Showing posts with label US Legislation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US Legislation. Show all posts

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Update on Student Standard Attire- Florida CS/HB 7043

Back in March, I told you about HB 7043, a bill making it's way through the Florida State Legislature that could make school uniforms the norm across the entire state.  The bill creates the "Students Attired for Education (SAFE) Act" which appropriates 10 million dollars from the General Appropriations for the 2015-16 school year to be allocated at up to $10 per student to Florida schools that enact a student standard attire policy in kindergarten through eighth grade. It quickly moved through the process and passed the Florida House in March with a vote of 108 to 8. 

On April 1st, it was delivered to the Florida Senate.  It was assigned to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education for review.  And this is where it sits.

The Florida State Legislators are in the home stretch of their legislative session. It remains to be seen if this bill will get picked up again for consideration.  Many bills die this way.  And this one may be no different.  However, it is a candidate to get added into another piece of legislation as they try to wrap up work for the session which adjourns May 1. 

Image Source:"Gavel" by walknboston is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.

Monday, March 9, 2015

Florida HB 7043 - Standard Student Attire



Many students in Florida already wear uniform or student standard attire to schools.  According to articles, cities like Miami and  Jacksonville have the some highest percentages of students wearing uniforms in the US. A new bill filed in Florida yesterday could increase those numbers statewide.

Last week, the K-12 subcommittee filed a bill in the Florida House of Representatives for consideration after its first reading.  The bill was assigned number 7043 and titled, Student Standard Attire.  The bill states the following details:
"The purpose of a standard student attire policy is to provide a safe environment that fosters learning and improves school safety and discipline by:
  1. Encouraging students to express their individuality through personality and academic achievements, rather than outward appearance. 
  2. Enabling students to focus on academics, rather than fashion, because they are able to project a neat, serious, and studious image. 
  3. Minimizing disciplinary problems because students are not distracted by clothing. 
  4. Reducing the time needed to correct dress code violations through a readily available inventory of compliant"
And according to the bill's summary, here's how it aims to accomplish the stated purpose:
  • authorizes school boards to adopt standard student attire policy; 
  • limits liability for districts that implement attire policy; 
  • creates safe schools allocation to provide funding for certain safe schools activities; 
  • provides for withholding of funds from districts that do not comply with certain school safety & student discipline reporting
  • authorizes additional funds for districts that implement standard student attire policy (up to $10 per K-8 student in qualified schools);
  • provides appropriation.
You can track this bill's progress or read the full bill for yourself. The bill awaits scheduling in the full education committee.  Here at Uniform Mom, we'll be following its progress and let you know of any updates.  Parents living in Florida can contact their state representative to share their opinion for or against this bill.

Image credit - Tallahassee FL Old Capitol rear01 by Ebyabe  CC-BY-SA 3.0