House advances tighter restrictions on non-resident enrollment at preeminent universities

In response to concerns about Florida students not getting into in-state universities, legislation moving through the House would halve the number of out-of-state applicants being admitted.

The House Budget Committee is advancing HB 1279 by Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, a Lakeland Republican who would trade the higher tuition paid by students from outside Florida for a higher number of students educated in the state being able to attend its best universities.

“Our Florida preeminent universities are built and funded by Florida’s taxpayers. Their first priority should be to educate Florida’s students first,” Kincart Jonsson said.

“We are Florida lawmakers. Right now, too many seats go to out-of-state students while qualified Floridians with the same or better performance metrics are overlooked. These are many of our top performing students. Future doctors, engineers, teachers, and entrepreneurs, who are more likely to stay here and grow our economy, given the opportunity. Our flagships can remain world class while putting Floridians first.”

Should it become law, Kincart Jonsson’s bill requires preeminent state universities, including the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of South Florida, Florida International University and the University of Central Florida to reserve 95% of fall slots for first-time college students for Florida resident students, a number ultimately to be based on a three-year average.

House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell asked the sponsor about how colleges and universities would offset the revenue lost.

Kincart Jonsson said roughly 45% of the 34,000 undergraduate students in the state were on tuition waivers anyway, with 3% of revenue coming from these students, compared to 23% of their budgets coming from the Legislature.

“We need to make sure we’re taking care of Florida students first,” she added, expressing confidence the state could fill the $54 million hole that would be created should this bill pass.

It limits international student enrollment at state universities and requires students to be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present to receive state financial aid.

Republican Rep. Demi Busatta lauded the bill, saying it came down to “who should we be subsidizing in our higher education system.”

The bill also caps international students from any given country at 5% at each state university. It also requires Financial Aid recipients to be citizens or otherwise in the country legally.