Legislature approves 2 school voucher programs

A controversial education bill that creates two new school voucher programs and imposes tough new rules on teachers unions passed the Legislature on Monday.

The bill (HB 7055), initiated in the House and a priority of House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, won in the Senate on a 20-17 vote, with four Republicans voting no and one Democrat voting yes.

The bill, which tops 180 pages, was then sent later in the day back to the House, where it was quickly approved by a 74-39 vote, so it will soon head to Gov. Rick Scott for his approval.

There was little discussion in the House, though Democrats tried unsuccessfully to strip out the most-controversial provisions — those that would expand school voucher programs and put new roadblocks unions.

Earlier in the Senate, Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, RNaples, a sponsor, responded to criticism by saying the bill aimed to include many Senate priorities, but all its provisions would never please everyone. “If everybody likes everything in the bill, there’s something wrong with it,” she said.

A key provision says local teachers unions would have to reapply for certification from in front of teachers the state if their membership fell below 50 percent of the teaching staff in their district. That could mean unions would have to keep holding costly and time-consuming elections to remain active. Teachers unions and their allies have objected, questioning why their members are being singled out.

“It’s seen as a slap in the face to the teachers of our state,” said Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonoto-