SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 5601

Higher Education
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SPONSOR
Higher Education Budget Subcommittee; Busatta
FILED BY
Demi Busatta — District 114, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
upon becoming a law

Filed under Education.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Higher Education; Transfers specified assets & liabilities between USF Sarasota/Manatee & New College of Florida; revises provisions relating to Title IX, tuition rates for certain postsecondary students; & removes future repeal of specified amendments to Florida Statutes.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Transfers USF Sarasota/Manatee campus to New College of Florida.

New College of Florida assumes all debt and physical assets of the USF Sarasota/Manatee campus by July 2026.

USF students admitted before July 2026 retain priority access to the transferred buildings to finish their degrees.

University boards gain the authority to set out-of-state fees for nonresident students, subject to a 15% annual cap.

State funds may now be used to support Title IX compliance, including fixed capital outlay and recruitment costs.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Transfer of USF Sarasota/Manatee to New College of Florida majors. 1004.342(2)(a)

AINew College of Florida must assume all debt and real property of the USF Sarasota/Manatee campus by July 1, 2026, and pay USF $166,617 monthly until the debt is retired.

“The board of trustees of New College of Florida shall, as soon as reasonably practical, but no later than October 30, 2026, complete all steps necessary or appropriate to assume,” bill text, line 89 →
§ 2 USF students retain access to transferred facilities majors. 1004.342(3)(a)

AIUSF students admitted before July 1, 2026, must be given priority use of classroom and support space in the transferred buildings until they graduate, at no cost to USF.

“A University of South Florida student who was admitted to the university before July 1, 2026, and who remains continuously enrolled must receive the highest priority for the use of” bill text, line 181 →
§ 3 USF cannot admit new students to Sarasota/Manatee majors. 1004.342(3)(c)

AIUSF may not allow any student admitted after July 1, 2026, to designate the Sarasota/Manatee campus as their home campus.

“The University of South Florida may not allow a newly enrolled student whose initial offer of admission to the university came after July 1, 2026, to designate the University of” bill text, line 204 →
§ 4 University boards gain authority to set nonresident fees moderates. 1009.24(4)(c)

AIEach university board of trustees may now establish out-of-state fees for nonresident students, replacing the prior Board of Governors authority.

“Each university board of trustees may establish and out-of-state fees for nonresident students” bill text, line 241 →
§ 5 State funds may support Title IX compliance moderates. 1011.90(8)

AIState funds may be used for Title IX compliance costs, including capital outlay, scholarships, administration, recruitment, and comparable coaching.

“State funds may be used in support of the requirements of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and s. 1006.71, including fixed capital outlay, scholarships, administration,” bill text, line 408 →
§ 6 Capital outlay funding requirement updated moderates. 1011.45(3)

AIUniversities must commit 12 percent of their prior fiscal year state operating fund carry forward balance to fund a public education capital outlay project.

“the authorized expenditures in a carry forward spending plan must include a commitment of 12 percent of the university's prior fiscal year state operating fund carry forward” bill text, line 365 →
§ 7 Escrow requirement for new construction projects moderates. 1001.706(12)(c)

AINew construction projects must include a plan to reserve funds in an escrow account for future maintenance, removing the prior requirement that the account be specific to the project.

“A plan is provided to reserve funds in an escrow account, into which shall be deposited each year an amount of funds equal to 1 percent of the total value of the building for”
§ 8 Definition of educational facilities expanded moderates. 1013.01(6)

AIThe definition of educational facilities now includes research use areas, not just special educational use areas.

“"Educational facilities" means the buildings and equipment, structures, and special educational and research use areas that are built, installed, or established to serve primarily” bill text, line 416 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2)
3/3/2026
Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Amendments)
3/2/2026
Favorable with 1 amendment(s) by- Appropriations (160978); YEAS 17 NAYS 0
2/25/2026
On Committee agenda-- Appropriations, 03/02/26, 12:00 pm, 110...
2/20/2026
Conference Committee appointed
2/19/2026
Received
2/19/2026
Referred to Appropriations
2/19/2026
In Messages
2/19/2026
Requests that the Senate pass the bill as passed by the House or...
2/19/2026
Passed; YEAS 76, NAYS 28
2/19/2026
Read 3rd time
2/19/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
2/19/2026
Read 2nd time
2/16/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2/16/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (2/19/2026)
2/16/2026
Bill referred to House Calendar
2/16/2026
Filed
11 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 1001.706
+0 / −4
s. 1004.342
+1335 / −0
s. 1004.344
+0 / −12
s. 1009.24
+14 / −55
s. 1011.45
+13 / −0
s. 1011.45
+1 / −1
STAFF ANALYSES