The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – August 31, 2015

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, AUGUST 28, 2015…..The Florida Supreme Court will resume hearing arguments Tuesday after an annual summer break and will review a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at increasing the use of solar energy. Also during the coming week, a panel created by Gov. Rick Scott is scheduled to continue digging into details of the health-care industry, and the state university system's Board of Governors will consider issues affecting campuses across the state.

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

SCOTT HOSPITAL PANEL MEETS: The Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding, which was created this year by Gov. Rick Scott, will meet in Orange County. (Monday, 9 a.m., University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Medical Education Building, 6850 Lake Nona Blvd., Orlando.)

VISIT FLORIDA BOARD TAKES UP TOURISM ISSUES: The Visit Florida Board of Directors will meet on the first day of the Governor's Conference on Tourism. Most of the conference events will be held at the Tampa Convention Center. (Monday, 9 a.m., Tampa Marriott Waterside, 700 South Florida Ave., Tampa.)

SOLAR ARGUMENTS PREVIEWED: Floridians for Solar Choice, a group seeking to get a solar-energy initiative on the 2016 ballot, will hold a news conference in advance of a Florida Supreme Court hearing Tuesday. The Supreme Court will review the proposed ballot wording and decide whether it can go before voters. (Monday, 11 a.m., Florida Press Center, 336 East College Ave., Tallahasee.)

PUTNAM DISCUSSES CONCEALED WEAPONS LICENSES: Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and St. Johns County Tax Collector Dennis Hollingsworth will hold a news conference to announce expanded concealed-weapons license services that will be offered at tax collector's offices in the state. (Monday, 3 p.m., 4030 Lewis Speedway, Building B., St. Augustine.)

SOTO, CORTES GIVE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, and Rep. John Cortes, D-Kissimmee, are expected to discuss legislative issues with the Orange County Democratic Disability Caucus. (Monday, 7 p.m., GLBT Community Center of Central Florida, 946 North Mills Ave., Orlando.)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

TOURISM CONFERENCE CONTINUES: The Governor's Conference on Tourism will continue, with expected speakers including Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik. (Tuesday, 8 a.m., Tampa Convention Center, 333 South Franklin St., Tampa.

VETERINARY BOARD MEETS: The Florida Board of Veterinary Medicine will meet in Central Florida. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., The Bohemian Hotel Celebration, 700 Bloom St., Celebration.)

SUPREME COURT HEARS SOLAR ARGUMENTS: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in five cases, including a case stemming from a proposal by Floridians for Solar Choice to put a solar-energy initiative on the November 2016 ballot. Justices are required to sign off on ballot wording before proposed constitutional amendments can go before voters. The Floridians for Solar Choice proposal has drawn opposition from Attorney General Pam Bondi and major electric utilities. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

FLORIDA FOREVER AT ISSUE: Gov. Rick Scott and the state Cabinet will meet in St. Augustine and take up a a series of issues, including a five-year plan and a priority list for the Florida Forever land-conservation program. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Treasury on the Plaza, 24 Cathedral Place, St. Augustine.)

RUBIO STAFF HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's staff will hold "mobile office hours" in Volusia County. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Deltona Regional Library, 2150 Eustace Ave., Deltona.)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

TOURISM CONFERENCE CONTINUES: The Governor's Conference on Tourism will continue, with sessions on issues such as LGBT travel to Florida. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., Tampa Convention Center, 333 South Franklin St., Tampa.

PYTHONS, BEARS, PANTHERS DISCUSSED: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will start a two-day meeting and discuss issues such as a "Python Challenge" aimed at removing Burmese pythons that have been released in areas such as the Everglades. The commission also is expected to discuss efforts to reduce the number of bears going into residential areas because of the lure of unsecured garbage. Also, it will take up issues related to Florida panthers. (Wednesday, 8:30 a.m., Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, 1881 S.E. 17th St., Fort Lauderdale.)

SUPREME COURT WEIGHS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CASE: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in four cases, including a medical-malpractice lawsuit that focuses on whether a family physician provided adequate care before a patient committed suicide. The Sarasota County case stems from the October 2008 death of Jacqueline Granicz, who was a patient of family physician Joseph Chirillo. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

BOARD OF GOVERNORS TAKE UP BUDGET REQUESTS: Committees of the state university system's Board of Governors will meet throughout the day and take up numerous issues, including legislative budget requests and a discussion about college affordability. (Wednesday, meetings start at 11:15 a.m., University of Florida, Gainesville.)

NELSON SPEAKS IN DAYTONA BEACH: U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., will speak during a Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce event. (Wednesday, 11:30 a.m., Ocean Center, 101 North Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach.)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

BOATING AREAS, GREAT BARRACUDA AT ISSUE: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will take up a series of issues, including changes to boating-restricted areas in the Suwannee and Santa Fe rivers and conservation measures for great barracuda in South Florida. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m., Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, 1881 S.E. 17th St., Fort Lauderdale.)

RURAL AND FAMILY LANDS DISCUSSED: A selection committee for the state's Rural and Family Lands Program will take public input and consider a priority list of projects. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m., Neil Combee Administration Building, 330 West Church St., Bartow.)

TAMPA BAY DEATH-PENALTY CASES HEARD: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in four cases, including two death-penalty cases from the Tampa Bay region. Those cases involve Khadafy Mullens, who was sentenced to death for the 2008 murders in Pinellas County of two men, and Charles Brant, who was sentenced to death in the 2004 murder of a neighbor in Hillsborough County. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

UWF, FAMU, USF ISSUES GO TO BOARD OF GOVERNORS: The state university system's Board of Governors will take up a series of issues, including the proposed confirmation of Judith Bense to remain as University of West Florida president through Dec. 31, 2016. Also, the board will consider a Florida A&M University plan to improve graduation rates and the employability of graduates and a University of South Florida plan to establish a downtown Tampa campus for its medical school. (Thursday, 10:15 a.m. or upon adjournment of earlier committee meetings, University of Florida, Gainesville.)

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

TAX DIVERSION PROGRAM AT ISSUE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will consider the tax-collection enforcement diversion program. (Thursday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

GREENWAYS AND TRAILS DISCUSSED: The state Office of Greenways and Trails will start holding a series of meetings across the state to seek public input about "opportunity maps" for the state's network of trails. (Thursday, 4 p.m., Camp Helen State Park, 23937 Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach.)

BROWARD DELEGATION CHOOSES LEADERS: The Broward County legislative delegation is scheduled to elect a chair and a vice chair. (Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Broward County Governmental Center, 115 South Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale.)

HAMILTON COUNTY DELEGATION MEETS: The Hamilton County legislative delegation, which is made up of Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, and Rep. Elizabeth Porter, R-Lake City, will meet as it prepares for the 2016 legislative session. (Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Hamilton County Courthouse, 207 N.E. First St., Jasper.)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

ST. AUGUSTINE CELEBRATES: St. Augustine will kick off five days of events as part of its celebration of the 450th anniversary of the founding of the city. The events, part of Celebrate 450!, will continue through Sept. 8.