Florida Senate - 2018                             CS for SB 1738
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Education; and Senator Stewart
       
       
       
       
       
       581-02906-18                                          20181738c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Voluntary Prekindergarten
    3         Education Program; amending s. 1002.55, F.S.;
    4         authorizing an early learning coalition to refuse to
    5         contract with certain private prekindergarten
    6         providers; providing an effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Subsection (5) of section 1002.55, Florida
   11  Statutes, is amended to read:
   12         1002.55 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by
   13  private prekindergarten providers.—
   14         (5)(a) Notwithstanding paragraph (3)(b), a private
   15  prekindergarten provider may not participate in the Voluntary
   16  Prekindergarten Education Program if the provider has child
   17  disciplinary policies that do not prohibit children from being
   18  subjected to discipline that is severe, humiliating,
   19  frightening, or associated with food, rest, toileting, spanking,
   20  or any other form of physical punishment as provided in s.
   21  402.305(12).
   22         (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a
   23  private prekindergarten provider has been cited for a class I
   24  violation, as defined by rule, the coalition may refuse to
   25  contract with the provider.
   26         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.