TODAY’S HAPPENINGS
In recognition of Presidents’ Day, there were no legislative committee meetings of interest today.
COMING UP TOMORROW
[NOTE: Nearly all meetings may be viewed via live webcast or archived videos on the Florida Channel athttp://thefloridachannel.org/.
The Senate Criminal Justice Committee will meet (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) to consider the following item and others:
SB 408 – Juvenile Civil Citations by Altman
Requiring, rather than authorizing, a law enforcement officer to issue a civil citation or require participation in a similar diversion program if the officer does not issue a warning or inform a child’s guardian or parent of the infraction; requiring a law enforcement officer to receive approval from a supervisor before arresting a child for a first-time misdemeanor, etc.
The Senate Finance & Tax Committee will meet (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) to consider the following item and others:
SB 766 – Ad Valorem Taxation by Flores
Requiring a property appraiser to notify the Department of Revenue if the recertified just value of an assessment roll is less than the initial just value of an assessment roll by a specified amount; establishing deadlines for value adjustment boards to hear petitions and issue the second tax roll certification; revising the entities authorized to determine under certain circumstances that a petitioner owes ad valorem taxes or is owed a refund of overpaid taxes; authorizing the school board and county commission to audit certain expenses of the value adjustment board, etc.
The Senate Community Affairs Committee will meet (1:30 pm – 3:30 pm) to consider the following items and others:
SB 686 – Government Accountability by Gaetz
Citing this act as the “Florida Anti-Corruption Act of 2016”; requiring each house of the Legislature to provide by rule reporting requirements regarding lobbying firm’s lobbying activities; specifying that the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, or the designee of the Governor or of the Commissioner of Education may notify the Legislative Auditing Committee of an entity’s failure to comply with certain auditing and financial reporting requirements; prohibiting a member of the Legislature from accepting employment with a private entity that directly receives state funds, etc.
SB 1100 – Local Tax Referenda by Brandes
Requiring local government discretionary sales surtax referenda to be held on the day of a general election; requiring the approval of a specified percentage of the electors voting in a referendum election to adopt or amend a local government discretionary sales surtax, etc.
The Senate Governmental Oversight & Accountability Committee will meet (1:30 pm – 3:30 pm) to consider the following item and others:
SB 724 – Public Records / Custodian by Joyner
Authorizing a court to hold a custodian of a public record personally liable for the reasonable costs of enforcement, including attorney fees, in a civil action to enforce Chapter 119, F.S., if certain conditions exist, etc.
The House Appropriations Committee will meet (3:00 pm – 6:00 pm) to consider the following items and others:
HB 11 – Missing Persons with Special Needs by Porter
Creates pilot projects in specified counties to provide personal devices to aid search-and-rescue efforts for persons with special needs; provides for administration of projects; requires reports; provides for expiration; provides appropriations.
HB 117 – Education Funding / Sparsity Supplement by Beshears
Prohibits school district with specified student population from receiving sparsity wealth adjustment.
HB 499 – Ad Valorem Taxation by Avila
Revises provisions related to value adjustment board proceedings; revises provisions related to appointments & selection of special magistrates; revises dates in computing school district required local effort; provides statement of important state interest.
HB 593 – Government Accountability by Metz
Revises auditing protocols for certain agencies, councils, & state schools; revises responsibilities of certain state officials & employment or contractual relationships; revises provisions governing collection methods for certain unpaid automatic fines; requires counties, municipalities, & special districts to maintain certain budget documents on entities’ websites for specified period; revises certain compensation protocols; revises requirements for financial statements & audits of certain governmental entities.
HB 701 – Art in the Capitol Competition by Lee
Creates the “Art in the Capitol Competition” for students in specified grades; provides procedures for student participation, notification, & selection & display of winning submissions.
HB 7107 – Public Employees / Retirement by State Affairs
Authorizes renewed membership in retirement system for certain retirees who are reemployed in position eligible for Elected Officers’ Class; provides for renewed membership in retirement system for certain retirees of Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program who are reemployed on or after specified date; requires that certain retirees who are reemployed on or after specified date be renewed members in investment plan; provides vesting requirements; prohibits renewed member from receiving specified disability benefits; requires employer & retiree to make applicable contributions to renewed member’s investment plan account; prohibits participation in pension plan; provides that retiree reemployed on or after specified date in regularly established position eligible for State University System Optional Retirement Program or State Community College System Optional Retirement Program is renewed member of that program; authorizes payment of death benefits to surviving spouse or surviving children of member in investment plan; authorizes state board & department to adopt rules; adjusts employer contribution rates in order to fund changes made by act; provides directive to the Division of Law Revision & Information; provides appropriation.
I hope you find this information useful. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Ruth
Ruth Haseman Melton
Director of Government Relations
Florida School Boards Association
Office: 850 / 414-2578
Cell: 850 / 509-6411
Email: melton@fsba.org
