Bill > S0442

This bill allows school districts in Florida to seek exceptions to certain educational facility construction requirements, provided they follow a specific process. A district school board can adopt a resolution to implement these exceptions with a supermajority vote at a public meeting held after 5 p.m. Before voting, the board must conduct a cost-benefit analysis, using accepted professional methods, to show how the exceptions will save money, improve resource efficiency, and impact the lifespan of facilities without compromising student safety or the quality of instruction. The board must also hold at least one public workshop, also starting no earlier than 5 p.m., to discuss the proposed resolution and analysis, and to receive public input. The exceptions themselves relate to interior nonload-bearing walls (allowing fire-rated wood stud walls in certain areas), student parking (permitting gravel or grassed areas), relocatable classrooms (allowing installation without covered walkways to permanent buildings), and site lighting (exempting gravel or grassed parking from lighting requirements and allowing timers for other lighting to operate only when the site is occupied, with a reduced minimum illumination level at single-door exits). This bill takes effect on July 1, 2016.