Budget conference: House agrees to boost in higher education funds

Florida has one of the largest populations dealing with Altzheimer's disease. Keith Perry wants to work on that.

House budget negotiators agreed to increased funding for a variety of higher education programs, coming into alignment with the Senate on some items and even outbidding them on others.

For example, the House agreed to the Senate’s position of $350 million for performance-based incentives for universities. But House lawmakers are also seeking another $120 million for metric-based performance funding, another formula for funding universities based on employment rates after graduation and wages, graduation rates and other criteria.

The House also moved to the Senate position regarding a $2 million pot for litigation expenses for the State University System’s Board of Governors. But the House specified the funds are for lawsuits arising from laws enacted in the current fiscal year.

The state is currently appealing a federal court decision to throw out some of the provisions in the Stop WOKE Act signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year that restricts discussions of race, gender and inequality in the classroom.

“We always get challenges. I don’t know which ones would be challenged but you want to be prepared for any challenges that come up,” said Sen. Keith Perry, a Gainesville Republican and the chamber’s chief budget negotiator for education spending.

The House also moved to $100 million for Preeminent State Research Universities, which rewards the University of Florida and Florida State University’s research efforts. Perry, though, said the money could go to other schools this year. The Senate sought $75 million, up from the $50 million originally sought by the House in its initial budget (HB 5001).

Budget conference subcommittees will meet throughout the week to resolve differences in each area. When remaining issues reach an impasse, they will be “bumped” to the full budget conference committee.

Lawmakers must reach an agreement on a final spending plan by May 2 to meet the 72-hour “cooling off” period required by the state constitution before they can vote on the budget to avoid pushing the Regular Session past its scheduled May 5 end date.