Week 4 of this year's Legislative Session has come to a close, and we are moving at a record pace. The 2019-2020 Fiscal Year Budget proposed by the Senate passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. Next, it will head to the full Senate for consideration on Wednesday, April 3. The proposed budget prioritizes education, hurricane recovery and Florida’s environment, while replenishing state reserves to more than $3.4 billion. The budget was not the only focus this week, however, as key policies continued to move forward in Senate committees and on the Senate floor. Here are some of this week's highlights. President Trump Tours Lake Okeechobee Governor Ron DeSantis, U.S. Senator Rick Scott and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio welcomed President Donald Trump to Florida on Friday. President Trump toured Lake Okeechobee and expressed his commitment to expedite repairs of the Herbert Hoover Dike. Before the project began, this dike was identified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as one of the nation's riskiest dams. "We're making it stronger than it would ever have been. It's really in great shape," said President Trump. Hemp Passes out of Agriculture Committee Senate Bill 1020, Hemp, introduced by Senator Rob Bradley, passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee last Monday. The bill authorizes the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to create a state industrial hemp program to administer and oversee the growing of hemp. The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) legalized the industrial use of hemp and removed it from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s list of controlled substances, separating it from marijuana and placing it under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture. Next, the bill will be considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee before it heads to the Senate floor for a full vote. Texting While Driving Ban Passes Senate Judiciary Committee SB 76 authorizes law enforcement to stop and issue citations for texting while driving as a primary offense punishable as a moving violation instead of a nonmoving violation, which is current law. The bill allows for a statewide public education and awareness campaign. Law enforcement will issue warnings from October 1 through December 31, 2019, after which a person may be issued a citation. The bill passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. Next, it will be considered by the Rules Committee. Single-Subject Limitation Passes Full Senate SJR 74 passed the full Senate by unanimous vote on Wednesday. This Joint Resolution, proposed by Senator Rob Bradley, limits any amendment to the Constitution proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission (“CRC”) to “one subject and matter connected therewith.” Under current law, each CRC proposal may embrace multiple subjects. It may even propose a singular, comprehensive revision of the Constitution. The next CRC convenes in 2037, and thus it would be the first Commission to be governed by the proposed single-subject limitation. If it is approved by a three-fifths vote in the Florida House of Representatives, SJR 74 will appear on the 2020 General Election ballot. It will take effect if approved by at least 60 percent of the votes cast on the measure. Senate Transportation Infrastructure Moves Forward in House On Thursday, the House Transportation and Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee heard PCB TT A 19-02, which incorporates the infrastructure initiatives from Senate Bill 7068, creating the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance Program within the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The program is designed to advance construction of regional corridors that will accommodate multiple modes of transportation and multiple types of infrastructure. The specific purpose of the program is to revitalize rural communities, encourage job creation in those communities, and provide regional connectivity while leveraging technology, enhancing quality of life and public safety, and protecting the environment and natural resources. The bill sets out the intended benefits of the program and identifies three corridors comprising the program. Projects will be subject to requirements relating to economic and environmental feasibility and specified environmental and other evaluation requirements. Decisions on matters such as corridor configuration, project alignment and interchange locations must be determined in accordance with the FDOT’s rules, policies and procedures. Alligator Alley Bill Passes its Last Committee Stop Senate Bill 72, which I introduced, passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. The Mile Marker 63 Public Safety Center is situated in the middle of state and federal lands on Alligator Alley and is currently operated by the Greater Naples Fire Department and Collier County EMS. Legislation passed in 2011 authorized the Florida Department of Transportation to develop and operate the Public Safety Center using Alligator Alley toll revenues. The cost of the operations is approximately $2M. The legislation sunsets this summer. This bill removes the sunset provision so that toll revenue will continue to fund the operations of this crucial center. It will now go to the full Senate for a vote. Corporations Bill Moves Forward Senate Bill 892, Business Organizations, which I introduced, passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. This bill is a comprehensive rewrite of Chapter 607 of the Florida Statutes, the Florida Business Corporation Act. The last comprehensive rewrite of our state's corporate statute passed the Legislature 30 years ago, in 1989. This proposal will bring Florida's corporate statute into line with trends affecting the use of corporations by businesses today. Welcome to the Florida Senate The Florida Senate welcomed the following groups to the Capitol:
Friendly Faces Future Legislators from Florida Youth SHINE! Newly-elected Mayor of Estero, Bill Ribble, and constituents from Estero FGCU's Delegation Breakfast at the Capitol FGCU students touring the Florida Senate Chambers Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast These friendly service dogs took a rest during their time at the Capitol. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office any time that I can be of assistance. Kathleen C. Passidomo Senate Majority Leader Naples Office: 3299 East Tamiami Trail LaBelle Office: 25 East Hickpochee Avenue Tallahassee Office: 330 Senate Office Building Not paid for at taxpayer expense. |