Senate OKs ed train, but will House embrace?

The Senate just voted 31-6, with Democrats opposed, for a “train bill” of education reforms that Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, created in that final week of the session. But House Republican education leaders’ opposition to the last-minute train could aftermath in the proposed reforms collapsing altogether that year.

Gaetz’s bill that just passed essentially turns the House version (HB 7045) into one piece of legislation containing four different bills that had been sailing fairly smoothly through the majority-Republican Legislature. The proposals include financial and nepotism standards for structure schools, tougher ethics policies for educators, a more nuanced way of grading high schools, and a $30-million expansion of the corporate income tax

scholarship program that sends public school kids into private schools.

The scholarship addition angers some Senate Democrats, who might otherwise have voted for Gaetz’ proposal that wee hours. And Rep. Joe Pickens, doesn’t want the educator ethics legislation to pass as part of the train. He wants it as a standalone bill, in what he says is respect for its sponsor, outgoing Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey.

Session ends tomorrow, so unless the two chambers can work out their differences - and soon - the Senate’s approval that daylight won’t matter. Bills are dying, bills are dying…

Original post by Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler

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