governors shall
   71  establish a method for validating the receipt and deposit of
   72  private matching funds. The Legislature may appropriate the
   73  state's matching funds in one or more fiscal years for the
   74  planning, construction, and equipping of an eligible facility.
   75  However, these requirements shall not preclude the university
   76  from expending available funds from private sources to develop a
   77  prospectus, including preliminary architectural schematics or
   78  models, for use in its efforts to raise private funds for a
   79  facility. Additionally, any private sources of funds expended
   80  for this purpose are eligible for state matching funds should
   81  the project materialize as provided for in this section.
   82         Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.