FL H5003

Education Funding & Performance: Incorporates the 2016-2017 Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) calculations; requires districts with the 300 lowest-performing elementary schools to fund an additional hour of intensive reading instruction; sets a minimum $500,000 digital classrooms allocation per district; and updates exceptional student education, sparsity supplement, and capital outlay membership formulas, all expiring July 1, 2017.

Higher Education Performance & Designation Programs: Creates a Florida College System performance-based incentive with metrics on retention, completion, and post-graduation wages; establishes the Distinguished Florida College System Institution Program requiring 5 of 7 excellence standards (e.g., ≥50% completion rate, ≥90% NCLEX passage rate); and updates the Preeminent State Research Universities Program (11 of 12 standards) with a new "emerging preeminent" designation (6 of 12 standards) receiving half the funding share.

Student Financial Aid Reform: Restructures four state student assistance grant programs to award aid based on demonstrated unmet need (after expected family contribution and all other aid) rather than lowest total family resources, with applicants showing less than $200 in unmet need rendered ineligible and priority given to students with the highest unmet need.

Teacher Scholarships & Education Workforce: Creates the Florida Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program for classroom teachers with SAT/ACT scores at or above the 80th percentile and a highly effective rating, with districts reporting eligible counts by December 1 and disbursement by February 1; prohibits requiring teacher preparation students to purchase liability insurance for clinical field experience.

Developmental Disabilities Services: Adds Phelan-McDermid syndrome to the definition of developmental disability; requires home and community-based services for eligible individuals whose parents are active-duty military transferred to Florida; establishes Category 6 waiver enrollment criteria (age ≥30, on waiting list ≥10 years, residing in family home); and freezes iBudgets at June 30, 2016 levels if a new algorithm is not adopted by that date.

Criminal Justice & Courts: Raises private court-appointed counsel compensation caps significantly (noncapital/nonlife felonies from $6,000 to $15,000; life felonies from $9,000 to $15,000); authorizes Department of Corrections to request additional resources if inmate population exceeds projections by 1% for two consecutive months or 2% in any month; and directs the Justice Administrative Commission to fund juror compensation, meals, and lodging.

Environmental & Land Conservation: Allocates Florida Forever Trust Fund proceeds including $35 million for agricultural land conservation easements and $10 million for recreational projects for individuals with unique abilities; dedicates at least $3 million in outdoor recreation grants for disability-accessible projects (max $500,000 per grant); authorizes the Legislative Budget Commission to increase appropriations for Gulf restoration using BP settlement and RESTORE Act funds.

State Agency Operations & Technology: Requires replacement of the FLAIR accounting system and Cash Management Subsystem with an integrated enterprise system overseen by a 13-member executive steering committee; directs the Department of Management Services to renegotiate all private office/storage leases exceeding 2,000 square feet expiring between July 2017 and June 2019; and sets the online procurement transaction fee at 0.7%.

Fiscal Controls & Fund Transfers: Authorizes the Executive Office of the Governor to transfer funds between departments for data center services, risk management insurance, and human resources contracts to align with billing cycles; prohibits Department of Corrections from transferring salary funds to non-salary categories without Legislative Budget Commission approval; and permits temporary trust fund loans to the state court system, repayable by fiscal year-end.

Water Quality & Solid Waste: Sets tiered excise tax rates for the Water Quality Assurance Trust Fund (e.g., 2.36 cents/gallon for solvents at standard rate, 5.9 cents when the fund drops below $3 million), with taxes discontinued when the unobligated balance exceeds $12 million; appropriates $3 million in grants to counties with populations under 110,000 for waste tire, litter prevention, and recycling programs.