The 2021 regular legislative session adjourned promptly on April 30. After an unpredictable year, where higher education budget cuts seemed imminent, in the end, thanks to additional state revenues and federal relief funds, the Legislature made minimal cuts and passed an unprecedented $101.5 billion state budget. This includes appropriating more than $6 billion of federal pandemic relief funds to state projects.
Of the 3,140 bills filed this session, 275 passed, including major education policy bills focused on early learning, school choice expansion, and higher education and workforce reform. While the Senate’s earlier proposal to align financial aid and scholarships to in-demand fields was met with strong opposition, the legislature passed several policies to increase access to short-term credentials and incentivize students to enter in-demand fields.
FCAN’s 2021 Florida Legislative Session Recap is the third and final part in a series of FCAN releases during session to track policy updates and changes that stand to impact the state’s postsecondary students and could play a major role in building a Talent Strong Florida.
Click here to view the full recap.
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