1 / 18

2017 Legislative Wrap-up

2017 Legislative Wrap-up. June 21, 2017. Session Overview. Post-Election Make-up House – Speaker Richard Corcoran 46 Freshmen members, out of 120 Top-down approach to governing Senate – President Joe Negron 20 Freshmen members, out of 40

alligood
Download Presentation

2017 Legislative Wrap-up

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. 2017 Legislative Wrap-up June 21, 2017

  2. Session Overview • Post-Election Make-up • House – Speaker Richard Corcoran • 46 Freshmen members, out of 120 • Top-down approach to governing • Senate – President Joe Negron • 20 Freshmen members, out of 40 • Inclusive approach; however, 2 leaders (Negron & Latvala)

  3. Session Overview • New House Rules for “Transparency” • Lobbying Registration on every issue, prior to discussing w member • Budget – Every local funding issue must have a bill filed • Budget – No more Recurring General Revenue for projects; only Non-Recurring GR (one-time funding) • Senate does not change their Rules • New Budget Bill Rule dramatically increases total number of filed bills

  4. Session Overview • March 7th – May 5th • Total Bills Filed House and Senate: 3052 • Total Passed by Both Chambers: 249 • Most bills filed since 1990’s; 2nd fewest passed in recent memory

  5. Session Overview • Major Issues: • Governor • Economic Development / Jobs, Jobs, Jobs • Senate • Higher Education Funding / Universities, not State Colleges • Environment – Lake Okeechobee runoff containment • House • K-12 Education / Charter Schools of Hope • Budget Reductions / prepare for looming recession • Eliminate Enterprise Florida, Visit Florida & Corporate Incentives • Transparency / Local Government Reform

  6. Session Overview • Major Issues: cont. • Voters • Medical Marijuana Constitutional Amendment Implementation • Business Community • Workers Compensation Reform / post-Supreme Court rulings • Gaming / Seminole Compact adoption • Whiskey & Wheaties • Gun Bills • Mystery / Mid-Session • Homestead Exemption

  7. Special Session Overview • June 7th – 9th • Primary Focus – K-12 Budget, Economic Development funding & Lake Okeechobee Dike funding • Per pupil funding increased by $100 per; Visit Florida fully funded at $76M; $85M for FL Job Growth Grant Fund; $50M for Dike; restoration of some Higher Ed budget vetoes • Call expanded to include Medical Marijuana Implementation. Bill passed. • No movement on Gaming, Workers Comp or Whiskey & Wheaties

  8. Chapter 162 Bill • Public Notices by Local Governmental Entities • HB 897 by Rep. Richard Stark (D, Weston) • SB 1444 by Sen. Linda Stewart (D, Orlando) • Would have allowed a city or county to publish legally required notices and advertisements on their official websites instead of having to pay to place in a newspaper; • Authorizes county or municipal code enforcement boards to publish notice using a publicly accessible website maintained by the county or city; • HB 897 heard in one committee, but moved no further. • Bills Died at the end of Session

  9. Special Risk Classification • Special Risk Class for 911 Operators • HB 873 by Rep. Barry Russell (D, Lauderhill) • SB 658 by Sen. Kevin Rader (D, Boca Raton) • Would have added 911 public safety telecommunicators to the Special Risk Class • The bills were not heard in committee and Died at the end of Session. • Public Employees / Florida Retirement System • HB 7022, by Governmental Oversight & Accountability • Expands survivor benefits for Special Risk Class members killed in line of duty, retroactive to 2002 (expense for additional benefits borne by Sheriffs); • Changes default from pension plan to investment plan for FRS new hires, after January 1, 2018, and provides pay raises for most State workers. • Bill passed House 72-37 and Senate 24-13. Approved by Governor.

  10. Local Government Issues • Local Regulation Preemption • HB 17, by Rep. Randy Fine (R, Palm Bay) • Would have prohibited any new local regulations and grandfather in existing regulations until 2020. • HB 17 passed one committee, but went no further. • Local Regulation of Commerce, Trade or Labor • SB 1158, by Sen. Kathleen Passidomo (R, Naples) • Would have prohibited local governments from banning the sale of any good or service (such as pet stores). • SB 1158 was not heard in committee. • Both bills Died at the end of Session.

  11. Local Government Issues • Local Business Taxes • HB 487by Rep. Paul Renner (R, Palm Coast) • SB 330 by Sen. Greg Steube (R, Bradenton) • Initially would have prohibited new local business taxes after January 1, 2017. Existing business taxes would have been capped at $25.00. Bills were amended in committee to only provide exemption to veterans and surviving spouses. • Bills Died at the end of Session • Vacation Rentals Preemption • HB 425 by Rep. Mike LaRosa (R, Celebration) • Would have prohibited local governments from adopting ordinances specifically affecting vacation rentals. • Bill passed House 63-56, but didn’t pass Senate and Died at end of Session.

  12. Local Government Issues • Community Redevelopment Agencies • HB 13 by Rep. Jake Raburn (R, Valrico) • SB 1770 by Sen. Tom Lee (R, Brandon) • Initially would have prohibited new CRAs and phased out existing CRAs. Bills were amended to continue to allow CRAs with super-majority vote, but with major oversight included. • HB 13 passed House, 78-37, but SB 1770 was defeated in committee, 2-5. • Red Light Camera Repeal • HB 6007 by Rep. Bryan Avila (R, Miami) • SB 178 by Sen. Frank Artiles (R, Miami) • Pre-empts the use of red light cameras to the State, prohibiting local governments from implementing red light camera programs. • HB 6007 passed the House, 91-22, but SB 178 was defeated in committee on a 2-2 vote.

  13. Public Safety Issues • Gun Bills • A large number of bills were filed that related to firearms, specifically, the right to carry firearms into various venues. None of the bills made it through the committee process and few were even heard after Senate President Pro TemAnitere Flores (R, Miami) voiced her opposition before Session began. The bills included: • SB 610 – Conceal Carry Prohibited / Responsibility of Property Owner • SB 616 – Conceal Carry / Courthouses • SB 618 / HB 6001 – Conceal Carry / Airports • SB 626 – Conceal Carry / Government Facilities • SB 644 – Open Carry • SB 646 – Conceal Carry / Penalties for Involuntary Display • HB 6005 – Conceal Carry / College Campuses

  14. Homestead Exemption • Homestead Exemption • HJR 7105 by Rep. Mike LaRosa • Legislation appeared as a Committee Bill in the House Ways & Means Committee during the 5th Week of Session. • Local Governments & Special Districts opposed in committee, but it quickly became apparent that it was a Speaker’s priority and it passed the House 81-35. • Behind the scenes, the issue was included in Budget negotiations, despite not moving in the Senate. • In an unusual maneuver, HB 7105 was heard in Senate Rules Committee on the Friday morning of the 8th Week and again on the Floor that afternoon. • Senate amended HB 7105 to move the $25,000 exemption to the 5th Quartile – from $100,000 to $125,000, and ‘exempted’ the fiscally constrained counties. • Bill passed Senate 28-10, House approves changes and upon passage, HB 7105 is filed with Secretary of State to be included on the General Election ballot in November of 2018.

  15. Homestead Exemption • Homestead Exemption, continued • If approved by 60% of the voters in 2018, the effective date is January 1, 2019. • Estimated negative fiscal impact of $644M on cities, counties and special districts. • The 29 Fiscally Constrained Counties will have their loss of ad valorem revenue offset by appropriations from the Legislature. The cities within these counties will NOT have their lost revenue offset. • The 29 Fiscally Constrained Counties are: Baker, Bradford, Calhoun, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Okeechobee, Putnam, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla & Washington. • 1st Quartile - $0-$25,000 – Exempt from all taxes • 2nd Quartile - $25,000-$50,000 – Taxed • 3rd Quartile - $50,000-$75,000 – Exempt from non-school taxes • 4th Quartile - $75,000-$100,000 - Taxed • 5th Quartile - $100,000-$125,000 – Exempt from non-school

  16. Upcoming Schedule • Tentative Committee Meeting Schedule: • September – one week • October – two weeks • November – two weeks • December – at least one week • Legislative Delegation Meetings in each county • October and November • 2018 Session • January 9 – March 9 • Qualifying for 2018 Elections • June

  17. Elections • 2018 General Election Cycle • Seats on the ballot in 2018: • US Senate (Sen. Bill Nelson vs Gov. Rick Scott) • Governor (Rs - Adam Putnam, Richard Corcoran or Jack Latvala vs Ds - Gwen Graham, Andrew Gillum, Chris King or John Morgan) • Attorney General (Rs - Jay Fant or Ashley Moody vs Ds - unknown) • Chief Financial Officer (Rs - unknown vs Ds - Jeremy Ring) • Commissioner of Agriculture (Rs – Denise Grimsley, Matt Caldwell or Baxter Troutman vs Ds – unknown) • All Congressional Seats (27) • All Even Numbered Senate Seats (20) • All House Seats (120)

More Related