Florida's 60-day legislative session is halfway done.
Most of the major issues remain unresolved after weeks of lawmakers debating bills in committees. But that's not unusual --- lawmakers typically put off the big stuff until the end.
In the days leading up to the Jan. 12 start of the session, The News Service of Florida offered 10 issues to watch this year. Here is an update about what has --- or hasn't --- happened with those issues.
BUDGET: The House and Senate are ready to approve hefty budget proposals for the fiscal year that starts July 1. But then much of the real work will start, as negotiators hammer out details of a final spending plan. Though the numbers could get tweaked this week, the Senate proposal weighs in at nearly $81 billion, about $1 billion more than the House proposal. Gov. Rick Scott, by comparison, proposed a $79.3 billion spending plan. Look for lawmakers to try agree on a budget that includes record levels of public-school funding --- something that was a centerpiece of Scott's 2014 campaign and also would come in handy when incumbents seek re-election this year. But key questions remain about Scott's push for tax cuts and economic-development funding.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Arguing that the money will help attract businesses and more jobs to the state, Scott continues to put pressure on lawmakers to approve setting aside $250 million for economic-development incentives. Senate leaders, who in the past have questioned the need to spend large amounts on economic development, have agreed to the $250 million number. But it has received a cooler reception in the House, which is more focused on cutting taxes --- another priority for Scott.
EDUCATION: After a furor last year about high-stakes testing, the Senate has looked at the possibility of allowing school districts to use tests other than the state's Florida Standards Assessments. But at least at this point, House Republican leaders appear to show little interest in making major changes to the testing system. Instead, the House has focused heavily on expanding school choice. That has included moving forward with proposals that would bolster charter schools and allow parents to enroll children in any public schools that have available space.
GAMBLING: The House began moving forward this week with three proposals that would make major changes in Florida's gambling industry. Perhaps the marquee proposal would ratify a $3 billion gambling deal negotiated by the Scott administration and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. But the package also includes other proposed changes, such as allowing greyhound tracks to stop offering live racing and clearing the way for slot machines in Palm Beach County. A gambling package has also been proposed in the Senate. But gambling legislation is notoriously difficult to pass, as parts of the industry often have competing priorities.
GUNS: After hours of debate, the House last week approved two major gun bills backed by Second Amendment groups. One of the bills would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns on college and university campuses. The other bill would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to openly carry firearms in public. But despite all of the debate, the bills appear likely to die in the Senate, where Judiciary Chairman Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, has already made clear he will not take up the campus-carry bill. Even if the committee takes up the other bill allowing the open carrying of weapons, senators likely would consider changes unacceptable to groups such as the National Rifle Association.
HEALTH CARE: The House has lined up a series of bills aimed at scaling back regulations in the health-care industry. But it remains unclear how far the Senate will go. As an example, House Republican leaders want to eliminate the state's controversial "certificate of need" regulatory process for approving new or expanded hospitals. But a Senate bill would take a different approach, allowing certificate-of-need exemptions for health-care facilities that provide enough care to low-income and uninsured patients. Both chambers also are looking at proposals to boost transparency in the health-care system, an issue that emerged amid Scott's highly publicized criticism of the hospital industry.
JUSTICE SYSTEM: As lawmakers started the session Jan. 12, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a major ruling that said Florida's death-penalty sentencing system was unconstitutional. Boiled down, the Supreme Court found that Florida gave too much authority to judges, instead of juries, in sentencing defendants to death. That has already spurred the Florida Supreme Court to put on hold an execution that was scheduled for this week and has forced lawmakers to try to revamp the sentencing system. So far, the House and Senate disagree about whether juries should have to make unanimous recommendations to judges about imposing death sentences. In the past, majorities of juries have been able to make such recommendations.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, has already achieved his top priority for the session. The House, Senate and Scott quickly approved a package of bills designed to provide more job and educational opportunities to people with developmental disabilities. Gardiner, whose son has Down syndrome, has long focused on efforts to help people with disabilities, or as he describes them "unique abilities." The package was approved in Gardiner's final session before he leaves the Legislature because of term limits.
TAX CUTS: With Scott pushing for $1 billion in tax cuts, the House is poised to approve a package that is close to that number. But Senate leaders have been reluctant to commit to such a large number, with Gardiner suggesting a starting point for discussions might be $250 million in tax cuts. The amount of tax cuts --- and the details of which taxes get cut --- will play a critical role as lawmakers work on the budget. The House, while trying to hit Scott's $1 billion goal, differs from the governor on details of some of the cuts. Most notably, the House has not gone along with Scott's proposal to eliminate corporate income taxes on manufacturers and retailers.
WATER: Like Gardiner, House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, has already achieved perhaps his top priority for the session. Lawmakers and Scott have approved a wide-ranging bill to set new water policies for the state, a crucial issue to Crisafulli. The plan, in part, includes establishing water-flow levels for springs and setting guidelines for the Central Florida Water Initiative. Also, it addresses establishing management plans for farming around Lake Okeechobee and nearby waterways. Lawmakers, meanwhile, also are considering another plan known as "Legacy Florida," which would direct money to South Florida to address issues related to Everglades restoration and Lake Okeechobee.
