TALLAHASSEE — A controversial plan from a Broward County Democrat to require high schools to offer computer coding courses and let students count them toward foreign language requirements was heralded Thursday as "novel," "innovative" and "forward-thinking."

But some members of the Florida Senate, as well as some local school district administrators, question how costly the proposal could be and how districts would pay for it when they are already strapped for digital resources.

Despite not knowing the myriad expenses that might come with implementing the proposal, Senate Bill 468 by Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, passed the Senate Pre-K-12 Education Committee on Thursday by an 8-2 vote.

"We're supposed to be transformative with education," said Ring, a former Yahoo executive. "We're trying ... to recognize the reality of the world and give our kids a leg up."

Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, said the plan screams "unfunded mandate" because of the course software, computers and specialized teachers and training that would be necessary to meet the bill's requirements.

"I'm concerned that we're going to take an approach that is forward-thinking and then fail in implementation," Detert cautioned.

Ring said the financial details would be handled in the education budget committee, which is the bill's next stop. That panel is led by Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who also supported Ring's bill Thursday and offered two amendments on Ring's behalf.

South Florida Democrats Dwight Bullard, of Cutler Bay, and Jeff Clemens, of Lake Worth, voted against the proposal. Bullard cited the "severe unintended consequences" the legislation poses — similar to when lawmakers endorsed computer-based testing but schools lacked enough computers and ran into issues.

"It sings of the same problems we faced back then," Bullard said. He also raised concerns that the plan could further disadvantage minority students and those who live in poorer areas, which already can't afford decent computer classrooms, such as his district in south Miami-Dade.

Ring spent most of Thursday's hearing on the defensive, trying to correct what he said was a general misunderstanding about what the bill would do. He repeatedly emphasized computer coding would be another "option" for students, "not a requirement."

"We're not replacing foreign language; we're saying computer language should be in the language disciplines," Ring said.

But while the classes would be optional for students, there's disagreement over whether schools would have the choice whether to even offer them. The bill states: "High schools must provide students opportunities to take computer coding courses of sufficient rigor."

"The intent is it's an option," Ring told reporters after the meeting. "If we have to further clarify it, we will."

House K-12 Subcommittee Chairwoman Janet Adkins, a Republican representative from Fernandina Beach, filed a companion bill late Thursday that mirrors Ring's amended plan. If it's enacted, school districts would have until January 2017 to develop their curriculum.

The proposal might be easier to implement in some districts than others.

Computer coding is offered in 12 of Hillsborough County's 27 public high schools already, district spokeswoman Tanya Arja told the Times/Herald.

"From a first look, we're not too concerned because it looks like it would not be required for all high schools," she said. "We'll have to see once the final bill goes through, to see what the language actually does say. There's always the potential of an impact when there's legislation with requirements that don't come with funding."

In general, the district supports the concept.

"It would help the students, because if the students take coding, this would let it count for high school requirements," Arja said.

Republicans on the Senate committee joined Ring in emphasizing the legislation would better prepare students for a modern workforce, by teaching them to be conversant in the "global language" of computer coding.

"If we simply set the goal post as a degree, then we fail in our responsibilities. The ultimate goalpost is a job, is a career," Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg said.

Clemens said he disagrees with that philosophy, which was one of the reasons he voted against the bill.

"It goes back to why we provide an education in the first place," he said. "It isn't so kids can get a job; it's so they can become a well-rounded member of society. ... If we're focusing on getting our kids a certain type of job, it's a disservice."

One amendment approved Thursday requires Florida's state colleges and public universities to honor computer coding courses toward foreign language requirements. For students applying to schools out-of-state, Ring suggested students could choose to take two years of a traditional foreign language and two years of coding.

Another amendment clarified previous language that initially said students pursuing a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship would have to earn at least two credits in computer coding in order to be eligible to apply. The revised wording makes clear computer coding is an optional alternative to the foreign language requirement of the scholarship.

Contact Kristen M. Clark at kclark@miamiherald.com. Follow @ByKristenMClark.