Lawmakers weigh a new charter school subsidy that would start small but could grow quickly

A recap of the seventh week of the Florida Legislature's 2026 session, plus a preview of week eight.

Photo credit: Kimberly Farmer

This is Seeking Rents, a newsletter and podcast devoted to producing original journalism — and lifting up the work of others — about Florida politics, with an emphasis on the ways that big businesses and other special interests influence public policy in the state. Seeking Rents is produced by veteran investigative journalist Jason Garcia, and it is free to all. But please consider a voluntary paid subscription, if you can afford one, to help support our work. And check out our video channel, too.

Editor’s note: The 2026 session of the Florida Legislature is underway, so we have temporarily turned our weekly “Florida in Five” feature into a roundup of news, notes and bill movements from the session.

Five years ago, Republican leaders in Tallahassee gave the charter school industry something it had been seeking for years: A way around local voters.

The change — obscured inside larger education legislation that also included restrictions on the participation of transgender students in school sports — gave state colleges and universities the power to authorize new charter schools.

In other words, it enabled charter schools — public schools run by private management entities rather than public school districts — to bypass locally elected School Boards and work instead through the governor-appointed boards that control state colleges and universities.

The industry now wants to make local voters help pay for these state-imposed charters, too.

The idea is contained inside a package of tax cuts and tax-policy changes proposed last week by the Florida Senate. It would require school districts to split revenue from what’s sometimes called the “additional millage” — an optional property tax that county voters can levy via referendum in order to raise extra funding for their local schools — with every charter school in the area.

A school district currently only has to share proceeds from the additional millage with charters that the school district itself approved.

The immediate impact would be minor: There are currently only 12 charter schools across Florida that have been approved by an “alternate authorizer” like a college or a university.

But it could escalate quickly.

Just last month, for instance, the board of trustees at Miami Dade College signed off on six new charter schools — doubling, in one meeting, the number of charters in Florida approved without permission from the local school board.

They are the first of what could become a wave of new charters unleashed by the Miami college, which just launched a new authorization program late last year, according to WLRN Public Radio and Television.

WLRN reported in December that Dade College had begun pitching its authorization services to prospective charter operators. During one webinar, a college administrator told attendees that they could expect friendlier treatment from governor-appointed college boards than voter-elected school boards.

“I think one of the benefits of going to a college authorizer is that colleges are wanting to do this,” he said. “We’re going to be looking at the same types of things that the districts look at, but with the mindset that we really do want to make this a partnership, and we want to make it successful.”

It’s not the only potential accelerant that could lead to more charters sidestepping school boards.

Florida lawmakers last year approved a major expansion of the state’s “Schools of Hope” program, an incentive program through which charter school operators can get lucrative cash grants and low-interest loans if they open up new campuses in certain locations. The law was pushed through Tallahassee in part by lobbyists for Success Academy, the New York charter network that plans to open new schools in Miami.

The new law enables Schools of Hope charters to work through college and universities rather than solely through school districts.

Miami, Florida’s most populous county, certainly seems to be the focal point of this latest legislative proposal, too.

Additional millage property taxes expire every four years unless extended by voters through. And Miami’s tax, which generates more than $400 million a year, is currently set to lapse on June 30, 2027 — which means the School Board may soon schedule another countywide referendum.

The provision requiring local school districts to share money with state-imposed charters would take effect just before that vote could happen.

Billtrack

In honor of the best show on TV, here’s a look at some of the bills on the move from the past week of session:

• House Bill 441: Requires more public notice and explanation before the state can sell off conservation land. Passed the Florida Senate by a 37-0 vote (vote sheet). Previously passed the House of Representatives by 109-0 vote (vote sheet). Goes to the governor to sign or veto.

• House Bill 105: Empowers businesses to sue in order to stop local governments from taking “unreasonable” enforcement actions. Passed the House of Representatives by a 104-5 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 33: Renames a road in Miami after Charlie Kirk and a road in Fort Lauderdale after Donald Trump. Passed the House of Representatives by an 82-30 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 484: Establishes new regulations around electricity usage, water consumption and public disclosure of data centers. Passed the Florida Senate by a 37-0 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 628: Renames State Road 80, a 124-mile highway from Palm Beach to Fort Myers, after Donald Trump. Passed the House of Representatives by an 82-26 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 655: Lets lawyers for property owners and local government leaders hold secret pre-suit settlement talks when the property owner notifies the government of a potential claim under the state’s Bert Harris Act. Passed the House of Representatives by a 116-0 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 686: Makes it easier for homebuilders to build new subdivisions on farmland next to property already zoned for residential development. Passed the Florida Senate by a 34-2 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 991: Requires Florida voters to prove their citizenship by providing copies of documents such as a passport or birth certificate when they register or if state officials identify them as unverified citizens. Also prevents university students from using their student IDs as identification when they vote. Passed the House of Representatives by an 83-31 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 1071: Enables the State Board of Education to make public schools show students an anti-abortion cartoon as part of their health education curriculum, beginning in the sixth grade. Also authorizes private schools with up to 150 students to open in any area zoned for commercial or mixed-use development and to operate from retail stores, day cares, theaters and other business. Passed the House of Representatives by an 82-31 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 174: Renames a road in Miami after Charlie Kirk. Passed the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee by a 12-6 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 194: Orders an annual statewide “day of remembrance” for Charlie Kirk. Passed the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee by a 12-6 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 208: Limits the discretion local governments have to deny development applications on the basis of incompatibility with surrounding residential areas. Passed the Senate Rules Committee by a 22-1 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 299: Makes it easier for owners of giant tracts of rural land to have their properties approved for development. Passed the House State Affairs Committee by a 21-5 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 332: Lets lawyers for property owners and local government leaders hold secret pre-suit settlement talks when the property owner notifies the government of a potential claim under the state’s Bert Harris Act. Passed the Senate Rules Committee by a 21-0 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 399: Weakens anti-sprawl protections for rural land around Orlando and Miami. Also forces Miami Beach to approve a proposed water park at the Fontainebleau Hotel despite local opposition. Passed the House State Affairs Committee by a 16-10 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 433: Enables the state to sell land purchased for environmental conservation to agricultural companies. Passed the House State Affairs Committee by a 22-3 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 536: Gives prosecutors more ways to designate criminal defendants as gang members, including by citing their use of “gang-related language” on social media. Passed the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee by a 5-3 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 693: Restricts access to food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Access Program, commonly known as food stamps. Passed the House Health & Human Services Committee by a 17-7 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 927: Requires that cities and counties allow developers use private contractors to review development applications and to issue building permits earlier in the development process for residential subdivisions. Passed the House State Affairs Committee by a 23-2 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 943: Requires state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to create a program through which surplus lines insurance companies could take over policies covering condo buildings and businesses and forces Citizens to hire a private vendor to manage the program. Passed the House Commerce Committee by a 21-3 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 945: Creates a state counterintelligence unit within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement authorized to conduct surveillance operations of people or groups whose “views or opinions” are hostile to the state or country. Passed the House Budget Committee by a 20-8 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 989: Expands laws that force Floridians to buy most new cars from middleman car dealers rather than directly from vehicle manufacturers. Passed the House Commerce Committee by a 22-1 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 995: Imposes a number of new collective-bargaining and labor-organizing restrictions on teachers, bus drivers, utility workers and most other public-sector employee. The new restrictions would not apply to unions representing police officers or firefighters. Passed the House State Affairs Committee by a 17-8 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 1007: Establishes new regulations around electricity usage, water consumption and public disclosure of data centers. Passed the House State Affairs Committee by a 24-1 vote (vote sheet) and the House Commerce Committee by an 18-7 vote (vote sheet).

• Senate Bill 1138: Requires that cities and counties allow developers use private contractors to review development applications and to issue building permits earlier in the development process for residential subdivisions. Passed the Senate Rules Committee by a 23-0 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 1217: Strips local governments of the power to enact policies intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Passed the House Commerce Committee by a 19-4 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 1283: Blocks anonymous complaints against police officers or prison guards unless they come with corroborating evidence. Passed the House Judiciary Committee by a 16-0 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 1387: Forbids companies that receive state economic development from voluntarily recognizing new employee labor unions or from agreeing to remain neutral in union elections. Passed the House Commerce Committee by an 18-5 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 1437: Requires contractual disputes between school districts and charter school operators over the management of a traditional public school that has been converted into a public school to be resolved through the Florida Department of Education or an administrative hearing rather than through a circuit court. Also expands public funding for converted charter schools. Passed the House Education & Employment Committee by a 13-3 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 1451: Blocks a voter-approved referendum in Gainesville that is intended to restore local control of the city-owned electric company, GRU, after the Legislature took that power away from the city and gave it to a board appointed by the governor. Passed the House Commerce Committee by a 21-3 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 1632: Gives the governor, via the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the power to designate advocacy groups as “domestic terrorist organizations” and impose sanctions on the groups and their members. Passed the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee by a 5-3 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 1756: Allows parents to ignore mandatory immunization requirements for public school students because they object for reasons of “conscience.” Also lets pharmacies sell Ivermectin without a prescription — with immunity from lawsuits over any negative health effects. Passed the Senate Appropriations Committee by a 10-7 vote. (vote sheet)

• House Bill 7031: The House of Representatives’ proposed tax package. Passed the House Ways & Means Committee by a 19-0 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 7036: Requires public schools to teach students about the history of Florida agriculture. Also authorizes private schools with up to 150 students to open in any area zoned for commercial or mixed-use development and to operate from retail stores, day cares, theaters and other business. Passed the Senate Rules Committee by a 22-0 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 7038: Enables state universities to obtain their accreditation through a new state-backed accrediting agency known as the Commission for Public Higher Education. Passed the Senate Rules Committee by a 23-0 vote. (vote sheet)

• Senate Bill 7046: The Florida Senate’s proposed tax package. Passed the Senate Finance and Tax Committee by a 5-2 vote. (vote sheet)

The week ahead

Monday

• The Senate Appropriations Committee will hear Senate Bill 1758, which would restrict access to health insurance through the state’s Medicaid and KidCare programs and food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Access Program, commonly known as food stamps. The meeting begins at noon. (Contact committee members)

• The Senate Appropriations Committee will also hear Senate Bill 7046, the Senate’s proposed tax package. The committee is likely to consider a significant amendment.

• The Senate Appropriations Committee will also hear Senate Bill 7048, which would adjust the Florida corporate tax code in response to federal corporate tax breaks President Donald Trump and Congress approved last year. The committee is likely to consider a significant amendment.

• The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee will hear Senate Bill 1296, which would impose a number of new collective-bargaining and labor-organizing restrictions on teachers, bus drivers, utility workers and most other public-sector employees. The new restrictions would not apply to unions representing police officers or firefighters. The meeting begins at noon. (Contact committee members)

• The House Rules & Ethics Committee will meet to hear a proposed rule change that would enable House members to accept campaign contributions while meeting in an extended or special session of the Legislature. The meeting begins at 5 pm. (Contact committee members)

Tuesday

• The Senate Rules Committee will hear Senate Bill 354, which would enable owners of giant tracts of rural land to have their properties approved for future development without any vote by the local county commission or town council. The meeting begins at 9 am. (Contact committee members)

• The House of Representatives will hear Senate Bill 290 or House Bill 433, which would enable the state to sell land purchased for environmental conservation to agricultural companies. The floor session begins at 10 am. (Contact House members)

• The House of Representatives will also hear House Bill 399, which would weaken anti-sprawl protections for rural land around Orlando and Miami. The bill would also force the city of Miami Beach to approve a proposed water park at the Fontainebleau Hotel despite local opposition.

• The House of Representatives will also hear House Bill 693, which would restrict access to food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Access Program, commonly known as food stamps.

• The House of Representatives will also hear House Bill 1471, which would give the governor, via the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the power to designate advocacy groups as “domestic terrorist organizations” and impose sanctions on the groups and their members.

Wednesday

• The House of Representatives will hear House Bill 989, which would expand laws that force Floridians to buy most new cars from middleman car dealers rather than directly from vehicle manufacturers. The floor session begins at 10 am. (Contact House members)

• The House of Representatives will also hear House Bill 981, which would order the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a plan to breach the Rodman Dam and restore the flow of the Ocklawaha River.

• The House of Representatives will also hear House Bill 1421, which would require state agencies to identify state-owned lands that can be leased to private companies for cattle grazing.

Note: The House notices committee meetings two days ahead of time, while the Senate notices them three days in advance. Click here to find the complete daily calendars in the Florida House of Representatives, and click here for the daily calendars for the Florida Senate.

Reading List

• Grand jury returns presentment in Hope Florida investigation (Florida Trident)

• House unanimously passes bill in response to Hope Florida saga (Miami Herald) ($)

• Uthmeier’s office goes after Republican lawmaker who investigated Hope Florida (Tampa Bay Times) ($)

• How UF’s law dean is defending Uthmeier’s $100k teaching job behind closed doors (Miami Herald) ($)

• How Florida property insurers keep secrets from policyholders — with the state’s help (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) ($)

• Brodeur supports measure that could gut voter-approved rural boundaries (Orlando Sentinel) ($)

• Doral rep says he worked with Fontainebleau lobbyist on bill to allow water park (Miami Herald) ($)

• Florida Might Make Its Own Spy Squad. Muslims Think They Have a Pretty Good Idea Who’ll Be Targeted. (The Intercept)

• With help from lawmakers, cops in Florida could see ‘fewer complaints, fewer investigations and more coverups’ (Florida Trident)

• Anti-DEI bill threatens local spending on Pride, Lunar New Year, Puerto Rican Day events — and maybe Pulse memorial (Orlando Sentinel) ($)

• Florida may change ID accepted at polling places, making it harder for students and seniors to vote (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) ($)

• As judge weighs challenge to voter-fraud law, Floridians lose power at ballot box (The Florida Trib)

• Florida uses emergency rule to cut patients off AIDS medication (Tampa Bay Times) ($)

• As UF considers buzz sawing 1,000 trees, critics feel stumped, muted (The Florida Trib)

• Who carries Florida? The tax fight that pits big counties against small | Column (Tampa Bay Times) ($)