Well get a better glimpse this week of what the budget may look like as the budget bills and amendments emerge in the full budget committees in both chambers. The House will go first with a full Appropriations Council meeting on Tuesday. Senate Ways and Means will have its combined bill out Monday night, but wont have it before the committee until Thursday with a Tuesday deadline for amendments.
With a $3.2 billion deficit and pet projects on the chopping block, the work is likely to be slow-going.
Work in House committees in general is likely to be long this week as it is the last week that most House committees will meet and members will try hard to keep bills alive. Most measures that remain in committee at the end of the coming week will die, though bills can be withdrawn. Budget committees will also be able to continue to meet.
Both chambers will also be on the floor this week, and the major campaign finance overhaul could get a vote in the Senate.
Much of the national political attention this week will continue to be focused on health care and with Congress expected to pass the health care overhaul on Sunday, President Barack Obama could sign it into law by Tuesday. The House is likely to send changes to the Senate, to begin amending new law as soon as it is law.
But in Florida the passage of the federal health care bill may kick off a lawsuit by Attorney General Bill McCollum, who has promised to try to block the application of any requirement to buy health insurance here. There are also measures in the Legislature seeking to opt the state out of whatever Washington passes.
Also this week theres a primary in the Panhandle for the House District 4 seat that was vacated by former Rep. Ray Sansom.
MONDAY, March 22, 2010
CHILD WAIVER BILL IN HOUSE COUNCIL: The Criminal and Civil Justice Policy Council on Monday may take up HB 285 dealing with the ability of parents to waive their child's rights to sue for injuries or death in certain activities. It's a closely-watched bill for big business, including Disney, backers of tort reform, and trial lawyers. The bill, by Rep. Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee, seeks to nullify a 2008 Supreme Court opinion that held that pre-injury releases signed by parents to let children participate in commercial activities are unenforceable. Big business says it will make it hard for businesses that sell inherently risky activities, like Scuba shops, or rock climbing wall businesses to stay open. Trial lawyers counter that since the ruling, that hasn't happened. The proposal died on the House floor last session. (Monday, 1 p.m., 404 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
SPEEDY TRIAL RULES BEFORE HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COUNCIL: The laws governing an accused person's right to a speedy trial would be changed by a bill (HB 1517) before the House Criminal and Civil Justice Policy Council on Monday. Currently, defendants facing criminal charges are guaranteed a trial in 175 days. The bipartisan bill would create a tiered system with different deadlines for different crimes, that could mean the state could take up to a year to bring a capital case to trial. (Monday, 1 p.m., 404 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
HOUSE HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES POLICY COUNCIL: House Health and Family Services takes up a bill (HB 1561) urging the attorney general to sue challenging the constitutionality of federal health care legislation, as well as bills related to teaching nursing homes (HB 491), and a couple of memorials to Congress. (Monday, 1 p.m., 212 Knott Building, The Capitol.)
EFFORT TO BLOCK FEDERAL HEALTH MANDATE IN HOUSE COMMITTEE: The House Health Care Regulation Committee on Monday takes up the proposed resolution seeking to tell Washington what it can do with any requirement that people buy health insurance. The proposed constitutional amendment (HJR 37) would prevent any mandate that would require people to buy insurance. Theres considerable concern among opponents and also among staff analysts that the U.S. Constitutions Supremacy Clause, which says that federal law trumps state law might invalidate such an amendment. A similar resolution passed the Senate Judiciary Committee this past week. (Monday, 1:45 p.m., 17 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
DEPT. OF HEALTH RE-ORG IN HOUSE COMMITTEE: The Department of Health would be re-organized and its mission scaled back under a proposed committee bill that may also be heard Monday in the House Health Care Regulation Committee. A proposed committee bill (PCB HCR 10-03) released late last week would reduce agencys mission and eliminate 11 divisions unless theyre re-enacted specifically by lawmakers. The bill keeps a doctor as head of the agency, though, and stops short of trying to merge DOH with the Agency for Health Care Administration. Regulatory boards for health professions would also stay at Health under the bill, by Rep. Matt Hudson, R-Naples. The committee also takes up legislation dealing with electronic health records (HB 911), autism (HB 107) and tattooing (HB 729). (Monday, 1:45 p.m., 17 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
HOUSE ELDER AND FAMILY SERVICES: The committee takes up one bill, HB 1159, which revises the definitions of "benefits" and "income" for purposes of the Veterans' Guardianship Law. (Monday, 2 p.m., 24 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
SEXUAL EXPLOITATION BILL IN HOUSE COMMITTEE: The House Health Care Services Policy Committee takes up HB 535, which requires that certain sexually exploited children must be taken to short-term safe houses, and revises prostitution laws to decriminalize certain acts when theyre committed by kids under 16, with the assumption that theyre sexually exploited victims instead of criminals. The bill also prevents juvenile probation officers from filing delinquency petitions for child prostitutes. (Monday, 3:30 p.m., 306 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
SCHOOL PRAYER IN CIVIL JUSTICE: The House Civil Justice and Courts Policy Council could vote Monday on a measure (HB 31) that would prohibit school districts from forcing teachers to enter an agreement that says they cannot participate in prayers initiated by students. The Anti-Defamation League and American Civil Liberties Union are lined up against the proposal. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Brad Drake, R-Eucheanna, and Greg Evers, R-Baker. (Monday, 3:15 p.m., 102 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
ALTERNATIVE FORECLOSURES IN CIVIL JUSTICE AND COURTS: The House Civil Justice and Courts Council also has available for Monday a bill (HB 1523) aimed at the foreclosure crisis, setting up an alternative process for bypassing the courts in foreclosures if the parties agree to it. Sponsored by Rep. Tom Grady, R-Naples, the bill has received mixed reviews but with courts backed up with foreclosure cases, Grady says the bill would speed up the ability of lenders to put the homes back on the market and for willing consumers to more quickly get on with their lives. The panel has had the bill for a while, but hasn't gotten to it. Also on the agenda in the council: HB 691 on underground utilities, HB 777 on supervised visitation, and HB 1411 on timeshares, among other bills awaiting the committee's approval. (Monday, 3:15 p.m., 102 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
SEXTING BILL, CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION IN HOUSE COMMITTEE: A bill that would make sexting by minors a crime is in the House Public Safety and Domestic Security Policy Committee on Monday. The measure (HB 1335), sponsored by Rep. Joseph Abruzzo, D-Wellington, makes it a crime for a minor to knowingly transmit nude photos of themselves, or to possess a photo of some other minor. The panel also takes up a bill (HB 787) that adds new risk factors for a judge to consider when deciding whether or not a child is at risk of parental abduction. The bill also outlines and makes additions to preventative measures that may be ordered if a judge finds credible evidence that a child is at risk of abduction. Three parents of children who have been abducted, including some taken to other countries, will testify. (Monday, 3:15 p.m., 404 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
ACTIVIST'S WALK TO RAISE ABUSE AWARENESS: Lauren Book-Lim, an activist and advocate for child victims of abuse, holds a news conference to announce her plans for the Walk in My Shoes campaign, where she'll walk from Aventura to the Capitol in April. Book-Lim is the daughter of lobbyist Ron Book. (Monday, 10 a.m., Florida Press Center, 336 E. College, Tallahassee.)
BOG TALKING UP LAWSUIT: The Florida Board of Governors is hearing an update from its legal counsel on Graham v. Pruitt, a lawsuit filed in 2007 by former Gov. Bob Graham and several other plaintiffs, including the board, against the Legislature over the right to raise tuition. Chancellor Frank Brogan has indicated he would like to end the suit as part of a thawing in the relationship between the state university system and the Legislature. The open meeting comes after a closed one involving several board members, Brogan and the board's attorney. (Monday, 3 p.m., The Dial-in Number for the Meeting is 888-808-6959, and the Conference Code is 8502450.)
TUESDAY, March 23, 2010
HOUSE IN SESSION: Among the measures the House plans to take up on the floor on Tuesday is HB 707 by Rep. Tom Grady, dealing with money laundering and international banking corporations a direct response to cases like the Allan Stanford case last year. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., House Chamber.)
SENATE IN SESSION: TAINTED TOMATOES, CAMPAIGN FINANCE: The Senate takes up a pair of bills on third reading on Tuesday: SB 644 establishes the Soldiers and Airmen Assistance Program while SB 350 bolsters sanitation standards for tomato packers. The latter measure comes on the heels of public health problems surrounding the sale of tainted tomatoes. On Special Order, the Senate may take up a big campaign finance measure (SB 880), which reauthorizes leadership funds while putting tougher restrictions on electioneering communication organizations, or 527s. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., Senate Chamber.)
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COUNCIL TAKES UP BUDGET: The Houses top budget committee takes up its budget bill for the coming fiscal year. Expect amendments and complaints from Democrats, who have argued theyve been frozen out of the budget writing process. Republicans say the Democrats have refused to participate. It will likely be a long day. In addition to the main budget bill, the Appropriations Council takes up the measures that go with the budget. (Tuesday, 11:15 a.m., 212 Knott Building, The Capitol.)
HIT THE (OFF) ROAD. The Senate Agriculture Committee takes up SB 2226, a measure that increases the size of vehicles included in the category of off-highway vehicles. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)
BLACK OUTS COULD COST GREEN: The Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee is scheduled to take up a measure (SB 1104) by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, that would require Florida Power & Light Co., Progress Energy and other investor owned utilities to compensate customers for prolonged disruptions or unreliable electric service. The committee also takes up SB 2322, which allows local governments to enact non-ad valorem fees to fund Energy Improvement Districts. Sen. Thad Altman has sponsored a measure to provide a $27 million tax credit to a company to build an advanced clean energy project at the Kennedy Space Center. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)
SENATE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: A handful of tax resolutions will confront the Senate Community Affairs Committee as part of a packed agenda that includes nearly two dozen items. Members will take up SJR 718 that would prevent assessments from going up if the value of a house falls. SJR 2420 would require voter approval for all new taxes while SM 2254 asks Congress to repeal a provision that requires larger states to withhold taxes on purchases. Other measures before the committee include setting up buffers around children (SB 1284) to protect them from convicted sexual predators. (Tuesday, 1 p.m. 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)
SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION COMMMITTEE: The phrase deletes obsolete language can raise terror in the hearts of any agency head. Senate chairman Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs, is unveiling SB 550 dealing with water management districts. Petroleum tank cleanup legislation (SB 2592) will also be addressed. (Tuesday, 1:15 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)
HOUSE POLICY: The House Policy Council has bills dealing with admissions taxes (HB 637), life insurance (HB 855) and veterans (HB 1003). (Tuesday, 2 p.m., 17 House Office Building, The Capitol.)
LOCKER ROOM LOCKDOWN, TEACHER ALERT: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee takes up SB 1058, which would require school districts to inform teachers when one of their students has been charged with a felony. SB 2602 would require schools to lock up locker rooms when not in use. Home or private school students transferring to a public school would be required to take an assessment to determine grade level assignments under another bill (SB 2558) before the panel. (Tuesday 3:15 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)
SENATE GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE: The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles plans to cancel a contract for driver handbooks at the end of the year. Unless the Legislature passes SB 2342, which would require the agency to keep the current vender. The bill is up Tuesday in Senate Government Oversight. (Tuesday 3:15 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)
CHILDRENS SAFETY ISSUES: Child advocates will be at the Capitol on Tuesday to lobby for services that protect abused and neglected children. Before walking the halls, the group will hold a breakfast and opening program at the Challenger Center. (7:30 a.m., Challenger Learning Center, 200 S. Duval St., Tallahassee.)
ENERGY STAKEHOLDERS: A coalition of energy stakeholders from the business community and research organizations hold a press conference to discuss energy legislation as an engine for job growth. The Florida Energy and Jobs Working Group is presenting policy ideas to the Legislature on how to create and retain jobs. House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, Associated Industries of Florida President Barney Bishop, representatives from Kitson and Partners, and Economic Development Commission of Floridas Space Coast President and CEO Lynda Weatherman are joining members of the working group for the announcement. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 333 Capitol Building.)
BRENNAN REPORT ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE: The Brennan Center is releasing a report Tuesday, The Hidden Costs of Florida's Criminal Justice Fees at a Tallahassee press conference. The study focuses on the Legislature's reliance on user fees to finance the criminal justice system. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Florida Press Center, 336 E. College Ave., Tallahassee.)
SWIMMER, EXPLORER & CHILD ADVOCATE IN WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME: Gov. Charlie Crist is inducting three Florida women into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame Tuesday in Tallahassee. Eugenie Clark, an explorer and shark researcher, is internationally known as the shark lady. The late Claudine Ryce became a renowned child advocate after her son was abducted, abused and murdered in 1995. And Dara Torres is an Olympic swimmer who made a stunning comeback in the Beijing Olympics at age 40 to collect several medals. (Tuesday, 5 p.m., Capitol Courtyard, Tallahassee)
SANSOM PRIMARY: The primary election is Tuesday in House District 4, the seat left vacant by the recent resignation of Rep. Ray Sansom, R-Destin. (Tuesday.)
WEDNESDAY, March 24,, 2010
SENATE IN SESSION: Bills on Tuesdays special order calendar, if they move forward, would be available for final passage on Wednesday. Among those are SB 644 dealing with campaign finance. The chamber will then take up its special order calendar. Bills available for consideration include a handful of claims bills, a measure to allow community colleges to assess student transportation fees (SB 208) and SJR 2, which revises the states class size amendment. The Senate will also devote some time Wednesday to its annual former member reunion. (Wednesday, 8:15 a.m., Senate Chambers.)
HOUSE IN SESSION: The House is on the floor from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., on Wednesday and will take up several measures on final passage. Those bills that advance on special order Tuesday will be on third reading. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., House Chamber.)
ER SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY: The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee meets on Wednesday and has on its agenda the bill (SB 1474) that would extend sovereign immunity protections from lawsuit damages to emergency room doctors. (Wednesday, 1:15 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)
LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION DAY: The Florida League of Cities is hosting its legislative action day Wednesday, inviting local officials from across the state to lobby state lawmakers and meet with other local government officials. The day includes a leadership breakfast with a legislative review from Rebecca O'Hara, the head lobbyist for the League, and a speech by Tallahassee Mayor John Marks, who is also the president of the league. (Wednesday, 7 a.m., Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St., Tallahassee.)
RALLY FOR VOUCHERS: Supporters of vouchers, specifically the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship for low income children, are rallying in Tallahassee to garner support for legislation that would massively expand the program. A Senate committee has approved legislation that would put more money into the fund and increase the individual awards for students. However, it is going to have a general revenue impact of $31 million, creating anger among public school advocates who say the money should be used on public schools. Speakers include Gov. Charlie Crist, state Sen. Al Lawson, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president Julio Fuentes and acting Southern Christian Leadership Conference president James Bush. Prior to the rally, there will be a march to the Capitol building. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Capitol Courtyard)
NURSE PRACTITIONERS WANT TO WRITE PRESCRIPTIONS: Nurse practitioners have sought the right to write prescriptions for more than a decade and are continuing their fight this year. They say Floridas one of only two states that dont allow Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners, who have masters degrees, to prescribe medicine. There is legislation (HB 677, SB 188) filed this year seeking to allow them to write prescriptions, but the nurse practitioners are pushing to get it heard. They hold a news conference and rally on the issue Wednesday. (Wednesday, 12:30 p.m., Waller Park Dolphin Fountain, The Capitol.)
OTHER COMMITTEES NOTICED FOR MEETING ON WEDNESDAY:
Several other Senate committees are noticed for possible meetings on Wednesday but their agendas arent out yet. They are:
SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE (401 Senate Office Building.)
SENATE REGULATED INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE: (110 Senate Office Building.)
SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: (37 Senate Office Building.)
SENATE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: (412 Knott Building.)
THURSDAY, March 25, 2010
WAYS AND MEANS CONSIDERS SENATE BUDGET BILLS: The combined Senate appropriations bill (SPB 7090) will be taken up Thursday in Ways and Means, along with the implementing bill and other related legislation. The bills, including proposed committee substitutes will have been distributed Monday evening. (Thursday, 1:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)
SUPREME COURT OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court releases opinions. (Thursday, 11 a.m., www.floridasupremecourt.org)
PARENTS, TEACHERS, KIDS ON BUDGET: The Florida PTA is rallying Thursday for public education dollars just as House and Senate leaders unveil their proposals for the 2010 school year. So far, it's not looking pretty for public schools, which will likely see cuts because of lower tax rolls and a higher student population. Last year, the rally drew about 2,000 people to the Capitol building. The PTA is also sponsoring advocacy training the day before for interested parties. (Thursday, 11:30 a.m., Waller Park at the Capitol)
FRIDAY, March 26, 2010
MEDIA LAW CONFERENCE AT FIU: The Florida Bar and Florida International University School of Law are hosting a media law conference Friday that features keynote speaker Gina Smith, the reporter who broke the story of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's affair. The conference is also slated to include discussions on libel implications after the Jews for Jesus v. Rapp case, private information in court records, and the court case, NCAA v. AP. (Friday, 8:30 a.m., Florida International University College of Law, Miami. )
ECONOMIC CLUB OF FLORIDA DAVID DENSLOW: University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research economist David Denslow, one of the most people men in the state on Floridas economy, will be the speaker Friday at the Economic Club of Florida meeting in Tallahassee. (Friday, 12:10 p.m., Leon County Civic Center, A2-A3., Tallahassee.)
CAMPAIGN EVENTS
TUESDAY PETE BURKERT FUNDRAISER: Fundraiser for state Senate 27 candidate Pete Burkert. (Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., 1005 Lake Ave., Lake Worth.)
FRIDAY - DUVAL COUNTY JEFFERSON JACKSON DINNER: Duval County Democrats are hosting their annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner to honor local unions. The dinner is featuring local, state and congressional candidates for office, including state Sen. Dan Gelber, candidate for attorney general. (Friday, 6 p.m., Jacksonville Firefighters Hall, 625 Stockton St., Jacksonville)
