Corporate Tax Scholarship- CS/HB 271 (Summary):  This legislation provides corporations with an opportunity to make contributions in the form of scholarships to 501-C3 not-for-profit organizations that forward the scholarships to lower-income families whose children are eligible under the federal free and/or reduced lunch. CS/HB 271 has been sent to the House, which is expected to amend the bill so lower-income students already in nonpublic schools are eligible for a scholarship up to $4,000 a year. Upon amending the bill, the House will send the legislation to the Senate for consideration.

How you can help:  Please contact your elected state senator to ask him/her to vote for the language that bases eligibility on need, not what school system a child attends. Please see the "30-second letter" below, which was developed as a guide to assist you in e-mailing, faxing, calling or writing your state senator.

>>> Sample Letter Begins Here <<<

Your name
Your mailing address
Senator name
Senator mailing address

Dear Senator:

CS/HB 271 is expected to be amended in the House so eligibility language includes lower-income children already in nonpublic schools. When CS/HB 271 is forwarded to the Senate for consideration, please support the language that bases eligibility on need, not what school system children attend.

Eligibility for scholarship programs should be not be based on public-school enrollment. Financial hardship and domestic difficulties that follow from it are not limited to families of public-school children. Approximately one-third of the students in Florida Catholic schools are minorities. And thousands of students enrolled in nonpublic schools throughout the state qualify for free and/or reduced lunch. Please vote for the inclusive eligibility language so the scholarship program is truly in the best interest of all lower- income families and children.  Thank you.

Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities - SB 1180 and PCS for CS/HB 1661: This bill amends last year's legislation that created the Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities. Both SB 1180 and PCS for CS/ HB 1661 revise admission requirements so nonpublic school administrators determine if their schools have the resources to meet the needs of the application. In addition, both bills revise the funding formula to calculate the student's scholarship. As a result, categoricals such as technology, instructional materials and after-school programming are to be factored into the amount of the scholarship.

How you can help: The House and Senate versions are expected to conform to one another within the next week or so. Both bills are opposed by the public-school establishment. Please ask your state senator and representative to support the SPSD because it allows parents who are dissatisfied with the education of their special needs students to obtain a scholarship to place them in another public school or a nonpublic school.

Governance Reorganization Act - SB 2108 and HB 1533: Creates a seamless system of education in which policies are to be formulated based on need, not what school system children attend. Several amendments have been adopted onto HB 1533 that allow nonpublic schools and home education programs to maintain their independence and autonomy in the education infrastructure. However, Sen. Latvala, Sen. Holtzendorf, Sen. Dyer, and Sen. Miller are opposed to our amendments.

How You Can Help: Please contact your state senator to ask him/her to support language that protects nonpublic schools and home education programs from governmental interference/regulation.

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program - HB 1509/SB 1330: This legislation amends the Bright Futures Scholarship Program by revising, among other things, the academic standards to receive a scholarship. If this legislation is enacted, students would no longer be eligible for most of the scholarships by meeting the former academic standards of a 3.0 GPA and 970 SAT score. In some instances, students will have to attain a 3.5 GPA and a 1,100 SAT. The explanation for revisions is the academic standards were too low to receive a scholarship. This means that nonpublic schools students who have a B average and SAT score between 970 and 1,099 and are from middle-income families will neither qualify for a Bright Futures Scholarship, nor need- based aid.

How You Can Help: Please contact your state senator and representative to ask him or her to either amend the bill to restore current eligibility language or oppose the legislation.

School Readiness- HB 983/SB1802: This legislation assigns certain responsibility for administering school readiness programs to the agency of Workforce Innovation and clarifies eligibility language for at-risk preschoolers to enroll in public or nonpublic, including faith-based, programs.

How You Can Help: Both bills are expected to conform with one another within the next week or so. Please ask your state senator and representative to support HB 983 and SB 1802.

"Chappie" James Teach Florida Scholarship Loan Program - HB 1375/SB 1046: This legislation creates a scholarship program for college students majoring in education to receive a scholarship up to $5,000, if they teach in a public school for a specified time frame.

How You Can Help: This bill is expected to be amended onto HB 1193. Pleas contact your state representative and ask him/her to support the amended language that will be places on HB 1193 so that scholarship recipients of the "Chappie" James Teach Florida Scholarship Loan Program may teach, as part of the provision for receiving a scholarship, in a public or nonpublic school.

Tallahassee Mailing Address: Senate Office Building Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100

For email addresses, follow the red-highlighted "Email and Biographical Information" link from the Florida Catholic Conference web page at:
http://www.flacathconf.org/Legislativeissues/Legispage.htm

The format of the Senator's contact information is:
DISTRICT NUMBER; NAME; PARTY AFFILIATION;  DISTRICT ADDRESS; DISTRICT TELEPHONE NUMBER; TALLAHASSEE TELEPHONE NUMBER

1 Peaden, Jr., Durell (R); 598 North Ferdon Blvd.; Crestview 32536-2753; (850) 689-0556-D; (850) 487-5000-T

2 Holzendorf, Betty S. (D) 816 N. Ocean St.; Jacksonville 32202-3083; (904) 359-6880-D; (850) 487-5024-T

3 Lawson, Alfred, Jr. (D) 404 South Monroe St., 210 SOB; Tallahassee 32399-1100 (850) 487-5004-T

4 Mitchell, Richard (D) 406 10th Avenue NW; Jasper 32052; (904) 719-2733-D; (850) 487-5017-T

5 Smith, Rod (D) 2727 NW 43rd St., Ste. 2A; Gainesville 32606; (352) 375-3555-D; (850) 487-5020-T

6 Horne, Jim (R) 2301 Park Ave, Ste 403 (904) 573-4900-D; Orange Park 32073 (850) 487-5027-T

7 Clary, Charlie (R) 1241 Airport Rd, Ste A; Destin 32541; (850) 833-9159 - D; (850) 487-5009-T

8 King, James E. Jr. (R) 9485 Regency Square Blvd., (904) 727-3600- D; Ste.108; Jacksonville 32225-8145; (850) 487-5030- T

9 Constantine, Lee (R) 378 Centerpointe Cir., Ste 1268 (407) 331-9675 - D; Altamonte Springs 32701-3442 (850) 487-5050 - T

10 Brown-Waite, Ginny (R) 20 N. Main St, Rm. 200 (352) 544-2344 - D; Brooksville 34601 (850) 487-5040 - T

11 Cowin, Anna P. (R) P. O. Box 490238 (352) 315-9335 - D; Leesburg 34749 (850) 487-5014 - T

12 Webster, Daniel (R) 315 S. Dillard St. (407) 656-0066 - D; Winter Garden 34787 (850) 487-5047 - T

13 Crist, Victor (R) 11961 N. Florida Ave., Ste. B (813) 975-6658 - D; Tampa 33612 (850) 487-5068 - T

14 Dyer, Buddy (D) P. O. Box 1031 (407) 245-0882 - D; Orlando 32802-1031 (850) 487-5190 - T

15 Posey, Bill (R) 1802 S. Fiske Blvd., Ste. 108 (321) 690-3484 - D; Rockledge 32955-3007 (850) 487-5053 - T

16 Burt, Locke (R) 140 S. Atlantic Ave., Ste. 201 (904) 673-7299 - D; Ormond Beach 32176 (850) 487-5033 - T

17 Laurent, John F. (R) 250 North Clark Ave. (941) 519-7595 - D; Bartow 33830 (850) 487-5044 - T

18 Bronson, Charlie (R) 1813 South Patrick Dr. (321) 726-2880 - D; Indian Harbour Beach 32937 (850) 487-5056 - T

19 Latvala, Jack (R) 35111 US Hwy 19 N, Ste. 105 (727) 787-8991 - D; Palm Harbor 34684 (850) 487-5062 - T

20 Sebesta, Jim (R) 9887 4th St. North, Ste 319 (727) 563-0377 - D; St. Petersburg 33702 (850) 487-5075 - T

21 Miller, Lesley, Jr. (D) P. O. Box 5993 (813) 272-2831 - D; Tampa 33675-5993 (850) 487-5059 - T

22 Sullivan, Donald C., 4020 Park St. North, Ste. 204 (727) 893-9657 - D; M.D. (R) St. Petersburg 33709 (850) 487-5065 - T

23 Lee, Tom (R) P. O. Box 2743 (813) 744-8683 - D; Brandon 33509 (850) 487-5072 - T

24 Carlton, Lisa (R) 2127 S. Tamiami Trail (941) 486-2032 - D; Osprey 34229-9695 (850) 487-5081 - T

25 Saunders, Burt L. (R) 3301 E. Tamiami Trl., Ste 304 (941) 417-6220 - D; Naples 34112 (850) 487-5124 - T

26 McKay, John (R) 3653 Cortez Rd W, Ste 90 (941) 727-6349 - D; Bradenton 34210 (850) 487-5229 - T

27 Pruitt, Ken (R) 2400 SE Midport Rd., Ste 110 (561) 335-8000 - D; Port St. Lucie 34952-4806 (850) 487-5088 - T

28 Klein, Ron (D) 3333 S. Congress Ave, Ste 305A (561) 274-4777 - D; Delray Beach 33445 (850) 487-5091 - T

29 Geller, Steven A. (D) 400 South Federal Hwy, Ste 204 (954) 893-5089 - D; Hallandale Beach 33009 (850) 487-5097 - T

30 Dawson, Mandy M. (D) 33 NE 2nd St., Ste 209 (954) 467-4317 - D; Ft. Lauderdale 33301-1033 (850) 487-5112 - T

31 Sanderson, Debby P.(R) 4800 NE 20th Terr., Ste. 401 (954) 958-5500 - D; Ft. Lauderdale 33308-4572 (850) 487-5100 - T

32 Wasserman Schultz, Building B, 2nd Floor (954) 704-2934 - D; Debbie (D) 10100 Pines Blvd. (850) 487-5103 - T; Pembroke Pines 33026-3900

33 Campbell, Walter G., 10094 McNab Rd. (954) 346-2813 - D; Jr. (D) Tamarac 33321 (850) 487-5094 - T

34 Diaz de la Portilla, 8300 SW 8th St., Ste 306 (305) 569-2691 - D; Alex (R) Miami 33144-4132 (850) 487-5109 - T

35 Rossin, Tom (D) 503 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. (561) 753-2537 - D; Royal Palm Beach 33411 (850) 487-5356 - T

36 Meek, Kendrick B. (D) 18441 NW 2nd Ave., Ste 520 (305) 655-3671 - D; Miami 33169 (850) 487-5116 - T

37 Villalobos, Alex J. (R) 2350 Coral Way, Ste. 202-A (305) 222-4160 - D; Miami 33145-3500 (850) 487-5130 - T

38 Silver, Ronald A. (D) 12000 Biscayne Blvd., Ste 411 (305) 893-0488 - D; North Miami 33181 (850) 487-5121 - T

39 Garcia, Rudy (R) 7475 West Fourth Ave. (305) 364-3191 - D; Hialeah 33014-4327 (850) 487-5106 - T

40 Jones, Daryl L. (D) 9200 S. Dadeland Blvd., Ste 208 (305) 671-7240 - D; Miami 33156 (850) 487-5127 - T

Lisa Schell
Assistant for Education
Florida Catholic Conference
(850) 222-3803