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Senate President Jeff Atwater released the Senate's
initial budget allocations on Wednesday a week after the House, setting
the stage for budget negotiations between both sides. Generally, the
House and Senate budgets line up similarly with roughly $10 billion for
Pre-K through 12, more than $7 billion in Health Care, and $3.5 billion
for Civil & Criminal Justice.
The forecast from state economists Tuesday confirmed that
legislators still face a $3-billion budget shortfall, which means more
tough cuts. Taking that into account, lawmakers have begun the
difficult task of divvying up scarce dollars among programs. In the
Senate, School Readiness fared well. However, VPK and Healthy Families
were not as fortunate. In the House, School Readiness would see a major
cut, but VPK would be nearly fully funded. Information released by the
Office of Early Learning reveals how the budgets line up.
School Readiness
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State
General Revenue
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Federal
Impact
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Total
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Children
Impacted
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House Reduction
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$15,838,744
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$19,342,829
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$35,181,573
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8,795
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Senate Reduction
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$3,112,087
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*$3,865,687
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$6,977,774
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1,744
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*Note: The Senate did not reduce the Federal budget
authority, but the reduction of state GR would likely result in an
inability to draw down the $3.8 in federal matching funds for a total
effective reduction of $6.9.
VPK
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House
PreK-12 Appropriations Recommendations
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Senate
PreK-12 Appropriations Recommendations
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Total VPK Budget: $402,321,505
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Total VPK Budget: $350,509,999
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Base Student Allocation: School
Year $2,549 and Summer $2,168
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Base Student Allocation: School
Year and Summer $2,200
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Other Senate allocations released this week included:
·
KidCare - Overall
increase of $37 million to cover enrollment growth, no price level
increase for HK resulting in $10 million reduction, and $2.2 million
added back for increased dental benefit
·
Healthy Start -- Funded
at current levels
·
Healthy Families -
Funding eliminated ($27 million)
·
Early Steps -- Funded at
current levels
·
Children's Medical
Services -- Funded at current levels
·
Community Based Care -
Funded at current levels
·
Child Protection Investigation
-- Funded at current levels
·
Independent Living --
Funded at current levels
·
Adoption Maintenance Subsidy --
Funded at current levels
Additionally,
Florida may be in line to receive another $1 billion in Medicaid money
from Congress, which has lawmakers jockeying to get a share of those
funds. Senate Health and Human Services budget chair Durell Peaden was
joined by two Democrats on his committee -- Sens. Nan Rich and Eleanor
Sobel -- in a letter to Senate President Jeff Atwater insisting that
the funds go to offset deep cuts in health and social programs.
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Senate Proposes Eliminating Healthy Families Budget
The
Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee this week
proposed eliminating all funding for Healthy Families, Florida's only
statewide child abuse prevention program proven to prevent child abuse
and neglect before it ever begins. Research shows economic hardship
increases the strain on families, often leading to spikes in child
abuse and neglect rates. Former Sen. Daniel Webster, who helped launch
Healthy Families 12 years ago while serving as Speaker of the House,
stated recently in an Orlando Sentinel op-ed that he still believes
Healthy Families is "A wise investment in kids." For more
information on Healthy Families Florida, click here.
CALL TO ACTION:
Call and email the Senators on the Health and Human Services Committee before next
Friday when they are expected to make their final recommendations:
·
Acknowledge the difficult
decisions that must be made to balance the budget
·
Thank them for their past
support of Healthy Families
·
Ask that
funding for Healthy Families Florida be maintained at the current
level
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First-Ever Florida Prosperity Caucus Convenes in
Tallahassee
More than 40 participants joined Rep. Alan Williams
(D-Leon) for the first-ever Prosperity Caucus of the Florida
Legislature. Rep. Williams developed the caucus in conjunction with the
Florida Prosperity Partnership to promote policy initiatives that
position working families to take the next steps toward a positive
financial future. The Washington, DC-based Corporation for Enterprise
Development reported that according to their Assets & Opportunity
Scorecard, Florida rates as a "C" in terms of wealth, poverty
and the financial security of families. Participating legislators
included Rep. Oscar Braynon, II, (Miami-Dade), Rep. Richard Steinberg
(D-Miami-Dade), Rep. Mark Pafford (D-Palm Beach) and Rep. Ron Saunders
(D-Monroe).
Florida Back to Work Program Receives Federal Funding
Gov. Charlie Crist announced this week that the Florida
Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI), in partnership with the Florida
Department of Children and Families, Workforce Florida Inc., and the
Regional Workforce Boards, will receive its first installment of $61.2
million of funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service
in the $200-million Florida Back to Work initiative. Distributions of
the remaining funds will follow. Florida Back to Work uses federal
dollars to pay for up to 95 percent of a new hire's salary. New
employees must meet federal low-income guidelines and have a dependent
child in the home to be eligible for the positions.
To date, AWI received more than 1,100 applications from employers and
businesses throughout the state. These proposals include a wide range
of businesses, including local government and non-profit organizations,
restaurants, manufacturing companies and child care centers. AWI
estimates Florida Back to Work will create as many as 10,000 direct
jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs through additional economic
activity. Although federal funding for the program ends in
September, the goal of Florida Back to Work is that participating
businesses will retain the new employees. To learn more about the
workforce services and resources available in Florida, visit EmployFlorida.com.
Report Says Medicaid Savings Could Prove Elusive, Committee Calls
for Reform Expansion
A report from Pacific Health Policy Group on Monday said that efforts
to reduce Florida's skyrocketing Medicaid costs by pushing more
patients into managed care are not likely to yield major savings soon.
In its report to a House council, the group laid out several approaches
for lawmakers to consider to rein in costs. But for a Medicaid program
facing a $1.8 billion deficit, the savings possibilities are likely
modest in the short-term, Pacific's Andrew Cohen told the Select Policy
Council on Strategic and Economic Planning. "Roughly half of the
state's 2.7 million Medicaid recipients are already in some kind of
managed care program. But phasing-out the state's MediPass program
could yield $60 million in first-year savings by having patients use
just one managed-care plan, instead of the two now used. Other steps,
including paying a state-set 'capitation' rate to HMOs participating in
Medicaid could yield savings of as much as 3 percent, while long-term
care savings could range as high as 5 percent of that program's
costs," Cohen and partner Scott Wittman told the council.
On Thursday, the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations
Committee released a proposal to expand Medicaid reform by requiring
Medicaid recipients in 19 counties, including Miami-Dade to enroll in
managed-care plans during the next year, with additional counties to be
added over the following 18 months.
Senate Committee Finds Compromise, Advances Sex Offender
Bill
Lawmakers in the Criminal Justice Committee voted 7-0 Tuesday to
advance a bill (SB 1284) that would ban sex offenders from
loitering in areas frequented by children. It would also set a minimum
statewide buffer zone on how close offenders can live to schools and
daycare centers. Committee members agreed on a provision that prohibits
sex offenders from loitering within 300 feet of places frequented by
children such as a school bus stop, a day care or a play ground.
However, restrictions on how close a sex offender could live to a
school or daycare center was cause for debate. Lawmakers initially set
out to create a uniform, statewide standard of 1,000 feet, but counties
wanted their tougher restrictions to stay in place. The compromise set
a minimum 1,000 foot standard for the state, but still allows counties
to enact tougher residency restrictions, up to 2,500 feet. The House
companion, HB 119, passed the Public Safety & Domestic
Security Policy Committee, and is slated to go next to the Military
& Local Affairs Policy Committee.
Committee Approves
Changes to Open Records Law
The Senate Community Affairs approved legislation (SB 1598) this week that would require government
officials to undergo training on the state's Sunshine Law and lower
costs associated with public records requests. The changes come as a
result of a report issued by the Governor's Commission on Open
Government. They would require officials to get open government
training, prohibit agencies from charging for the cost of duplication
if it takes less than 30 minutes to make the records available, and create
a misdemeanor offense for any public official who willingly violates
the Sunshine Law.
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Education Hearings Begin
Last week, Education Secretary Arne Duncan testified
before the House Education and Labor Committee about the Obama Administration's
education agenda, the budget proposal for FY2011, and plans for the
reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (known as
No Child Left Behind during its last reauthorization). During his
remarks, Secretary Duncan highlighted the Administration's
"cradle-to-career" strategy for improving education,
including the proposed Early Learning Challenge Fund, the Promise
Neighborhoods initiative, and tax credits and student loan provisions
to expand access to higher education opportunities.
(Source:
Zero to Three, The Baby Monitor)
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ELC Bills Get Committee References
HB 1571 by Rep. Greg Evers (R-Santa Rosa) and SB 2710 by Sen. Mike Bennett (R-Manatee) were filed
in both the House and Senate. The bills address administrative issues
affecting the early learning coalitions including procurement
requirements for VPK , exemption of ELCs from Florida's Administrative
Procedures Act, and revising the minimum number of children to be
served by an ELC. This week, the Senate bill was referred to four
committees: Commerce; Education Pre-K - 12; Governmental Oversight and
Accountability; and Education Pre-K - 12 Appropriations. The House bill
was referred to PreK-12 Policy; Governmental Affairs Policy; Full
Appropriations Council on Education & Economic Development; and
Education Policy Council.
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Transition Services for Youth
HB 627 by Rep. Ari Porth (D-Broward) and SB 1356 by Sen. Stephen Wise (R-Duval), permits the
Department of Juvenile Justice to provide transition to adulthood
services to youth in DJJ's custody or supervision. Both bills moved
forward during the second week of session. HB 627 was unanimously
approved by the Public Safety & Domestic Security Committee and now
heads to the Full Appropriations Council on Education & Economic
Development. SB 1356 was unanimously approved by the Children,
Families and Elder Affairs Committee and goes next to the Criminal
Justice Committee. The bill, which has no fiscal impact, requires
that transition to adulthood services for a child must be part of an
overall plan leading to the total independence of the child from DJJ's
supervision.
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Bill Would Eliminate Life Sentences for Juveniles
The
Senate Criminal Justice Committee approved a bill (SB 184) Tuesday that would establish parole for
adolescent offenders, making it likely that life sentences for
juveniles would be eliminated. The measure would establish parole for
kids who committed a crime when they were 15 years old or younger and
were sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. The panel approved the
bill 6-1, with Sen. Victor Crist voting against it. The measure is next
slated for the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations
Committee. The House companion (HB 23) was passed by the Public Safety &
Domestic Security Policy Committee, and is now before the House
Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee.
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Booster Seat Bill
SB 316 by Sen. Thad Altman (R-Brevard) passed unanimously through
the Senate Criminal Justice Committee with an amendment that adds the
child's height to the age requirement. The bill would
require booster seats, in addition to seat belts, for children aged 4
through 7 and less than 4'9" to protect the child by properly
using a crash tested, federally approved child restraint device.
It also provides certain exceptions, and redefines the term
"motor vehicle" to exclude certain vehicles from such
requirements.
CALL TO ACTION:
Please call Rep. Dean Cannon to urge him to allow the bill to move
forward in the House.
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TAKE
NOTE
FCSC Capitol Hill
Days
March 16-17
Tallahassee
Rally for
Afterschool
April 20, 2010
Washington, DC
One Goal Summer Conference
July 21-23
Tampa
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ZERO TO THREE Offers
Guide to Improving Policies for Infants and Toddlers
ZERO TO THREE combines
evidence from science, research and practice in a new guide, "Early
Experiences Matter: A Guide to Improved Policies for Infants and
Toddlers," that is designed for use by policymakers and advocates.
The Policy Guide includes: Twelve concise issue briefs that support ZERO
TO THREE's policy agenda, infant-toddler data to inform the policymaking
process, a compilation of the evidence for investing in the
infant-toddler policy agenda, a strategic look at ways to get started,
and issue papers and policymaking tools. Download The Early Experiences Matter Policy Guide.
OEL Announces
Improved Technical Assistance Resource
The Office of Early
Learning (OEL) has redesigned its Technical Assistance Quarterly,
"Connections," to be more relevant, timely and easily
accessible. The new format features easy to navigate pages so information
is just a click away. Updates to the live pages will be made frequently.
To view Connections, access the new quick link on the OEL homepage, www.flready.com. Look for the red link at the top of
the Quick Links bar on the left hand side.
Federal Funding
Available for Communities
A federal funding opportunity is being offered to strengthen, through
granting organizations, the capacity of community-based organizations to
serve low-income communities through innovative and replicable
programming. The Corporation for National and Community Service is
accepting applications for the Social Innovation Fund. Applications are
due by April 8, 2010. The Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and
Community Service, Volunteer Florida, invites nonprofit foundations
throughout Florida to partner in seeking up to $5 million in funding from
the new Social Innovation Fund. More information about this funding
opportunity is available at: www.nationalservice.org
500-Mile Walk Raises
Awareness of Sexual Abuse Survivors
Lauren's Kids, a
foundation focused on preventing sexual abuse, has organized a 500-mile
walk that starts April 2 in Aventura and will end at the state Capitol in
Tallahassee on April 21. Anyone interested is encouraged to join Lauren
Book-Lim, abuse survivor and founder of Lauren's Kids, during her walk
across Florida. Upon her arrival at the Capitol, Lauren's foundation will
host a rally to encourage and support passage of all pending legislation
to protect children from sexual assault. Learn more.
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Capitol
Connection is also available online at the FCSC web site.
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