Individual Freedom of Choice in Advocacy Language Passes The Florida Senate!

The Tampa Bay Times Buzz Blog and the Miami Herald both had articles covering the Senate’s passage of Don Gaetz’s HB 7029 yesterday--- a massive bill that has a lot of interest statewide.

Just before the Senate amended and passed this bill, individual freedom of choice in advocacy language was inserted by Sen Stargel as an amendment to HB 7029.  The bill, as amended, passed the Senate with notable support from Democrats Montord and Ring.

The Miami herald article was somewhat negative in their word choice regarding what this amendment would actually do---instead framing the issue as one group attempting to divert taxpayer money from another, more worthy recipient---as if this is somehow nefarious conduct.  News flash—FCSBM is a 501c3 just like FSBA is.  Also, the characterization of HB 1155 and SB 1426 as “Punitive” was also a disingenuous description at best, and a slap in the face of the Senators and Representatives that brought this important and desperately needed legislation to the session…    

From the Miami Herald article:

“Then with only minutes’ notice, Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, successfully added an amendment that could steer taxpayer dollars to the Florida Coalition of School Board Members — a rival organization to the Florida School Boards Association and whose members are more conservative, like the Republican-led Legislature. The provision was originally part of a separate bill (HB 1155) by Stargel that was ready for a Senate vote. That bill would have retaliated against the FSBA for previously suing the state over a voucher-like program that Republican lawmakers supported by barring the FSBA from using taxpayer money in future lawsuits. Facing scrutiny from Democrats and some Republicans, Stargel averted a possible defeat on that bill by postponing a planned vote”

The subject of most of the debate prior to the passage of the bill centered on the insertion of the individual freedom of choice language.  Most Democrats simply did not want to see that language

Status Quo "Takes it on the Chin" In Tallahassee Yesterday!

I was proud as a duly elected constitutional officer, school board member, and immediate past-president of the Florida Coalition of School Board Members to be able to speak yesterday at the Florida Senate Community Affairs Committee in Tallahassee.

This committee was considering numerous bills, but one was of particular interest to me.  SB 1426 is the membership bill that will allow school board members, individually, the ability to "opt-out" of paying high priced, taxpayer funded "association" fees.  The discussion of this bill begins at minute 9:00 of this video.   The committee moved the bill favorably after several speakers spoke in support of the bill.  One member of the gallery, the newly appointed executive director of the FSBA, attempted to explain the reasons behind the school board association joining forces with unions ans special interest groups to sue the state.  Ahe was grilled by the committee over this lawsuit attempting to kill tax credit scholarships.  It was a great day in Tallahassee.  The Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Buzz Blog covered the meeting.  from the Miami Herald:

"The bill also makes it optional for members to join associations that receive tax dollars -- giving school boards, for instance, the option to opt out of the FSBA. That provision, in particular, is pleasing to the Florida Coalition of School Board Members, a separate group from the school boards association that was formed last year and whose members embrace conservative principles.  Coalition President Jeff Bergosh, an Escambia County school board member, said some school board members' voices are "shut out" when the FSBA acts on behalf of the majority of its members.  "There’s a great number of school board members whose voices get quashed every year," Bergosh told senators. "I don’t want my

Membership Accountability/Individual Freedom of Choice in Advocacy Bills Filed for 2016 Session!

One of the really worthy bills from last year's legislative session that died when the Senate and House became deadlocked over the budget was HB 549.  It passed the house resoundingly  (85-28) but later died when the session was called early, prior to the Senate taking action on it.

This year, the bill has already been filed in the House by Rep Eric Eisnaugle (HB 1155), with a companion bill being filed in the Senate by Kelli Stargel (SB 1426).

Elected constitutional officers deserve to have choice in advocacy, and not be roped together into supporting high cost "association" groups that differ ideologically from individual elected officials and their constituencies.

As I have passionately stated in school board meetings, in the press, and in the offices of Florida legislators in Tallahassee----choice and freedom are hallmarks of our Constitutional Republic.

Allowing one group to monopolize the taxpayer funded educational advocacy business based simply on majority votes in school boards around the state is wrong; It alienates conservatives that are on