During the legislative session, lobbyists are sent scurrying all over the Capitol to marshal votes for their clients bills. Now that session is over, interest groups have just one man to lobby -- Gov. Rick Scott.
The call of Veto! from various groups rang out nearly on the echo of Senate President Mike Haridopolos gavel in the early morning hours of May 7, signaling sine die.
With Republicans carrying a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, and Scotts laser-like focus on creating a business-friendly climate, left-leaning interest groups have little hope of a veto, but there are also GOP members of the Legislature and conservative groups that would like to see some bills and budget items get the ax.
The main target for environmental groups is a bill that repeals much of states growth management laws that have been in place for 25 years. The bill cuts back on regulations and red tape that developers and proponents of the bill say cause needless delays and hinder Floridas ability to reignite its economy. Environmentalists have called on Scott to veto the bill.
The bill seems right in line with Scotts vision of reducing regulations and attracting more private businesses and capital to the state, but on this bill and others, he is playing the possibility of using his veto card close to the vest.
Like all these bills -- I think there are close to 300 bills -- Im reviewing them and as I go through them, Ill weigh what I believe is the right thing, Scott said Tuesday when asked about the growth management bill.
For groups fighting legislation that is a done deal, however, the only remedy is in the courts.
The first bill signed by Gov. Scott was SB 736, the teacher merit pay bill, or Student Success Act. The Florida Education Association, the largest teachers union in the state, lobbied hard in 2010 to get then-Gov. Charlie Crists veto of a similar bill.
Now that the bill is law, FEA officials say they will likely file suit to stop the legislation.
The law ties teacher salaries to the performance of their students, with 50 percent of an evaluation tied to test scores. The union says salaries are subject to collective bargaining, a right enshrined in the state Constitution. It also phases out tenure and prevents bonuses for teachers with advanced degrees, which the FEA also claims is unconstitutional.
We have historically rewarded -- at the salary level -- teachers who have gone on and obtained higher degrees, said Ron Meyer, general counsel for the FEA.
While Meyer cautioned that the FEA is still consulting with its membership about a lawsuit and its implications -- the FEA doesnt enter into litigation lightly -- he stated that he expects the FEA to make a final decision on a lawsuit during its June meeting.
We expect that a lawsuit will be brought, Meyer said.
Groups with a more conservative slant are more hopeful of bending Scotts ear.
Social conservatives are ecstatic with a slate of pro-life bills aimed at preventing abortions, but the Florida Baptist Convention is also clamoring for Scott to veto part of the budget that puts $400,000 toward a study of potential economic impact of destination resorts that include casinos while taking a similar amount away from a program designed to cure gambling addictions.
Although Las Vegas Sands and several other casino resort companies lobbied the Legislature heavily this year, not much in the way of increased gaming legislation passed, other than the money for the study. Proposals to create the destination casino resorts, decouple dog racing and card rooms, and insert slot machines at pari-mutuel facilities were all thwarted.
If they want to do a study it wouldve been nice to see Sands or somebody like that cut a check, said Bill Bunkley, legislative consultant for the Florida Baptist Convention, and a staunch opponent to increased gambling in the state.
Bunkley said he will be sending e-mails to the governor this week asking him to use his line-item veto to strike the study from the budget, and hes optimistic hell get it.
Some have already seen their veto hopes dashed.
Earlier this week, Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, still held out hope that Scott would veto SB 408, a bill that includes new restrictions on filing insurance claims, allows insurers to raise rates based on reinsurance costs and allows customers to pay for cheaper policies that require them to pay the upfront cost of repairs in the event of a claim.
Scott signed the bill Tuesday.
It is unfortunate that the homeowners, mobile home owners and business people who held out hope that the governor would veto this bill were left holding the bag, Fasano said.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (850) 727-0859 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
