The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – April 27, 2015

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, APRIL 24, 2015…..This should be the time when it all comes together. But with the House and Senate locked in a budget battle, they will not finish their work by next Friday's scheduled end of the 60-day legislative session. Nevertheless, lawmakers will hold floor sessions during the week as they continue to send bills to Gov. Rick Scott's desk.

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2015

Legislature:

SENATE TO CONSIDER CLAIM BILLS: The Senate will hold a floor session and consider more than a dozen "claim" bills, which stem from lawsuits filed against government agencies because of injuries or deaths. Sovereign-immunity laws typically limit to $200,000 the amount state and local agencies can be required to pay in such lawsuits. But the Legislature can approve claim bills that direct larger payments. The bills stem from injuries or deaths in various parts of the state, including Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, Pasco County, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Hialeah, Hollywood and North Miami. (Monday, 1 p.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

POWDERED ALCOHOL, DRONES HIT THE HOUSE FLOOR: The House will hold a floor session and take up a variety of issues, including bills (SB 998 and HB 1247) that would ban the sale of powdered alcoholic beverages. Also, the House is expected to consider bills (SB 766 and HB 649) dealing with surveillance by drones. (Monday, 2:30 p.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

HEALTHY KIDS BOARD TO MEET: The Florida Healthy Kids Corp. Board of Directors will meet. (Monday, 10 a.m., 661 East Jefferson St., Room 114, Tallahassee.)

MEDICAID AT ISSUE: The League of Women Voters of Florida will host a news-media call in which Joan Alker of the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute will discuss the ongoing debate about Medicaid in Florida. (Monday, 11:30 a.m. Call-in number: 1- 888-632-3382. Conference ID: FLORIDA)

MICA, GRAYSON AT TIGER BAY: U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., are expected to speak at the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida. (Monday, noon, DoubleTree Orlando Downtown, 60 South Ivanhoe Blvd., Orlando.)

CARSON HONORED IN SARASOTA: Potential Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson will attend a rally and receive the Republican Party of Sarasota County's "Conservative of the Year" award. (Monday, 5:30 p.m., Dolphin Aviation, 8191 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.)

FRANKEL TO APPEAR AT TOWN HALL: U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., is expected to take part in a town-hall meeting of the Palm Beach Democratic Club. (Monday, 7 p.m., West Palm Beach Marriott Hotel, 1001 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach.)

TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015

Legislature:

'FRACKING' TO DRAW DISCUSSION: The Senate will hold a floor session and is expected to take up a bill (SB 1468), filed by Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, that would set up a regulatory framework for hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," a technique used to drill for oil and natural gas. Also during the session, the Senate is slated to consider a bill (SB 154), filed by Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, aimed at making it safer for children to walk to school. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

HOUSE TO HOLD FLOOR SESSION: The House is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER BOARD TO MEET: The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board will meet. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Haines City Lake Eva Banquet Hall, 799 Johns Ave., Haines City.)

PUTNAM TO SPEAK TO ECONOMIC CLUB: Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam will speak to the Economic Club of Florida about water policy and the agriculture industry. (Tuesday, noon, FSU Alumni Center, 1030 West Tennessee St., Tallahassee.)

FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC TRUSTEES TO HOLD CONFERENCE CALL: The Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees will hold a conference call. (Tuesday, 2 p.m. Call-in number: 1-888-670-3525. Code: 5879779062#)

RUBIO STAFF HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's staff will hold "mobile office hours" in Gadsden, Hernando and Citrus counties. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Quincy Farm Share Site, 18212 Blue Star Highway, Quincy. Also, 10 a.m., McKethan Library, 11415 Ponce de:Leon Blvd., Brooksville. Also, 2 p.m., Citrus County Library System, 425 West Roosevelt Blvd., Beverly Hills.)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015

Legislature:

SENATE TO HOLD FLOOR SESSION: The Senate is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

HOUSE TO HOLD FLOOR SESSION: The House is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

CABINET AIDES TO MEET: Aides to Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater will meet to discuss issues in advance of a May 5 state Cabinet meeting. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Cabinet meeting room, the Capitol.)

PAROLE CASES HEARD: The Florida Commission on Offender Review will consider numerous parole cases involving crimes committed in the 1970s and 1980s. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 4070 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

RUBIO STAFF HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's staff will hold "mobile office hours" in Orange and Osceola counties. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Renaissance Senior Community Center, 3800 South Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando. Also, 4 p.m., Poinciana Community Center, 395 Marigold Ave., Kissimmee.)

LIP PROPOSAL DISCUSSED: The state Agency for Health Care Administration will hold the first in a series of public hearings about a proposal to the federal government for continued funding of the Low Income Pool, or LIP, program. The program provides key funding to hospitals and other providers that care for large numbers of low-income and uninsured patients. It is scheduled to expire June 30. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Lewis Auditorium, Health Sciences Campus, 6850 Lake Nona Blvd., Orlando.)

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015

Legislature:

SENATE TO HOLD FLOOR SESSION: The Senate is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

HOUSE TO HOLD FLOOR SESSION: The House is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Thursday, 11 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

CITIZENS BOARD TO HOLD CONFERENCE CALL: The Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Board of Directors will hold a teleconference. (Thursday, 10:30 a.m. Call-in number: 1-888-942-8686. Conference ID: 5743735657#)

SUPREME COURT TO RELEASE OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court is expected to release its weekly opinions. (Thursday, 11 a.m.)

LIP PROPOSAL AT ISSUE: The state Agency for Health Care Administration will hold the second in a series of public hearings about a proposal to the federal government for continued funding of the Low Income Pool, or LIP, program. The program provides key funding to hospitals and other providers that care for large numbers of low-income and uninsured patients. It is scheduled to expire June 30. (Thursday, 2 p.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 8333 N.W. 53rd St., Suite 200, Doral.)

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Legislature:

SENATE TO HOLD FLOOR SESSION: The Senate is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Friday, 10 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

HOUSE TO HOLD FLOOR SESSION: The House is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Friday, 11 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

FIU TRUSTEES TO HOLD CONFERENCE CALL: The Florida International University Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet by conference call. The full board meeting will follow a 9:30 a.m. committee meeting. (Friday, 10:30 a.m. Listen-only number: 1-800-748-8543.)

LIP PROPOSAL TALKED ABOUT: The state Agency for Health Care Administration will hold the third in a series of public hearings about a proposal to the federal government for continued funding of the Low Income Pool, or LIP, program. The program provides key funding to hospitals and other providers that care for large numbers of low-income and uninsured patients. It is scheduled to expire June 30. (Friday, 2 p.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Dr., Tallahassee.)