CS/HB 1451 Summary

• Establishes the Dan Marino Foundation Florida Vocational College in Broward County as a state-supported residential school serving students ages 18-26 with developmental disabilities who are no longer eligible for exceptional student education funding.

• Creates a seven-member Board of Trustees with three members appointed by the Governor (including one person with a developmental disability), one member from the Dan Marino Foundation chair, one from the foundation CEO, and one each appointed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate.

• Requires the school to comply with state agency laws and rules, submit legislative budget requests, maintain annual audits by the Auditor General, and have its accounts and records subject to investigation by the Department of Education's Office of Inspector General.

• Mandates personnel screening using level 2 standards under chapter 435, Florida Statutes, for all employees and applicants, including background investigations and fingerprinting; establishes criminal penalties for failing to disclose material facts or misusing confidential information.

• Authorizes employment of campus police with full law enforcement authority on campus and in hot pursuit, requires annual reporting of campus crime statistics, and establishes the college as a component of Florida's K-20 education system.