Florida Senate - 2011                                     SB 654
       
       
       
       By Senator Oelrich
       
       
       
       
       14-00266B-11                                           2011654__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to student fees; amending ss. 1009.22
    3         and 1009.23, F.S.; authorizing community college
    4         boards of trustees to establish a transportation
    5         access fee for students enrolled in workforce
    6         education programs and community colleges; requiring
    7         that revenue from the fee be used only to provide or
    8         improve access to transportation services; limiting
    9         the amount of the fee; providing a timeframe for a fee
   10         increase and implementation of an increase; requiring
   11         that a referendum be held by the student government
   12         every 5 years to approve the continued application of
   13         the fee; prohibiting the inclusion of the fee in
   14         calculating the amount a student receives under
   15         Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program awards;
   16         providing an effective date.
   17  
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. Present subsection (12) of section 1009.22,
   21  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (13), and a new
   22  subsection (12) is added to that section, to read:
   23         1009.22 Workforce education postsecondary student fees.—
   24         (12)(a) Each community college board of trustees may
   25  establish a transportation access fee. Revenue from the fee may
   26  be used only to provide or improve access to transportation
   27  services for students enrolled in the community college. The fee
   28  may not exceed $6 per credit hour. An increase in the
   29  transportation access fee may occur only once each fiscal year
   30  and must be implemented beginning with the fall term. A
   31  referendum must be held by the student government every 5 years
   32  to approve the continued application of the fee.
   33         (b) Notwithstanding ss. 1009.534, 1009.535, and 1009.536,
   34  the transportation access fee authorized under paragraph (a) may
   35  not be included in calculating the amount a student receives for
   36  a Florida Academic Scholars award, a Florida Medallion Scholars
   37  award, or a Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award.
   38         Section 2. Present subsection (17) of section 1009.23,
   39  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (18), and a new
   40  subsection (17) is added to that section to read:
   41         1009.23 Community college student fees.—
   42         (17)(a) Each community college board of trustees may
   43  establish a transportation access fee. Revenue from the fee may
   44  be used only to provide or improve access to transportation
   45  services for students enrolled in the community college. The fee
   46  may not exceed $6 per credit hour. An increase in the
   47  transportation access fee may occur only once each fiscal year
   48  and must be implemented beginning with the fall term. A
   49  referendum must be held by the student government every 5 years
   50  to approve the continued application of the fee.
   51         (b) Notwithstanding ss. 1009.534, 1009.535, and 1009.536,
   52  the transportation access fee authorized under paragraph (a) may
   53  not be included in calculating the amount a student receives for
   54  a Florida Academic Scholars award, a Florida Medallion Scholars
   55  award, or a Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award.
   56         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.