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This week's On Tap layout looks a little different due to the packed legislative agenda for next week. In this brief synopsis, we'll cover the top bills that are up next week, the bills that moved this week and other bills of importance.
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Several Bills to Take Center Stage Next Week: |
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Trash Bills Start to Pick Up
SB 798 (Ingoglia)and HB 975 (Holcomb) will restrict a local government’s ability to regulate solid waste and recycling services for certain types of properties, potentially leading to a reduction in the quality of these services and an increase in costs for consumers. HB 975 (Holcomb) will be heard in the House Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts Subcommittee on Monday, March 20. (O’Hara)
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Bills Dealing with Municipal Utilities Up Next Week
HB 1331 (Busatta Cabrera) and SB 1380 (Martin) will be heard in their first committees of reference, on Tuesday, March 21. The bills in their current form are a concern to cities that have municipally owned utilities. An amendment was filed to HB 1331 that makes significant changes to the bill. We anticipate that a similar amendment may be filed on SB 1380. We will keep you informed as these issues continue to develop. (O’Hara)
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Bill Limiting Increases of Homestead Tax Exemptions Up Next Week
SJR 122 (Avila) and HJR 469 (Fernandez-Barquin) would reduce the limitation on annual increases of homestead property tax assessments from 3% to 2%. SJR 122 and HJR 469 are constitutional amendments and would require the approval of the Florida Legislature and the voters of Florida. HJR 469 (Fernandez-Barquin) will be heard in the House Ways & Means Committee on Monday, March 20. (Chapman)
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Stay Informed: A Recap of This Week's Top Stories |
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House Sovereign Immunity Bill Temporarily Postponed
CS/HB 401 (Beltran), relating to Sovereign Immunity, was temporarily postponed in its second committee of reference, House Appropriations. The bill seeks to increase the current statutory limits for claims to $2.5 million per person and $5 million per-incident cap.
The Senate companion, SB 604 (Gruters), revises the statutory limits on liability for tort claims against the state and its agencies and subdivisions (which include cities). The bill seeks to increase the current statutory limits for claims to $400,000 per person and $600,000 per-incident cap. (Cruz)
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More Help is on the Way for Water and Wastewater Facilities
CS/HB 23 (Bell), an FLC Policy Position, passed unanimously in its second committee of reference. The bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection to issue a license by reciprocity to any out-of-state water or wastewater operator that has an active and valid license from that other state with license requirements that are comparable to Florida. The Senate companion, SB 162 (Collins), will be heard in its first committee of reference on Monday, March 20. (O’Hara)
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Short-Term Rentals Heard in First Senate Committee
On Tuesday, CS/SB 714 (DiCeglie) was heard in the Senate Regulated Industries Committee and passed on a vote of 5-2. The House companion, HB 833 (Duggan), has yet to be placed on a committee agenda. (Taggart)
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Financial Disclosures for Local Officials Passes Through Committee
On Tuesday, CS/SB 774 (Brodeur) passed through its first committee of reference on a vote of 8-2. CS/HB 37 (Roach) was heard Wednesday in its second committee of reference and passed 16-1. CS/HB 37 would require all municipal elected officials and all city managers to file an annual full disclosure of financial interests (Form 6) with the Florida Commission on Ethics, while CS/SB 774 was amended in committee to remove city managers from the more stringent requirement. (Taggart)
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Local Ordinances Passes First Committee in the House
On Wednesday, HB 1515 (Brackett) passed through its first committee of reference on a vote of 13-4. HB 1515 will be heard on Monday in its second committee of reference, the House Civil Justice subcommittee. The Senate companion, CS/CS/SB 170 (Trumbull), has already passed the full Senate. The bills would impose new requirements on municipalities for adopting ordinances. This issue is returning from the 2022 Legislative Session, where the League worked to address many concerns with the original bill. This year we are in a posture to support the bill. (O’Hara)
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Other Significant Legislative Issues Gaining Momentum: |
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Bill Dealing with Alternative Mobility Funding Systems Moving
HB 235 (Robinson) and SB 350 (Brodeur) can be broken down into two parts: one part deals with mobility fees, and the second part deals with impact fees. The League supports the bills, especially the mobility fee provisions. We are working to address the impact fee provision of the bills which will limit what qualifies as an extraordinary circumstance allowing local governments to circumvent the gradual phasing of impact fees increases. HB 235 (Robinson) will be heard in its first committee of reference on Monday, March 20. (Cruz)
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Housing Initiatives Continue to Fly Through the Process
Priority of legislative leadership, CS/HB 627 (Busatta Cabrera), will be heard in its second committee of reference on Monday, March 20. The Senate companion, CS/SB 102 (Calatayud), has already passed the full Senate. These bills are comprehensive housing initiatives that include funding and tax credits that will result in increased funding for attainable housing. The bills do include a few preemptions, but it is important to note that these bills will sunset in 10 years. (Branch)
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House Communication Services Tax Bill Up Next Week
SB 1432 (Trumbull) would freeze the current local tax rate for CST for three years, from January 2023 to January 2026. The bill also reduces the state tax rate for CST percentage by 1.44%. SB 1432 will be heard in its first committee of reference on Tuesday, March 21. The House companion, HB 1153 (Steele), is waiting to be placed on a committee agenda. (Chapman)
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Bill Dealing with Local Official’s Employment Contracts Up Next Week
SB 696 (Ingoglia) and HB 729 (Holcomb) would prohibit a municipality from renewing, extending, or renegotiating employment contracts with the CEO of a municipality or a municipal attorney within 12 months before an August primary election. SB 696 (Ingoglia) will be heard in the Senate Committee Affairs Committee on Wednesday, March 22. (Chapman)
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State to Suspend Regulations of Sober Homes During Proposed Study
SB 1010 (Gruters) and HB 1303 (Snyder) would create and give regulatory authority over recovery residences to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment and Housing Task Force within the Department of Children and Families. While the bill directs the task force to conduct a statewide study, it suspends any regulation of certified recovery residences from July 1, 2023, until July 1, 2026, while the study is conducted. SB 1010 (Gruters), will receive its first hearing in the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee on Monday, March 20. An amendment has been filed that significantly changes the bill and addresses FLC’s concerns by removing those provisions and will allow all local and state regulations to remain in place. (Taggart)
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Florida Looking to Bring Party Politics into Nonpartisan Elections
HB 1321 (Beltran) and SB 1372 (Ingoglia) will require any state or local candidate’s political advertisement to include the candidate’s party affiliation, even if the race is for a nonpartisan office. SB 1372 will be heard for the first time in the Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections on Tuesday, March 21. (O’Hara)
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Join us on March 22, at 2:00 p.m. ET for our Legislative Action Days: Know Before You Go webinar. Register Now
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