This week, we were joined by several Floridians with developmental disabilities, families and advocates in the Senate Chamber to commemorate Florida Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day. 

Many of them, including Stephanie Nordin of Autism Collier and my friend JJ Holmes were in the gallery on Wednesday to witness the passage of Senate Bill 1758, Individuals with Disabilities, by Senator Jason Brodeur.  This legislation expands support for individuals with disabilities and their families.  The bill is a key component of the Live Healthy initiative we're advancing this legislative session.

Earlier in the week, I had the honor of presenting JJ with the 15th Annual Idelio Valdes Leadership and Advocacy Award, Florida's top honor recognizing an individual with a developmental disability. 

JJ is a hero to me and so many others across our state.  His courage, tenacity and good humor have inspired and uplifted me on so many occasions. He is making a difference in the lives of people living with disabilities, as well as their family members and caregivers. The legislation passed by the Senate this week was inspired by JJ to increase services for people living with disabilities, ensuring more opportunities for home-based care as family members and other caregivers age.

Also this week, the Senate passed a balanced budget. Next, we will enter budget conference with the House of Representatives to resolve differences in the two chambers' budget proposals.

Florida Senate Passes Balanced Budget

Thursday, the Florida Senate passed a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 with unanimous support. 

The Senate’s balanced budget provides critical funding to preserve Florida’s natural environment, expand affordable housing, and enhance educational opportunities for students and families. 

Continuing the Florida Legislature’s longstanding effort to preserve our state’s unique natural resources, the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget includes over $1.5 billion for Everglades restoration, conservation acquisitions, and programs to address flooding and sea level rise. 

This budget also includes record funding for public education and school choice opportunities. The Florida Senate is funding a 2.5% increase in the base student allocation, investing over $400 million in voluntary prekindergarten programs, and providing nearly $300 million for school safety enhancements.

The Senate is also continuing our commitment to expand Career and Technical Education Opportunities for all Floridians with funding for school districts, colleges and universities to create or expand these vital programs. 

While providing critical funding to improve the education, health and well-being of Floridians across the state, the Senate budget remains true to our Conservative ideals, paying off $455 million in state debt, accounting for significant tax relief, and setting aside record state reserves. Unlike in Washington, we spend less than what is collected and return all that we can. 

Affordable Housing Expansion Passes Florida Senate

Wednesday, the Florida Senate passed Senate Bill 328, sponsored by Senator Alexis Calatayud (R-Miami), with unanimous support.  Senate Bill 328 builds on legislation passed last session, Senate Bill 102 (2023) to expand affordable housing opportunities across the State of Florida. 

Senate Bill 102 (2023), the Live Local Act, provided historic funding and removed burdensome regulations to increase the stock of affordable, workforce housing across the state of Florida.  This legislation provided critical funding to Florida’s home-ownership and rental assistance programs that were dedicated to innovation in affordable housing developments and the construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing units. 

The Live Local Act also removed burdensome local regulations that restrict the development of affordable housing units, limit supply, and increase the cost of housing for all Floridians.  Senate Bill 102 expanded the Florida Hometown Hero Program, an innovative program that provides interest-free down payment assistance, to include all Floridians under a certain income level who work for a Florida-based employer. 

Senate Bill 328 incorporates feedback from all stakeholders to ensure that the Live Local Act is effectively implemented across the State of Florida while maintaining the character of our state’s unique communities.  The legislation we passed today also includes safeguards that ensure affordable housing opportunities go to people in need versus opportunists who would use these reduced units to make a profit from vacation rentals. 

This legislation provides an additional $100 million in funding for the Florida Hometown Hero Program that provides interest-free down payment assistance, to income-qualified, first-time homebuyers who live in Florida and work for a Florida-based company. 

The Florida Senate is laser-focused on empowering every Floridian to live local in the community they serve by increasing access to safe, attainable housing in every corner of the state. 

Senate Bill 328 will now move to the House of Representatives for their consideration. 

Florida Senate Passes Critical Support for Floridians with Disabilities 

Wednesday, the Florida Senate passed Senate Bill 1758, sponsored by Senator Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford), with unanimous support.  This legislation provides critical support for Floridians with disabilities and their caregivers. 

Senate Bill 1758 expands eligibility for home and community-based services offered through the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.  This ensures that caregivers are provided with the necessary resources and support to continue providing quality care and helps loving families to stay together, even as the caregiver ages.  Senate Bill 1758 prioritizes home-based care options and empowers both caregivers and persons with disabilities to live a happy, healthy life in their own homes. 

This legislation also modernizes the application process and streamlines the timeline for Floridians looking to receive disability services, helping Floridians to receive critical services more efficiently without getting bogged down in bureaucratic red tape. 

Senate Bill 1758 is a key component of the Senate’s “Live Healthy” agenda, a legislative package aimed at growing Florida’s health care workforce, increasing access and incentivizing innovation. 

Senate Bill 1758 will now move to the House of Representatives for their consideration. 

My Safe Florida Home Enhancement Passes off Senate Floor 

Wednesday, the Florida Senate passed Senate Bill 7028, sponsored by Senator Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), with unanimous support.  SB 7028 enhances the My Safe Florida Home Program, expands eligibility, and prioritizes Floridians on fixed or low-income. 

The My Safe Florida Home Program provides Floridians with grants to retrofit their homes with mitigation measures, reducing their vulnerability to hurricane damage and potentially lowering the cost of insurance premiums.  As of November 2023, the My Safe Florida Home Program has disbursed over $35 million to Floridians and has obligated another $181 million that has yet to be disbursed.  The program has proven to be successful as nearly half of Floridians who have completed the process have reported a decrease in the cost of their insurance premiums with an average discount of almost $1000. 

Senate Bill 7028 allows for previously rejected applications to be reconsidered, expanding the number of Floridians eligible to receive funding under the program.  Further, this legislation specifies that low-income seniors applying for mitigations or grants receive priority status, empowering our seniors to remain in their homes through their golden years. This legislation also expands the list of eligible improvements to include exterior doors, garage doors, windows, and skylights. 

Senate Bill 7028 will now move to the House of Representatives for their consideration. 

Measure Protecting Property Rights Advances to Final Committee

This week, Senate Bill 888, sponsored by Senator Keith Perry (R-Gainesville), passed both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice with strong support in each committee. 

This legislation enhances private property rights for Floridians and ensures that home or property owners have a clear avenue to deal with unauthorized individuals on their property, otherwise known as squatters.  Senate Bill 888 provides the owner of a residential property the ability to request the sheriff’s office of their county to immediately remove an unauthorized person from that owner’s property. 

This legislation provides an expedited process for the removal of squatters compared to the current judicial process which can take months to resolve, leaving property owners powerless and providing squatters the opportunity to cause significant damage to their property.  By empowering law enforcement officers to address these issues, the Florida Senate is ensuring that issues regarding squatters will be addressed in an expedited manner and enhance the safety of all Floridians. 

Amended in the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, this legislation also enhances accountability and transparency in lease agreements providing security to Floridians who provide housing opportunities to renters and their tenants.  This legislation will forestall fraudulent rental properties and ensure tenants have their rights protected. 

Our Founding Fathers recognized private property rights as a fundamental aspect of the American Republic.  Senate Bill 888 enacts strong protections for Floridian’s private property rights and ensures that every Floridian can feel safe in the knowledge that their property is their own. 

As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office any time that I can be of assistance.

Respectfully,

Kathleen C. Passidomo

Senate President
State Senator, District 28

Not paid for at taxpayer expense.

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