On Tap in the Capital- Tuesday, March 28, 2017

By The News Service of Florida

VACATION RENTALS DEBATED: The House Careers & Competition Subcommittee will take up a bill (HB 425), filed by Rep. Mike La Rosa, R-St. Cloud, that would prevent local governments from passing laws or regulations restricting vacation rentals. (8 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

PASSENGER RAIL AT ISSUE: The House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee will consider a proposal (HB 269), filed by Rep. MaryLynn Magar, R-Tequesta, and Rep. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, that would give regulatory duties to the Department of Transportation over high-speed passenger rail and add safety requirements. (8 a.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

BUDGET PROPOSALS ON THE TABLE: The House Government Operations & Technology Appropriations Subcommittee, the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, the House Transportation & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee and the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee will receive 2017-2018 budget proposals from their chairmen. (Government Operations & Technology, 8 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol. Also, Health Care, 8 a.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol. Also, Agriculture & Natural Resources, noon, Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol. Also, Transportation & Tourism, noon, Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol. Also, PreK-12, 3:30 p.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

MORE SCHOOL RECESS SOUGHT: The House PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee will take up a bill (HB 67), filed by Rep. Rene Plasencia, R-Orlando, and Rep. Bob Cortes, R-Altamonte Springs, that would require elementary schools to provide at least 20 minutes of unstructured recess time each school day. (8:30 a.m., Mashburn Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

AGENCY BUDGET ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, the Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Subcommittee and the Senate Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee will discuss budget issues related to agencies they oversee. (Criminal and Civil Justice, 9 a.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol. Also, Pre-K-12 Education, 9 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol. Also, Higher Education, 11 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

BP SETTLEMENT MONEY AT ISSUE: The Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a bill (SB 364), filed by Sen. George Gainer, R-Panama City, that would create a framework for the use of BP settlement money from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. (9 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOUGHT: The House Agriculture & Property Rights Subcommittee will take up a bill (HB 333), filed by Rep. Chuck Clemons, R-Newberry, that would make a series of changes in the state's rural economic-development efforts. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

PANEL CONSIDERS AHCA, DOH LEADERS: The Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee will hold confirmation hearings for Justin Senior, secretary of the state Agency for Health Care Administration, and Celeste Philip, the state's surgeon general and secretary of the Department of Health. (11 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

BUILDING CODE ON THE TABLE: The Senate Regulated Industries will take up a bill (SB 860), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, that deals with the Florida Building Code, including proposed changes in the process of revising the code. (11 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

IMMIGRANT ADVOCATES HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE: Democratic lawmakers and groups such as the Florida Immigrant Coalition and the Farmworker Association of Florida will hold a news conference to discuss opposition to a series of immigrant-related bills in the Legislature. Lawmakers expected to take part include Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami; Sen. Victor Torres, D-Orlando; Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale; Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando; Rep. Al Jacquet, D-Lantana; and Rep. Amy Mercado, D-Orlando. (11 a.m., fourth-floor rotunda, the Capitol.)

CRIMES AGAINST HOSPITAL WORKERS TARGETED: The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee will take up a proposal (HB 1207), filed by Rep. Daisy Baez, D-Coral Gables, that would increase criminal penalties for people who commit assault or battery on doctors, nurses or other hospital workers. (Noon, 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

NATURAL GAS INVESTMENTS WEIGHED: The House Energy & Utilities Subcommittee will consider a bill (HB 1043), filed by Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, that would allow electric utilities to invest in natural-gas reserves and recoup the money from customers, The bill came after the state Supreme Court ruled that regulators didn't have legal authority in 2014 to approve Florida Power & Light's request to invest in the drilling and production of natural gas in what is known as the Woodford Gas Reserves Project in Oklahoma. (Noon, Mashburn Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA ON AGENDA: The House Health Quality Subcommittee will take up a plan (HB 1397), filed by Majority Leader Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, that would carry out a 2016 constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana in Florida. (Noon, 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

MILITARY SUPPORT SOUGHT: The House Local, Federal & Veteran Affairs Subcommittee will consider a bill (HB 1235), filed by Rep. Chris Latvala, R-Clearwater, that would take a series of steps to help support veterans and military members. The proposals include trying to streamline the process for military spouses to practice law and to work as teachers in Florida when their families are stationed in the state. (Noon, 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

BROADER PUBLIC COUNSEL ROLE PROPOSED: The Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee will consider a series of bills, including a proposal (SB 1146), filed by Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, that would allow the state Office of Public Counsel to represent some customers of municipal utilities in rate cases. The Office of Public Counsel primarily represents consumers in cases before the Florida Public Service Commission, which does not regulate municipal utility rates. (3 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION PANEL MEMBERS CONSIDERED: The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee will hold confirmation hearings for three members of the state Environmental Regulation Commission. They are Frank Gummey, Craig Varn and James McCarthy. (3 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

CENTRAL FLORIDA EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY AT ISSUE: The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee will take up a bill (SB 720), filed by Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, that would add Brevard County to the Central Florida Expressway Authority. (3 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

RIDESHARING REGULATION DEBATED: The Senate Judiciary Committee will consider a proposal (SB 340), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, that would create statewide regulations for ridesharing companies such as Uber and Lyft. (3 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

HEALTH RECORD DONATIONS WEIGHED: The Senate Transportation Committee will take up a bill (SB 804), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, that would allow patients to donate electronic health records to medical schools, universities, hospitals or other facilities for research purposes. (3 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

UNIVERSITY SEARCH INFORMATION AT ISSUE: The House Oversight, Transparency & Administration Subcommittee will take up a series of public-records bills, including a measure (HB 351), filed by Rep. Bob Rommel, R-Naples, that would shield from disclosure information about applicants to become presidents, provosts or deans at Florida universities or state colleges. (3:30 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

STATE COLLEGE CHANGES CONSIDERED: The House Post-Secondary Education Subcommittee will consider a proposal (HB 929), filed by Rep. Jake Raburn, R-Lithia, that would make a series of changes for state colleges, including creating a State Board of Community Colleges. (3:30 p.m., Mashburn Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

FANTASY SPORTS ON THE TABLE: The House Tourism & Gaming Control Subcommittee will take up a bill (HB 149), filed by Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, that would make clear fantasy sports games are not considered gambling under Florida laws. (3:30 p.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

OTHER LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS:
--- House Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee (3:30 p.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee (3:30 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

FAMU TRUSTEES MEET: The Florida A&M University Board of Trustees will meet after holding a meeting of the Strategic Planning and Performance Measures Committee. (Committee starts at 8:30 a.m., followed by full board, Florida A&M University, Grand Ballroom, Tallahassee.)

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER BOARD MEETS: The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board will meet. (9 a.m., district Brooksville office, 2379 Broad St., Brooksville.)

CHILDREN'S ISSUES DISCUSSED: A news conference will be held in conjunction with Children's Week activities at the Capitol. (Noon, Capitol courtyard, Tallahassee.)

CITIZENS INSURANCE COMMITTEES MEET: The Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Board of Governors will hold three committee meetings in advance of a full board meeting Wednesday. Among the topics will be "depopulation" efforts aimed at moving customers into the private insurance market. (Meetings start at 1 p.m., Sheraton Orlando North, 600 North Lake Destiny Dr., Orlando.)

DEVELOPMENT FINANCE BOARD MEETS: The Florida Development Finance Corp. Board of Directors is scheduled to meet. (2 p.m., Enterprise Florida, 800 North Magnolia Ave., Suite 1100, Orlando.)