The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – February 1, 2016

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, JANUARY 29, 2016…. Florida lawmakers face a series of major issues during the coming week, ranging from digging into budget plans to revamping the state's death penalty. Appropriations committees likely will tinker with House and Senate budget proposals, as lawmakers set the stage for negotiations on a final spending plan later in the legislative session. Meanwhile, a House panel will take up a bill aimed at fixing Florida's death-penalty laws, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the state's sentencing system is unconstitutional.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

Legislature:

RIDE SERVICES IN HILLSBOROUGH AT ISSUE: The House Local Government Affairs Subcommittee will take up a proposal (HB 1439), filed by Rep. Dan Raulerson, R-Plant City, and Majority Leader Dana Young, R-Tampa, that would create a regulatory framework in Hillsborough County for app-based ride services such as Uber and Lyft. (Monday, 11:30 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

OUT-OF-STATE INSURERS DISCUSSED: The House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee will consider a bill (HB 1317), filed by Rep. Mike Miller, R-Winter Park, that would allow out-of-state insurers to sell individual health policies in Florida. (Monday, noon, 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

PRO STADIUMS TARGETED: The House Economic Development & Tourism Subcommittee will consider a proposal (HB 1427), filed by Rep. Bryan Avila, R-Hialeah, that would bar professional sports franchises from building or renovating facilities on land owned by the state or local governments. Also, any government sales of land for such projects would have to be at fair market value. (Monday, 12:30 p.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

MAIL-ORDER PRESCRIPTIONS EYED: The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee will take up a bill (SB 780), filed by Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, that would prevent insurers from requiring people with certain chronic conditions to use mail-order pharmacies. The chronic conditions would be HIV, epilepsy, hypertension or diabetes. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

EMPLOYEE RAISES SOUGHT: The Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee will consider a proposal (SB 478), filed by Minority Leader Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, that seeks 3 percent pay raises for state employees. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

HEALTH REGULATORY ISSUES LINED UP: The Senate Health Policy Committee will consider a series of high-profile issues related to health-care regulations. One of the bills (SB 132), filed by Sen. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, seeks to clear the way for the use of "direct primary care" agreements, which generally involve patients making monthly payments to doctors and other health providers for primary-care services. The agreements would effectively reduce the role of insurers in such services. Another bill (SB 1144), filed by Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, would allow exemptions to the "certificate of need" regulatory process but would condition the exemptions on health facilities meeting criteria for providing care to low-income people. Another bill (SB 1442), filed by Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, would seek to shield patients from receiving unexpected bills for emergency care --- an issue known as "balanced billing." (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

STATE LANDS AT ISSUE: The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a bill (HB 1075), filed by Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-North Fort Myers, that would address a range of issues that involve buying, managing and selling state lands. (Monday, 3 p.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

'SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY' PLAN PITCHED: The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will take up a bill (SB 1236), filed by Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, that would create a sales-tax "holiday" for small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, one of the busiest shopping times of the year. (Monday, 4 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

CORRECTIONS CHIEF FACES CONFIRMATION: The Senate Criminal Justice Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Julie Jones, secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections. (Monday, 4 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

DUI TESTS ON THE TABLE: The House Highway & Waterway Safety Subcommittee will take up a bill (HB 555), filed by Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, and Rep. Bob Cortes, R-Altamonte Springs, that would toughen penalties for suspected drunken drivers who refuse to take such things as breath tests. (Monday, 4 p.m., 116 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

OTHER LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS:
--- House Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee (Monday, 12:30 p.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Community Affairs Committee (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security Committee (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Civil Justice Subcommittee (Monday, 3 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House K-12 Subcommittee (Monday, 3 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Rulemaking, Oversight & Repeal Subcommittee (Monday, 3 p.m., 306 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Agriculture Committee (Monday, 4 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

SEMINOLE CASINO EXPANSIONS DISCUSSED: Seminole Tribe leaders will provide a briefing about expansion plans at Seminole Hard Rock casinos in Hollywood and Tampa. The discussion comes as lawmakers consider a gambling "compact" negotiated by tribal leaders and Gov. Rick Scott. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., Seminole Tribe of Florida headquarters, 6300 Stirling Road, Hollywood.)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2016

Legislature:

HOUSE SMILES FOR THE CAMERA: House members will gather on the floor for a panoramic photograph. (Tuesday, 9:15 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

SENATE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The Senate will hold a floor session and could take up issues such as a proposal (SB 590), filed by Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, that would let judges place the best interests of children in adoption cases above biological parents' wishes. The Senate also could consider a proposal (SB 716), filed by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, that would lead to a Holocaust memorial being built in the Capitol complex. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

MANATEE SPEED ZONES AT ISSUE: The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee will consider a bill (HB 1273), filed by Rep. Larry Ahern, R-Seminole, that would require an independent study about the effectiveness of manatee speed zones. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

PANEL CONSIDERS FEES IN RECORDS CASES: The House Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a proposal (HB 1021), filed by Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, that would give judges discretion in deciding whether to award attorney fees in public-records lawsuits. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

ABORTION BILL GETS AIRING: The House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a wide-ranging bill (HB 1411), filed by Rep. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, that would increase regulations on abortion clinics and address issues such as a prohibition on the sale of fetal tissue. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

COMPENSATION SOUGHT IN FSU PLAYER'S DEATH: Senate Minority Leader Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, Rep. Mia Jones, D-Jacksonville, and former Florida State University and NFL football players are expected to take part in a news conference to urge passage of a proposal (HB 3513 and SB 16) that would compensate the family of FSU player Devaughn Darling, who collapsed and died during a 2001 training session. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., Room 333, the Capitol.)

SENATE HOLDS REUNION: The Senate will hold a reunion gathering for current and former members. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

CHARTER SCHOOLS AT ISSUE: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee will take up a series of measures, including a proposed constitutional amendment (SJR 976), filed by Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, that calls for creating a statewide system of approving charter schools. Currently, school districts receive applications for charter schools. If the applications are denied, backers of proposed schools can appeal to the state. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

LOTTERY LIMITS SOUGHT: The Senate Regulated Industries Committee will consider a bill (SB 790), filed by Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, that would place limits on the sales of lottery scratch-off games. Under the proposal, the lottery could not offer more than 20 scratch-off games at a time, and tickets could not cost more than $5. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

DEATH SENTENCES ADDRESSED: The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee will take up a proposal (PCB CRJS 16-07) that would revamp the way Florida sentences people to death. The bill comes after the U.S. Supreme Court this month found that Florida's death-penalty sentencing system is unconstitutional. Justices said Florida's system improperly gives giving judges --- not juries --- the power to impose death sentences. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

LAWMAKERS LOOK TO REQUIRE RECESS: The House Education Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a bill (HB 833), filed by Rep. Rene Plasencia, R-Orlando, and Rep. Bob Cortes, R-Altamonte Springs, that would require elementary schools to provide 100 minutes of recess each week. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE WEIGHS GUN BILLS: The House will hold a floor session and is slated to consider two high-profile gun bills. One of the bills (HB 163), filed by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to openly carry firearms. The other bill (HB 4001), sponsored by Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, and Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns on college and university campuses.  (Tuesday, 4 p.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

SENATORS PITCH EXPANDED CABINET: The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee will consider two proposed constitutional amendments that would expand the number of elected Cabinet members. Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, has proposed an amendment (SJR 942) that would lead to an elected education commissioner who would serve on the Cabinet. Similarly, Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, has proposed an amendment (SJR 1424) that would lead to an elected secretary of state who would serve on the Cabinet. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

OTHER LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS:
--- House Business & Professions Subcommittee (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Transportation & Ports Subcommittee (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Health Quality Subcommittee (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 306 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Veteran & Military Affairs Subcommittee (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

JUSTICES WEIGH DEATH PENALTY SENTENCING: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in five cases, including an appeal by Cary Michael Lambrix, a Death Row inmate scheduled to be executed Feb. 11. The Lambrix arguments will focus, at least in part, on a U.S. Supreme Court decision this month that found Florida's death-penalty sentencing system unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court found that Florida's system of allowing judges --- not juries --- to impose the death penalty violates the Sixth Amendment right to a trial by jury. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

FINANCIAL AID AT ISSUE: The Education Estimating Conference will hold what is known as an "impact conference" on student financial-aid issues. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION MEETS: The Florida Public Service Commission will meet. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

THRASHER SPEAKS AT CAPITOL: Florida State University President John Thrasher will speak during an "FSU Day at the Capitol" event. (Tuesday, 11:30 a.m., Capitol plaza.)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Legislature:

HOUSE BUDGET DEBATED: The House Appropriations Committee is expected to take up the House's proposed budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

SENATE PANEL TAKES UP BUDGET: The Senate Appropriations Committee is slated to consider the Senate's proposed budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 and a series of related bills. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The House is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Wednesday, 3 p.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

OTHER SCHEDULED LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS:
--- House Criminal Justice Subcommittee (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Finance & Tax Committee (Wednesday, 11:30 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

SCOTT, PUTNAM, SENATORS AT COUNTIES' EVENT: Gov. Rick Scott, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, Senate President Andy Gardiner and Sen. Jack Latvala are expected to be among the speakers during the Florida Association of Counties' "Legislative Day" event. (Wednesday, briefings start at 9 a.m. at Florida State University, Turnbull Conference Center, 555 West Pensacola St., Tallahassee. Gardiner scheduled to speak at 6 p.m. reception at the Governors Club, 202 South Adams St., Tallahassee.)

SUPREME COURT TAKES UP COP KILLINGS CASE: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in three cases, including an appeal by Death Row inmate Dontae Morris, who was convicted in the 2010 murders of Tampa police officers David Curtis and Jeffrey Kocab. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

WILCOX, PATTY CAMPAIGN IN FLAGLER: U.S. Senate candidate Todd Wilcox and congressional candidate Brandon Patty are expected to speak to the Flagler County Republican Club. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Palm Coast Community Center, Palm Coast.)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016

Legislature:

LAWMAKERS SPEAK AT COUNTIES' EVENT: Rep. Kathleen Peters, R-Treasure Island, Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation, and Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, are scheduled to speak during the Florida Association of Counties' "Legislative Day" event. (Thursday, 11:30 a.m., the Capitol.)

SCHEDULED LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS:
--- House Judiciary Committee (Thursday, 9 a.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House State Affairs Committee (Thursday, 9 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee (Thursday, 9 a.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Fiscal Policy Committee (Thursday, 9 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Rules Committee (Thursday, 9 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Transportation Committee (Thursday, 9 a.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Economic Affairs Committee (Thursday, 10 a.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Education Committee (Thursday, 1 p.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Health & Human Services Committee (Thursday, 1 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Local & Federal Affairs Committee (Thursday, 1 p.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Regulatory Affairs Committee (Thursday, 1 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Appropriations Committee (Thursday, 1 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Rules, Calendar & Ethics Committee (Thursday, 3:30 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AT ISSUE: The Agency for Health Care Administration will help host a meeting with industry officials and experts about health information-technology issues. (Thursday, 8 a.m., Florida International University, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, 11200 S.W. Eighth St., Miami.)

SUPREME COURT HEARS SARASOTA, LAKE MURDER CASES: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in four cases, including death-penalty cases from Sarasota and Lake counties. The Sarasota County case involves an appeal by Michael King, who was convicted in the 2008 murder of Denise Amber Lee. The Lake County case involves an appeal by Eric Simmons, who was convicted in the 2001 murder of Deborah Tressler. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

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

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016

BOARD OF MEDICINE MEETS IN ORLANDO: The Florida Board of Medicine will meet and consider disciplinary cases from across the state. (Friday, 8 a.m., Hyatt Regency Orlando, 9801 International Dr., Orlando.)

WILCOX CAMPAIGNS IN SARASOTA: U.S. Senate candidate Todd Wilcox is expected to speak to the Republican Women's Club of Sarasota. (Friday, 11:30 a.m., Michael's on East, 1212 East Ave. Sarasota.)