ADVANCES: WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

By:  News Service of Florida

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE…..Lawmakers take a week off between this week's committee meetings and another week of committees at the beginning of October. 

The highlight of the week is likely to be Friday, when a special committee set up to determine when Florida will hold its 2012 presidential primary does so. 

MONDAY, SEPT. 26, 2011

DOE ENERGY INDEPENDENCE CONFERENCE: The Florida Energy Systems Consortium and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy hold a workshop on jobs in clean energy.http://www1.eere.energy.gov/jobs_sunshinestate/ Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam gives the keynote address at noon. (Monday, 8 a.m., Reitz Union, University of Florida, Museum Rd., Gainesville.)

LOTTERY PROJECTS RE-TWEAK: The Revenue Estimating Conference takes a look at Lottery proceeds and the Education Enhancement Trust Fund. Proceeds from the lottery were last evaluated in July. They show about $1.4 billion available for the current fiscal year. (Monday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

SOLAR COMPANY ANNOUNCES NEW SITE: National Solar Power on Monday will hold a news conference to announce its plans for the Southeast’s largest solar farm. The company has looked at several sites, and four in Florida are in the running. Sites in the running are in Gadsden, Hardee, Osceola and Suwannee counties. The company is based in Melbourne. (Monday, 10 a.m., Old Capitol front steps, Monroe St. side, Tallahassee.)

NEW HOUSING FOR FORMER FOSTER KIDS: Big Bend Community-Based Care is holding a groundbreaking ceremony for its new multifamily affordable housing project called “Independence Village.” The 24-unit affordable rental housing community targets youth aged 18-22 who are aging out of foster care and currently participants in the “Independent Living” program, which includes requirements for employment and education. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., 910 Harrison St., Panama City.)

ELECTIONS COMMISSION: Three members of the Florida Elections Commission meet by phone Monday to consider a motion in the case of Freda Sherman Stevens of Broward County. (Monday, 3 p.m., 1 (888) 808-6959 Conference Code: 6532211382) 

TUESDAY, SEPT. 27, 2011

FLORIDA ENERGY SYSTEMS CONSORTIUM SUMMIT: The University of Florida hosts a summit on energy systems. Speakers include Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, and PSC Commissioner Eduardo Balbis and there are discussions of and demonstrations of research into alternative energies. http://www.floridaenergy.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/Preliminary-Agenda-9-151.pdf
(Tuesday, 8:25 a.m., Reitz Union, University of Florida, Museum Rd., Gainesville.)

HIGHWAY SAFETY FEES: The Revenue Estimating Conference turns its attention to highway safety fees as it updates forecasts for collections from traffic fines, vehicle registrations and other fees. Of interest will be the effect red light cameras are having on collections. Revenue anticipated coming in last year did not, prompting economists in March to change red light collection forecasts for the 2011/12 fiscal year. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

PROGRESS ENERGY APPEALS $78 MIL VERDICT: Oral arguments are scheduled before the Fourth District Court of Appeal in a case pitting Progress Energy against U.S. Global LLC. A jury in 2009 awarded Global $78 million for breach of contract and commission agreements, saying Progress violated an exclusivity agreement with the Global over the sale of some of Progress Energy's stake in coal-derived synthetic fuel facilities. Progressed appealed the ruling. A three judge panel will hear arguments but isn't expected to rule. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 1525 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. West Palm Beach.)

FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM; State economists will meet to review and update actuarial assumptions involving the Florida Retirement System. Last year, the FRS was about $16 billion short of covering all its long-term obligations, the second year in a row the state-backed pension plan has operated without a surplus. The fund, which had assets of $128 billion on July 31, remains one of the most financially sound in the country. The panel will also update figures dealing with health insurance subsidy benefits. (Tuesday 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott, The Capitol.)

GROSS RECEIPTS/COMMUNICATION SERVICES TAX: The Revenue Estimating Conference reconvenes to update forecasts for collection of taxes on electricity, gas and communication services. The state is expected to collect about $1.1 billion in gross receipts and another $900 in Communication Services taxes for the current fiscal year. Gross receipts have been adversely affected by continued easing of natural gas prices. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 117 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

VOICE TALKS REDISTRICTING: The group Volunteers Organizing and Initiating Change Everywhere, or VOICE, holds a discussion of the redistricting process with Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith. (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.., Leroy Collins Public Library, 200 Parke Ave., West, Tallahassee.)

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28, 2011
Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown

POSEY HOSTS ENTREPRENEUR SUMMIT IN VERO: Congressman Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, will host an Entrepreneur Summit in Indian River County to showcase innovative technologies to the public and potential investors. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., Richardson Center at Indian River State College’s Mueller Campus, 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach.)

SP TIMES APPEALS $10.1 MIL LIBEL AWARD: The Second District Court of Appeal will hear oral arguments in Tampa in a case involving the Times Publishing Co. , the publisher of the St. Petersburg Times. A jury in 2009 awarded $10.1 million to a local physician who sued the newspaper for libel following a series of articles published in late 2003 and 2004 that accused him of illicit activity. The physician, Dr. Harold Kennedy, argued the stories were not true and their publication sullied his reputation and cost him employment opportunities. A judge ruled that Kennedy was a public figure, a designation that raises the burden of proof in libel cases. Nonetheless, a jury awarded Kennedy $5.1 million in compensatory and $5 million in punitive damages. The reporter, Paul de la Garza, died of a heart attack in 2006. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Tampa Branch Headquarters of the Second District Court of Appeal, Stetson University College of Law, Tampa Campus, 1700 N. Tampa St., Tampa.)

VOLUNTARY PRE-K ENROLLMENT: The Early Learning Programs Estimating Conference meets to update forecasts on participation n the state's voluntary preschool program. In March, the committee estimated that 156,055 full time slots would be filled for the 2011/12 fiscal year. The March reading was slightly lower than previous estimates made in December. (Wednesday, 3 p.m., 117 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

MANUEL VALLE EXECUTION: Barring any last-minute stays, the state of Florida will execute death row inmate Manuel Valle for the 1978 murder of Coral Gables officer Louis Pena. Valle, now 61, is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection after a series of challenges, including one to the use of a new drug in the state's execution protocol, were rejected by the courts. (Wednesday, 4 p,m., Florida State Prison, Starke.)

THURSDAY, SEPT. 29, 2011

PBA LAWSUIT AGAINST PRISON PRIVATIZATION: Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford holds a hearing on count 1 of a lawsuit filed by the Florida Police Benevolent Association seeking to block planned prison privatization. Count 1 argues the privatization is unconstitutional because it was done through proviso language in the state budget legislation. (Thursday, 7:30 a.m., Leon County Courthouse, Tallahassee.)

SUPREME COURT OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court releases its regular opinions. (11 a.m.)

ALVIN BROWN SPEAKS AT ECONOMIC ROUNDTABLE: The Economic Roundtable of Jacksonville opens its 2011-12 season with Mayor Alvin Brown as the keynote speaker at its lunch on Thursday. Cost is $25 for guests and $20 for members. The roundtable is an affiliate of the National Association for Business Economics. Brown will present his vision for the development of downtown Jacksonville. (Thursday, 12 p.m., Jacksonville University Davis College of Business, Jacksonville.)

FRIDAY, SEPT. 30, 2011

BOARD OF MEDICINE: The Board of Medicine holds its regular meeting Friday and Saturday to take up general business. (Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m., Wyndham Tampa Westshore, 700 N. Westshore Boulevard, Tampa.)

PRIMARY DATE TO BE CHOSEN: The Florida Presidential Preference Primary Date Selection Committee meets to set a date for the 2012 Florida presidential primary. States have until Oct. 1 to commit to dates for the presidential preference vote. Committee members on Friday postponed action while they await news on what other states are doing. At Friday's meeting, the panelists appeared to agree on placing the Florida primary immediately after South Carolina, which is expected to be rescheduled this week for sometime in early or mid February. Backers want Florida's contest to be as early as possible without stepping on the toes of traditional early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. (Friday, 11 a.m., 212 Knott Building, The Capitol.) 

CAMPAIGNS

FRISHE FUNDRAISER: Rep. Jim Frishe, a candidate for the state Senate, is holding a fundraiser Monday evening. Frishe is one of two Republicans who has filed to run for Senate District 13, currently held by term-limited Sen. Dennis Jones. Former Rep. Leslie Waters also is running. (Monday, 5:30 p.m., Middle Grounds Grill, 10925 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island.)

LUNCH FUNDRAISER FOR LUIS GARCIA: U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer, the Democratic whip in Congress, will be the featured guest on Wednesday at a luncheon for Rep. Luis Garcia, a Miami Beach Democrat running for Congress. Garcia is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. David Rivera in District 25. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Novacento Restaurant, 1414 Brickell Ave., Miami.)