1 0 obj endobj I called People First to ask why his subsidy was not excluded and they said it was because no payment for health insurance was taken out of his monthly pension check. Weve had teachers who havent had (raises) in many years because of the downturn that we had, so we put the money in hoping we can retain quality teachers. How distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine exposes inequities in Floridas health care system. Senate President Simpson prioritized more than $706 million in funding for a new Moffitt Cancer Center campus and related infrastructure in Pasco County. TALLAHASSEE In what would be by far the largest budget in state history, legislators on Thursday released a record $112.1 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that includes more than $1 billion for pay raises for state workers and contractors. This is wholly inadequate to address the needs for clean water, productive agriculture and parks for people, said Lindsay Cross, water and land policy director for Florida Conservation Voters. It was the first such pay bump in 12 years for Florida's state workers, . Employees in Florida paid more for their health insurance in 2020 than workers in nearly every other state, a new study from The Commonwealth Fund found. Gov. The journals or printed bills of the respective chambers should be consulted for official purposes. 2021-2022 Base Salary Increase & Staff Bonus Memo. 2020. Another $80 million is going to build a new state emergency operations center, and $115 million is going to repair and renovate the state Capitol grounds. ", PublishedJanuary 20, 2022 at 5:00 AM EST. We know from some of our survey data that people struggle to pay their health care costs by making trade offs with other parts of their budgets, less on food, maybe different housing, delaying getting education, Collins said. My husband and I receive retirement benefits including a health insurance subsidy (HIS). Of that, the employee is responsible for $2,160. The health care budget funds two of those programs to the tune of more than $36 million. Insurance premiums for both of us under the family plan is deducted from my FRS Pension. Rick Scott, a multi-millionaire, who had sold the states former air fleet and paid for and used his own jet for state travel. Meanwhile, the health insurance recommendations in DeSantis proposed budget run afoul of Sen. Jeff Brandes desire to remodel the state group health insurance program in the next fiscal year. The legislature must increase pay to in order to retain a qualified workforce. With a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2020 pushing the states minimum wage for all workers to $15-an-hour in 2026, Florida lawmakers now appear to be getting out slightly ahead of this shift. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2023. Tallahassee, FL 32306, FSU Directory Assistance Florida has the smallest and least expensive state workforce per 1,000 residents among the states. And teachers, bus drivers, workers at state-contracted nursing homes and Medicaid contractors will all see their pay start at $15 per hour. Theres funding for water projects in both Leon and Gadsden, said Ausley. And then median income in Florida is lower than the national average, actually significantly lower. However, some hospitals were spared. That was the highest in the nation. When asked if there was concern about keeping up with the funding in the future, Stargel said that it was a priority to fund that issue. The legislature needs to appropriate a $6000 across-the-board pay raise for state university employees! To fund an Outreach Coordinator and assistant to conduct training workshops for panhandle teachers, statutorily mandated to teach Holocaust Education, and to expand programs for the annual Holocaust Education Week. John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Networks Florida Capital Bureau. The environmental budget also includes $100 million for Lake Okeechobee water storage wells, projects sought by the sugar industry and Simpson, and $168.7 million in Florida Forever Programs and Land Acquisition spending at the Department of Environmental Protection. So was $12 million (from interest incurred from federal funds) to transport undocumented immigrants out of the state, and $10 million to reactivate the Florida State Guard to supplement the states National Guard. The Governor doesnt like to mention this, but Floridas budget includes nearly $40 billion in federal money this year. Apparently, we have been paying tax on his HIS since he retired and was added to my State Retiree Medical Plan several years ago. Employees of the Florida Department of Management Services receive pay every-other Friday per the schedule below. "Our members came to the bargaining table to eloquently and passionately talk . 2021. The Consumer Price Index rose by 7.9 percent through February, the fastest pace of annual inflation in 40 years. Weve put words into action by replacing Common Core, eliminating the Florida Standards Assessment, and working with our close friends in the Florida Legislature to secure $800 million in state funding to provide teachers a well-deserved pay increase. Committee Not sure how much this has penalized us. Ron DeSantis ' proposed nearly $100 billion spending plan would provide an average 4% pay increase for state employees and. 2023. 6. Districts lose dollars because of masks: GOP lawmaker aims to strip state funding from school districts that defied Gov. As lawmakers craft the 2022-23 state budget, the House and Senate are pushing to boost pay for state employees, local school staffers and certain health care workers. The food bank serves 17 North Florida counties and planned to use the money to buy delivery vans and refrigeration equipment. The state has also set aside money to provide for up to $5,000 signing bonuses for new or out-of-state law enforcement officers who join policing agencies in Florida. The teamwork and collaboration between the Governors team and our district leaders has been incredible and I am so grateful for that. The increases in teacher pay will provide critical help to teachers in Florida during a critical time where inflation is rising rapidly across the country: What is nice about this for teachers is that you made a commitment for our teachers that you would raise base pay to sustain a living, said Christopher Glinton, Principal, Renaissance Charter School at Wellington. The $800 million is a $250 million increase over last year's funding, and brings Florida's investments in teacher pay to greater than $2 billion since the 2020 Legislative Session. The state will suspend the sales tax on diapers and baby clothes for the 2022-2023 fiscal year and create a two week tax holiday on clothing, shoes and school supplies between July 25 to August 7, among other tax suspensions. He has challenged us to elevate and celebrate the teaching profession by listening to the needs of teachers, said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran. Local lawmakers, lobbyistsand labor leaders said the $109 billion state budget Gov. By this initiative happening, it is not about having a salary, it is about can a teacher pay their light bill, can a teacher pay their water bill, can a teacher give a kid who doesnt have food at home an extra snack, or an extra bag of chips to put in their backpack and not at the expense of their own home., I dont think people always understand the countless hours we put into our work, said Loren Temes, 2nd Grade Teacher, Renaissance Charter School at Wellington. Florida Gov. The budget includes that money, as well as $2 million for long-acting, reversible birth control for low-income women another Simpson priority. The HIS benefit is not an insurance policy and it is not a part of your Florida Retirement System pension. My husbands form also had the notation but I recently noticed that his HIS was not excluded and was counted as part of his taxable income. Lawmakers agreed to spend $24.3 billion for K-12 education, including $250 million to boost pay for teachers. Florida State University Political editor Emily L. Mahoney will send you a rundown on local, state and national politics coverage every Thursday. Tristan Wood graduated from the University of Florida in 2021 with a degree in Journalism. This situation is getting even more difficult for teachers across the nation with rising inflation. Though the longtime lobbyist was quick to add that the pay raise "is huge" for the region. Lawmakers now are certain to extend the session. One reason the states health insurance costs are so high is because Floridas employers are not covering as much of the costs as employers in other parts of the country, said Sara Collins, the studys lead author and a vice president for Commonwealth. The current agriculture commissioner, Democrat Nikki Fried, is running to challenge DeSantis for governor. Questions? . But the fateof dollars for the rural and family lands program remained in flux late Tuesday. For my tax form from the State the Health Insurance Subsidy was excluded from my gross income with the notation The purpose of the HIS is to provide assistance with the cost of health insurance coverage. James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. Simpson made the $15 minimum wage a priority this legislative session. He is on my State Retirement health insurance plan. AFSCME, the labor union representing state workers, said it appreciates the state recognizes theres been years of undervaluing workers. The 5.3% pay raise and $15 minimum wage starting July 1 will boost the area's payroll by at least an additional $40 million annually. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. state_bargaining_team.png. It requested the money to purchase laptopsand tablets, literacy materials and to pay for workshops and college tours. In a session in which the majority generally inflicted pain or ignored the needs of working Floridians, caregivers and the elderly, this budget provision was a considerable slice of relief, said Dale Ewart, executive vice president of 1199 Service Employees International Union in Florida, the union representing more than 24,000 active and retired caregivers across the state. He can be reached at jkennedy2@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @JKennedyReport, Florida's Legislative Session and how it works. On top of that, employees saw big cost increases in dependent health care coverage, meaning state employees actually saw their take home pay decrease. x]moH i0lv7_Ao;I}`dA_SMR%[vcK^~z6^|m$YUmsz[RW'?>I*(s?2'hO2.'=D*&Mg&z%6+3g>}}dqb. The 12 school districtstargeted in the House's original proposal were looking to get the $200 million penalty removed from the state's school funding system. Our members deserve annual raises like this one so that state employment pays living wages and continues to be a sustainable career option for professionals, said Vicki Hall, president of Florida AFSCME. For the rest of Floridians, affordable housing has been the subject of calls for more money, as the states sizzling housing market has driven rents and home prices through the roof. Florida lawmakers agreed to the pay raises on Wednesday as they finalized negotiations on a more than $100 billion state budget. Elections - $16.2 million GR and TF - includes: Additional Positions for Voter Registration Activities - $1.1 million; 15.0 positions, Office of Election Crimes and Security Investigators - $1.1 million; 15.0 positions, Florida Voter Registration System Modernization Feasibility Study - $450,000, Grants to Supervisors of Elections for Cyber Security - $8 million, Memorial for Champlain Towers South - $1.0 million, New Artifacts Curation Facility - $13.8 million SFRF, Local Transportation Initiatives (Road Fund) Projects - $498.6 million, Innovative Grant Program for Transportation Disadvantaged - $4 million, Commercial Driver License Training, Testing, and Licensing - $500,000, New Positions - 11.0 positions; $1.2 million GR, Urban Search and Rescue Teams Training and Equipment Grants - $10 million GR, Mobile Home Tie-Down Program Increased Funding - $7 million GR, Open Federally Declared Disaster (FEMA reimbursement and pass-through) - $1.5 billion, Community Recovery, Preparedness, and Critical Facilities Projects - $30.8 million GR, Rural and Family Lands Protection Program/Wildlife Corridors - $300 million, Emergency Wildfire Management - $93.8 million, Wildfire Suppression Equipment/Aircraft - $42.7 million, Florida Forest Service Aerial Protection Program - $15 million, Road/Bridge and Facility Maintenance - $8.4 million, Citrus Protection and Research - 5 positions and $16.6 million, Lake Okeechobee Agriculture Projects - $5 million, Florida Agriculture Promotion Campaign - $19 million, Licensing Concealed Weapons Program - 25 positions and $1.7 million, Feeding Programs/Farm Share/Feeding Florida - $15.1 million, Agriculture Education and Promotion Facilities - $31.8 million, Building Repair and Maintenance - $1.5 million, Water Quality Improvements - $782.4 million, Staffing for Environmental Permitting - 33 positions and $3.3 million, Biscayne Bay Water Quality Improvements - $20 million, Septic Upgrade Incentive Program - $10 million, Non-Point Source Planning Grants - $10 million, Water Restoration Assistance Staff - 25 positions and $3 million, Flood and Sea-Level Rise Program - $470.9 million, Water Quality Improvements - Blue Green Algae Task Force - $10.8 million, Innovative Technology Grants for Harmful Algal Blooms - $15 million, Resilient Florida Program - 25 positions and $2.4 million, Florida Forever Programs and Land Acquisition - $168.7 million, Florida Recreational Development Assistance Grants - $10.7 million, Green Heart of the Everglades Acquisition - $35 million GR, Rattlesnake Key Acquisition - $23 million GR, Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern - $20 million, Petroleum Tanks Cleanup Program - $180 million, Hazardous Waste and Dry Clean Site Cleanup - $40 million, Beach Management Funding Assistance - $50 million, Drinking Water Revolving Loan Program - $202.6 million, Wastewater Revolving Loan Program - $264.8 million, Water Infrastructure Improvements - $178.9 million, Small County Wastewater Treatment Grants - $12 million, Land and Water Conservation Grants - $13.5 million, State Parks Maintenance and Repairs - $239.5 million, Customer Experience Modernization - $4.4 million, Florida Planning, Accounting & Ledger Management (PALM) Project - $45.7 million, Information Technology Upgrades to Software, Hardware, and Equipment - $7.7 million, Florida Firefighter Cancer Research - $2.0 million, Local Government Fire and Firefighter Services - $46.3 million, Law Enforcement Positions, Equipment, Training and Enhancements - 12 positions and $4.3million, Marine Fisheries Recovery Grant Program - $2.5 million, Law Enforcement Equipment Replacement - $12.7 million, Law Enforcement Enhanced Patrol and Support - 12 positions and $2.6 million, FWC Buildings Maintenance and Repair - $4.2 million, Boating Infrastructure and Improvement Program - $7.2 million, Nuisance and Invasive Species Response - $2 million, Apalachicola Bay Oyster Restoration - $3.2 million, Land Use Planning Program - 10 positions and $0.8 million, Increased Payments Related to Ticket Purchases - $6.7 million, Florida Facilities Pool (FFP) Fixed Capital Outlay - 16 positions and $61.8 million, Capitol Complex Renovations and Repairs - $115 million, State Emergency Operations Center - $80 million, Department of Corrections Facilities Master Plan - $5 million, Division of Retirement Critical Workload - 20 positions and $2.4 million, Executive Aircraft Program - 17 positions and $30.8 million, Cybersecurity - 8 positions and $119.2 million, Cloud Modernization and Migration - $163.4 million, Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC)/State Data Center - $20 million, State Data Center Contract with NWRDC - 7 positions and $1 million, Fiscally Constrained Counties - $38.8 million. endobj Important Notes: endobj The proposal was praised by Vicki Hall, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Florida, the largest union representing state workers. Certainly, we were not advised about this Catch 22 when he was added to my retiree health plan. More: What was cut from Florida's budget? But employees here have to shoulder a greater burden. Correctional & Probation Officer pay increases are as follows:. Florida State And West Virginia Republican Gov. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 25 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> All 2022 Bill Summaries for Appropriations Committee, $43.7 billion from the General Revenue Fund (GR), $2.8 billion from the Education Enhancement Trust Fund, $ 1.2 billion from the Public Education Capital Outlay Trust Fund (PECO TF), $64.3 billion from other trust funds (TF), 112,472.26 full time equivalent positions (FTE), An additional $1 billion for Inflation Fund was reserved for budget amendments necessary to counter increased costs due to inflation, which is not included in the $8.9 billion in reserves, FEFP (funding provided in overall BSA increase), Agency for Health Care Administration - Medicaid Services, Agency for Persons with Disabilities - Medicaid Waiver Services, Department of Juvenile Justice - Contracted services, Department of Veterans Affairs - Contracted services, 5.38 percent State Employee across-the-board increase to address inflation, State Law Enforcement Officers/Troopers - Increase minimum salary to $50,000 or an additional 5 percent pay increase, whichever is greater, Correctional and Probation Officers - Increase minimum salary to $41,600 ($20 per hour), and other position classifications ranging from $45,760 to $57,886, State Firefighters - Increase minimum salary to $41,600 ($20 per hour), Juvenile Justice Detention Officers - Increase minimum salary to $39,520 ($19 per hour), Juvenile Justice Probation Officers - Increase minimum salary to $41,600 ($20 per hour), Veterans Homes Nurses - $5.6 million for salary and recruitment incentives, Assistant State Attorneys and Public Defenders - $5,000 - $10,000 pay increase, Charter School Repairs and Maintenance - $195.8 million, Public School Maintenance - $11.4 million, College and University Maintenance - $843.7 million, Developmental Research School Repairs and Maintenance - $8.1 million, Small School District Special Facilities - $64.4 million, District Tech Center Projects - $13.9 million, Florida College System Projects - $216.2 million, State University System Projects - $563.9 million, School for the Deaf and Blind Maintenance and Renovation Projects - $8.5 million, Public Broadcasting - Health and Safety Issues - $5 million, Authorization for State University System (SUS) Capital Improvement Student Fee Projects - $44.7 million, Partnerships for School Readiness - $53.2 million, Early Learning Standards & Accountability - $4.9 million, Voluntary Prekindergarten Program - $553.4 million, Decrease of 2,645 fewer students ($6.4 million), Voluntary Prekindergarten Program Additional Base Student Allocation (BSA) Payments - $151.3 million; these additional payments are provided to ensure all VPK instructors are paid a minimum wage of at least $15 per hour, FEFP Total Funds increase is $1.69 billion or 7.5 percent, FEFP increases in Total Funds per Student is $384.55, a 4.96 percent increase [from $7,758.3 to $8,142.8], Base Student Allocation (BSA) increase by $214.49 or 4.9 percent, FEFP Base Funds (flexible $) increase of $1 billion or 7.15 percent, Required Local Effort (RLE) increase of $633.2 million; RLE millage maintained at prior year level of 3.606 mills, Teacher Salary Increase Allocation - $250 million increase for a total of $800 million that school districts must use to increase the minimum salaries of classroom teachers to at least $47,500, Safe Schools Allocation - $30 million increase for a total of $210 million for School Safety Officers and school safety initiatives, Mental Health Assistance Allocation - $20 million increase for a total of $140 million to help school districts and charter schools address youth mental health issues, Reading Instruction Allocation - $40 million increase for a total of $170 million to provide comprehensive reading instruction, Turnaround School Supplemental Services Allocation - $24.4 million - funds for services designed to improve the overall academic and community welfare of students and their families at designated lower performing schools, Funding Compression & Hold Harmless Allocation - $68.2 million - compression funds for districts with total funds per FTE that are less than the statewide average and hold harmless funds for districts that have a reduction in the District Cost Differential, FEFP increases are provided to school districts to ensure all employees are paid a minimum wage of at least $15 per hour beginning in the 2022-23 school year, Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program - $6.5 million, School Recognition Program - $200 million, Community School Grant Program - $7.6 million, Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources Centers - $8.7 million, Transition Support Funding for Jefferson County School District - $5 million, Computer Science and Teacher Bonuses - $10 million, School District Foundation Matching Grants - $6 million, Florida Association of District School Superintendents Training - $750,000, School and Instructional Enhancement Grants - $46.4 million, Florida School for the Deaf & Blind - $53.2 million, Assessment and Evaluation - $134.7 million, VPK and Student Literacy Program Monitoring Systems - $15.5 million, Just Read Florida Early Literacy Professional Development - $1 million, ACT and SAT Exam Administration - $8 million, Workforce Development for career and technical education and adult education - $390.4 million, Perkins Career and Technical Education grants and Adult Education and Literacy funds - $123.3 million, CAPE Incentive Funds for students who earn Industry Certifications - $6.5 million, School and Instructional Enhancement Grants - $4.4 million, Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant Program for apprenticeships - $15 million, Workers Compensation Insurance Premiums for apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship students - $2 million, Nursing Education Initiatives - $20 million, Adults with Disability Funds - $11.6 million, Inclusive Transition and Employment Management Program - $1.5 million, CAPE Incentive Funds for students who earn Industry Certifications - $14 million GR, Nursing Education Initiatives - $59 million, System Wide Base Funding Increases - $55 million, Student Open Access Resources (SOAR) - $5.4 million, Student Success Incentive Funds - $30 million GR, 2+2 Student Success Incentive Funds - $20 million GR, Work Florida Incentive Funds - $10 million GR, Moffitt Cancer Center Workload - $10 million in additional funds, Johnson Matching Grant Program Workload - $20,000 in additional funds, Nursing Education Initiatives - $46 million, Cybersecurity Resiliency - $20.5 million, HBCUs - $680 thousand in additional funds, Nursing and Health related education initiatives - $2 million, Engineering and Technology initiatives - $29 million, Benacquisto Scholarship Program - $36.4 million, Children/Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans - $13.5 million, Dual Enrollment Scholarship - $18.05 million, Law Enforcement Academy Scholarship - $5 million, Medicaid Price Level and Workload - $2,207.5 billion, KidCare Workload (Due to Caseload Shift to Medicaid) - ($58.8) million, Minimum Wage for Medicaid Providers - $273.6 million, Minimum Wage for Nursing Homes - $212.8 million, Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID) Reimbursement Rates - $29.6 million, Maternal Fetal Medicine Provider Rate Increase - $2.5 million, Organ Transplant Rate Increase - $6.3 million, Specialty Childrens Hospitals - $84.9 million, Hospital Outlier Payments - $50.2 million, Florida Cancer Hospitals - $156.2 million, Florida Medicaid Management Information System (FMMIS) - $112 million, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) - $82.7 million, Establish Recurring Dental Services Program for the Developmentally Disabled - $8.5 million, Direct Service Provider Rate Increases to Address Minimum Wage - $403 million, Waiver Rates for Behavior Services - $14.2 million, Home and Community Based Services Waiver Waitlist - $59.6 million, Community Based Care Funding Increase - $158.4 million, Mitigate Title IV-E Earnings Shortfall - $32.6 million, Foster Care Child Daycare Subsidy - $24.9 million, Foster Care Board Rate Parity - $19.1 million, Fatherhood Engagement and Family Involvement Programs - $31.8 million, Increased Subsidy for Foster Youth Attending Postsecondary Education - $16.9 million, Maintenance Adoption Subsidies - $10.1 million, Guardianship Assistance Program - $8.7 million, Foster Care Board Rate Adjustment - $3.3 million, Expand Adoption Incentive Benefits to Law Enforcement Officers - $4 million, Community Based Behavioral Health Services - $211.1 million, State Mental Health Treatment Facilities Forensic Beds - $20 million, Legal Settlement Funds for Opioid Epidemic Abatement - $11.3 million, Florida Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) Team Funding - $7 million, Florida System and Florida Safe Families Network Technology Modernization - $31.5 million, Alzheimers Disease Initiative - $12 million, Community Care for the Elderly - $9 million, Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program - $37.7 million, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute - $20 million, Leon Haley, Jr., MD Trauma Center - $80 million, Fatherhood Grants - Home Visiting Program - $4.4 million, Primary Care Health Professional Loan Repayment Program - $6.6 million and 3 positions, Dental Student Loan Repayment Program - $1.8 million, Hormonal Long-acting Reversible Contraception Program - $2 million, State Veterans Nursing Homes - Nurses Salary and Recruitment Incentives - $5.6 million, State Veterans Nursing Homes - Contracted Services Increase to Increase Wages to $15 per hour - $6.9 million, Nonrecurring Trust Fund Shift to General Revenue Due to Trust Fund Deficit as a result of the New Homes Delayed Opening, and Decreased Occupancy Rates Due to COVID-19 - $41.3 million, Florida is For Veterans Increase for Administration and Programs - $2.06 million.
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