Bill > H1261

Introduced Session

An act relating to higher education; creating s. 768.39, F.S.; providing legislative findings; defining the term "educational institution"; providing that the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education are afforded certain immunity protections; prohibiting an educational institution that has taken certain reasonably necessary actions to diminish the impact or spread of COVID-19 from being civilly liable for such actions; specifying that the provision of certain services by educational institutions was impossible during certain periods of time; providing that certain reasonably necessary actions are deemed justified; providing exceptions; providing severability; providing for a burden of proof; amending s. 1006.75, F.S.; requiring the Board of Governors to publish an online dashboard containing specified data; requiring that such dashboard be made available by a specified date; requiring that each state university board of trustees adopt procedures to connect undergraduate students to certain programs; requiring that the Board of Governors approve such procedures by a specified date; requiring that such procedures include placing a hold on certain student registration under certain circumstances; providing that the Board of Governors hb1261-05-er ENROLLED , Engrossed 3 2021 Legislature review and approve certain procedures by a specified date; amending s. 1009.25, F.S.; revising provisions relating to certain fee exemptions; amending s. 1009.26, F.S.; requiring a state university to waive the tuition and fees for certain courses in which certain resident students are enrolled; providing applicability; providing specified criteria for such waiver; requiring the reporting of tuition and fees waived for state funding purposes; requiring disbursement to the student upon his or her enrollment in a program of strategic emphasis; requiring each state university to report certain information regarding such waiver to the Board of Governors, annually; authorizing a state university in compliance with the waiver provisions to earn incentive funding, subject to appropriation; requiring the board to adopt regulations; creating the State University Free Seat Program; providing a purpose; providing a limitation on fee waivers under the program; providing an exemption from tuition and fees for one online course at a state university for certain resident students; prohibiting a state university from charging such students more than a specified percentage of the tuition rate and the tuition differential under certain circumstances; providing a limitation on the hb1261-05-er ENROLLED , Engrossed 3 2021 Legislature application of such tuition discount; requiring each state university to annually report to the Board of Governors certain information regarding waivers under the program; requiring the board to adopt regulations; requiring a state university to waive the out-of-state fee for a nonresident student who meets certain requirements; defining the term "grandparent"; providing applicability; requiring a student or his or her parent to provide specified documentation before a state university waives the out-of-state fee; providing that a state university is not required to independently verify certain statements; authorizing the state university to refer specified documentation to law enforcement under certain circumstances; requiring each state university to annually report to the Board of Governors specified information regarding such out-of-state fee waivers; requiring a state university, within the nonresident student enrollment systemwide, to prioritize the enrollment of a student granted such fee waiver over a certain out-of-state student under certain conditions; providing a limitation on the number of fee waivers granted per academic year; requiring the Board of Governors to adopt regulations; amending s. 1009.40, F.S.; conforming cross-references; creating s. 1009.46, hb1261-05-er ENROLLED , Engrossed 3 2021 Legislature F.S.; providing duties for certain postsecondary educational institutions relating to state financial aid and tuition assistance programs; requiring that an institution that fails to perform its duties be placed on probation by the Department of Education; providing duties for the department; amending s. 1009.50, F.S.; revising provisions relating to funds appropriated for the Florida Public Assistance Grant Program; removing provisions authorizing that certain funds be deposited into a specified trust fund; amending s. 1009.505, F.S.; revising provisions relating to the Florida Public Postsecondary Career Education Student Assistance Grant Program; amending s. 1009.51, F.S.; revising provisions relating to the Florida Private Student Assistance Grant Program; amending s. 1009.52, F.S.; revising provisions relating to the Florida Postsecondary Student Assistance Grant Program; amending s. 1009.893, F.S.; providing that the 2021- 2022 academic year is the last year for an out-of- state student to be eligible to receive an initial Benacquisto Scholarship award; providing an effective date.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Jackeline Toledo (R)*,  Mike Caruso (R),  Thomas Leek (R),  Jim Mooney (R),  David Smith (R),  Dana Trabulsy (R), 

Other Sponsors (1)

Chapter No. 2021-232 (on 07/06/2021)

Official Document