CS/HB 7051 Summary

• Board of Governors must develop and deliver an annual training program for state university board of trustees members covering statutory obligations, internal controls, planning oversight, college affordability, ethics, and governance best practices, with participation required within 1 year of appointment or reappointment.

• Office of Inspector General shall investigate substantiated allegations of waste, fraud, or financial mismanagement at state universities when the Board of Governors, presiding officers of either legislative house, Chief Financial Officer, or a trustee member determines the university board is unwilling or unable to address them.

• State appropriations transferred to university and Florida College System direct-support organizations may only include funds pledged for capital projects beginning July 1, 2019, with annual reporting requirements to the Legislature; prohibits state funds for direct-support organization travel expenses and political committee donations.

• Each university board of trustees must adopt a 5-year capital improvement plan based on state appropriations and all funding sources; adoption of annual capital outlay budget and capital improvement plan automatically amends the campus master plan's capital improvements element.

• Act takes effect July 1, 2019; repeals section 1013.61 regarding annual capital outlay budget and requires compliance documentation by educational institutions when audit findings indicate illegal activity.