Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1393 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	HB 1393 2023
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7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb1393-00
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10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to the Florida School for Competitive 2
16	16	Academics; amending s. 1000.04, F.S.; revising the 3
17	17	components of the delivery of public education within 4
18	18	the Florida Early Learning -20 education system to 5
19	19	include the Florida School for Competitive Acad emics; 6
20	20	creating s. 1002.351, F.S.; providing for the 7
21	21	establishment of the Florida School for Competitive 8
22	22	Academics; providing for the purpose and mission of 9
23	23	the school; requiring the Commissioner of Education to 10
24	24	ensure eligible students are informed of the school; 11
25	25	providing for the appointment of the board of 12
26	26	trustees; prescribing the powers and duties of the 13
27	27	board of trustees; providing sovereign immunity to the 14
28	28	board of trustees; specifying the board's duties 15
29	29	regarding the maintenance of student and emplo yee 16
30	30	records; providing requirements regarding background 17
31	31	screening of school personnel; specifying duties of 18
32	32	the board regarding personnel; providing for funding 19
33	33	of the school; requiring the Auditor General to 20
34	34	conduct audits of the school; authorizing the 21
35	35	Department of Education's Office of Inspector General 22
36	36	to conduct investigations, as appropriate; exempting 23
37	37	the school from specified requirements in the Florida 24
38	38	Early Learning-20 Education Code; providing 25
39	39
40	40	HB 1393 2023
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45	45	hb1393-00
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47	47	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	exceptions; specifying applicability of certain 26
52	52	provisions of law; creating s. 1011.58, F.S.; 27
53	53	prescribing procedures for the school's submittal of 28
54	54	legislative budget requests; requiring the school to 29
55	55	submit an implementation plan to the Department of 30
56	56	Education; requiring the Commissioner of Education to 31
57	57	include the school in the department's legislative 32
58	58	budget request, subject to specified conditions; 33
59	59	requiring the school to submit its fixed capital 34
60	60	outlay request to the department; creating s. 1011.59, 35
61	61	F.S.; prescribing procedures and requirements 36
62	62	governing the request and the appropriation of funds 37
63	63	for the operation of the school; requiring the board 38
64	64	to develop an annual operating budget; requiring the 39
65	65	Chief Financial Officer to transfer or reallocate 40
66	66	funds if certain conditions are met; requiring the 41
67	67	board to establish authorized positions within funds 42
68	68	appropriated to the school; providing for the carry 43
69	69	forward of any unexpended funds; providing that the 44
70	70	board of trustees may expend, reserve, or carry 45
71	71	forward of certain balances for fixed capital outlay 46
72	72	projects; amending s. 11.45, F.S.; revising the duties 47
73	73	of the Auditor General to conform to changes made by 48
74	74	the act; amending s. 110.205, F.S.; exempting school 49
75	75	personnel from provisions governing the state career 50
76	76
77	77	HB 1393 2023
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82	82	hb1393-00
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84	84	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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86	86
87	87
88	88	service system; amending s. 216.251, F.S.; s pecifying 51
89	89	the manner of setting salaries for positions within 52
90	90	the school; amending s. 447.203, F.S.; revising the 53
91	91	definition of the terms "public employer" or 54
92	92	"employer" to include the school for purposes of part 55
93	93	II of ch. 447, F.S.; making technical chang es; 56
94	94	amending s. 1001.20, F.S.; revising the powers of the 57
95	95	department's Office of Inspector General to conform to 58
96	96	changes made by the act; providing a directive to the 59
97	97	Division of Law Revision; providing an effective date. 60
98	98	61
99	99	Be It Enacted by the Legislat ure of the State of Florida: 62
100	100	63
101	101	Section 1. Subsection (6) is added to section 1000.04, 64
102	102	Florida Statutes, to read: 65
103	103	1000.04 Components for the delivery of public education 66
104	104	within the Florida Early Learning -20 education system. —Florida's 67
105	105	Early Learning-20 education system provides for the delivery of 68
106	106	early learning and public education through publicly supported 69
107	107	and controlled K-12 schools, Florida College System 70
108	108	institutions, state universities and other postsecondary 71
109	109	educational institutions, other educa tional institutions, and 72
110	110	other educational services as provided or authorized by the 73
111	111	Constitution and laws of the state. 74
112	112	(6) THE FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR COMPETITIVE ACADEMICS. —The 75
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114	114	HB 1393 2023
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121	121	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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125	125	Florida School for Competitive Academics is a component of the 76
126	126	delivery of public education within Florida's Early Learning -20 77
127	127	education system. 78
128	128	Section 2. Section 1002.351, Florida Statutes, is created 79
129	129	to read: 80
130	130	1002.351 The Florida School for Competitive Academics. — 81
131	131	(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Florida School 82
132	132	for Competitive Academics. The school shall be located in 83
133	133	Alachua County and is a state -supported public school for 84
134	134	Florida residents in grades 6 -12. The primary purpose of the 85
135	135	school is to provide a rigorous academic curriculum, and the 86
136	136	secondary purpose is to prepare students for regional, state, 87
137	137	and national academic competitions in all areas of study, 88
138	138	including, but not limited to, science, technology, engineering, 89
139	139	and mathematics. The school may admit students in grades 6 -12 90
140	140	beginning in the 2024 -2025 school year. 91
141	141	(2) MISSION.— 92
142	142	(a) The mission of the Florida School for Competitive 93
143	143	Academics is to provide students who meet selective admissions 94
144	144	requirements an environment that will foster high academic 95
145	145	engagement and advanced understanding of subject areas, develop 96
146	146	productive work habits, build resiliency, connect students with 97
147	147	industry leaders, and promote civic leadership. 98
148	148	(b) To assist in the recruitment of students, the 99
149	149	Commissioner of Education shall ensure all eligible students are 100
150	150
151	151	HB 1393 2023
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156	156	hb1393-00
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158	158	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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160	160
161	161
162	162	informed of the Florida School for Competitive Academics. The 101
163	163	commissioner shall inform parents of public school students that 102
164	164	they may provide their child's student records to the Florida 103
165	165	School for Competitive Academics Board of Trustees for 104
166	166	recruitment purposes. 105
167	167	(3) BOARD OF TRUSTEES. — 106
168	168	(a)1. The Florida School for Competitive Academics shall 107
169	169	be governed by a board of trustees composed of seven members 108
170	170	appointed by the Governor to 4 -year terms and confirmed by the 109
171	171	Senate. For purposes of staggering terms, four me mbers, 110
172	172	including the chair as designated by the Governor, shall be 111
173	173	appointed to 4-year terms beginning July 1, 2023, and three 112
174	174	members shall be appointed to 2 -year terms beginning July 1, 113
175	175	2023. After the initial 4 -year term, the chair shall be elected 114
176	176	by the board. 115
177	177	2. No more than 116
178	178	one employee of the school may serve on the board of trustees as 117
179	179	a member or as chairman. 118
180	180	(b) Members of the board of trustees shall serve without 119
181	181	compensation, but may be reimbursed for per diem and travel 120
182	182	expenses pursuant to s. 112.061. 121
183	183	(c) The board of trustees is a public agency entitled to 122
184	184	sovereign immunity pursuant to s. 768.28, and board members are 123
185	185	public officers who bear fiduciary responsibility for the 124
186	186	Florida School for Competitive Academics. 125
187	187
188	188	HB 1393 2023
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195	195	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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199	199	(d) The board of trustees is a body corporate with all the 126
200	200	powers of a body corporate, and such authority as is needed for 127
201	201	the proper operation and improvement of the Florida School for 128
202	202	Competitive Academics. Title to any gift, donation, or bequest 129
203	203	received by the board o f trustees must vest in the board of 130
204	204	trustees. Title to all other property and other assets of the 131
205	205	Florida School for Competitive Academics must vest in the State 132
206	206	Board of Education, but the board of trustees has complete 133
207	207	jurisdiction over the management o f the school. 134
208	208	(e) The board of trustees has the full power and authority 135
209	209	to: 136
210	210	1. Adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to 137
211	211	implement provisions of law relating to operation of the Florida 138
212	212	School for Competitive Academics. Such rules must be s ubmitted 139
213	213	to the State Board of Education for approval or disapproval. 140
214	214	After a rule is approved by the State Board of Education, the 141
215	215	rule must be filed immediately with the Department of State. The 142
216	216	board of trustees shall act at all times in conjunction wit h the 143
217	217	rules of the State Board of Education. 144
218	218	2. Appoint a principal, administrators, teachers, and 145
219	219	other employees. 146
220	220	3. Remove principals, administrators, teachers, and other 147
221	221	employees at the board's discretion. 148
222	222	4. Determine eligibility of students an d procedures for 149
223	223	admission. 150
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232	232	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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236	236	5. Provide for the proper keeping of accounts and records 151
237	237	and for budgeting of funds. 152
238	238	6. Receive gifts, donations, and bequests of money or 153
239	239	property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, from any 154
240	240	person, firm, corporati on, or other legal entity for the use and 155
241	241	benefit of the school. 156
242	242	7. Recommend to the Legislature for the school to become a 157
243	243	residential public school. 158
244	244	8. Do and perform every other matter or thing requisite to 159
245	245	the proper management, maintenance, suppor t, and control of the 160
246	246	school at the highest efficiency economically possible. 161
247	247	9. Allow the school to have a stand -alone law 162
248	248	enforcement agency. 163
249	249	10. After receiving approval from the 164
250	250	Administration Commission, exercise the power of eminent domain 165
251	251	in the manner provided in chapter 73 or chapter 74. 166
252	252	(f) The board of trustees shall: 167
253	253	1. Prepare and submit legislative budget requests for 168
254	254	operations and fixed capital outlay, in accordance with chapter 169
255	255	216 and ss. 1011.56 and 1013.60, to the Department of E ducation 170
256	256	for review and approval. The department must analyze the amount 171
257	257	requested for fixed capital outlay to determine if the request 172
258	258	is consistent with the school's campus master plan, educational 173
259	259	plant survey, and facilities master plan. 174
260	260	2. Approve and administer an annual operating budget in 175
261	261
262	262	HB 1393 2023
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269	269	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
270	270
271	271
272	272
273	273	accordance with ss. 1011.56 and 1011.57. 176
274	274	3. Require all purchases to be in accordance with chapter 177
275	275	287 except for purchases made with funds received as gifts, 178
276	276	donations, or bequests or funds raised by or belong ing to 179
277	277	student clubs or student organizations. 180
278	278	4. Administer and maintain personnel programs for all 181
279	279	employees of the board of trustees and the Florida School for 182
280	280	Competitive Academics, who shall be school employees, including 183
281	281	the personnel. 184
282	282	5. Ensure that the Florida School for Competitive 185
283	283	Academics complies with s. 1013.351 concerning the coordination 186
284	284	of planning between the Florida School for Competitive Academics 187
285	285	and local governing bodies. 188
286	286	6. Ensure that the Florida School for Competitive 189
287	287	Academics complies with s. 112.061 concerning per diem and 190
288	288	travel expenses. 191
289	289	7. Adopt a master plan that specifies the objectives of 192
290	290	the Florida School for Competitive Academics. The plan must be 193
291	291	for a period of 5 years and must be reviewed for needed 194
292	292	modifications every 2 years. The board of trustees shall submit 195
293	293	the initial plan and subsequent modifications to the President 196
294	294	of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 197
295	295	(4) STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE RECORDS. —The board of trustees 198
296	296	shall provide for the content and custody of student and 199
297	297	employee personnel records. Student records are subject to s. 200
298	298
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306	306	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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309	309
310	310	1002.22. Employee records are subject to s. 1012.31. 201
311	311	(5) PERSONNEL.— 202
312	312	(a) The Florida School for Competitive Academics Board of 203
313	313	Trustees shall require a ll employees and applicants for 204
314	314	employment to undergo background screening as provided in s. 205
315	315	1012.32 as a condition of employment and continued employment. 206
316	316	Members of the board of trustees must also undergo background 207
317	317	screening in accordance with the relev ant provisions of s. 208
318	318	1012.32. An individual may not be employed as an employee or 209
319	319	contract personnel of the school or serve as a member of the 210
320	320	board of trustees if the individual is on the disqualification 211
321	321	list maintained by the department pursuant to s. 1 001.10(4)(b). 212
322	322	(b) In accordance with law and rules of the State Board of 213
323	323	Education, the board of trustees shall administer and maintain 214
324	324	personnel programs for all employees of the board of trustees 215
325	325	and the Florida School for Competitive Academics. The bo ard of 216
326	326	trustees may adopt rules, policies, and procedures related to 217
327	327	the appointment, employment, and removal of personnel. 218
328	328	1. The board of trustees shall determine the compensation, 219
329	329	including salaries and fringe benefits, and other conditions of 220
330	330	employment for such personnel. 221
331	331	2. Classroom teachers employed by the school must be 222
332	332	certified pursuant to chapter 1012. 223
333	333	3. Each person employed by the board of trustees in an 224
334	334	academic administrative or instructional capacity with the 225
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343	343	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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347	347	Florida School for Competitive Academics is entitled to a 226
348	348	contract as provided by rules of the board of trustees. 227
349	349	4. All employees except temporary, seasonal, and student 228
350	350	employees may be provided Florida Retirement System benefits 229
351	351	from the school through operational cost s. 230
352	352	(6) FUNDING.— 231
353	353	(a) The Florida School for Competitive Academics shall 232
354	354	receive state funds for operating purposes as provided in the 233
355	355	General Appropriations Act. 234
356	356	(b) In addition to the funds provided in the General 235
357	357	Appropriations Act, the Florida School for Competitive Academics 236
358	358	may receive other funds from grants and donations. 237
359	359	(7) AUDITS.—The Auditor General shall conduct audits of 238
360	360	the accounts and records of the Florida School for Competitive 239
361	361	Academics as provided in s. 11.45. The Department o f Education's 240
362	362	Inspector General is authorized to conduct investigations at the 241
363	363	school as provided in s. 1001.20(4)(e). 242
364	364	(8) EXEMPTION FROM STATUTES. — 243
365	365	(a) The Florida School for Competitive Academics is exempt 244
366	366	from all statutes in chapters 1000 -1013. However, the Florida 245
367	367	School for Competitive Academics shall be in compliance with the 246
368	368	following statutes in chapters 1000 -1013: 247
369	369	1. This section. 248
370	370	2. Those statutes pertaining to the student assessment 249
371	371	program and school grading system. 250
372	372
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380	380	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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384	384	3. Those statutes pertaining to the provision of services 251
385	385	to students with disabilities. 252
386	386	4. Those statutes pertaining to civil rights, including, 253
387	387	but not limited to, s. 1000.05, relating to discrimination. 254
388	388	5. Those statutes pertaining to student health, safety, 255
389	389	and welfare. 256
390	390	(b) Additionally, the Florida School for Competitive 257
391	391	Academics shall be in compliance with the following statutes: 258
392	392	1. Section 286.011, relating to public meetings and 259
393	393	records, public inspection, and criminal and civil penalties. 260
394	394	2. Chapter 119, relating to public records. 261
395	395	3. Section 1006.12, relating to safe -school officers. 262
396	396	4. Section 1006.07(7), relating to threat assessment 263
397	397	teams. 264
398	398	5. Section 1006.07(9), relating to school environmental 265
399	399	safety incident reporting. 266
400	400	6. Section 1006.07(10), relating to reporting of 267
401	401	involuntary examinations. 268
402	402	7. Section 1006.1493, relating to the Florida Safe Schools 269
403	403	Assessment Tool. 270
404	404	8. Section 1006.07(6)(d), relating to adopting active 271
405	405	assailant response plans. 272
406	406	9. Section 943.082(4)(b), relating to the mobile 273
407	407	suspicious activity reporting tool. 274
408	408	10. Section 1012.584, relating to youth mental health 275
409	409
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417	417	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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419	419
420	420
421	421	awareness and assistance training. 276
422	422	11. Section 1003.4282, relating to requirements for a 277
423	423	standard high school diploma. 278
424	424	12. Section 1003.03(1), relating t o class size maximums. 279
425	425	13.a. Section 1011.61, relating to instructional 280
426	426	hours requirements. 281
427	427	b. Notwithstanding sub -subparagraph a., the 282
428	428	school may provide instruction that exceeds the minimum time 283
429	429	requirements for the purposes of offering a summer program. 284
430	430	(c) For purposes of this subsection: 285
431	431	1. The duties assigned to a district school superintendent 286
432	432	apply to the director of the Florida School for Competitive 287
433	433	Academics. 288
434	434	2. The duties assigned to a district school board apply to 289
435	435	the board of trustees. 290
436	436	Section 3. Section 1011.58, Florida Statutes, is created 291
437	437	to read: 292
438	438	1011.58 Procedure for legislative budget requests for the 293
439	439	Florida School for Competitive Academics. — 294
440	440	(1)(a) The legislative budget request of the Florida 295
441	441	School for Competiti ve Academics established in s. 1002.351 must 296
442	442	be prepared using the same format, procedures, and timelines 297
443	443	required for the submission of the legislative budget of the 298
444	444	Department of Education. 299
445	445	(b) The Florida School for Competitive Academics shall 300
446	446
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454	454	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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456	456
457	457
458	458	submit its legislative budget request to the Department of 301
459	459	Education for review and approval. The school must create and 302
460	460	submit to the department an implementation plan before the 303
461	461	department may approve the budget request. 304
462	462	(c) Subsequent to the Department of Ed ucation's approval, 305
463	463	the Commissioner of Education shall include the Florida School 306
464	464	for Competitive Academics in the department's legislative budget 307
465	465	request to the State Board of Education, the Governor, and the 308
466	466	Legislature. The legislative budget request a nd the 309
467	467	appropriation for the Florida School for Competitive Academics 310
468	468	must be a separate identifiable sum in the public schools budget 311
469	469	entity of the Department of Education. 312
470	470	(d) The annual appropriation for the school shall be 313
471	471	distributed quarterly, with out using the Florida Education 314
472	472	Finance Program, in payments as nearly equal as possible. 315
473	473	Appropriations for textbooks, instructional technology, and 316
474	474	school buses may be released and distributed as necessary to 317
475	475	serve the instructional program for the stude nts. 318
476	476	(2) The school shall submit its fixed capital outlay 319
477	477	request to the Department of Education for review and approval 320
478	478	in accordance with s. 1002.36(4)(f)1. Subsequent to the 321
479	479	department's approval, the school's request must be included 322
480	480	within the department's public education capital outlay 323
481	481	legislative budget request. 324
482	482	Section 4. Section 1011.59, Florida Statutes, is created 325
483	483
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491	491	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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495	495	to read: 326
496	496	1011.59 Florida School for Competitive Academics; board of 327
497	497	trustees; management flexibility. — 328
498	498	(1) Notwithstanding ss. 216.031, 216.181, and 216.262 to 329
499	499	the contrary and pursuant s. 216.351, but subject to any 330
500	500	guidelines imposed in the General Appropriations Act, funds for 331
501	501	the operation of the Florida School for Competitive Academics 332
502	502	shall be requested and appropriated within budget entities, 333
503	503	program components, program categories, lump sums, or special 334
504	504	categories. Funds appropriated to the Florida School for 335
505	505	Competitive Academics for each program category, lump sum, or 336
506	506	special category may be transferred to traditional categories 337
507	507	for expenditure by the board of trustees of the school. The 338
508	508	board of trustees shall develop an annual operating budget that 339
509	509	allocates funds by program component and traditional expenditure 340
510	510	category. 341
511	511	(2) Notwithstanding s. 216.181 and pursuant to s. 216.351, 342
512	512	but subject to any requirements imposed in the General 343
513	513	Appropriations Act, a lump -sum plan is not required to implement 344
514	514	the special categories, program categories, or lump -sum 345
515	515	appropriations. Upon release of the special categories, program 346
516	516	categories, or lump-sum appropriations to the board of trustees, 347
517	517	the Chief Financial Officer shall, upon the request of the board 348
518	518	of trustees, transfer or reallocate funds to or among accounts 349
519	519	established for disbursement purposes. The board of trustees 350
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528	528	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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532	532	shall maintain records to account for the original 351
533	533	appropriation. 352
534	534	(3) Notwithstanding ss. 216.031, 216.181, 216.251, and 353
535	535	216.262 to the contrary and pursuant to s. 216.351, but subject 354
536	536	to any requirements imposed in the General Appropriations Act, 355
537	537	the board of trustees shall establish the authorized positions 356
538	538	and may amend such positions within the total funds authorized 357
539	539	annually in the appropriations act. 358
540	540	(4)(a) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 to the contrary, all 359
541	541	unexpended funds appropriated for the Florida School for 360
542	542	Competitive Academics shall be carried forward and included as 361
543	543	the balance forward for that fund in the approved operating 362
544	544	budget for the following year. 363
545	545	(b) Notwithstanding any other law, for the 2023 -2024 364
546	546	through 2027-2028 fiscal years, the school's board of trustees 365
547	547	may expend, reserve, or carry forward balances from prior year 366
548	548	operational and programmatic appropriations for fixed capital 367
549	549	outlay projects needed for the establishment of this school. 368
550	550	Section 5. Paragraphs (d) and (f) of su bsection (2) of 369
551	551	section 11.45, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 370
552	552	11.45 Definitions; duties; authorities; reports; rules. — 371
553	553	(2) DUTIES.—The Auditor General shall: 372
554	554	(d) Annually conduct financial audits of the accounts and 373
555	555	records of all district sc hool boards in counties with 374
556	556	populations of fewer than 150,000, according to the most recent 375
557	557
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565	565	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
566	566
567	567
568	568
569	569	federal decennial statewide census, and the Florida School for 376
570	570	the Deaf and the Blind , and the Florida School for Competitive 377
571	571	Academics. 378
572	572	(f) At least every 3 yea rs, conduct operational audits of 379
573	573	the accounts and records of state agencies, state universities, 380
574	574	state colleges, district school boards, the Florida Clerks of 381
575	575	Court Operations Corporation, water management districts, and 382
576	576	the Florida School for the Deaf an d the Blind, and the Florida 383
577	577	School for Competitive Academics . 384
578	578	385
579	579	The Auditor General shall perform his or her duties 386
580	580	independently but under the general policies established by the 387
581	581	Legislative Auditing Committee. This subsection does not limit 388
582	582	the Auditor General's discretionary authority to conduct other 389
583	583	audits or engagements of governmental entities as authorized in 390
584	584	subsection (3). 391
585	585	Section 6. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section 392
586	586	110.205, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 393
587	587	110.205 Career service; exemptions.— 394
588	588	(2) EXEMPT POSITIONS. —The exempt positions that are not 395
589	589	covered by this part include the following: 396
590	590	(d) All officers and employees of the state universities 397
591	591	and the academic personnel and academic administrative personnel 398
592	592	of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and the Florida 399
593	593	School for Competitive Academics . In accordance with the 400
594	594
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602	602	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
603	603
604	604
605	605
606	606	provisions of s. 1002.36, the salaries for academic personnel 401
607	607	and academic administrative personnel of the Florida School for 402
608	608	the Deaf and the Blind and the Florida School for Competitive 403
609	609	Academics shall be set by the board of trustees for the 404
610	610	respective schools school, subject only to the approval of the 405
611	611	State Board of Education. 406
612	612	Section 7. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 407
613	613	216.251, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 408
614	614	216.251 Salary appropriations; limitations. — 409
615	615	(2)(a) The salary for each position not specifically 410
616	616	indicated in the appropriations acts shall be as provided in one 411
617	617	of the following subparagraphs: 412
618	618	1. Within the classification and pay plans provided for in 413
619	619	chapter 110. 414
620	620	2. Within the classification and pay plans established by 415
621	621	the Board of Trustees for the Florida School for the Deaf and 416
622	622	the Blind of the Department of Education and approved by the 417
623	623	State Board of Education for academic and academic 418
624	624	administrative personnel. 419
625	625	3. Within the classification and pay plan approved and 420
626	626	administered by the Board of Governors or the designee of the 421
627	627	board for those positions in the State University System. 422
628	628	4. Within the classification and pay plan approved by the 423
629	629	President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 424
630	630	Representatives, as the cas e may be, for employees of the 425
631	631
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639	639	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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641	641
642	642
643	643	Legislature. 426
644	644	5. Within the approved classification and pay plan for the 427
645	645	judicial branch. 428
646	646	6. Within the classification and pay plans established by 429
647	647	the Board of Trustees for the Florida School for Competitive 430
648	648	Academics of the Department of Education and approved by the 431
649	649	State Board of Education for academic and academic 432
650	650	administrative personnel. 433
651	651	Section 8. Subsection (2) of section 447.203, Florida 434
652	652	Statutes, is amended to read: 435
653	653	447.203 Definitions. —As used in this part : 436
654	654	(2) "Public employer" or "employer" means the state or any 437
655	655	county, municipality, or special district or any subdivision or 438
656	656	agency thereof which the commission determines has sufficient 439
657	657	legal distinctiveness properly to carry out the functions of a 440
658	658	public employer. With respect to all public employees determined 441
659	659	by the commission as properly belonging to a statewide 442
660	660	bargaining unit composed of State Career Service System 443
661	661	employees or Selected Professional Service employees, the 444
662	662	Governor is shall be deemed to be the public employer; and the 445
663	663	Board of Governors of the State University System, or the 446
664	664	board's designee, is shall be deemed to be the public employer 447
665	665	with respect to all public employees of each constituent state 448
666	666	university. The board of trustees o f a community college is 449
667	667	shall be deemed to be the public employer with respect to all 450
668	668
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676	676	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
677	677
678	678
679	679
680	680	employees of the community college. The district school board is 451
681	681	shall be deemed to be the public employer with respect to all 452
682	682	employees of the school district. The Boar d of Trustees of the 453
683	683	Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind is shall be deemed to 454
684	684	be the public employer with respect to the academic and academic 455
685	685	administrative personnel of the Florida School for the Deaf and 456
686	686	the Blind. The Board of Trustees of the Fl orida School for 457
687	687	Competitive Academics is deemed to be the public employer with 458
688	688	respect to the academic and academic administrative personnel of 459
689	689	the Florida School for Competitive Academics. The Governor is 460
690	690	shall be deemed to be the public employer with re spect to all 461
691	691	employees in the Correctional Education Program of the 462
692	692	Department of Corrections established pursuant to s. 944.801. 463
693	693	Section 9. Paragraph (e) of subsection (4) of section 464
694	694	1001.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 465
695	695	1001.20 Department under direction of state board. — 466
696	696	(4) The Department of Education shall establish the 467
697	697	following offices within the Office of the Commissioner of 468
698	698	Education which shall coordinate their activities with all other 469
699	699	divisions and offices: 470
700	700	(e) Office of Inspector General.—Organized using existing 471
701	701	resources and funds and responsible for promoting 472
702	702	accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness and detecting 473
703	703	fraud and abuse within school districts, the Florida School for 474
704	704	the Deaf and the Blind, the Florida School f or Competitive 475
705	705
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713	713	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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715	715
716	716
717	717	Academics, and Florida College System institutions in Florida. 476
718	718	If the Commissioner of Education determines that a district 477
719	719	school board, the Board of Trustees for the Florida School for 478
720	720	the Deaf and the Blind, the Board of Trustees for the F lorida 479
721	721	School for Competitive Academics, or a Florida College System 480
722	722	institution board of trustees is unwilling or unable to address 481
723	723	substantiated allegations made by any person relating to waste, 482
724	724	fraud, or financial mismanagement within the school distric t, 483
725	725	the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, the Florida 484
726	726	School for Competitive Academics, or the Florida College System 485
727	727	institution, the office must shall conduct, coordinate, or 486
728	728	request investigations into such substantiated allegations. The 487
729	729	office shall investigate allegations or reports of possible 488
730	730	fraud or abuse against a district school board made by any 489
731	731	member of the Cabinet; the presiding officer of either house of 490
732	732	the Legislature; a chair of a substantive or appropriations 491
733	733	committee with juris diction; or a member of the board for which 492
734	734	an investigation is sought. The office shall have access to all 493
735	735	information and personnel necessary to perform its duties and 494
736	736	shall have all of its current powers, duties, and 495
737	737	responsibilities authorized in s. 20 .055. 496
738	738	Section 10. The Division of Law Revision is directed to 497
739	739	revise the title of subpart D of part I of chapter 1011, Florida 498
740	740	Statutes, consisting of ss. 1011.55 -1011.59, Florida Statutes, 499
741	741	to read "Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and Florida 500
742	742
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750	750	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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753	753
754	754	School for Competitive Academics: Preparation, Adoption, and 501
755	755	Implementation of Budgets" to conform to the amendments made by 502
756	756	this act. 503
757	757	Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 504