Bill > S1624

Introduced Session

An act relating to higher education; amending s. 11.51, F.S.; authorizing the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to develop contracts or agreements with institutions in the State University System for a specified purpose; amending s. 251.001, F.S.; providing tuition assistance to active members of the Florida State Guard; amending s. 288.036, F.S.; revising the duties of the Office of Ocean Economy; amending s. 381.853, F.S.; specifying that the President of the University of Florida appoints the members of the scientific advisory council within the Florida Center for Brain Tumor Research; amending s. 413.407, F.S.; revising the qualifications for members of the Assistive Technology Advisory Council; increasing the maximum term length for such members; amending s. 446.032, F.S.; revising the date by which the Department of Education is required to publish an annual report on apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs; amending s. 446.041, F.S.; requiring the department to take into account underrepresented groups in administering the apprenticeship training program, rather than minority and gender diversity; amending s. 1000.05, F.S.; renaming the Florida Educational Equity Act as the “Florida Educational Equality Act”; changing the term “gender” to “sex”; requiring public schools and Florida College System institutions to develop and implement methods and strategies to increase participation of underrepresented students, rather than students with certain characteristics, in certain programs and courses; requiring the Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education to utilize their authority to enforce compliance; amending s. 1000.21, F.S.; renaming Hillsborough Community College as “Hillsborough College”; creating s. 1001.68, F.S.; authorizing Florida College System institutions with a certain number of full-time equivalent students to enter into cooperative agreements to form a state college regional consortium service organization; requiring such organizations to provide at least a specified number of certain services; requiring that regional consortium service organizations be governed by a board of directors consisting of specified members; amending s. 1001.706, F.S.; deleting a requirement that state universities provide student access to certain information; amending s. 1001.7065, F.S.; revising academic standards for the preeminent state research university program to include a specified average Classic Learning Test score; amending s. 1004.0971, F.S.; revising the definition of the term “emergency opioid antagonist”; amending s. 1004.933, F.S.; authorizing an institution to enter into an agreement with an online provider for the adult education or career instruction portion of the Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE) Program; removing the age limit for enrollment in the program; clarifying that students are not required to enroll in adult secondary and career education coursework simultaneously; amending s. 1005.06, F.S.; authorizing certain institutions to operate without licensure; specifying affirmations required as a part of an affidavit; requiring submission of requested documentation in a specified timeframe; requiring the Commission for Independent Education to review such affidavit in a public meeting; specifying commission actions for noncompliance; authorizing the commission to adopt rules; amending s. 1006.73, F.S.; revising reporting requirements relating to the Florida Postsecondary Academic Library Network; amending s. 1007.34, F.S.; expanding the scope of the college reach-out program to all low-income educationally disadvantaged and underrepresented students regardless of minority status; amending s. 1007.35, F.S.; revising legislative findings; renaming the Florida Partnership for Minority and Underrepresented Student Achievement as the “Florida Partnership for Underrepresented Student Achievement”; revising the purposes and duties of the partnership to focus on all underrepresented students regardless of minority status; revising duties of the partnership; amending s. 1009.23, F.S.; authorizing the Florida College System to allocate a portion of financial aid fees to assist underrepresented students, rather than students who are members of a targeted gender or ethnic minority population; amending s. 1009.26, F.S.; revising the residency requirement for a grandparent for an out-of-state fee waiver; revising the residency criteria for a grandparent in a specified attestation; amending s. 1009.536, F.S.; clarifying the required minimum cumulative weighted grade point average for the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award; authorizing students to apply for a Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award within a specified timeframe before or after completing the GATE Program; amending s. 1009.897, F.S.; requiring institutions receiving funds through the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers, and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education Fund to allocate funding to health care related programs; amending s. 1011.804, F.S.; authorizing certain institutions to apply for and use grant funds under the GATE Startup Grant Program for specified purposes; amending s. 1013.30, F.S.; revising the timeframe for updates to state university campus master plans; amending s. 1013.46, F.S.; deleting a provision relating to set asides for construction contracts with minority business enterprises; amending s. 1007.27, F.S.; conforming a provision to changes made by the act; providing an effective date.

Committee Categories

Alexis Calatayud (R)*, 

Other Sponsors (2)

Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration (on 05/03/2025)

Official Document