State Legislative Committee Report
March 22, 2010
Concerning: Class Size Bill
· Sen. Gaetz – SB 2
Placed on Special Order Calendar for 03/23/10
Concerning: Standards and Assessment Bill
· Rep. Legg – HB 7053
03/18/10 - Favorable with CS by Full Appropriations Council on Education & Economic Development; 15 Yeas, 0 Nays
Concerning: Teacher Quality Bill
Sponsors:
· Sen. Thrasher – SB 6
· Rep. Legg – bill being drafted
There were two amendments to Senate Bill 6 this week. The bill originally tied 50% of a teacher’s pay to student test scores. The first amendment deleted this provision. Now, future pay raises will be determined using this criterion.
The second amendment has to do with the punitive aspect of this bill. Originally, the state would have withheld 5% of the districts money if they did not comply with the new merit based pay plan. This amendment would require districts to put aside 5% of it’s funding to pay for merit based pay raises, and tests and assessments to measure performance.
03/19/10 - Favorable with CS by Policy & Steering Committee on Ways and Means; 15 Yeas, 8 Nays
Concerning: Sovereignty of State – Joint Resolution
· Sen. Wise - SB 1240
· Rep. Carroll - HB679
Rep. Jennifer Carroll and Sen. Steve Wise have asked that we not begin calling on these bills yet. They will let us know when the time is right.
Concerning: Oil and Gas Drilling
· Rep. McKeel – HB 563
Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, chairman of the House Select Policy Council on Strategic & Economic Planning, outlined three areas he expects the House bill to include when it is released in two weeks.
1. Preventing "any visual impact to our beaches'' that could "cause visual blight."
2. Don't disrupt military activity. He said he wants to give the military “essentially veto power over any drilling activity.”
3. Recognizing improvements in technology, such as the opportunity to use directional drilling. “Advancements in technology have resolved many of the concerns that were appropriately fears 20 years ago.”
Zuma Banks
State Legislative Committee
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