State Legislature Advances: Week of March 14, 2010

The News Service of Florida

THE CAPITOL, TALLAHASSEE, March 5, 2010: It’s the third week of the session when things really get going. Several major pieces of legislation hit the House floor this week, including the closely watched bill that returns to the world of campaign finance something akin to leadership funds controlled by legislative leaders to get others elected. The measure also takes a shot at reining the 527 committees that have been able to spend without public scrutiny on campaigns.

{sidebar id=3}A top business priority also hits the House floor with slip and fall legislation that seeks to make it harder for people who want to allege they were injured because of some hazard at a business to show the business was at fault.

A House energy proposal – remember limits on greenhouse gas emissions? – may come out this week, as could House cut proposals in health and human services that are expected to at least match some of the difficult cuts outlined this past week in the Senate.

Also in the House, expect Democrats to become more vocal about the budget that is taking shape, trying to draw more attention to some of the details in the proposed cuts.

Budget committees in both chambers also get down to nuts and bolts of the budget with several subcommittees expected to take up spending plans.

SUNDAY, March 14, 2010

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ ON CBS SUNDAY SHOW: U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, is a guest on Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer Sunday morning. Wasserman Schultz is appearing along with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans. Wasserman Schultz wrote on her Twitter feed that she is set to talk about health care reform. (Sunday, 9 a.m., CBS)

MONDAY, March 15, 2010

SEXUAL PREDATORS, PROPERTY TAXES, AND WATER: The House Military and Local Affairs Policy Committee may take up a measure (SB 119) aimed at protecting children from sexual predators while acknowledging that extreme residency requirements are hard to enforce. The bill which sets up a 1,000-foot statewide residency restriction while allowing cities like Miami to keep more restrictive ordinances in place. The panel is also expected to take up a handful of property tax measures including HB 151, which implements a 2008 constitutional amendment preventing property assessors from adding hurricane improvements to a home’s assessed value. HB 965 prohibits appraisers from adding repairs of Chinese drywall to a home’s assessed value. On the water front, the committee takes up HB 1109 to add new water supply requirements for water management districts. (Monday 12 p.m., 212 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

OIL DRILLING TALK CONTINUES: Expect some sparks as the House Select Policy Council on Strategic and Economic Planning hears results of a report by the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida on oil drilling in state waters. The commission’s report, a draft of which was released earlier this month, says the discovery of oil and natural gas near the state’s Gulf coast would have a negligible effect on gas prices or supply. Committee chairman Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, last year sponsored legislation to open up state waters to drilling. (Monday, 3:15 p.m., 212 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

SPEAKING OF WHICH: The Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida meets in Orlando on Monday morning. Part of the meeting will be discussion on the oil drilling debate. Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, commissioned the Collins Center for Public Policy to look at the pros and cons of drilling in the Gulf. The commission will hear results of that study followed by a question and answer period. (Monday, 9:30 a.m., Orlando City Council Chamber, 400 S. Orange Ave, 2nd Floor, Orlando.)

SUNSHINE RECOGNITION – FRIENDS OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT: The annual Sunshine Recognition Luncheon sponsored by the First Amendment Foundation is Monday and will honor the Pete Weitzel Friend of the First Amendment winner who has made a significant contribution to the cause of open government. (Monday, 11:45 a.m., Governor’s Club, Tallahassee.)

TUESDAY, March 16, 2010

BIO-DIESEL AND TAX CREDITS: The Senate Finance and Tax Committee takes up SB 788, a measure to expand the definition of bio-diesel as it relates to for tax breaks. The panel is also expected to vote on SB 2126, which increases the cap on the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship voucher program. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 301 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

PROVISO OPENNESS: Following through on pledges by Senate President Jeff Atwater, the Senate General Government Appropriations Committee will comb through proposed proviso, conforming and implementing language that is expected to be part of the 2010 budget. Atwater, R-North Palm Beach has called for more transparency in the budget process. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

HHS BUDGET PITCH: Facing millions in cuts in programs for children, elders and the state’s vulnerable residents, the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriation Committee meets to take up chairman Durell Peaden’s budget proposal. The panel will also wade through proviso, conforming and implementing language. Expect a flurry of amendments as members look at proposed cuts to the state’s health and human services system. Initial proposals call for eliminating the Florida Health Families program and cutting off payments for hearing aids and glasses to elderly residents, cuts of $7 million in funding for senior center hot meals and more than $6 million in cuts to Alzheimers care. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

FUTURES, NOT SO BRIGHT?: Facing escalating costs and limited funds, the Senate Higher Education Appropriations Committee is expected to debate the future of the Bright Futures Scholarship program. Expected to cost the state nearly $500 million this year, the program is faltering under its own weight. Some have called for raising the academic requirements to receive and maintain the scholarship, which now helps pay tuition for half of the state’s undergraduate students. The panel will also consider an 8 percent tuition increase as part of its ongoing budget talks. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Room 117, Knott Building, The Capitol.)

SENATE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET: Sen. Mike Fasano, chairman of the Senate Transportation Budget committee, said his panel this week will take up legislation that could allow corporate logos on license plates as a money-maker, and will go over the budget itself, including a proposal to back off higher license fees a bit, by $6. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 309 Capitol; Friday, 8 a.m., 309 Capitol.)

ON THE HOUSE FLOOR TUESDAY

BACKGROUND SCREENING BILL: On Tuesday, the full House is on the floor. Among the bills it may consider is HB 7069, a committee bill that deals with the background screening of people who work with vulnerable Floridians, such as children or the elderly. The legislation was sparked by a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that found loopholes in the screening process. According to the report, 3,500 people with criminal records had been approved to work with elderly and disabled people, and about 2,900 had been permitted to work with children. (Tuesday, 12:30 p.m., House Chamber)

LEADERSHIP FUNDS: The full House also consider HB 1207 dealing with political campaigns, and electioneering communication organizations (ECOs.) The legislation also creates affiliated party committees (APCs), otherwise known as leadership funds, which were banned years ago. The Republican-backed bill has been one of the most watched for the political set.

ALSO ON THE FLOOR: The House also is likely to take up a few other high priority issues on second reading. HB 437 caps at $50 million the fees trial lawyers can collect on contingency fees in contracts with the Department of Legal Affairs. That’s a top priority of Attorney General Bill McCollum, also a Republican candidate for governor.

SLIP AND FALL HITS THE FLOOR: The House will also take up legislation (HB 689) that would change the burden of proof in premises liability cases – a top priority for retailers that’s being lobbied very hard by Publix. A spokesman for House Democrats said it’s not certain yet whether the caucus will take a position on the bill, but clearly several lawyers in the caucus are against it as is the trial bar. Look for Democrats to try to amend it on the floor.

ALSO ON THE FLOOR: Other bills up for initial consideration include HB 105 dealing with civics education, HB 1, which eliminates the statute of limitations in intentional wrongful death cases, and HB 969 making improvements to Launch Complex 36 at Kennedy Space Center.

BOOKS AND JOBS: The Senate Ways and Means Committee takes up a measure to bolster graduation requirements for Florida high school students. SB 4 would require a slate of academic subjects including geometry, algebra, biology, chemistry or physics. A jobs bill, SB 1752, by Sen. Don Gaetz is also on the agenda. The panel will also take up SJR 2204 and SB 2206, establishing a uniform accounting of funds for all public entities by the state’s chief financial officer. (Tuesday 3:45 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

KEN JENNE PENSION ON APPEAL: Former Broward Sheriff and state legislator Ken Jenne is in court Tuesday trying to persuade the 1st District Court of Appeal that he should receive his state pension. Jenne, who was convicted of mail fraud and tax evasion, lost his pension because he “was convicted of crimes that require the forfeiture of his rights and benefits,” a Division of Administrative Hearings judge ruled in March 2009. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 1st District Court of Appeal, 301 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., Tallahassee.)

UTILITY CONSERVATION GOALS: The Public Service Commission on Tuesday reviews numeric conservation goals for Florida Power & Light, Progress Energy, Tampa Electric, Gulf Power, Florida Public Utilities Co., Orlando Utilities Commission and JEA, among other technical issues on its agenda. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, Room 148, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON: Gov. Charlie Crist and Education Commissioner Eric Smith are traveling to Washington D.C. this week to meet with U.S. Department of Education officials about Race to the Top, the $4.35 billion competitive grant available to states. Florida is one of the finalists for the money and could receive up to $1 billion. In addition to Crist and Smith, public schools chancellor Frances Haithcock, Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia and Miami-Dade County Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho are all taking part in the presentation to DOE officials about why the state should receive the money. “Our purpose is to ensure that federal officials fully understand why Florida should succeed in this competition between states,” Crist said in a release. “I am confident our past and present progress in increasing student achievement and school accountability will present a very persuasive case for Florida’s success.” The meeting is closed to the public. (Tuesday, Washington D.C.)

CAPITAL PRESS CORPS SKITS: If you’re having trouble seeing the comedy in a $3 billion budget shortfall, long House committee discussions of torts, and brutal political pot shots, then the Capital Press Corps Skits may be for you. In addition to (usually lame) songs and sketch comedy by reporters, the governor and Legislature also get in on the act. (Tuesday, 8 p.m., The Moon, E. Lafayette St., Tallahassee.)

WEDNESDAY, March 17,, 2010

CHANGES TO DMS IN SENATE GOV OVERSIGHT: The Department of Management Services and its 1,100 employees will be on the chopping block Wednesday in the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee. The panel will likely vote on Sen. Jeremy Ring’s legislation (SB 1238) that would break up DMS and scatter its duties between the governor’s office and at least four other state agencies. Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson of Tallahassee, who represents a large chunk of state workers, is trying to keep the embattled agency together in the face of rising opposition from Senate budget chairman J.D. Alexander and others. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

GREEN LIGHT ON RED LIGHT: The House Government Affairs Committee takes up HB 1325, which sets ups statewide standards for red light cameras used to nab speeding motorists, and sets out where the fines would go – which is mostly to trauma centers and other health care needs and local governments. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 306 House Office Building, The Capitol.).

PSC REORGANIZATION BEFORE HOUSE ENERGY AND UTILITIES: The House Energy and Utilities Committee is expected to take up a bill to reorganize the Public Service Commission, though the bill won’t be available until mid-week so how far it will go is still a big question. Committee chairman Steve Precourt has said he wants to go beyond changes to the rules governing ex parte communications at the commission, though that’s expected to be part of the bill too. The Senate has been aggressive in addressing ethics at the PSC, the House has been seen as less zealous about changes at the utility regulation panel. Precourt was quoted by The Miami Herald earlier this week as saying that the steady flow of scandal at the commission makes changes necessary. The committee also may take up PCB EUP 10-03 creating the Property Assessed Renewable Energy Bonds. PACE is a financing option for consumers to invest in renewable energy projects for their homes or businesses. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., 17 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

PROPERTY INSURANCE RATE INCREASES: The House Insurance Committee is expected to take up HB 447. The measure would restrict the ability of the Office of Insurance Regulation to oversee proposed rate hikes. The agency would retain oversight to ensure that companies doing business in the state can pay claims. A similar bill that would have only applied to certain large companies passed the Legislature last year but was vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist. The version under consideration now would apply to all property insurers. (Wednesday 1 p.m., 212 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

UNIVERSITY BOARD OF GOVERNORS: The Florida Board of Governors holds its regular meeting in Tallahassee Wednesday while lawmakers hold meetings to hammer out the university system's budget. A spokesman for the board said a good part of the meeting is focused on the legislative session and how things might play out for the state university system. Additionally, the board is hearing from the student health insurance task force, which has debated mandating health insurance for all Florida public university students. (Wednesday, 8:30 a.m., Auditorium, Room 208, Turnbull Conference Center, Florida State University, Tallahassee.)

THURSDAY, March 18, 2010

HOUSE SESSION: Bills advanced on Tuesday will be available for final passage during the House Floor Session. (Thursday, 9 a.m., House Chambers, The Capitol.)

SUPREME COURT OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court releases opinions. (Thursday, 11 a.m., www.floridasupremecourt.org)

FRIDAY, March 19, 2010

SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEES: The Senate appropriations committees are noticed for Friday morning, though those meetings often get cancelled. No agendas are out.

CAMPAIGN EVENTS

DOCKERY, TUESDAY: Republican candidate for governor Paula Dockery speaks at the Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee Meeting. (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Blaise Alfano Center, 11606 McKinley Dr., Tampa.)

This information originally published on March 13, 2010.

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