The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – August 8, 2016

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, AUGUST 5, 2016…. School children in many parts of the state will start returning to classes during the coming week, and their families have until Sunday night to get sales-tax breaks on new clothes and school supplies. Meanwhile, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will return to Florida for campaign appearances in St. Petersburg, Orlando and Miami.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

FINAL DAY OF TAX HOLIDAY: Sunday will be the final day of a sales-tax "holiday" for back-to-school shoppers. During the holiday, shoppers are able to avoid paying sales taxes on clothing that costs $60 or less and school supplies that cost $15 or less.

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

MEDICAID MONEY DISCUSSED: The Social Services Estimating Conference will analyze expenditures in the Medicaid program. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

CLINTON CAMPAIGNS IN FLORIDA: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will appear at a campaign rally in St. Petersburg and also is expected to attend an event in Orlando. She is expected to visit Miami on Tuesday. (Monday, 3:30 p.m., The Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. North, St. Petersburg.)

SPANO SPEAKS TO GOP CLUB: Rep. Ross Spano, a Dover Republican running for re-election in state House District 59, is expected to speak to the Alafia Republican Club. (Monday, 6 p.m., Beef 'O' Brady's, 4330 Bell Shoals Road, Valrico.)

DEMOCRAT CAMPAIGNS IN CD 4: Dave Bruderly, the Democratic candidate in Northeast Florida's Congressional District 4, is expected to hold a meet-and-greet event in St. Johns County. (Monday, 6:30 p.m., Ponte Vedra Beach Library, 101 Library Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach.)

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

PHARMACY BOARD MEETS: The Florida Board of Pharmacy is scheduled to meet in Pinellas County. (Tuesday, 8 a.m., St. Petersburg Marriott Clearwater, 12600 Roosevelt Blvd., St. Petersburg.)

DUKE NUCLEAR COSTS DISCUSSED: The state Public Service Commission will hold a hearing about money that Duke Energy Florida collects from customers for nuclear projects. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

ST. JOHNS WATER BOARD MEETS: The St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board will meet after holding committee meetings. (Tuesday, committee meetings start at 9 a.m., district headquarters, 4049 Reid St., Palatka.)

SUWANNEE RIVER WATER BOARD MEETS: The Suwannee River Water Management District Governing Board will meet. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., district headquarters, 9225 County Road 49, Live Oak.)

GAS DRILLING PROJECTS AT ISSUE: The state Public Service Commission will take up a series of issues, including guidelines that would have allowed Florida Power & Light to invest in natural-gas drilling projects. The Florida Supreme Court ruled recently that regulators should not have approved an FPL plan to invest ratepayer money in such a project. The Public Service Commission will consider vacating an order that included the guidelines. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

RURAL COUNTIES DISCUSSED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will discuss "fiscally constrained counties," which include small, rural counties with limited tax bases. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

SCHOOL PROJECTS ON THE TABLE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will analyze the Public Education Capital Outlay, or PECO, program that helps pay for education construction projects. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016

SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS: The 2016-2017 school year will start Wednesday for students in 40 public-school districts. The start dates in other districts vary, with the final school openings on Aug. 22.

PHARMACY BOARD MEETS: The Florida Board of Pharmacy is scheduled to continue a two-day meeting in Pinellas County. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., St. Petersburg Marriott Clearwater, 12600 Roosevelt Blvd., St. Petersburg.)

PAROLE ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Florida Commission on Offender Review is slated to discuss numerous parole cases related to crimes committed in the 1970s and 1980s. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 4070 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

CONSUMER PROTECTION AT ISSUE: The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will host a "consumer protection fair" in The Villages. Among the issues will be increased security measures at gas pumps to prevent the theft of financial information. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Eisenhower Regional Recreation Center, 3560 Buena Vista Blvd., The Villages.)

CHILD ABUSE DEATHS DISCUSSED: The Florida Child Abuse Death Review Committee, which looks for ways to reduce preventable child-abuse deaths, is scheduled to hold a conference call. (Wednesday, 10 a.m. Call-in number: 1-888-670-3525 Code:702-170-0355)

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AT POINCIANA EVENT: Democratic candidates in Congressional District 9, state Senate District 22, state House District 41 and state House District 42 are expected to take part in a Solivita Democratic Club forum. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Solivita Freedom Park, Solivita Boulevard at Village Drive, Poinciana.)

SD 23 CANDIDATES ATTEND FORUM: Republican candidates in Southwest Florida's state Senate District 23 are expected to take part in a Peace River Federated Republican Women's forum. Candidates include state Rep. Ray Pilon, state Rep. Greg Steube, former state Rep. Doug Holder and former Sarasota County Commissioner Nora Patterson. (Wednesday, noon, Isles Yacht Club, 1780 West Marion Ave., Punta Gorda.)

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

MAUGHAN SPEAKS TO BUSINESS GROUP: Republican Jason Maughan, who is running in Lee County's state Senate District 27, is scheduled to speak to the Businesspeople United for Political Action Committee, or BUPAC. (Thursday, 7:30 a.m., Florida SouthWestern State College, 8099 College Parkway, Building AA, Fort Myers.)

SOUTH FLORIDA WATER BOARD MEETS: The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board will meet. (Thursday, 9 a.m., district headquarters, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach.)

TRUST FUNDS ON THE TABLE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will discuss issues including what are known as "outlooks" for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, the Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund and the State School Trust Fund. (Thursday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

BEAN HOLDS "MOBILE" OFFICE HOURS: Staff members for state Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, will hold "mobile" office hours. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Mandarin Branch Library, 3330 Kori Road, Jacksonville.)

JUDICIAL VACANCIES DETAILED: The group Integrity Florida will hold a news conference to release a report about judicial vacancies in federal courts in Florida. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Florida Press Center, 336 East College Ave., Tallahassee.)

NORTHWEST FLORIDA WATER BOARD MEETS: The Northwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board is scheduled to meet. (Thursday, 1 p.m., district headquarters, 81 Water Management Dr., Havana.)

MEDICAID, KIDCARE AT ISSUE: The Social Services Estimating Conference will discuss expenditures in the Medicaid and KidCare health programs. (Thursday, 3 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

MAST CAMPAIGNS IN CD 18: Republican Brian Mast, who is running in Congressional District 18, is expected to appear at a meet-and-greet event. (Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Palm City Civic Organization, 770 S.W. 34th St., Palm City.)

PUTNAM SPEAKS TO NASSAU GOP: Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is expected to speak during the Nassau County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner. (Thursday, 7 p.m., Omni Amelia Island Plantation Conference Center, 39 Beach Lagoon Road, Amelia Island.)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016

CHIROPRACTIC ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Florida Board of Chiropractic Medicine will meet in Orange County. (Friday, 8:30 a.m., Florida Hotel and Conference Center, 1500 Sand Lake Road, Orlando.)

I-75 TASK FORCE MEETS: The "I-75 Relief Task Force," which is looking at transportation corridors between the Tampa Bay area and Northeast Florida will meet. (Friday, 9 a.m., Southeastern Livestock Pavilion auditorium, 2232 N.E. Jacksonville Road, Ocala.)

LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE AT ISSUE: The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation will hold two public hearings about requests from Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and Unum Life Insurance Company of America to raise rates for long-term care insurance. (Friday, Metropolitan Life hearing at 1 p.m., followed by Unum hearing at 4 p.m., Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, Kovens Conference Center, 3000 N.E. 151st St., North Miami.)

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS DUE: State political candidates and committees face a Friday deadline for filing reports showing finance activity through Aug. 5.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2016

YOHO, PERRY SPEAK AT PUTNAM GOP EVENT: Congressman Ted Yoho and state Rep. Keith Perry, a Gainesville Republican running in state Senate District 8, are expected to speak during the Putnam County Republican Executive Committee's "Victory 2016" dinner. (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Putnam County Shrine Club, 116 Yelvington Road, East Palatka.)