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

Political Ju-Jitsu in Tallahassee

The action in Tallahassee is heating up mightily as the session winds down for 2016.  Of continuing, particular interest to me is seeing language become law that respects individual constitutional officers’ right to choose, individually, whether or not to belong to a taxpayer-funded membership association.

The Senate adopted the language in the house-passed HB1155 on Tuesday which would have allowed individual freedom of choice in advocacy for conservative school board members like me.  Yesterday, just before the vote on this bill was to happen, Sen Stargel, the bill’s sponsor, TP’d the bill (temporarily postponed it).

“She’s whipping votes” was the reaction from several supporters present in the Gallery.

Shortly thereafter-she added individual freedom of choice in advocacy language from HB 1155 to Sen. Gaetz’s massive Train  HB 7029 as a floor amendment.  This amendment passed 28-12—with notable support from two Democrats (Montford, Ring).

Next, Gaetz’s massive bill went back to the House.  According to sources familiar with the events

Why Are We Being Asked to Pay FSBA Dues ($21,766 Yearly) Four Months Before they are Due?

It is a very simple question that will be asked at this Friday morning's special workshop.

My AAA membership runs through July 1st, I pay the renewal at the end of June.

My wife's magazine subscription expires at the end of may, so I pay the renewal in early to mid May?

Who in the heck pays a yearly membership renewal four months early?  Why are we being asked to pay FSBA's exorbitant invoice four months early this year??

I have a sneaking suspicion it is because there is a bill that has already passed overwhelmingly in the House and is on the Special Order Calendar for coming Tuesday in the Senate which would overhaul the way FSBA collects dues statewide.

SB 1426 (HB1155) -- Sponsored in the House by Eric Eisnaugle, Sponsored in the Senate by Kelli Stargel and Co-Sponsored in the Senate by our own Sen. Don Gaetz--will take effect upon becoming law and it will allow individual board members the option to "opt-out" of paying their individual portion of dues to membership organizations such as FSBA.

I have passionately championed the concept of this bill over the last two years in Tallahassee, locally, and statewide because business as usual and the status-quo must be challenged here!  FSBA joined the unions and other special interests recently, suing the state, the Governor and the Legislature challenging duly enacted legislation that benefitted 70,000 poor, primarily minority students.  They were using taxpayer money to fight Tallahassee leadership over OUR TAXPAYER MONEY. It is ridiculous!

Not only this, but FSBA has been unresponsive to conservative ideas put forth by conservative board members like me for a decade---and they charge a literal fortune for dues, collecting more than $1.2 Million in Taxpayer money yearly just for base level dues membership from School Boards around Florida.

Then, to add injury to insult, every other training and professional development conference they offer comes at an additional charge to taxpayers.  Gravy over the top, at your expense, Mr. Taxpayer.

Enough!

Some training (yearly ethics training) is offered for free by other School Board associations in Florida--yet the FSBA continues to charge their MEMBERS $155.00 each to receive their

Huge Day In Tallahassee Yesterday: Membership Association Bill Passes the House

Yesterday was a monumental day in Tallahassee:  The House of Representatives passed the Membership Association Bill (HB 1155)-- that I have been pushing for two years--- by an overwhelmingly large margin (78-36) , And then the  Senate Appropriations Committee blasted through the Senate’s version of this same bill (SB 1426)  in blistering fashion (less than two minutes --32:00 to 33:45-- of this video), with no debate.  The Senate bill then subsequently passed favorably out of committee by an overwhelmingly huge 14-1 margin-- with only one dissenting vote.

I just scratch my head and wonder why some folks just will not support this bill…..….

This bill allows freedom of choice in advocacy for School Board Members that are elected Constitutional Officers---the same sort of freedom of choice in advocacy that ALL other Florida Constitutional Officers currently enjoy!  (Florida property appraisers, for instance, have two separate and distinct statewide associations from which appraisers can pick; Senators and Representatives in the Florida legislature that are in the minority party are allowed to direct their portion (s) of state funded advocacy dues to “progressive” advocacy organizations  (see  minute 85:30 of this video )

Why shouldn't school board members enjoy the freedom of choice?

I thought progressives love “choice?”

 I guess “choice” is only “good” when it benefits them or a cause which progressives support. 

 Conservative school board members, according to the partisan vote totals I’m seeing in yesterday’s votes from Tallahassee, apparently should NOT enjoy “choice.” 

As Spock from Star Trek might have observed on this curious display of overt hypocrisy, “Fascinating.”

But I believe liberals and Conservatives-together with progressives- all should support this bill, because in this context choice is good and it is fair--there is no disputing this known fact of reality.

And I hope the full Senate will pass this bill and I certainly hope that Governor Scott will subsequently sign it into law.  

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