The House Education Committee slapped its support on the side of a bill that would help school districts raise badly needed cash by posting advertisements on the side of school buses.
Behind a 14-3 vote on Thursday, HB 19 -- aimed at helping school districts facing mounting transportation costs due to rising fuel prices -- received its needed third endorsement from a House committee before heading toward a full vote by the chamber.
Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, a sponsor of the bill, said the bill should have enough filters to ensure that the products approved won't be harmful to students or that the ads are intrusive to other motorists.
We have to think of creative ways to raise revenue without increasing our taxes and not increasing our fees, Slosberg said.
The bill would allow each of the states school boards to decide if they want to use buses for advertising.
Signs for alcohol, tobacco and sexual material would be prohibited, as would be political or possibly discriminatory messages.
Revenue generated from the bus ads would be split: 50 percent going back to the school district for transportation costs, 25 percent for the school districts classroom spending and the final 25 percent for any school district foundation.
While voting for the bill, Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, said the Legislature cant continue to farm out funding for education.
When will the madness stop and when will the state fund education the right way? Bullard said. Are we just going to keep pitching advertisement ideas to fill the void?
Rep. Luis Garcia, D-Miami Beach, said if Orange County School Board members want to post Mickey Mouse ears atop school buses that is their decision.But he personally believes that in Miami-Dade County the signs will be a distraction for other motorists.
A state analysis of the bill says revenue projections vary, but noted that school districts in Colorado annually collect from $5,000 to $10,000 per bus per year through advertising.
HB 19 has previously been by the K-20 Competitiveness Subcommittee and Pre-K-12 Appropriations Subcommittee.
The Senate version of the bill, SB 344, has been backed by the Transportation Committee and Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee.
The next stop for SB 344 is the Budget Subcommittee on Education Pre-K-12 Appropriations.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
