Legislative Update

It has been over a month since the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020.  This over $2 trillion economic relief package provides fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, small businesses, and preserves jobs for American […]

Headlines Governor declares state of emergency: A news conference was held Monday afternoon at the Capitol, where the Governor urged Floridians to take common-sense precautions and stressed that normally healthy individuals remain at low risk of contracting the coronavirus.  This press conference comes after five lawmakers were forced to self-quarantine due to their attendance at a […]

Headlines E-Verify: This week a House committee decides to advance legislation that requires Florida businesses to verify employment eligibility for workers.  HB 1265 by Representative Cord Byrd passed favorably in the Commerce Committee in a 15-8 vote.  This bill would require either use of the federal E-Verify database or, in some cases, use of the […]

Headlines Abortion: This week, after two days of grueling and heated debate, parental consent for minors’ abortions was voted to become law by the Florida House. SB 404 by Senator Kelli Stargel is now headed to Governor DeSantis’ desk for review and signature. Florida law currently requires that parents or guardians are notified if a […]

Below you will find a summary of legislation that moved during week five of Session. Each issue discussed has the potential to impact your municipality and organization. In the weeks ahead, we will continue to monitor these bills and others while advocating on your behalf. Ready to Sign: This week, Governor Ron DeSantis received four […]

Appropriations: This week both the House and Senate passed their respective budgets out of the Appropriations Committee.  The Senate proposed a $92.8 billion budget that includes a 3% pay raise for state workers, the first in years.  The House proposed a $91.3 billion that is $1.3 billion lighter than the Senate.  Both chambers included $500 […]

One day after its scheduled close, the legislature adjourned after passing a $91.1 billion budget which fell slightly short of Governor Desantis’ recommended budget. $682 million was appropriated for water-quality efforts related to red tides, algae blooms, and Everglades restoration, and over $220 million was directed to the panhandle area for Hurricane Michael recovery efforts. […]

Week 9: April 29 – May 3, 2019 Emergency Services: The Governor approved SB 426, Firefighters, sponsored by Senator Flores. The bill grants certain benefits to a firefighter upon receiving a diagnosis of cancer if certain conditions are met, and requires an employer to make certain disability payments to a firefighter in the event of […]

Week 5: April 1 – 5, 2019 Proposed 2019-2020 Budget The House and Senate Chambers have also released the first drafts of their proposed 2019-2020 budget. Here is a generalized breakdown of the current draft budget compared to last year’s budget, and the draft budget broken down by section. Source Senate PCB 2500 House PCB […]