Call, email and meet with your state representative and senator
It may seem antiquated, but your elected officials hearing from you makes a difference. Their staff has to document how many points of contact they receive for or against any piece of legislation that they will be voting on. So together, we can make a real difference here!
You are a constituent of these legislators, and they need to honor your request to hear your concerns and schedule a time to meet with you in person or virtually. (Read more about these bills below).
Enter your home address below and complete the form to request a meeting with your senator and representative about higher education:
Here are a few more ways to take action:
1. Testify in person or virtually!
If you are willing to to testify — in person, in Tallahassee or remotely — or offer written testimony, please let UFF (uff@floridaea.org) know ASAP.
2. Write an OpEd for your local paper
FEA’s Write a Letter to the Editor tool has weblinks to many local papers — or you can contact your paper directly. Please share it widely so we can cross-promote your contribution! Make your personal story heard and felt as it relates to the proposed legislation and its impacts on your workplace.
3. Join the Working Families Lobby Corps
2022 Working Families Lobby Corps signup — Through the Florida AFL-CIO, members can sign up to help AFL-CIO, one of our affiliated unions, with its advocacy against union-busting and education-hobbling bills.
More info on the Working Families Lobby Corps can be found on the Florida AFL-CIO website.
4. Host a Zoom phone party or video party to:
- Make phone calls to legislative offices
- Write postcards or short written letters to legislators
- Tweetstorm your legislators
- Write letters to your local paper
Learn more about the bills we’re most concerned about
SB 1458 / HB 1197 – “Employee Organizations” – This bill will remove the right to organize, form, and keep unions for many workers in Florida’s higher education system by requiring membership percentage minimums, removing payroll deductions for union dues, and allowing for unreasonable challenges to union membership lists. UFF stands opposed to this clear attempt to undermine the rights to collective action guaranteed in the Florida Constitution.
SB 520 / HB 703 – “Public Records and Public Meetings” – This bill will remove presidential job searches at Florida’s universities and colleges from Sunshine Law requirements, meaning full lists of candidates, identifications of conflicts of interest, and other safeguards of state dollars and resources will no longer be available to the public. Secrecy only benefits those with ulterior motives. UFF stands on the side of the faculty, staff, students, and public of Florida in supporting transparency in these key hiring processes.
HB 6007 – “Licenses to Carry Concealed Weapons or Firearms” – At UFF, we believe guns have no place on college and university campuses, unless in the hands of law enforcement professionals who are trained in de-escalation techniques. Florida has already seen enough gun violence. There is no need to add the potential for more destruction with this reckless and senseless bill.
Weekly Schedule
Agenda Watch: When Florida switched from FCAT 2.0 to FAST a few years back, the law required a study on how testing could be further streamlined.
The Senate PreK-12 Education Committee will receive an update on that study when they meet on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
(Interim Committee Week 5)
(Interim Committee Week 4 & Special Session C)
(Interim Committee Week 3)
(Special Session on Immigration)
(Interim Committee Week 2)
(Interim Committee Week 1)
(Interim Committee Week 5)
Monday, Feb. 17
- No education committee meetings in either chamber.
Tuesday, Feb. 18
- 8:30-10:30 a.m. / Senate Postsecondary Education Committee will hear SB 270 which revises the eligibility for Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
- 11:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. / Senate PreK-12 Education Committee will hear SB 112 and SB 102 both related to ESE students.
- 3:30-5:50 p.m. / House Student Academic Success Subcommittee is not meeting during its scheduled time.
Wednesday, Feb. 19
- 11:00 a.m-1:00 p.m. / Senate Higher Education Appropriations Committee will discuss funding for Florida’s colleges.
- 2:00-4:00 p.m. / Senate PreK-12 Education Appropriations Committee is not meeting during their scheduled time.
3:30-5:30 p.m./ House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee is not meeting during their scheduled time.- 3:30-5:30 p.m. / House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee will go on a site visit to the FAMU/FSU College of Engineering.
Thursday, Feb. 20
- 9:00-11:00 a.m. / House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee will have a panel discussion on apprenticeships.
- 2:00-4:30 p.m. / House Education Administration Subcommittee is taking a site visit to Tallahassee Collegiate Academy.
Friday, Feb. 21
- No education committee meetings in either chamber.
(Interim Committee Week 4 & Special Session C)
Monday, Feb. 10
- No education meetings in either chamber
Tuesday, Feb. 11
- 8:30-10:30 a.m. / Senate Postsecondary Education Committee will receive an update from lab schools on healthcare programs.
- 9:00-11:00 a.m. / House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee will have a panel discussion on how students are made aware of career & technical education opportunities
- 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. / Senate PreK-12 Education Committee will receive an update from the Department of Education on PreK-12 standardized testing.
- 1:45-3:35 p.m. / Senate Government Oversight and Accountability Committee will take up SB 100 related to display of flags on school campuses and other government buildings.
Wednesday, Feb. 12
9:00-11:00 a.m./ House Student Academic Success Subcommittee will discuss charter and voucher schools. This meeting was canceled due to the special session on immigration reform.
1:45-3:45 p.m./ Senate PreK-12 Appropriations Committee is not meeting during their scheduled time.- 3:30-5:30 p.m. / Education Administration Subcommittee will have a panel discussion on Florida’s systems of support for postsecondary students.
- 4:00-6:00 p.m. / Senate Higher Education Appropriations Committee will review legislative initiatives to address the nursing shortage.
Thursday, Feb. 13
- 9:00-11:00 a.m. / House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee will receive an overview of the funding for the state university system.
- 9:00-11:00 a.m. / House PreK-12 Education Budget Subcommittee will receive an update on administration of voucher funding from Florida’s two voucher providers, Step up for Students and AAA.
(Interim Committee Week 3)
Monday, Feb. 3
- No education committee meetings in either chamber.
Tuesday, Feb. 4
- 8:30-10:30 a.m. / Senate Postsecondary Education Committee will receive presentations on career and technical education. (Video of meeting)
- 9:00-11:00 a.m. / House Student Academic Success Subcommittee will take up HB 151 related to making it easier for private school students to play athletics on public school teams. (Video of meeting.)
- 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. / Senate PreK-12 Education Committee will host a roundtable discussion with rural school district superintendents. (Video of meeting.)
- 3:00-5:00 p.m. / House Education Administration Subcommittee will hear local perspectives of implementing key programs of Florida’s K-12 system. (Video of meeting.)
Wednesday, Feb. 5
- 8:30-11:00 a.m. / House Careers and Workforce Subcommittee will visit Lively Technical College. (Video of meeting.)
- 1:15-2:45 p.m. / Senate PreK-12 Education Appropriations Committee will review school district support programs and regional educational consortia.
- 3:00-4:30 p.m. / Senate Higher Education Appropriations Committee will discuss career and technical programs. (Video of meeting.)
- 3:00-4:30 p.m. / House PreK-12 Budget Committee will receive an overview of student funding from the FLDOE. (Video of meeting.)
3:00-4:30 p.m. /House Higher Education Budget Committee is not meeting during their scheduled time.
Thursday, Feb. 6
- No education committee meetings in either chamber.
Friday, Feb. 7
- No education committee meetings in either chamber.
(Special Session on Immigration)
Monday, Jan. 27
- 1:00-2:30 / House Select Committee on Illegal Immigration A will discuss HB 1B which, among other things, prevents Dreamers from receiving in-state tuition.
- 2:00-4:00 p.m. / Senate Appropriations Committee will discuss SB 2B which, among other things, prevents Dreamers from receiving in-state tuition.
- 3:00-4:30 / House Select Committee on Illegal Immigration B will discuss HB 1B which, among other things, prevents Dreamers from receiving in-state tuition.
- 5:00-6:30 / House Select Committee on Illegal Immigration C will discuss HB 1B which, among other things, prevents Dreamers from receiving in-state tuition
Tuesday, Jan. 28
- TBD, House in Session
- TBD, Senate in Session
Wednesday, Jan. 29
- No meetings currently scheduled.
Thursday, Jan. 30
- No meetings currently scheduled.
Friday, Jan. 31
- No meetings currently scheduled.
(Interim Committee Week 2)
Note: All meetings this week were canceled due to a winter storm in Tallahassee.
Monday, January 20
- State offices closed in honor of MLK, Jr. holiday
Tuesday, January 21
- No education related committee meetings in either chamber.
Wednesday, January 22
- 8:30-10:30 a.m. / Senate Education Postsecondary Committee will receive presentations on career and technical education.
- 9:00-11:00 a.m. / House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee will have a panel discussion on how students are made aware of career and technical opportunities.
- 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. / Senate Education Pre-K – 12 Committee will have discussions on the needs of Florida’s rural school districts.
3:30-5:30 p.m./ House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee will not be meeting during its designated time.- 3:30-5:30 p.m. / House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee will discuss how the Florida Finance Education Program (FEFP) works and have a panel discussion with school district superintendents on the role of school districts in forecasting student enrollment.
Thursday, January 23
9:00-11:00 a.m. / House Student Academic Success Subcommittee9:00-11:00 a.m. / Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K – 12 Education will review local education foundations and regional educational consortia.11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. / Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education will review career and technical education expansion initiatives.3:30-5:30 p.m. / House Education Administration Subcommittee
Friday, January 24
- No education related committee meetings in either chamber.
(Interim Committee Week 1)
Monday, January 13
- No education related committee meetings in either chamber.
Tuesday, January 14
- 8:30-10:30 a.m. Senate Education Postsecondary Committee will receive presentations on State University System institutes and centers (video of meeting)
- 9:00-11:00 a.m. House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee will receive a presentation on Florida’s manufacturing industry. (video meeting)
- 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Senate Education Pre-K – 12 Committee will receive presentations on supports for families and students with autism. (video of meeting)
- 3:30-5:30 p.m. House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee will have a panel discussion on Florida’s higher education budget. (video of meeting)
- 3:30-5:30 p.m.
House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee will receive an overview of Florida’s PreK-12 budget. (video of meeting)
Wednesday, January 15
- 9:00-11:00 a.m. Senate Education Pre-K – 12 Appropriations will receive a presentation on the PreK-12 budget. (video of meeting)
- 9:00-11:00 a.m. House Student Academic Success Subcommittee will have a panel discussion on the implementation of legislation related to technology in K-12 schools. (video of meeting)
- 1:00-3:00 p.m. Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education will receive a presentation on the higher education budget. (video of meeting)
- 3:30-5:30 p.m. House Education Administration Subcommittee will receive a presentation on early childhood education and school readiness. (video of meeting)
Thursday, January 16
- No education related committee meetings in either chamber.
Friday, January 17
- No education related committee meetings in either chamber.
All meetings are livestreamed on The Florida Channel where they are also available for on-demand viewing within 24 hours of the conclusion of the meeting.
