Political Calendar for Week of November 14th, 2011

By the News Service of Florida

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE….. It is a busy week as lawmakers return for a full committee week, and one in which many committees will really begin to move through actual legislation. Several big issues will at least be talked about in committees, from PIP auto insurance fraud to the federal health care challenge to prison sentencing. 

Also the effort to expand gambling opportunities starts in earnest this week as the Senate Regulated Industries Committee workshops the destination gaming resort bill.

Also this week, the Chamber of Commerce holds a big summit on insurance in Orlando, and the Florida Retail Federation releases its holiday shopping forecast.

MONDAY, NOV. 14, 2011

CHARTER SCHOOL CONFERENCE: The Annual Charter School Conference begins on Monday in Orlando with the theme, "Stronger Communities Through Quality Schools."  The conference, hosted by the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice, will provide more than 600 charter school authorizers, operators, administrators and teachers the opportunity to network and share best practices, gather information on Florida’s charter schools during one-hour breakout sessions, and meet with exhibitors who offer goods and services designed for the charter school community. (Monday-Wednesday, DoubleTree Hotel Universal Orlando, 5780 Major Blvd., Orlando.)

DEATH PENALTY DISCUSSION: The FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights and the American Bar Association, in cooperation with The Constitution Project, will present "Death Penalty: Evolving Issues in Florida." The forum will feature a host of legal and human rights experts, including former American Bar Association President Sandy D'Alemberte, former Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero, retired circuit judge O.H. Eaton, former prosecutor Harry Shorstein, Les Garinger, the director of the Florida Innocence Commission, and several others. For a full list, see: http://www.fsu.edu/news/2011/11/09/death.penalty/ . (Monday, 9:30 a.m., FSU College of Law Rotunda, 425 W. Jefferson St., Tallahassee.)

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY TASK FORCE WORKGROUP: A workgroup of the Government Efficiency Task Force set up by Gov. Rick Scott discusses "point of service systems," in the childcare arena. Point of service systems typically refer to the use of technology, such as hand-held card readers to track services delivered at the "point of service." They can be used to collect data in the field, and sometimes process different types of payments or interactions between an agency and the customers its serves. (Monday, 10 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

SENATE AGRICULTURE: The Senate Agriculture Committee hears two bills. One (SB 592) would exempt from tax electricity used at packing houses, the other (SB 502) clarifies the language surrounding the purpose of fair and exposition authorities. The panel also gets an overview of life on a small family farm. Committee members will hear from a Madison County farmer on state regulations. The panel also hears a presentation from Richard Gaskalla, director of the division of plant industry, on efforts to eradicate invasive species that are harmful to Florida agriculture and native species. The committee also discusses recent federal approval of the transfer of the school food nutrition program. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

SENATE COMMUNICATIONS, ENERGY AND PUBLIC UTILITIES: An implementing bill (SB 156) for a 2008 constitutional amendment that sets out that certain improvements to homes related to disaster mitigation or renewable energy don't increase the value of the home for tax purposes. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

SENATE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS: Among the bills before Senate Community Affairs is a measure (SJR 312) repealing a proposed constitutional amendment on property taxes from last year so it can be replaced with another – a glitch amendment of sorts. That glitch amendment (SJR 314) is also before the panel. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

CITIZENS INSURANCE BOG: The Board of Governors of Citizens Property Insurance holds its regular meeting Monday in Orlando. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., Peabody Hotel, Orlando.)

BOARD OF EDUCATION WORKSHOP: The Florida State Board of Education will hold a workshop on Monday in Jacksonville, and will discuss the FCAT, school grades, college readiness and other topics. The full agenda is athttp://www.fldoe.org/board/meetings/2011_11_14/agenda.asp . (Monday, 2 p.m., Florida State College at Jacksonville, Urban Resource Center, 601 W. State St., Room 103, Jacksonville.)

SENATE ETHICS AND ELECTIONS: The Senate E&E Committee has a long list of confirmations to various boards, including a number of boards of trustees to various colleges, regional planning boards, transportation authorities, and water management district boards, among others. The full list of those up for confirmation is at http://flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/EE/MeetingNotice/1596. (Monday, 4 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

ASKEW SPEAKS AT UF: Former Florida Gov. Reubin Askew will speak at the University of Florida's Bob Graham Center for Public Service as part of a look at the life and legacy of the former governor. The event will be moderated by David Colburn, former provost of the University of Florida. Askew entered the Legislature in 1958, was in the Senate through the 1960s and was the state's governor of the 1970s – taking office in 1971 and leaving in 1979 after two terms. (Monday, 6 p.m., Pugh Hall, the University of Florida, Gainesville.)

TUESDAY, NOV. 15, 2011

RUBIO INTERVIEW AT NEWSEUM: Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is the subject of the Politico Playbook interview on Tuesday at the Newseum in Washington. He'll be interviewed by Mike Allen. (Tuesday, 8 a.m., Watch at Politico.com/Livestream.http://politico.cvent.com/events/playbook-rubio/event-summary-3c1bccb5cdc54bc8be305c6ad86b7fba.aspx#)
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET: The Senate Budget sub on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development hears legislative budget requests from the Division of Emergency, the Department of Economic Opportunity and hear a presentation from Enterprise Florida on economic incentives. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

ENTERPRISE INFO TECH: A workgroup of the Government Efficiency Task Force discusses enterprise information technology. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

SENATE HIGHER ED BUDGET SUB: The Senate Higher Ed Budget Sub discusses the 2 plus 2 baccalaureate incentive and Gov. Rick Scott's request for information from universities about degrees offered and job tracking. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

INSURANCE MANDATES MULLED: The House Health & Human Services Quality Subcommittee will hold a panel discussion about coverage requirements in health-insurance policies. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 306 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

POWER PLANT FUEL DISCUSSED: The House Energy & Utilities Subcommittee will hear presentations about energy generation by different fuel types. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Parole interview date times (HB 329) and prohibiting picketing funerals (HB 31) are among the issues in bills before the House Criminal Justice Committee Tuesday. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 404 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

PUBLIC BROADCASTING BUDGET: The House Pre-K-12 Appropriations Subcommittee hears supplemental budget requests from the Office of Early Learning, the Florida Public Broadcasting System and gets an update on an autism center. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 17 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

MEDICAID, FQHCS, KIDCARE ON TAP: The Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee will discuss possible elimination of the Medipass portion of Medicaid and reimbursements for patient visits at federally qualified health centers and also will receive an update about the KidCare program, the subsidized health insurance program for children. (Tuesday, 10:45 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

SENATE CRIM JUSTICE BUDGET: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations gets updates on the State Courts and Clerks Revenue Stabilization Study, substance abuse and mental health services in the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections and from the criminal justice estimating conference. The committee considers one bill (SB 186) on pretrial substance abuse programs for those who commit misdemeanors. (Tuesday, 10:45 a.m., 37 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

SENATE EDUCATION BUDGET: The Senate subcommittee that writes the pre-k-12 budget discusses the financial condition of districts and early learning assessments. (Tuesday, 10:45 a.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

GENERAL GOVT BUDGET SUB: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on General Government Appropriations takes up SB 152 dealing with business opportunities for veterans, and SB 182 on the Miami-Dade County Lake Belt Mitigation Plan. It also hears agency presentations on possible areas for budget reductions at the Departments of Financial Services and Management Services, the Division of Administrative Hearings and the Florida Commission on Human Relations. (Tuesday, 10:45 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

HOLIDAY SALES FORECAST: Coming up to Thanksgiving and the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, the Florida Retail Federation releases its holiday shopping forecast. Retailing is Florida’s second largest industry. Florida retailers pay more than $33 billion in wages annually, provide one out of every five jobs in the state, and collect and remit more than $20 billion in sales and retail-related taxes for Florida’s government each year. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Lower level of Governor's Square Mall, near Dillards, Tallahassee.)

BROGAN TALKS TO HOUSE DEMS: University System Chancellor Frank Brogan will address the House Democratic Caucus Tuesday. The university system will get full attention from lawmakers this year, with a push on – by Republicans – to put more accountability into higher education. (Tuesday, 12 p.m., 316 Capitol.)

BLOWING AWAY CAP AND TRADE: The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee will take up a series of bills, including the possible repeal of a state law allowing development of a "cap and trade" system to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 102 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

PANEL HEARS APD FIX-IT PLANS: The House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee will hear a presentation about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities' plans to make changes and deal with a budget deficit in the home- and community-based services waiver program. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE BIZ AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS: Gov. Rick Scott's legislative agenda is beginning to get hearings in the House, starting Tuesday when the House Business and Consumer Affairs workshops the governor's proposal dealing with the unemployment compensation system, and another dealing with the controversial workforce boards. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 12 House Office Building, The Capitol.)


SENATE REAPPORTIONMENT TALKS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: The Senate Reapportionment Committee tackles possible ways to draw lines in Southwest Florida, including the heavily-populated Tampa Bay area. So far, the panel has used the region-by-region meetings to issue broad outlines to staff members who are crafting a committee bill for senators to consider next month. The committee could also consider plans submitted by senators, civil rights organizations or the public. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

HOUSE ECON AFFAIRS: The House Economic Affairs Committee has a long list of bills, including Rep. Larry Metz' bill (HB 4059) dealing with property and casualty insurance and legislation repealing an urban infill program that hasn't been funded for a decade (HB 4003). (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 102 House Office Building, The Capitol.)


WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2011

HOUSE HIGHER ED APPROPRIATIONS: The House Higher Ed Appropriations Committee hears presentations on workforce funding, the community college funding formula and dual enrollment funding. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 102 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

PIP IN HOUSE INSURANCE AND BANKING: The House Insurance and Banking Committee begins its work on what is expected to be one of the major insurance issues for the coming year, taking up a draft proposed committee substitute for HB 119, dealing with Personal Injury Protection Insurance. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 404 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

HOUSE JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS: The House Justice Appropriations Committee hears a bill (HB 183) dealing with pretrial substance abuse programs for misdemeanors and HB 189 dealing with unauthorized copying of recordings. It also hears a presentation the State Courts and Clerks Revenue Stabilization project. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 17 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will meet Wednesday and Thursday in Key Largo to discuss a wide range of fish-and-wildlife issues, from shark harvesting, to opportunities and access for sportsmen, to gopher tortoise and other species management, and anchoring and mooring. (Sessions start at 8:30 a.m. both days, Key Largo Grande Resort and Beach Club, 97000 South Overseas Highway, Key Largo.)

GAMBLING BILL WORKSHOP IN SEN REG INDUSTRIES: The Senate Regulated Industries Committee holds a three-hour workshop on the proposal to allow destination gambling resorts in Florida. The bill (SB 710), which would expand the places allowing slot machine gambling, is expected to be one of the most heavily debated of the session. The committee is expected to take testimony. The panel likely will be largely friendly to the gambling measure. Among the members of the Regulated Industries Committee is Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, the Senate sponsor of the bill, and the panel's chairman, Sen. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole, is a supporter of the concept. (Wednesday, 8:30 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

PIP IN SENATE BANKING AND INSURANCE: The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee discusses personal injury protection auto insurance, and will hear testimony from stakeholders. The PIP system – no-fault insurance that covers medical costs – is widely thought to be rife with fraud and in need of reform. Lawmakers have said they intend to do that this coming year, though so far, no wide-reaching PIP overhaul bill is filed. (Wednesday, 8:30 a.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

ROAD RAGE BILL IN SENATE TRANSPORTATION: Bills dealing with driving without a license (SB 474), motor fuel (SB 476) and a license plate bill (SB 528) are before the Senate Transportation Committee Wednesday morning. But the most watched bill is likely the measure (SB 244) by Sen. Mike Bennett that tries to get the slow drivers out of the left lane. The measure was on the agenda two weeks ago but postponed. (Wednesday, 8:30 a.m., 37 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

MAJOR NATIONAL-FLORIDA ISSUES DISCUSSED: The House Federal Affairs Committee gets an update Florida’s Lawsuit Regarding the Federal Affordable Care Act and is briefed on Florida’s lawsuit against the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Adoption of Numeric Nutrient Criteria for Florida Waters. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 212 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

HOUSE F&T ON LOCAL BIZ TAXES: The House Finance and Tax Committee hears just one bill (HB 4025), one related to local business taxes. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., 17 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

BRODY, DILLON BILLS SET FOR HEARING IN RULES: The relief bill for Eric Brody (SB 4), injured in a 1998 crash with a Broward Sheriff's deputy, is on the Senate Rules Committee agenda on Wednesday. The measure, one of the most closely watched claims bills before lawmakers – in part because it is a priority for Senate President Mike Haridopolos – would compensate Brody with $15 million from the Broward Sheriff's office or its insurer. The panel also will hear a claims bill for William Dillon (SB 2) which would award him $810,000. Dillon was wrongfully convicted for a 1981 murder and served almost 27 years in prison for the crime before being exonerated. A similar bill died in the chaotic end to this year's legislative session. The bill is needed because Dillon pleaded guilty to a nonviolent felony when he was 19 years old, making him ineligible for compensation under the state law governing wrongful convictions. (Wednesday, 11:45 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

HOUSE CIVIL JUSTICE: The House Civil Justice Committee hears a long list of bills, many of them technical measures related to court administration. One bill (HB 4081) repeals the law that says district court of appeal judges' salaries will be set in the law. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., 404 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

PRESENTATIONS IN SENATE BUDGET: The Senate Budget Committee hears several presentations, including one on workers compensation medical costs, and one on an electronic time and attendance system for state prisons. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.)

ASSESSMENT STANDARDS AND SCHOOL GRADES: The House Education Committee on Wednesday takes up a discussion of assessment standards and school grades, but has no legislation before it. (Wednesday, 4 p.m., 102 House Office Building, The Capitol.)

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY: The full Government Efficiency Task Force meets Wednesday evening to hear reports from its work groups on expressway authorities, design procurement, childcare point of service systems and enterprise information technology. (Wednesday, 6:15 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

THURSDAY, NOV. 17, 2011

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INSURANCE SUMMIT: The Florida Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual insurance summit starting Thursday. Discussion topics include the PIP auto insurance market, Citizens Property Insurance, the drug repackaging issue in the Workers Compensation market, what's left to do in property insurance and the CAT Fund and reinsurance issues. Featured speakers include Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Consumer Advocate Robin Westcott, OIR's Belinda Miller, the CAT Fund's Jack Nicholson, Citizens Property CEO Scott Wallace and others. (Thursday and Friday, Boardwalk Resort, Walt Disney World, Orlando.)

JOINT MEETING ABOUT ALFS: The Senate Health Regulation Committee and the Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee will hold a joint meeting to hear presentations about oversight of assisted living facilities. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

SENATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE HAS BILLS: Bills dealing with inmate re-entry (SB 448), requiring longer periods for certain inmates before they can get a parole hearing (SB 506) and the earlier release of certain elderly inmates (SB 426) are all before the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. The panel also considers the confirmation of Tena Pate's appointment to the Parole Commission, and a report from OPPAGA on the drug court program. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m., 37 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

SENATE HIGHER ED: The Senate Higher Education Committee hears a bill (SB 198) on an optional retirement program for state university system employees. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m., 301 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

JUDICIARY LOOKS AT FORECLOSURES: The Senate Judiciary Committee considers an interim project on foreclosure processes. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

SUPREME COURT OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court releases its regular opinions. (Thursday, 11 a.m.)
EDUCATION IN JUVENILE JUSTICE: The Senate Education Committee will discuss and take testimony on a bill (SB 834) dealing with education in the juvenile justice system, but won't take a vote. (Thursday, 2 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

CAMPAIGNS

WEDS, NOV. 16: GOP Presidential candidate Herman Cain fundraiser. (Wednesday, 5 p.m., Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach.)