CS/CS/HB 909 - Higher Education Summary

• Revises academic achievement recognition methods for high school seniors by establishing "Academic Scholarship Signing Day" (third Tuesday in April) and "College Decision Day" to celebrate postsecondary education plans.

• Requires Board of Governors to annually report on intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity at state universities through objective surveys of students, faculty, and administrators; mandates Office of Inspector General validate data integrity for accountability systems.

• Establishes the RISE to 55 Initiative to increase postsecondary attainment to 55 percent by 2025 through student advising systems, degree completion programs, and public-private partnerships, with recommendations to Legislature by January 15, 2019.

• Creates the "Campus Free Expression Act" allowing unrestricted expressive activities in outdoor campus areas (protests, speeches, literature distribution, recording) as traditional public forums, with limited time-place-manner restrictions; provides private right of action for violations.

• Requires student government associations to provide written justifications for activity and service fee allocations and maintain publicly accessible funding records; modifies Bright Futures eligibility for pilot program students and requires faculty/administrator trend reporting in budget requests.

• Prohibits local governments from blocking public motor vehicle access to transportation facilities serving as one of only two or fewer ingress/egress points to state universities.

• Effective date: July 1, 2018.