The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – April 4, 2016

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Business, legal and labor groups will focus Wednesday on the Florida Supreme Court, which will take up two major cases. One of the cases involves a constitutional challenge to the state's workers-compensation insurance system, while the other deals with a law that sets different tax rates for satellite-television companies and their cable TV competitors.

MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016

AHCA HOLDS RULE HEARINGS: The Agency for Health Care Administration has set aside time for a series of hearings throughout the day on proposed rules. The proposed rules deal with standards and criteria for determining residents' rights in assisted living facilities: general and pediatric surgery services; breast surgery services; revising rules related to health-care risk manager licensure; anesthesia; pain management services; transplant services; allergy services; optometric services; and hearing services. (Monday, series of hearings scheduled to start at 9 a.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Dr., Tallahassee.)

BROWN ARGUMENTS DUE IN REDISTRICTING CASE: Attorneys for U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown face a Monday deadline to file additional information in her federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a redrawn congressional map. A three-judge panel heard arguments March 25 in the case, which centers on Brown's argument that the redrawn Congressional District 5 violates the federal Voting Rights Act.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

BOARD OF PHARMACY MEETS: The Florida Board of Pharmacy will start a two-day meeting in Central Florida. (Tuesday, 8 a.m., Hilton Altamonte Springs, 350 Northlake Blvd., Altamonte Springs.)

UTILITY REGULATORS MEET: The Florida Public Service Commission will meet. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

GRAHAM HOLDS WORK DAY IN WAKULLA: U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla., will hold a "work day" that will include testing water quality at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park. (Tuesday, press availability at 12:30 p.m., Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park Lodge, 465 Wakulla Park Dr., Wakulla Springs.)

CHILD ABUSE TARGETED: The Florida Department of Children and Families will help kick off the annual "Pinwheels for Prevention" campaign, which seeks to prevent child abuse. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., Glazer Children's Museum, 110 West Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa.)

POLITICS AND THE PRESS DISCUSSED: Former CNN anchor Frank Sesno will speak at Florida State University in a lecture titled, "Politics and the Press in an Angry Digital Age." (Tuesday, 5 p.m., Florida State University, Claude Pepper Center, 636 West Call St., Tallahassee.)

BERUFF TO CAMPAIGN IN HILLSBOROUGH: U.S. Senate candidate Carlos Beruff is expected to appear at the Greater Brandon Republican Club. (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., 100 South Mulrennan Road, Valrico.)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016

WORKERS COMP, COMMUNICATIONS TAX DEBATED: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in four cases, including two major cases involving the workers-compensation insurance system and the state's communications-services tax. Former Hialeah Hospital nurse Daniel Stahl is challenging the constitutionality of a key part of the workers-compensation system, while the other case focuses on the constitutionality of a higher tax rate for satellite-television companies than for cable TV providers. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

PAROLE CASES HEARD: The Florida Commission on Offender Review will consider numerous parole cases involving crimes committed in the 1970s and 1980s. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 4070 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

MEDICINE, PHARMACY BOARDS HOLD JOINT MEETING: The Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Pharmacy will hold a joint meeting that will include discussion of issues related to prescribing and dispensing controlled substances. (Wednesday, 3 p.m., Hilton Altamonte Springs, 350 Northlake Blvd., Altamonte Springs.)

GAINER RAISES MONEY IN TALLAHASSEE: A fund-raising reception will be held for Panama City Republican George Gainer, who is running this year in Senate District 2. (Wednesday, 4:30 p.m., Florida Retail Federation, 227 South Adams St., Tallahassee.)

DESANTIS, LAWMAKERS SPEAK IN FLAGLER: U.S. Senate candidate Ron DeSantis, state Sen. Travis Hutson, R-Elkton, and state Rep. Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, are expected to speak to the Flagler County Republican Club. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway N.E., Palm Coast.)

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

JUSTICES HEAR SEMINOLE DEATH ROW CASE: The Florida Supreme Court will take up four issues, including an appeal in the Seminole County death-penalty case of Clemente Aguirre-Jarquin. He was sentenced to death in the 2004 murders of Cheryl Williams and her mother, Carol Bareis. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

LATINO VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED: The National Council of La Raza will hold a news conference to launch a Florida voter-registration campaign. State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami, is expected to be among the participants at the news conference. (Thursday, 11 a.m., NCLR Florida Regional Office, 790 N.W. 107th Ave., Suite 115, Miami.)

SUPREME COURT RELEASES OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court is expected to release its weekly opinions. (Thursday, 11 a.m.)

GARDINER, SOTO DISCUSS SESSION: Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, and Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, are expected to discuss the 2016 legislative session during a meeting of the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida. (Thursday, 11:30 a.m., Country Club of Orlando, 1601 Country Club Dr., Orlando.)

MILITARY CAREGIVERS HONORED: The Florida State University College of Social Work will host a Military Caregiver Appreciation Luncheon to support people who provide care to veterans and military service members. (Thursday, 11:30 a.m., Epping Forest Yacht Club, 1830 Epping Forest Dr., Jacksonville.)

PALM BEACH LAWMAKERS REVIEW SESSION: Palm Beach County lawmakers will review the 2016 legislative session during a meeting of the county Democratic Executive Committee. (Thursday, 7 p.m., Vista Center, 2300 North Jog Road, West Palm Beach.)

FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

BOARD OF MEDICINE MEETS: The Florida Board of Medicine will meet after holding a series of committee meetings Thursday. (Friday, 8 a.m., Hilton Altamonte Springs, 350 Northlake Blvd., Altamonte Springs.)

NOBEL PRIZE WINNER SPEAKS AT FSU: Nobel Peace Prize recipient Rigoberta Menchu Tum will speak at Florida State University. Menchu, who is from Guatemala, has worked for the rights of Mayan people. (Friday, 6 p.m., Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center, 555 West Pensacola St., Tallahassee.)

SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2016

CLEMENS DISCUSSES SESSION: Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, is expected to discuss the 2016 legislative session during a meeting of the Lake Worth Democratic Club. (Saturday, 10 a.m., Brogue's Australian Boomerang Pub, 621 Lake Ave., Lake Worth.)