The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – December 12, 2016

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, DECEMBER 9, 2016....... Florida senators will return to the Capitol during the coming week for an initial round of committee meetings to prepare for the 2017 legislative session. Among the high-profile topics on the committee agendas are medical marijuana and workers' compensation insurance. State economists also will meet Monday to update general-revenue projections --- an important issue as lawmakers get ready to craft a new budget.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2016

Legislature:

NEGRON MEETS WITH COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, will meet with committee chairs and staff directors for a briefing. (Monday, 2 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

AGENCY HEADS INTRODUCED AT SENATE COMMITTEE: The Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee will meet, with expected appearances by Department of Children and Families Secretary Mike Carroll, Agency for Persons with Disabilities Director Barbara Palmer, Department of Elder Affairs Secretary Jeffrey Bragg and Department of Revenue Director Leon Biegalski. (Monday, 4 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

COMMERCE COMMITTEE HOLDS INTRODUCTORY MEETING: The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will meet and receive an overview of the committee's jurisdiction. (Monday, 4 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

HIGHER EDUCATION AT ISSUE: The Senate Education Committee will hold a workshop on "excellence in higher education." (Monday, 4 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

TOP NURSING HOMES CONSIDERED: The Governor's Panel on Excellence in Long-Term Care will consider applications from nursing homes seeking "Gold Seal Award" designations. (Monday, 8:30 a.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 6800 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa.)

GENERAL REVENUE ON THE TABLE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will update projections of the state's general revenue, which plays a key role in funding education, health-care and corrections programs. (Monday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

OPA-LOCKA FINANCES AT ISSUE: The Financial Emergency Board for the city of Opa-locka is scheduled to meet. (Monday, 11 a.m., City Commission chamber, 215 North Perviz Ave., Opa-locka.)

TRUST FUNDS EVALUATED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will discuss what are known as "outlooks" for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, the Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund and the State Schools Trust Fund. (Monday, 4 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2016

Legislature:

WORKERS' COMP AT ISSUE: The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee will receive a presentation on workers' compensation insurance. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

GOVERNMENTAL OVERSIGHT GETS OVERVIEW: The Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee will receive an overview of its jurisdiction. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA ON THE TABLE: The Senate Health Policy Committee will hold a workshop on carrying out a newly approved constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana in Florida. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS MEETS: The Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security Committee will hold an introductory meeting. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

DETZNER AT ETHICS AND ELECTIONS: The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee will meet, with Secretary of State Ken Detzner expected to make an appearance. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

DEPARTMENTS GIVE OVERVIEWS: The Senate Transportation Committee will meet and is scheduled to receive agency overviews by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Department of Transportation. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

LOBBYISTS GET TRAINING IN NEW RULES: The House will hold a training seminar for lobbyists about new House rules. Those rules, for example, place additional disclosure requirements on lobbyists. (Tuesday, 4:30 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

PHARMACY BOARD MEETS: The Florida Board of Pharmacy is scheduled to meet in Orlando. (Tuesday, 8 a.m., Rosen Plaza, 9700 International Dr., Orlando.)

ST. JOHNS WATER BOARD MEETS: The St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board will meet after holding committee meetings. (Tuesday, committee meetings start at 9 a.m., followed by board meeting, district headquarters, 4049 Reid St., Palatka.)

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER BOARD MEETS: The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board will meet. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Tampa office, 7601 U.S. 301, Tampa)

SUWANNEE WATER BOARD MEETS: The Suwannee River Water Management District Governing Board is scheduled to meet. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., district headquarters, 9225 County Road 49, Live Oak.)

HURRICANE MODELS AT ISSUE: The Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology is scheduled to hold a conference call. (Tuesday, 9 a.m. Call-in number: 1-888-670-3525. Code: 7135858151.)

SPACE FLORIDA PRESIDENT SPEAKS IN VOLUSIA: Space Florida President Frank DiBello is slated to speak at a Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce "Tallahassee Speaker Series" event. (Tuesday, 11:30 a.m., Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 South Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach.)

OUTPATIENT HOSPITAL RATES DISCUSSED: The Agency for Health Care Administration will hold a rule-development workshop about Medicaid payments to hospitals for providing outpatient care. (Tuesday, 2:30 p.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Dr., Tallahassee.)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

Legislature:

CRIMINAL AND CIVIL JUSTICE PRIORITIES DISCUSSED: The Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee will meet and hold a brief discussion about priority initiatives. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

FINANCE AND TAX MEETS: The Senate Finance and Tax Appropriations Subcommittee will hold an introductory meeting. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

EDUCATION BUDGET AT ISSUE: The Senate PreK-12 Education Appropriations Subcommittee will meet and receive an overview of appropriations. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

PANEL HEARS AGENCY PRIORITIES: The Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee will receive agency overviews and hold a brief discussion about agency priorities. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

HIGHER ED APPROPRIATIONS DISCUSSED: The Senate Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee will hold an introductory meeting. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

LONG-TERM CARE EYED: The Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee will receive an update about the long-term care portion of the statewide Medicaid managed-care system. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

AGENCY HEADS AT REGULATED INDUSTRIES: The Senate Regulated Industries Committee is expected to receive presentations by Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Ken Lawson and Department of Lottery Secretary Tom Delacenserie. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

LOBBYISTS GET TRAINING IN NEW RULES: The House will hold a training seminar for lobbyists about new House rules. Those rules, for example, place additional disclosure requirements on lobbyists. (Wednesday, 4:30 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

PHARMACY BOARD MEETS: The Florida Board of Pharmacy is scheduled to meet in Orlando. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., Rosen Plaza, 9700 International Dr., Orlando.)

PAROLE ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Florida Commission on Offender Review is scheduled to meet and discuss numerous parole cases related to crimes committed in the 1970s and 1980s. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 4070 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

CHILD ABUSE DEATHS AT ISSUE: The Florida Child Abuse Death Review Committee, which works to reduce child-abuse deaths, is scheduled to hold a conference call. (Wednesday, 10 a.m. Call-in number: 1-888-670-3525. Code: 701-170-0355.)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2016

Legislature:

FINANCIAL OUTLOOK, MEDICAID DISCUSSED: The Senate Appropriations Committee will take up a series of issues, including receiving a presentation from Amy Baker, coordinator of the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, about the state's long-range financial outlook. The committee also will receive updates about issues such as citrus-canker litigation and Medicaid managed-care expenditures. (Thursday, 1:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

WAKULLA COUNTY DELEGATION MEETS: The Wakulla County legislative delegation, made up of Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, and Rep. Halsey Beshears, R-Monticello, will hold a hearing in advance of the 2017 session. (Thursday, 6 p.m., Wakulla County Commission chamber, 29 Arran Road, Crawfordville.)

Also:

MONTHLY REVENUE ANALYZED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will look at monthly revenue estimates. (Thursday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

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

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2016

HILLSBOROUGH DELEGATION MEETS: The Hillsborough County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2017 session. (Friday, 9 a.m., Tampa Bay History Center, 801 Old Water St., Tampa.)

SPACE INDUSTRY DISCUSSED: The Space Florida Board of Directors is scheduled to meet in Brevard County. (Friday, 9 a.m., 505 Odyssey Way, Suite 300, Merritt Island.)

CORCORAN, LATVALA HELP DISTRIBUTE FOOD: House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O' Lakes, and Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, are expected to take part in a Farm Share food-distribution event in Pasco County. Others expected to take part include Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano, Sheriff Chris Nocco and Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley. (Friday, 9 a.m., Faith Baptist Church, 9230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey.)

HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUES ON THE AGENDA: The Florida Health Insurance Advisory Board is scheduled to hold a conference call. (Friday, 9:30 a.m. Call-in number: 1-866-200-9760. Code: 4288083#)

UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS RELEASED: The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is slated to release November unemployment figures. (Friday, 10 a.m.)

LONG-TERM REVENUE AT ISSUE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will discuss a long-term revenue analysis. (Friday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

'GREAT FLORIDIANS' CONSIDERED: The Great Floridian Ad Hoc Committee will consider nominations and make recommendations to Secretary of State Ken Detzner for designation as "Great Floridians." (Friday, 2 p.m., R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough St., Tallahassee. Call-in number: 1-888-670-3525. Code: 8511869563)