| Changes from FY 2005-06 Year to Date:
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| Items Included by the Senate and House
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| 1. Entrepreneurship Curriculum. The Governor removed language requiring the Department of Labor and Economic Growth to work collaboratively with community colleges to develop an accelerated entrepreneurship curriculum, including an associate degree. The House and Senate restored the section and specified a due date of February 1, 2007, for the annual reporting requirement. (Sec. 208)
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| 2. Abortion Coverage in Employee Health Insurance. The Senate and House restored language eliminated by the Governor that prohibits the use of State funds for health insurance that includes abortion services for college employees. (Sec. 230)
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| 3. Benefits for Unmarried Partners. The Senate and House restored language eliminated by the Governor that prohibits the use of State appropriations to provide benefits to unmarried partners of college employees. (Sec. 231)
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| 4. Payments in Lieu of Taxes. The Senate and House modified language that previously required a workgroup and report concerning Payments in Lieu of Taxes to community colleges with districts that contain nontaxable land. The new language requires continued discussions regarding payments in lieu of taxes. (Sec. 242)
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| Conference Agreement on Items of Difference
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| 5. University Acceptance of College Credits. The Senate and the Governor removed language that creates a workgroup to make recommendations regarding university acceptance of college credits by students enrolled through the postsecondary enrollment options act. The House included the language. The Conference Committee concurred with the House. (Sec. 235)
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| 6. Nursing Program Expansion. The Conference Committee included new language that creates a workgroup to evaluate and make recommendations concerning the expansion of nursing programs at community colleges. This section also requires a report on findings and recommendations (including funding) by March 1, 2007, and states legislative intent to fund approved recommendations of the workgroup. (Sec. 236)
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| 7. Performance Indicator Task Force/Full Funding of Gast-Mathieu Formula. The Conference Committee modified current year language and a new section included by the House to state legislative intent that the task force formula developed by the Performance Indicators Task Force be used for funding distributions in future years. Data collected for the Gast-Mathieu Formula will also continue to be collected and maintained. The section states legislative intent that Task Force performance measures and recommendations will be reviewed and more fully implemented for future distributions of State funding. (Sec. 304).
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| 8. Tax Increment Finance Authorities. The Senate and the Governor removed language that required the Department of Treasury to report on the property tax revenue lost by colleges as a result of tax increment finance authorities and tax abatements. The House included the language. The Conference Committee concurred with the House. (Sec. 513)
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| 9. Construction Contracts. The House included new language that prohibits a community college from entering into a contract for construction that discriminates against a person based upon legally prohibited characteristics, or membership in a labor organization, or requires any bidders or contractors to adhere to agreements with one or more labor organization. The Conference Committee removed this section.
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