Tuesday, March 05, 2024
Bill providing security funding to Jewish day schools, preschools heads to governor’s desk
A bill that would provide recurring security funding to full time Jewish day schools and preschools passed through the Senate floor and will now head to the governor's desk.
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, carried HB 1109, which passed through the Senate Tuesday with a 39-0 vote. Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, sponsored the Senate version of the bill.
The bill would require the Florida Department of Education to establish a program to provide security funding to the Jewish day schools.
Gruters said that since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the Jewish community institutions nationwide have reported an increase of 290% related incidents since last year.
He said the incidents include several Florida Jewish day schools who have received swatting, or threatening, emails and phone calls.
The senator pointed to Jewish day schools' enrollment increase being up 50% over the past five years as the numbers of schools have doubled.
He said between the increasing enrollment and the "rising antisemitism," security costs have risen on average 47%.
Florida lawmakers ended a November special session where multiple pieces of legislation related to Israel became law. One new law bolstered funding for security at institutions such as Jewish day schools.
Gruters said the bill allows that process of recurring funding for Jewish day schools to continue at each regular legislative session, "if deemed necessary" through the General Appropriations Act process.
The bill is now headed to the governor's desk for final approval.
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