Florida HB 5601: Higher Education

Bill Text

HB 5601 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb5601-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to higher education; amending s. 2
1001.706, F.S.; revising requirements for certain 3
funds held in an escrow account relating to certain 4
capital outlay projects; creating s. 1004.342, F.S.; 5
providing definitions; transferring specified assets 6
and liabilities from the University of South Florida 7
Sarasota/Manatee to New College of Florida by 8
specified dates; requiring New College of Florida to 9
provide a specified monthly payment to the University 10
of South Florida until such transfer is complete; 11
requiring such transfer to be in a written joint 12
transfer agreement; providing requirements for such 13
agreement and the transfer of such assets and 14
liabilities; requiring a facility use agreement 15
between the University of South Florida 16
Sarasota/Manatee and New College of Florida; providing 17
requirements for such agreement; providing 18
construction; providing applicability; providing 19
specified immunity from liability; providing for 20
future repeal; amending s. 1004.344, F.S.; removing 21
the requirement for the Florida Center for the 22
Partnerships for Arts Integrated Teaching to be 23
physically housed at the University of South Florida 24
Sarasota/Manatee; amending s. 1009.24, F.S.; revising 25

HB 5601 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb5601-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

programs for which the Board of Governors may 26
establish tuition; authorizing state university boards 27
of trustees to establish out-of-state fees for 28
nonresident students; removing a provision requiring 29
that adjustments to certain out-of-state fees not 30
exceed a certain amount; removing a provision 31
requiring certain actions to be taken by a state 32
university in accordance with Board of Governors 33
regulations; removing a requirement for a block 34
tuition policy for nonresident undergraduate students; 35
repealing sections 5, 7, and 9 of chapter 2025-199, 36
Laws of Florida, relating to the future repeal of 37
amendments to ss. 1011.45, 1009.26, and 1004.89, F.S.; 38
amending s. 1011.45, F.S.; removing an obsolete date; 39
amending s. 1011.90, F.S.; authorizing state funds to 40
be used to support specified requirements in state and 41
federal law; amending s. 1013.01, F.S.; revising the 42
definition of the term "educational facilities"; 43
providing an effective date. 44
45
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 46
47
48
Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (12) of section 49
1001.706, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 50

HB 5601 2026

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1001.706 Powers and duties of the Board of Governors.— 51
(12) PUBLIC EDUCATION CAPITAL OUTLAY.—The Board of 52
Governors shall submit the prioritized list as required by s. 53
1013.64(4). Projects considered for prioritization shall be 54
chosen from a preliminary selection group which shall include 55
the list of projects maintained pursuant to paragraph (d) and 56
the top two priorities of each state university. 57
(c) A new construction, remodeling, or renovation project 58
that has not received an appropriation in a previous year shall 59
not be considered for inclusion on the prioritized list required 60
by s. 1013.64(4), unless: 61
1. A plan is provided to reserve funds in an escrow 62
account, specific to the project, into which shall be deposited 63
each year an amount of funds equal to 1 percent of the total 64
value of the building for future maintenance; 65
2. There exists sufficient capacity within the cash and 66
bonding estimate of funds by the Revenue Estimating Conference 67
to accommodate the project within the 3-year Public Education 68
Capital Outlay funding cycle; and 69
3. The project has been recommended pursuant to s. 70
1013.31. 71
Section 2. Section 1004.342, Florida Statutes, is created 72
to read: 73
1004.342 Efficient use of state university system assets 74
in Manatee and Sarasota Counties.— 75

HB 5601 2026

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(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section and in its 76
applicability in contracts, leases, and other written 77
instruments involved in implementing this section: 78
(a) The following terms have the same meaning and should 79
be interpreted and used interchangeably: 80
1. "University of South Florida Sarasota/Manatee." 81
2. "University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee." 82
3. "USF Sarasota/Manatee." 83
4. "USF Sarasota-Manatee." 84
(b) The term "New College" means New College of Florida. 85
(c) The term "USF"