RELATED: Nancy Smith: Letter to Rick Scott: Give Paula Dockery Her Sit-Down
The governor has until April 21 to decide the fate of the effort led by Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, to create the states 12th university.
As the governors office announced Gov. Rick Scott had signed 80 bills into law -- ranging from one inspired by the death of Caylee Anthony, to Attorney General Pam Bondis effort to reduce human trafficking and others streamlining regulations -- and vetoed three others, 10 additional bills approved by the Legislature were dropped off on the governors desk.
Among the bills reaching the governor on Friday was the controversial HB 1994, which would split the University of South Florida Polytechnic into a stand-alone campus.
State Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, one of four senators to vote against the bill that was championed by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Alexander, has continued to pursue a sit-down with the governor and students from the campus.
Scott hasnt responded to the request, a spokeswoman for Dockerys office said Monday.
Dockery claims the creation of a 12th state university would have a negative fiscal impact on Florida taxpayers.
Scott told reporters last week he is spending a lot of time meeting and listening to people regarding USF-Polytechnic to determine what will help students.
My filter is going to be what is going to be best for students in our state, what is going to help prepare them in the best manner to make sure they can get a job, Scott told reporters.
In my life, the big thing for me was to be able to get an education, to be able to afford an education, and then be able to get that first job, which for all of us is probably scary.
Scott can sign or leave the bill unsigned, which would result in the bill also becoming law, or veto the measure.
If Scott vetoes the bill, the independence effort would continue but not as quickly.
Last fall, the Florida Board of Governors set a list of benchmarks for the polytechnic campus to be spun off into an independent university, including receiving accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Accreditation typically takes three to five years.
If approved, the break would be effective July 1, with students now at the Lakeland being allowed to continue with their education at the Lakeland campus as part of the Tampa-based USF program until they earn their degree.
The money approved by the Legislature, part of the USF funding that would have gone to the Lakeland campus, will be placed under the direction of a new board of trustees that will oversee the separation effort and the creation of a campus focused on science, technology, engineering and math. The new school has been Alexander's legacy effort.
Dockery was joined in voting against the bill by Sens. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, Greg Evers, R-Crestview, and Steve Oelrich, R-Gainesville.
The bills Scott vetoed last week would have: allowed sentences to be reduced for nonviolent felons who complete designated rehab programs; required the Pinellas County Suncoast Transit Authority to ask voters if its property-tax collections should be replaced with a sales surtax; allowed certain zoos and aquariums to use state lands to research animals with the approval of the board of trustees of Internal Improvement Trust Fund or governing board of water management districts.
Scotts reason for his vetoes:
Inmate re-entry, HB 177: Justice to victims of crime is not served when a criminal is permitted to bereleased early from a sentence imposed by the courts. Florida's sentencing laws have helped reduce Floridas crime rate to a 40-year low. This bill would permit criminals to be released after serving 50 percent of their sentences, thus creating an unwarranted exception to the rule ...
Pinellas County Suncoast Transit Authority, HB 865: If the taxpayers of Pinellas County approve the sales tax surcharge, the Transit Authority has the ability to cease collection of the ad valorem tax and prevent 'double taxation,' without the mandatory language of this bill. The bill also provides an opportunity for proponents of the sales tax to use this legislation to build support for approval of a local referendum. Promoting the sales tax in place of property taxes as 'a swap' will result in a large overall tax increase in the county.
Conservation of wildlife, HB 1117: The authority sought by the bill already exists in current law and is, therefore, unnecessary. The board of trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund (board of trustees) and the governing boards of the five water management districts may currently authorize the use of state-owned and district-owned lands, respectively, for any use not inconsistent with the state Constitution and Florida Statutes. Additionally, I believe that the bill lacks sufficient safeguards, and may restrict the current authority of the board of trustees and the governing boards to ensure the protection of state and district lands, native species, and habitats.
The bills signed Friday:
CS/HB 37: Knowingly and Willfully Giving False Information to a Law Enforcement Officer.
CS/HB 95: Homestead Property Tax Exemptions.
HB 103: Transfer of Tax Liability.
CS/HB 173: Department of Juvenile Justice.
CS/HB 357: Homestead Exemptions for Seniors.
CS/HB 387: Electronic Filing of Construction Plans.
CS/HB 435: Gilchrist County.
CS/HB 465: District School Board Bonds.
CS/HB 483: Uniform Commercial Code.
CS/CS/HB 509: Pharmacy.
CS/HB 517: Reducing and Streamlining Regulations.
CS/CS/HB 521: State Pre-emption of the Regulation of Hoisting Equipment.
HB 541: Administrative Procedures.
HB 605: Hillsborough County.
CS/CS/HB 653: Health Care Fraud.
CS/HB 691: Beach Management.
CS/CS/CS/HB 711: Sale or Lease of a County, District, or Municipal Hospital.
CS/CS/HB 749: Consumer Services.
HB 777: Criminal Penalties for Violations of Securities Laws.
CS/CS/CS HB 799: Physical Therapy.
CS/HB 809: Communications Services Taxes.
CS/HB 827: Limited Agriculture Associations.
CS/HB 867: City of Clearwater, Pinellas County.
CS/CS/HB 887: Business and Professional Regulation.
CS/CS/CS/HB 943: Background Screening.
CS/CS/HB 947: Possession of a Firearm or Destructive Device During the Commission of an Offense.
CS/CS/HB 979: Developments of Regional Impact.
CS/CS/CS/HB 1001: Timeshares.
CS/CS/HB 1011: Warranty Associations.
CS/HB 1037: Eminent Domain.
CS/CS/HB 1097: Sexually Violent Predators.
HB 1127: Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
HB 1153: Broward County.
CS/CS/CS/HB 1163: Adoption.
CS/HB 1165: Identification Cards and Driver Licenses.
HB 1183: East County Water Control District, Lee and Hendry counties.
CS/HB 1197: Agriculture.
CS/CS/HB 1229: Reorganization of the Department of Children and Family Services.
CS/HB 1255: Acme Improvement District and Lake Worth Drainage District, Palm Beach County.
CS/HB 1277: Money Services Businesses.
CS/HB 1287: Voluntary Contributions on Registration, Driver License, and Identification Card Forms.
HB 1297: City of Dania Beach, Broward County.
CS/HB 1357: District School Boards.
HB 1381: West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority, Palm Beach County.
CS/CS/HB 1383: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
CS/HB 1481: Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District, Palm Beach County.
CS/HB 1495: Spring Lake Improvement District, Highlands County.
HB 4001: Florida Climate Protection Act.
HB 4003: Growth Policy.
HB 4027: Community-Based Development Organizations.
HB 4061: Uniform Home Grading Scale.
HB 4139: Repeal of Health Insurance Provisions.
CS/HB 7003: Environmental Resource Permitting.
CS/HB 7025: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
CS/HB 7039: Transportation Facility Designations.
CS/HB 7041: Governmental Reorganization.
HB 7049: Human Trafficking.
HB 7075: Military Installations.
CS/HB 7081: Growth Management.
CS/HB 7095: Clerks of Court.
HB 7121: Ratification of Rules.
HB 7125: Exemptions from Local Business Taxes.
SB 140: Repeal of a Workers Compensation Reporting Requirement.
CS/SB 186: Misdemeanor Pretrial Substance Abuse Programs.
SB 278: Preventing Deaths from Drug-related Overdoses.
CS/SB 364: Blood Establishments.
SB 368: Financial Emergencies.
SB 436: Video Voyeurism.
SB 520: Veterans Guardianship.
SB 524: Restraint of Incarcerated Pregnant Women.
SB 608: Florida Healthy Kids Corp.
CS/CS/CS/SB 694: Adult Day Care Centers.
CS/SB 730: Medicaid Managed Care.
CS/SB 800: County Boundary Lines.
SB 878: Florida College System Personnel Records.
CS/SB 924: Special Observances.
SB 990: Natural Guardians.
CS/SB 1050: Fiduciaries.
SB 1724: Mosquito Control Districts.
SB 2058: Office of Legislative Services.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
