Advocating to Preserve Home Rule
2010 Legislative Session- During the session FAC will provide weekly updates on this page: www.facadvocacy.com Check back here each week for the latest update from Tallahassee.
Legislative Session
Update
March 8, 2010
Finance & Tax:
House F&T and Senate F&T agendas not yet released
but are meeting on Thursdays.
SB 622 - Gambling Bill -FAC would like to know your county’s
concerns/support for this bill so that FAC can coordinate any needed efforts on
this bill. Up on Wed in Senate Regulated Industries.
SB 2420 – TABOR has committees of reference. 1st up is Community Affairs then
its 2nd committee stop is Government Oversight & Accountability. We will get out talking points to all county
lobbyists. There is still no House
companions.
Efficiency and Effective Workshops – DOR is slated to cut
$24-25 million in General revenue. 50%
of that is proposed to cut is a cost shift to counties of about $13 million of
Property Tax oversight. FAC has met with
DOR that 50% of the taxes they collect are state taxes due to schools and have
no relationship to local governments. In
addition, DOR checks property appraisers to make sure values are correct as
well as training for property appraisers.
Counties fund a portion of property appraisers as well as the tax
collectors. Although the cost shift was
proposed in the Senate they have provided the same list to the House as
well. FAC will be opposing this cost
shift. Please explain the facts that
cities and counties are already funding much of those functions as well as the
school point. It may come up Wednesday
in Senate Government Appropriations. It
may be considered a mandate as well since it impacts the county cost share.
Tourist Development Tax – House did a workshop last week and
FAC is closely reviewing that meeting to get a better idea of the House’ next
option. FAC Pres-Elect Ilene Lieberman
testified in that committee.
Please direct
questions on Finance & Tax issues to Davin Suggs.
Health Care:
Tuesday
House – Health Care Regulation Committee
HB 1143 - Relating to Reduction & Simplification of Health Care Provider
Regulation - Streamlines rules & procedures relating to AHCA
House - Elder & Family Services Policy Committee
HB 945 - Relating to Automated External Defibrillators in Assisted Living
Facilities -Requires licensed ALFs with 17 beds or more to possess functioning
automated external defibrillator; provides for training in use &
maintenance of automated external defibrillators & location registration
House - Health Care Services Policy Committee
HB 923 - Relating to Homelessness - Establishes homelessness prevention grant
program
Senate - Health Regulation
SB 752 - Relating to Health Care Fraud - 50 page bill aimed at reducing
Medicaid fraud
SB 1818 - Relating to Blood Establishments -Prohibits local
governments from restricting access to public facilities for certain activities
based on whether a bank is operating as a for-profit organization or
not-for-profit organization. This will was formerly PCB 7050
Wednesday
Calendar not released on Monday
Please direct
questions on Health Care issues to Heather Wildermuth.
Public Safety:
Public Safety and Domestic Security
HB 445: PreTrial – FAC opposes this bill.
Health Care Regulation
HB 325: Red Light Bill by Reagan – this is a bill FAC supports
Please direct
questions on Public Safety issues to Sarrah Carroll.
Environment:
Senate Environment Preservation:
SB 570 - Recycling is highest priority.
Up tomorrow afternoon. FAC has spoken with the Chair regarding some of
our concerns on the environmental and fiscal impacts. FAC appreciates the comments from local
governments to the committee members.
Concerned that small counties should be exempt from the recycling bill. The bill will be workshopped tomorrow so it
will not be voted on. Small counties
will not likely be exempt but likely to be ‘encouraged’ to recycle. Sponsor wants to see more C&D recycling
and looking for ways to encourage more recycling – one such idea is that
C&D debris would no longer be allowed in landfills.
SB 1052 – Gaetz Recycling Bill – remove ban on yard trash
from going into a class 1 landfill that does gasification. Allowing those facilities to do more
gasification – but some local concerned about existing waste to energy
contracts that this bill may make it harder for them to meet their requirements.
Senate Agriculture Committee
SB 2074 – Ag Preemption – This bill is better then where it was a few years ago
but still raises concerns for FAC. FAC
will continue to monitor.
House calendar is still not released but meeting Thursday
morning.
Energy Finance Districts – A lot of counties support the
concept but there is still a great deal to iron out. FAC is concerned about the restrictive nature
currently in the bill to local government authority and is working with House
staff to limit that language.
Please direct
questions on Environment issues to Diana Ferguson.
Growth Management
& Transportation:
SB 1742 – This is the SB 360 interpretation reversal
bill. A strike-all on Thursday got rid
of the reversal language but left in some language that concerns FAC. (Read this week’s News & Notes for more
details). FAC encourages counties to
express their concerns.
SB 2452 – This bill would allow for permit extensions on
existing permits as well as concurrency exceptions to continue.
A draft bill out of Military and Local Affairs deals with
land use and compatibility for military bases.
FAC sent this bill out for county review today and encourage your
feedback. Expect it to be workshopped on
Wed.
Government Accountability Council
DCA Sunset Bill – this all looks good on FAC’s support – they may not reenact
the agency and continue to review the agency but restructure the agency in
areas that would not likely be favorable to local governments.
SB 648 / HB 663 – Major Building Codes bill – not expecting too many issues with this bill
HB 665 – Affordable Housing – FAC is monitoring this.
HB 899 – Local Preferences – Broward, Miami-Dade and Orange
watching this bill closely. Broward is
opposed to this bill.
Please direct
questions on Growth Management & Transportation issues to Eric Poole.
Archive updates: March 1
Information on Advocacy at FAC
The Florida Association of Counties (FAC) is called upon to represent counties year-round on a range of issues from finance and tax to health care to transportation before the Florida Legislature, the Governor and Cabinet, various state agencies and the courts. The guiding principles that underlie FAC's efforts are to preserve county home rule authority, to provide a voice for the development and implementation of statewide policies, and to protect local citizenry from the financial burden of unfunded mandates.
Determining the consensus position of Florida counties is paramount to FAC's annual policy development process. This process is designed to prioritize a multitude of issues critical to all counties through four standing legislative policy committees. Three to four county commissioners appointed by the FAC President guide each committee's work. Service on a policy committee is voluntary and open to all county commissioners and county professional staff.
Committees operate on a consensus basis, working towards legislative positions that represent broad support among counties. County staff may serve as technical support, but only commissioners may vote.
Our legislative advocacy team is lead by John Wayne Smith, who has many years of legislative and local government experience and has spent his career working on behalf of local governments. Eric Poole is the Assistant Legislative Director who also focuses on Growth Management and Transportation issues. Diana Ferguson is the Legislative Staff Attorney who primarily lobbies environmental and energy issues. Heather Wildermuth is our leading health and human services advocate and Sarrah Tronscoso is our public safety and administration advocate. Davin Suggs works closely with counties on the many finance and tax issues that are addressed during the legislative session.
Our legal advocacy is led by Ginger Delegal, FAC's General Counsel, who has over 15 years of experience in Florida local government law. The legal advocacy strategy is developed through close collaboration with the FAC officers and directors and through joint efforts with offices of County Attorneys throughout the state.