Bill > H5101

This bill mandates that a portion of gross receipts tax revenues be deposited into a separate account within the Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund to ensure timely payment of bonds secured by these revenues. It also requires the Office of Technology and Information Services within the Department of Education to develop a 5-year strategic plan for establishing "Florida digital classrooms," which are intended to integrate technology into teaching and learning to improve student performance, and specifies that charter schools will be eligible for an allocation from this program. Furthermore, the bill facilitates the transfer of resources, agreements, and contracts from the Florida Virtual Campus to the University of West Florida, and establishes the Florida National Merit Scholar Incentive Program to reward high-achieving Florida high school graduates who enroll in baccalaureate degree programs at eligible Florida institutions. The bill also includes provisions related to the temporary suspension of new baccalaureate degree program proposals from Florida College System institutions and St. Petersburg College, the creation of a Florida Center for Cybersecurity within the University of South Florida, and the repeal of certain statutes related to instructional materials and library services.