The 2021 legislative cycle is quickly drawing to a close. We are in Week 7 of the 9 week session. Florida Citizens Alliance has been closely tracking numerous education and student related bills. There are 3 bills we support that are being heard on Wednesday April 14 in the Senate Rules Committee. We encourage you to complete this action alert which makes it very easy with the push of one button for you to tell each of the 17 members of the Rules Committee to vote yes on these 3 bills. SB 78 Dues and Uniform Assessments. This is the final stop in the Senate before proceeding to the Senate Floor. The Florida House seems to be waiting for the Senate to lead on this one. SB 78 places some significant constraints on all public unions except Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters. This bill clearly includes public school unions. This bill makes it more difficult for unions to compel membership by requiring employees to opt-in to union membership by signing a form including an important disclosure, and then requiring employers to verify each employee’s intent to join before commencing deduction of union dues from that employee’s paycheck. This would, of course, apply to teachers unions. It is important for teachers and all employees to understand they have a choice and need not join a union to have a voice. Unions often put their own political agendas over and above the best interests of their members. This bill gives employees more freedom and opportunity to determine if their values align with the union and make an informed decision regarding membership. SB 2012 Promoting Equality of Athletic Opportunity. This is the final committee stop in the Senate. Its comparable bill in the House is HB1475 which is on 2nd read on the House Floor on April 13. The Senate bill “Requires that certain athletic teams or sports sponsored by certain educational institutions be designated on basis of students' biological sex; prohibits athletic teams or sports designated for female students to be open to male students”. Regarding the proof of ones sex, FLCA would prefer the House Version that requires a much stronger test be a either a simple anatomical reproductive test or simple x/y chromosome test rather than testosterone test. However, we support the Senate bill moving forward at this point to afford the opportunity for resolution between the House and Senate versions. HB 529 Moments of Silence in Pubic Schools. This bill has already passed the House. Senate Rules is its final committee before headed to the Senate floor. “The principal of each public school shall require teachers in first-period classrooms in all grades to set aside at least 1 minute, but district school board may provide that a brief period, not more than 2 minutes, daily, for a moment silence, during which students may not interfere with other students' participation. A teacher may not make suggestions as to the nature of any reflection that a student may engage in during the moment of silence.”
