215.16  Appropriations from General Revenue Fund for public schools, state institutions of higher learning, and community colleges; reduction.--

(1)  All state appropriations, from the General Revenue Fund, for the benefit of the uniform system of public free schools and the state institutions of higher learning shall be on a parity with all other state appropriations for all other purposes from the General Revenue Fund; provided, that the appropriations by the Legislature of the proceeds from specific tax levies set aside and earmarked for a particular purpose shall not be affected by this section.

(2)  If the state appropriations from the General Revenue Fund for the benefit of the uniform system of public free schools, state institutions of higher learning, and community colleges cannot be paid in full during any given year, they shall be diminished only in the same proportion that appropriations for all other purposes from the General Revenue Fund are diminished during such year. Additionally, any funding reductions to public free schools, state institutions of higher learning, and community colleges shall be diminished in proportions identical to one another. For the purpose of implementing this section, general revenue funds provided for public free schools, state institutions of higher learning, and community colleges shall be restricted to general revenue funds appropriated for the Division of Public Schools and Community Education, the Division of Workforce Development, the Division of Universities, excluding the general office of the ¹Board of Regents, and the Division of Community Colleges, excluding the division office.

History.--ss. 1, 2, ch. 19001, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 892; s. 1, ch. 83-49; s. 8, ch. 97-307.