SB 1624 Florida Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Higher Education

Summary

Higher Education; Authorizing the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to develop contracts or agreements with institutions in the State University System for a specified purpose; providing tuition assistance to active members of the Florida State Guard; specifying that the President of the University of Florida appoints the members of the scientific advisory council within the Florida Center for Brain Tumor Research; revising the qualifications for members of the Assistive Technology Advisory Council; revising the date by which the Department of Education is required to publish an annual report on apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs; authorizing Florida College System institutions with a certain number of full-time equivalent students to enter into cooperative agreements to form a state college regional consortium service organization, etc.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Last action Jun 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

S 1624 c1 → S 1624 c2 · 11 edits

MAJOR

This bill revision updates Florida's higher education statutes to clarify terminology around underrepresented students, adjust reporting deadlines, modify eligibility requirements for various programs, and add new provisions for religious institutions and nursing education funding. The changes reflect a shift from focusing on minority status to broader underrepresentation criteria, update compliance timelines, and expand certain program options.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include additional provisions for religious postsecondary institutions operating without licensure, nursing education fund allocation requirements, and GATE program startup grants for rural institutions.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed language from 'minority and gender diversity' to 'underrepresented groups' in apprenticeship program administration requirements.

Renamed 'Florida Educational Equity Act' to 'Florida Educational Equality Act' and changed 'gender' to 'sex' in relevant provisions.

Added provisions allowing certain religious postsecondary institutions to operate without licensure if they meet specific criteria and submit sworn affidavits.

Modified eligibility criteria for out-of-state fee waivers to require SAT/ACT/CLT scores at the 89th national percentile.

REQUIREMENT

Extended the maximum term length for Assistive Technology Advisory Council members from 3 years to 5 years.

Added requirement for Classic Learning Test scores (83 or higher) as an alternative to SAT/ACT scores for preeminent state research university program eligibility.

Deleted provision requiring set-asides for construction contracts with minority business enterprises.

TIMELINE

Changed the deadline for publishing apprenticeship annual reports from November 30 to September 1 each year.

Changed campus master plan update frequency from every 10 years to every 5 years.

FISCAL

Added requirement for PIPELINE Fund recipients to allocate funds specifically to health care industry-related programs.

Added GATE Startup Grant Program provisions allowing institutions to apply for grant funds for marketing and outreach efforts.

S 1624 Filed → S 1624 c1 · 16 edits

MAJOR

This bill amends Florida's higher education statutes to update administrative duties, modify eligibility for various programs, adjust funding allocations, and rename several acts. Key changes include renaming Hillsborough Community College to Hillsborough State College, updating the Florida Educational Equity Act to the Florida Educational Equality Act, and changing terminology from 'gender' to 'sex' in certain contexts. The bill also revises reporting requirements, adjusts residency criteria for fee waivers, and modifies the composition and appointment process for various advisory councils.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of several programs by broadening eligibility criteria from specific minority groups to all underrepresented students regardless of minority status, and creates a new state college regional consortium service organization for smaller Florida College System institutions.

REQUIREMENT

Renamed Hillsborough Community College to Hillsborough State College in state statutes.

Changed the name of the Florida Educational Equity Act to the Florida Educational Equality Act.

Replaced the term 'gender' with 'sex' in several sections related to single-sex programs and facilities.

Created a new section authorizing Florida College System institutions with 5,000 or fewer students to form regional consortium service organizations.

Changed the appointment authority for the scientific advisory council of the Florida Center for Brain Tumor Research to be made by the President of the University of Florida.

Adjusted the maximum term length for Assistive Technology Advisory Council members from 3 years to 5 years.

Revised the GATE Program to remove age limits and clarify that students are not required to enroll in adult secondary and career education simultaneously.

Changed the update frequency for university campus master plans from every 10 years to every 5 years.

Deleted provisions requiring state universities to provide student access to certain economic security information.

Revised academic standards for the preeminent state research university program to include a Classic Learning Test score option.

Deleted provisions relating to set-asides for construction contracts with minority business enterprises.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded eligibility for various programs from specific minority groups to all underrepresented students regardless of minority status.

Updated residency requirements for grandparent fee waivers to clarify domicile establishment criteria.

FISCAL

Revised financial aid fee allocation requirements to assist underrepresented students rather than specifically targeting gender or ethnic minority populations.

Modified the PIPELINE Fund to require allocation to health care industry-related programs rather than general health care programs.

TIMELINE

Updated the deadline for publishing annual apprenticeship reports from November 30 to September 1 of each year.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Fiscal Policy, 04/02/25, 9:00 am, 110 Senate Building

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

CS by Appropriations Committee on Higher Education; YEAS 6 NAYS 2

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Higher Education, 03/24/25, 4:00 pm, 110 Senate Building

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Now in Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable by Education Postsecondary; YEAS 5 NAYS 0

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Education Postsecondary, 03/10/25, 1:30 pm, 301 Senate Building

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Education Postsecondary; Appropriations Committee on Higher Education; Fiscal Policy

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors