This legislative season has been filled with a lot of activity and sometimes it can be difficult to keep up. We want to help highlight some key areas of importance. With the state legislation session quickly coming to a close, we want to highlight some bills that could use your advocacy in keeping with the PTA’s support of educational environments that are inclusive and effective for all students.
Bill to advocate against
HB 1069 (Education)/SB 1320 (Child Protection in Public Schools)
Likely to be considered in the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee on 4/13
This is the extension of “Don’t Say Gay” until grade 8, with additional provisions to have the state, not districts, approve sex ed curriculum and instructional materials, to have any citizen’s objection to a book/ancillary material prompt removal from all access within 5 days, pending review, and to prohibit teachers from asking for a child’s pronouns or referring to themselves with any other pronouns than those corresponding to sex at birth. Relevant position statements/resolutions: NPTA Libraries and Educational Materials; NPTA Inclusive Curricula in K-12 Schools; NPTA Elements of Comprehensive Health Programs; NPTA Recognition of LGBTQ Individuals as a Protected Class.
*HB 1259/SB 1328 (Education Funding)
This bill would make sharing of public school capital outlay tax revenues with charter schools mandatory, regardless of how much money is given by the state; no requirement for a charter school capital plan; the amount of allocation determined by the number of enrolled charter school students rather than by need.
Bills to advocate for:
HB 551/SB 804 (Required African-American Instruction)
Likely to be considered on the House and Senate floors next week.
These bills hold school districts’ feet to the fire as far as actually teaching African American history, as mandated in statute, and provide for recommendations from organizations specializing in this area with respect to materials and teacher professional development. Relevant position statements/resolutions: NPTA Inclusive Curricula in K-12 Schools; NPTA Say Their Names: Addressing Systemic or Institutional Racism
HB /SB 588 (Enforcement of School Zone Speed Limits)
Likely to be considered in their final committees next week.
Relevant position statements/resolutions: NPTA Child Safety and Protection; FPTA Hazardous Walking Conditions
Comprehensive List
Attached you will find a more comprehensive list of all legislation that Florida PTA is following which includes descriptions of the bill, its potential impact, and Florida PTA’s stance.
Click Here to View the Complete List
Contact Your Representative
Please reach out to your state representatives as well as other state-level decision-makers including the Education Commissioner and the Governor: share your views and show your support for public education to represent all of us.
To find your state representatives
https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/findyourrepresentative
Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr.
850-245-0505
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
850-717-9337
Email link included on website below