Tallahassee has been a blur of activity as the legislative committees head towards the finish line.  Unless called together by the Senate president, Senate committees finish business on day 50.  The Senate floor was very busy as good bills were either sent to the House for consideration or to the governor for his signature. Additionally, the veto of a high-profile education bill grabbed the headlines as the week wound to a close.  To wrap things up the long-awaited budget conference will begin April 19at 12:15 PM. 

Budget, controversy and a gubernatorial veto highlighted week six in the Capitol.  As the session hit the 2/3rd  point,  the House spent more hours than expected debating education reform, the budget conference is poised to begin, the governor vetoed a high profile bill and good public issues made steps closer to the governor’s desk.

Budget, budget, budget.  That was the one and only theme that permeated the Capitol as the two chambers met to debate their respective versions of the Fiscal Year 2010-11 state budget.  The budget as it currently stands is a lean $68.6 billion dollar plan to run the state of Florida for the next year.  It may change if Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage dollars become available to the state.

Education was a major theme of this fourth week of session.  In the first week details of Senate Bill 6 by Senator John Thrasher of Jacksonville were written in this space.  This week the Florida Senate passed this bill, which will change the way in which public school teachers are evaluated and compensated.  The legislation is based on the premise that the evaluation of a teacher’s effectiveness should be measured by the success of their students.  Additionally, another education-related bill by Senator Thrasher, Senate Bill 4, passed the Senate.  This legislation will raise the standards for math and science credits for high school students (phased in over the next few years).  Also, Senator Don Gaetz of Niceville’s SJR 2 passed the Senate.  If adopted by the House it will put on the next general ballot the option to amend the class size amendment and give school districts more flexibility in meeting the requirements of the amendment while maintaining its spirit.