Preview of Florida Political Events for the Week of December 12th

By the News Service of Florida

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE  --  The slow down leading into the Christmas holiday starts this week after a busy mid-December committee week that brought us the governor's budget proposal and the first redistricting maps. 

Official Tallahassee may need a holiday period the next three weeks – because after the New Year, the session starts right away, this being the redistricting year. 

Because of that, the normally slow holiday period may be a little less slow – there are still bills to be filed, and of course the last few weeks of a fundraising quarter are always busy. 

But the Legislature isn't in town this week, though there's a Government Efficiency Task Force meeting at the Capitol. The only other legislative-like meeting is a hearing involving two members in central Florida on Lake Apopka restoration. 

Gov. Rick Scott begins the week on a trade mission to Israel that also includes Senate President Mike Haridopolos. 

Also, customers of Gulf Power could see their base electric rates go up after a hearing this week before state utility regulators. The Panhandle company wants to raise rates by more than $90 million total. 

November unemployment data is out Friday.

SATURDAY, DEC. 10

REPUBLICAN PARTY QUARTERLY MEETING: Republican Party of Florida officials meet Saturday in Tallahassee for the party's regular quarterly board meeting. The meeting includes an open committee session. (Saturday, 9 a.m., DoubleTree Hotel, Adams and Park, Tallahassee.)

MONDAY, DEC. 12, 2011

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY TASK FORCE WORKGROUP: The Government Efficiency Task Force Workgroup that is looking into the state's computing and email systems, and the prospects for linking them across the state's different agencies, holds a meeting early Monday morning at the Capitol. Historically, agencies have taken care of IT needs at the agency-level, but there's been discussion of whether the state could save money by consolidating systems. (Monday, 8:30 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.)

GULF RATE HEARING STARTS: The Public Service Commission will start a multi-day hearing about Gulf Power Co.'s proposal for a $93.5 million increase in base electric rates. The hearing could continue throughout the week. (Monday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

MYSTERY POLL ABOUT SOMETHING EVERYBODY LIKES: They're not saying what it is they've polled, but pollsters who work on different sides of the political aisle –for Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio – will release results of a poll about something that remains popular across the political spectrum. Dave Beattie, President of Hamilton Campaigns will discuss it, though he's not saying yet what it is. (Monday, 10 a.m., Florida Press Center, 336 E. College Ave., Tallahassee.)

LEAGUE TO TALK PENSIONS: The Florida League of Cities will hold a briefing on changing the way police and firefighter pensions are calculated with regard to how certain disabilities like hypertension, cancer and other ailments are dealt with. Cities say the presumption that those are work-related makes pensions much more expensive to offer and are asking lawmakers to make changes. (Monday, 10 a.m., League of Cities conference room, 301 S. Bronough St., Suite 300, Tallahassee. Conference call number 888-808-6959  Conference code: 6290787994)

MEDICAID LONG-TERM CARE DISCUSSED: The Long-term Care Managed Care Technical Advisory Workgroup will discuss moving seniors into managed-care plans as part of the state's Medicaid overhaul. (Monday, 1 p.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Drive, Building 3, Tallahassee.)

ARGUMENTS IN GRETNA TRACK CASE: Opponents to a newly opened barrel racing venue in Gretna bring their case to the First District Court of Appeal after being thwarted at the circuit court level to keep races from being run at the Gadsden County track.  The court has set aside 15 minutes a side in oral arguments in the case, Florida Quarter Horse Racing et. al vs. Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation et. al. (Monday, 2 p.m., First District Court of Appeal, Tallahassee.)

TUESDAY, DEC. 13, 2011

TALKING ABOUT LIP: The Low Income Pool Council will discuss the $1 billion program that funnels money to hospitals and other health providers that serve low-income and uninsured patients. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Drive, Building 3, Tallahassee.)

NEW HEALTH TECHNOLOGY: Officials from the Florida Hospital Association, the Florida Medical Association and HIE Networks, LLC announce the launch of a new initiative to streamline patient care and improve safety, privacy and efficiency in health care. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Florida Press Center, 336 E. College Ave., Tallahassee.

DRAFT BEAR MANAGEMENT PLAN DISCUSSED: State wildlife officials are seeking input on a proposed new management plans for Florida's Black Bears. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has scheduled several public hearings on the draft plan, including Tuesday's in Gainesville, which is the final one. The draft plan can be found athttp://share2.myfwc.com/BearMP/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx . (Tuesday 6 p.m., Gainesville City Hall, 200 E. University Ave., Gainesville.)

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 14, 2011

LAKE APOPKA RESTORATION: Sen. Alan Hays, Rep. Bryan Nelson, and Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks will host a meeting on the restoration of Lake Apopka. Various agencies have been invited to present data regarding their efforts to restore the lake, as well as discuss future restoration plans. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., Lake Sumter Community College South Lake Campus, Building One, Community Room, Clermont.)

CITIZENS BOARD TO MEET: The Citizens Property Insurance Corp. board of governors meets in Orlando. A likely topic of discussion will be putting together a legislative package to comply with the wishes of Gov. Rick Scott. The governor has asked Citizens to come up with changes to help depopulate the state-backed insurance pool that now handles about 1.5 million policies. Last week, Citizens chairman Carlos Lacasa told Scott and Cabinet members that dramatic reductions in Citizens' ranks could not happen without statutory changes. Scott said go for it. Given the fact that the session begins in January, the agency will be pressing up against filing deadlines as it puts together its proposal, which is likely to include increasing the cap on annual increases.  (Wednesday, 9 a.m. Peabody Hotel, Orlando, Teleconference number 888-942-8686. Conference Code: 8419204389#)

FUTURE OF STATE HOUSE REPORTING: A panel of journalists and experts discusses the current state and future of coverage of state capitals and government at a Washington event put on by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and NAPAN, the National Association of Public Affairs Networks. The Federal Communications Commission has called for 24-hour public affairs networks in each state capital – C-Span for the states, which will be part of the discussion. Other strategies for increasing state government coverage will also be discussed. The panel includes Lucy Morgan of the St. Petersburg Times; Steve Waldman, author of The Information Needs of Communities; Paul Giguere, president of the National Association of Public Affairs Networks; and Ohio Sen. Richard H. Finan, former president of the Ohio Senate. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski is also invited to attend. The program, at The Newseum, will be moderated by Libby Casey, Washington correspondent for Alaska Public Radio and host of C-Span's Washington Journal. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., The Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington.)

THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 2011

SUPREME COURT OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court releases its regular opinions. (Thursday, 11 a.m.)

FRIDAY, DEC. 16, 2011

NOVEMBER UNEMPLOYMENT: The Department of Economic Opportunity will release the November statewide unemployment rate as well as a revised October rate and a list of counties with the highest and lowest jobless levels in the state for November. In October, the unemployment rate was 10.3 percent. (Friday, 10 a.m., Department of Economic Opportunity, Tallahassee.)