Bill Text: FL S1736 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2018-03-10 - Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance and Tax [S1736 Detail]

Download: Florida-2018-S1736-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2018                                    SB 1736
       
       
        
       By Senator Stewart
       
       
       
       
       
       13-01399-18                                           20181736__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship
    3         Program; amending s. 1002.421, F.S.; revising the
    4         fiscal responsibility requirements for a private
    5         school that receives funds under the Florida Tax
    6         Credit Scholarship Program; providing qualification
    7         requirements for school administrators who are
    8         employed at such schools; providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Paragraphs (f) and (h) of subsection (2) of
   13  section 1002.421, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   14         1002.421 Accountability of private schools participating in
   15  state school choice scholarship programs.—
   16         (2) A private school participating in a scholarship program
   17  must be a Florida private school as defined in s. 1002.01(2),
   18  must be registered in accordance with s. 1002.42, and must:
   19         (f) Demonstrate fiscal soundness and accountability by:
   20         1. Being in operation for at least 3 school years or
   21  obtaining a surety bond or letter of credit for the amount equal
   22  to the scholarship funds for any quarter and filing the surety
   23  bond or letter of credit with the department;.
   24         2. Requiring the parent of each scholarship student to
   25  personally restrictively endorse the scholarship warrant to the
   26  school. The school may not act as attorney in fact for the
   27  parent of a scholarship student under the authority of a power
   28  of attorney executed by such parent, or under any other
   29  authority, to endorse scholarship warrants on behalf of such
   30  parent; and.
   31         3. For the operator of the private school, not having filed
   32  for bankruptcy within the last 5 years.
   33         (h) Employ or contract with teachers and school
   34  administrators who hold baccalaureate or higher degrees;, have
   35  at least 3 years of teaching or administrative experience, as
   36  appropriate, in public or private schools;, or have special
   37  skills, knowledge, or expertise that qualifies them to provide
   38  instruction in subjects taught or to fulfil his or her
   39  administrative duties.
   40         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.