Florida Senate - 2025 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 1726
Ì2619907Î261990
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
04/11/2025 .
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The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education (Calatayud)
recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 20.701, Florida Statutes, is created to
6 read:
7 20.701 Residency requirements.—Notwithstanding any other
8 law:
9 (1) Effective January 6, 2027, each member of a state
10 university board of trustees must be a United States citizen and
11 either a resident of this state or a graduate of the university,
12 the administration of which is overseen by the board. The office
13 of any member who does not meet the requirements of this
14 subsection is automatically deemed vacant.
15 (2) Effective January 6, 2027, each member of the Board of
16 Governors must be a United States citizen and either a resident
17 of this state or a graduate of a state university, as defined in
18 s. 1000.21. The office of any member of the Board of Governors
19 who does not meet the requirements of this subsection is
20 automatically deemed vacant.
21 Section 2. Paragraph (f) is added to subsection (1) of
22 section 112.3144, Florida Statutes, to read:
23 112.3144 Full and public disclosure of financial
24 interests.—
25 (1)
26 (f) Beginning January 1, 2026, each citizen member of the
27 Board of Governors of the State University System must comply
28 with the financial disclosure requirements of this section and
29 s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution.
30 Section 3. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 1001.01,
31 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
32 1001.01 State Board of Education; generally.—
33 (1) The State Board of Education is established as a body
34 corporate. The state board shall be a citizen board consisting
35 of seven members who are residents of the state appointed by the
36 Governor to staggered 4-year terms, subject to confirmation by
37 the Senate. Members of the state board shall serve without
38 compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement of travel
39 and per diem expenses in accordance with s. 112.061. Members may
40 only serve two be reappointed by the Governor for additional
41 terms not to exceed 8 years of consecutive service.
42 (2) The State Board of Education shall select a chair and a
43 vice chair from its appointed members. The chair shall serve a
44 single 2-year term and may be reselected for one additional
45 consecutive term.
46 Section 4. Subsections (2) and (4) of section 1001.61,
47 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
48 1001.61 Florida College System institution boards of
49 trustees; membership.—
50 (2) Trustees shall be appointed by the Governor to
51 staggered 4-year terms, subject to confirmation by the Senate in
52 regular session. A trustee may continue to serve until a
53 successor is appointed. Trustees may be reappointed by the
54 Governor for one additional term, not to exceed 8 consecutive
55 years of service.
56 (4) At its first regular meeting after July 1 of each year,
57 each Florida College System institution board of trustees shall
58 organize by electing a chair, whose duty as such is to preside
59 at all meetings of the board, to call special meetings thereof,
60 and to attest to actions of the board, and a vice chair, whose
61 duty as such is to act as chair during the absence or disability
62 of the elected chair. It is the further duty of the chair of
63 each board of trustees to notify the Governor, in writing,
64 whenever a board member fails to attend three consecutive
65 regular board meetings in any one fiscal year, which absences
66 may be grounds for removal. The chair shall serve a single 2
67 year term.
68 Section 5. Subsection (19) of section 1001.64, Florida
69 Statutes, is amended to read:
70 1001.64 Florida College System institution boards of
71 trustees; powers and duties.—
72 (19) Each board of trustees shall appoint, suspend, or
73 remove the president of the Florida College System institution.
74 Such appointments, reappointments, suspensions, and extensions
75 of a president, including associated contracts, are not subject
76 to approval or confirmation by the State Board of Education. In
77 appointing a permanent president, the chair of the institution’s
78 board of trustees shall appoint a presidential search committee.
79 The presidential search committee shall be composed of at least
80 two members of the board of trustees and may include persons
81 from the institution’s faculty, student body, foundation board,
82 financing corporation board, if applicable, alumni, donors, and
83 members from the community the institution serves. However, none
84 of the persons appointed to serve on the presidential search
85 committee may hold positions that report directly to the
86 president. The Commissioner of Education or a member of the
87 State Board of Education may not serve on a presidential search
88 committee. The permanent president appointed by the
89 institution’s board of trustees must be recommended by the
90 presidential search committee The board of trustees may appoint
91 a search committee. The board of trustees shall conduct annual
92 evaluations of the president in accordance with rules of the
93 State Board of Education and submit such evaluations to the
94 State Board of Education for review. The evaluation must address
95 the achievement of the performance goals established by the
96 accountability process implemented pursuant to s. 1008.45. A
97 presidential contract may be renewed for a term exceeding 1
98 year, but not exceeding the term of the original contract.
99 Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 1001.70, Florida
100 Statutes, is amended to read:
101 1001.70 Board of Governors of the State University System.—
102 (1) Pursuant to s. 7(d), Art. IX of the State Constitution,
103 the Board of Governors is established as a body corporate
104 composed comprised of 17 members as follows: 14 citizen members
105 appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the Senate;
106 the Commissioner of Education; the chair of the advisory council
107 of faculty senates or the equivalent; and the president of the
108 Florida student association or the equivalent. The appointed
109 members may only shall serve a single staggered 7-year term
110 terms. In order to achieve staggered terms, beginning July 1,
111 2003, of the initial appointments, 4 members shall serve 2-year
112 terms, 5 members shall serve 3-year terms, and 5 members shall
113 serve 7-year terms.
114 Section 7. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5), paragraph (a)
115 of subsection (6), and paragraph (c) of subsection (12) of
116 section 1001.706, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph
117 (k) is added to subsection (3) of that section, to read:
118 1001.706 Powers and duties of the Board of Governors.—
119 (3) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO ORGANIZATION AND
120 OPERATION OF STATE UNIVERSITIES.—
121 (k) The Board of Governors shall adopt regulations
122 prohibiting universities that conduct public opinion survey
123 research from polling activities related to candidates for any
124 federal, state, or local office. A university may conduct survey
125 research to measure opinions and inform the public about social,
126 political, and economic issues unrelated to candidate
127 preference.
128 (5) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO ACCOUNTABILITY.—
129 (a)1. The Legislature intends that the Board of Governors
130 shall align the missions of each constituent university with the
131 academic success of its students; the existing and emerging
132 economic development needs of the state; the national reputation
133 of its faculty and its academic and research programs; the
134 quantity of externally generated research, patents, and
135 licenses; and the strategic and accountability plans required in
136 paragraphs (b) and (c). The Board of Governors shall
137 periodically review the mission of each constituent university
138 and make updates or revisions as needed. Upon completion of a
139 review of the mission, the board shall review existing academic
140 programs, including admission criteria, for alignment with the
141 mission. The board shall include in its review a directive to
142 each constituent university regarding its programs for any
143 curriculum or admission criteria that violates s. 1000.05 or
144 that is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism,
145 oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of
146 the United States and were created to maintain social,
147 political, and economic inequities. The mission alignment and
148 strategic plan must consider peer institutions at the
149 constituent universities. The mission alignment and strategic
150 plan must acknowledge that universities that have a national and
151 international impact have the greatest capacity to promote the
152 state’s economic development through: new discoveries, patents,
153 licenses, and technologies that generate state businesses of
154 global importance; research achievements through external grants
155 and contracts that are comparable to nationally recognized and
156 ranked universities; the creation of a resource rich academic
157 environment that attracts high-technology business and venture
158 capital to the state; and this generation’s finest minds
159 focusing on solving the state’s economic, social, environmental,
160 and legal problems in the areas of life sciences, water,
161 sustainability, energy, and health care. A nationally recognized
162 and ranked university that has a global perspective and impact
163 must be afforded the opportunity to enable and protect the
164 university’s competitiveness on the global stage in fair
165 competition with other institutions of other states in the
166 highest Carnegie Classification.
167 2. To assist the Board of Governors in its review of
168 admission criteria, each constituent university shall post
169 program admission criteria on its website.
170 (6) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO PERSONNEL.—
171 (a) The Board of Governors, or the board’s designee, shall
172 establish the personnel program for all employees of a state
173 university, except the president. The board of trustees of a
174 state university shall select and reappoint the university
175 president. In appointing a permanent president, the chair of the
176 university board of trustees shall appoint a presidential search
177 committee. The presidential search committee shall be composed
178 of 15 members, of whom at least three must be members of the
179 board of trustees, and may include persons from the university’s
180 faculty, the student body, the university’s foundation board,
181 the university’s financing corporation board, if applicable,
182 alumni, donors, and members from the community in which the
183 university serves. However, none of the persons appointed to
184 serve on the presidential search committee may hold positions
185 that report directly to the president. The Chancellor of the
186 State University System or a member of the Board of Governors
187 may not serve on the presidential search committee. The
188 permanent president selected by the board of trustees must have
189 been recommended by the presidential search committee.
190 Selections, reappointments, and extensions of a president,
191 including associated contracts, are not subject to approval or
192 confirmation by the Board of Governors. A presidential contract
193 may be renewed for a term exceeding 1 year, but not exceeding
194 the term of the original contract. The Board of Governors shall
195 confirm the presidential selection and reappointment by a
196 university board of trustees as a means of acknowledging that
197 system cooperation is expected.
198 (12) PUBLIC EDUCATION CAPITAL OUTLAY.—The Board of
199 Governors shall submit the prioritized list as required by s.
200 1013.64(4). Projects considered for prioritization shall be
201 chosen from a preliminary selection group which shall include
202 the list of projects maintained pursuant to paragraph (d) and
203 the top two priorities of each state university.
204 (c) A new construction, remodeling, or renovation project
205 that has not received an appropriation in a previous year may
206 shall not be considered for inclusion on the prioritized list
207 required by s. 1013.64(4), unless:
208 1. A plan is provided to reserve funds in an escrow
209 account, specific to the project, into which shall be deposited
210 each year an amount of funds equal to 1 percent of the total
211 value of the building for future maintenance;
212 2. There exists sufficient capacity within the cash and
213 bonding estimate of funds by the Revenue Estimating Conference
214 to accommodate the project within the 3-year Public Education
215 Capital Outlay funding cycle; and
216 3. The project has been recommended pursuant to s. 1013.31.
217 Section 8. Subsection (1) of section 1001.71, Florida
218 Statutes, is amended to read:
219 1001.71 University boards of trustees; membership.—
220 (1) Pursuant to s. 7(c), Art. IX of the State Constitution,
221 each local constituent university shall be administered by a
222 university board of trustees composed comprised of 13 members as
223 follows: 6 citizen members appointed by the Governor subject to
224 confirmation by the Senate; 5 citizen members appointed by the
225 Board of Governors subject to confirmation by the Senate; the
226 chair of the faculty senate or the equivalent; and the president
227 of the student body of the university. The appointed members
228 shall serve staggered 5-year terms. Appointed members may be
229 reappointed for one additional term, not to exceed 10 years of
230 consecutive service. In order to achieve staggered terms,
231 beginning July 1, 2003, of the initial appointments by the
232 Governor, 2 members shall serve 2-year terms, 3 members shall
233 serve 3-year terms, and 1 member shall serve a 5-year term and
234 of the initial appointments by the Board of Governors, 2 members
235 shall serve 2-year terms, 2 members shall serve 3-year terms,
236 and 1 member shall serve a 5-year term. There shall be no state
237 residency requirement for university board members, but The
238 Governor and the Board of Governors shall consider diversity and
239 regional representation when appointing members. An appointed
240 board member may continue to serve until a successor is
241 appointed. Beginning July 2, 2020, For purposes of this
242 subsection, regional representation includes shall include the
243 chair of a campus board established pursuant to s. 1004.341.
244 Section 9. Subsections (1) and (5) of section 1004.085,
245 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
246 1004.085 Textbook and instructional materials affordability
247 and transparency.—
248 (1) As used in this section, the term:,
249 (a) The term “Instructional materials” means educational
250 materials for use within a course which may be available in
251 printed or digital format.
252 (b) “Syllabus” or “syllabi” means the course syllabus or
253 syllabi developed by the instructor assigned to the course.
254 (c) “Term” includes the fall, spring, and summer terms.
255 (5)(a) Each Florida College System institution and state
256 university shall post prominently in the course registration
257 system and on its website a hyperlink to lists of required and
258 recommended textbooks and instructional materials for at least
259 95 percent of all courses and course sections offered at the
260 institution during the upcoming term. The lists must include the
261 International Standard Book Number (ISBN) for each required and
262 recommended textbook and instructional material or other
263 identifying information, which must include, at a minimum, all
264 of the following: the title, all authors listed, publishers,
265 edition number, copyright date, published date, and other
266 relevant information necessary to identify the specific
267 textbooks or instructional materials required and recommended
268 for each course. The lists must include those materials that are
269 open access or an open educational resource for which there is
270 no cost, must include a unique identifier, if available, and
271 must include any relevant information necessary to identify the
272 specific resource. The State Board of Education and the Board of
273 Governors shall include in the policies, procedures, and
274 guidelines adopted under subsection (6) certain limited
275 exceptions to this notification requirement for classes added
276 after the notification deadline.
277 (b) The lists of required and recommended textbooks and
278 instructional materials required in paragraph (a) must be, to
279 the maximum extent possible, based on a list submitted by the
280 instructor and must:
281 1. Be posted as early as is feasible but at least 45 days
282 before the first day of class for each term.
283 2. Remain posted for at least 5 academic years.
284 3. Be searchable by the general education status, the
285 course subject, the course section, the course number, the
286 course title, the name of the instructor of the course, the
287 title of each assigned textbook or instructional material, and
288 each author of an assigned textbook or instructional material.
289 4. Include the duration of any license allowing access to
290 the textbook or instructional material for which students must
291 purchase or pay for access.
292 5.4. Be easily downloadable by current and prospective
293 students.
294 (c) To maximize informed student choice, courses If a
295 course subject to paragraphs (a) and (b) must include the
296 current is a general education core course option identified
297 pursuant to s. 1007.25, course syllabi posted in the same
298 location as the postings of required and recommended textbooks
299 and instructional materials at least 10 business days before the
300 start of the term. Individualized courses, such as directed
301 individual studies, thesis, dissertation defense, and
302 performance, are exempt from this requirement. Each syllabus
303 must contain syllabi information containing sufficient detail to
304 inform students of all of the following must be included:
305 1. The course curriculum, including the required and
306 recommended textbooks and instructional materials regardless of
307 cost or whether the materials are open access or an open
308 educational resource.
309 2. Specific The goals, objectives, and student expectations
310 of the course.
311 3. How student performance will be evaluated, including the
312 grading scale and methodology measured.
313 Section 10. Subsection (15) is added to section 1007.25,
314 Florida Statutes, to read:
315 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
316 other degree requirements.—
317 (15) A Florida College System institution or state
318 university may not impose an institution-wide or university-wide
319 graduation requirement that includes a course in conflict with
320 paragraph (3)(c).
321 Section 11. Subsection (1) of section 1011.47, Florida
322 Statutes, is amended to read:
323 1011.47 Auxiliary enterprises; contracts, grants, and
324 donations.—As used in s. 19(f)(3), Art. III of the State
325 Constitution, the term:
326 (1)(a) “Auxiliary enterprises” includes activities that
327 directly or indirectly provide a product or a service, or both,
328 to a university or its students, faculty, or staff and for which
329 a charge is made. These auxiliary enterprises are business
330 activities of a university which require no support from the
331 General Revenue Fund, and include activities such as housing,
332 bookstores, student health services, continuing education
333 programs, food services, college stores, operation of vending
334 machines, specialty shops, day care centers, golf courses,
335 student activities programs, data center operations, and
336 intercollegiate athletics programs.
337 (b) Each university board of trustees may determine whether
338 its auxiliary enterprises, including intercollegiate athletics
339 programs, will be self-supporting on an individual or collective
340 basis. A university board of trustees may approve the transfer
341 of unreserved cash from one auxiliary enterprise to support
342 another auxiliary enterprise as long as such transfer does not
343 reduce revenues necessary to cover all expenditures of the
344 auxiliary enterprise, violate any bond covenants, or impact debt
345 service payments and required reserves. Transfers made under
346 this paragraph must be reported to the Board of Governors
347 annually. This paragraph expires June 30, 2030.
348 Section 12. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
349 act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon
350 becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
351
352 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
353 And the title is amended as follows:
354 Delete everything before the enacting clause
355 and insert:
356 A bill to be entitled
357 An act relating to higher education; creating s.
358 20.701, F.S.; requiring members of a state university
359 board of trustees and members of the Board of
360 Governors to be United States citizens and either
361 residents of this state or graduates of a state
362 university beginning on a specified date; providing
363 that specified offices are deemed vacant under certain
364 circumstances; amending s. 112.3144, F.S.; requiring
365 certain members of the Board of Governors to comply
366 with specified financial disclosure requirements
367 beginning on a specified date; amending s. 1001.01,
368 F.S.; revising term limits for members and the chair
369 of the State Board of Education; amending s. 1001.61,
370 F.S.; providing term limits for members and the chairs
371 of the Florida College System institution boards of
372 trustees; authorizing trustees to serve until the
373 appointment of a successor; amending s. 1001.64, F.S.;
374 providing that certain actions related to the
375 president of a Florida College System institution are
376 not subject to approval by the State Board of
377 Education; requiring that a presidential search
378 committee be appointed to make the appointment of such
379 president; providing requirements for such committee;
380 requiring that such president be recommended by the
381 committee; authorizing the renewal of a presidential
382 contract for a specified period; amending s. 1001.70,
383 F.S.; providing term limits for appointed members of
384 the Board of Governors; amending s. 1001.706, F.S.;
385 requiring the Board of Governors to adopt regulations
386 regarding state university public opinion survey
387 research; requiring the Board of Governors to review
388 the admission criteria of state universities;
389 requiring that state university program admission
390 criteria be posted on state university websites;
391 providing that the president of a state university is
392 appointed by the university board of trustees;
393 requiring that a presidential search committee be
394 appointed to make the appointment of such president;
395 providing requirements for such committee; requiring
396 that such president be recommended by the committee;
397 authorizing the renewal of a presidential contract for
398 a specified period; deleting a requirement that the
399 Board of Governors confirm the selection and
400 reappointment of such president; revising the
401 requirements for certain state university capital
402 outlay projects to be included on a specified list;
403 amending s. 1001.71, F.S.; providing term limits for
404 appointed members of university boards of trustees;
405 deleting obsolete language and a certain consideration
406 for appointed members; authorizing appointed members
407 to serve until a successor is appointed; amending s.
408 1004.085, F.S.; defining the terms “syllabus” or
409 “syllabi” and “term”; adding certain materials to
410 lists of textbooks and instructional materials;
411 requiring that the current syllabi for specified
412 courses be posted as a hyperlink in a specified system
413 and include specified information; amending s.
414 1007.25, F.S.; prohibiting a Florida College System
415 institution or state university from imposing a
416 certain graduation requirement; amending s. 1011.47,
417 F.S.; authorizing a university board of trustees to
418 approve the transfer of unreserved cash from one
419 auxiliary enterprise to support another auxiliary
420 enterprise under certain conditions; providing
421 effective dates.