Senate President-elect Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, and incoming House Speaker-elect Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, are not wasting any time.
The two legislative leaders met Thursday after the midterm elections gave Republicans veto-proof majorities in both chambers of the state Legislature. They agreed to bring up nine bills and a budget item in a special session Nov. 16, following the swearing-in of recently elected members. The bills were overwhelmingly passed last year but vetoed by outgoing Gov. Charlie Crist.
Cannon declared that the Legislature needs to clean up the mess left by the Crist vetoes.
I agree with President-elect Haridopolos that we address policies we thought were good policies, Cannon said.
The budget item vetoed by Crist was an appropriation of $9.7 million to Shands Hospital. Included in the bills on tap is legislation strengthening tax breaks for agricultural lands and tightening environmental regulation. Nearly all of the bills were passed unanimously or nearly unanimously.
The only bill that received more than seven dissenting votes was HB 5611, which was approved unanimously in the Senate but received a 76-44 vote in the House. The bill would make the Department of Management Services report to the governor and the Cabinet, instead of solely to the governor, as it does now.
Haridopolos and Cannon insisted the calling of a special session to override Crists vetoes is not a signal to Governor-elect Rick Scott of their new-found clout, even though one of the bills would dilute the power of the governor.
Rep. Cannon and I are agreed this is good policy and thats why we called this session to get this done, Haridopolos said.
Im excited about working with (Scott). Id be surprised if he didnt think these were good bills, Cannon said.
After being frustrated by Crists vetoes last year, however, the new legislative leadership does not appear to be in a conciliatory mood when it comes to popular bills.
It didnt matter who was elected Tuesday. We think it was good policy, Haridopolos said.
For more controversial bills -- like the legislation linking teacher pay to performance and a bill requiring abortion seekers to get ultrasounds, all passed last year but vetoed by Crist -- a more deliberate approach will be taken. Haridopolos stated that he and Cannon would not abuse their super-majorities to rush bills through, and that bills dealing with hot-button issues like immigration would go through two committees with input and debate from legislators.
Were going to make sure this is an open and fair process, Haridopolos said.
For the main legislative agenda in 2011, the leaders signaled that Medicaid and tort reform are high priorities.
We will be handling Medicaid this year. Theres no more important program for us than Medicaid, Haridopolos said, adding that he is seeking greater flexibility in doctor access.
Of course, in a state with 12 percent unemployment, the Legislature will be looking to pass laws that will help turn the economy around and create jobs. But the leaders are intent on taking care of unfinished business from this years session.
Once we take those (bills) off the table, we can focus on jobs, jobs, jobs, Haridopolos said.
The special session will likely mark the first override of governor vetoes since 1997, when the Legislature passed bills dealing with partial-birth abortion and evidence and hearsay over the vetoes of Gov. Lawton Chiles.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.