Staff Reports
The Joint Legislative Budget Commission will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday to consider spending more on a state-backed, achievement-based college scholarship program.
The Department of Education is requesting budget amenders consider funding Bright Futures by an additional $25.3 million for the current fiscal year.
DOE cites an “increase in participation” of the scholarship program.
The latest award estimates are nearly 3,700 more than were actually funded.
The state appropriated nearly $520 million to the program last year, anticipating 95,789 student awards.
Lawmakers will also consider requests from the Florida Department of Transportation to “roll forward” budget authority for current transportation projects.
The Joint Legislative Budget Commission can make offseason changes to the state’s spending plan. Fourteen House and Senate members comprise the panel.
