The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – February 29, 2016

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Legislature:

'LEGACY FLORIDA' AT ISSUE: The Senate General Government Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a bill (SB 1168), filed by Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, that would direct money toward Everglades and Lake Okeechobee projects. The proposal is known as "Legacy Florida." (Monday, 11:30 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

ABORTION CLINIC REGULATIONS DEBATED: The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee is scheduled to consider numerous issues, including a proposal (SB 1722), filed by Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, that would tighten regulations on abortion clinics. (Monday, 1 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISCUSSED: The Senate Rules Committee will take up a bill (SB 460), filed by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, that would allow people with terminal illnesses to have access to medical marijuana. The bill also could make changes to a 2014 law that allowed non-euphoric cannabis for some patients, such as children with severe forms of epilepsy. (Monday, 1 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

SPECIAL ORDER SET: The House Rules, Calendar & Ethics Committee will set a special-order calendar, which lists bills that will be heard on the House floor. (Monday, 5:30 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

OTHER SCHEDULED LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS:
--- House Regulatory Affairs Committee (Monday, 11 a.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Finance & Tax Committee (Monday, 2 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

GREENWAYS AND TRAILS DISCUSSED: The Florida Greenways and Trails Council will meet in Alachua County. (Monday, 9 a.m., UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital, Shands Auxiliary Conference Center, 1515 S.W. Archer Road, Gainesville.)

HIGHER EDUCATION PANEL MEETS: The Florida Higher Education Coordinating Council will meet and take up a series of issues, including electing a new chair and receiving an update about legislation. (Monday, 1 p.m., Turlington Building, 325 West Gaines St., Tallahassee.)

SUN TRAIL DISCUSSED IN GAINESVILLE: The Florida Department of Transportation will hold a meeting to gather public input about the SUN Trail Network, a project that Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, has backed to provide a trail for pedestrians and bicyclists. (Monday, 6 p.m., FDOT Gainesville Operations Center auditorium, 5301 N.E. 39th Ave., Gainesville.)

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

Legislature:

SENATORS CONSIDER ARMSTRONG CONFIRMATION: The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee will consider the confirmations of numerous gubernatorial appointees, including Surgeon General John Armstrong, who serves as secretary of the Florida Department of Health. Armstrong has faced opposition from some senators and was narrowly approved by the Senate Health Policy Committee. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HEALTH ISSUES, 'PASTOR PROTECTION' GO TO HOUSE FLOOR: The House will hold a floor session and take up a series of high-profile health issues. Among the issues are a proposal (HB 37) that would help clear the way for what are known as "direct primary care" agreements between doctors and patients; a proposal (HB 85) that would allow patients to stay overnight at ambulatory-surgical centers; a proposal (HB 221) aimed at shielding patients from unexpected charges through a practice known as "balance billing;" a proposal (HB 423) that would expand drug-prescribing powers for advanced registered nurse practitioners and physician assistants; a proposal (HB 1061) that would allow Florida to enter into a "compact" for multi-state nurse licensure; a proposal (HB 1175) aimed at increasing transparency about health-care pricing; and a proposal (HB 7087) that could help expand the use of remotely provided "telehealth" services. Also during the floor session, the House is expected to consider a controversial bill that is an outgrowth of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said same-sex couples have a fundamental right to marry. The bill (HB 43), known as the "Pastor Protection Act," would seek to prevent clergy members from being forced to perform marriage ceremonies contrary to their beliefs. Critics say the bill is unnecessary because clergy already have First Amendment protections. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

GAMBLING, TAX CUTS ON THE TABLE: The Senate Appropriations Committee will consider a wide range of bills, including a pair of proposals (SB 7072 and SB 7074), filed by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, that would make major changes in the state's gambling industry. Lawmakers are considering a proposed gambling deal reached by Gov. Rick Scott and the Seminole Tribe and also are looking at issues such as allowing slot machines at more pari-mutuel facilities. The Appropriations Committee also is slated to take up a House tax-cut bill (HB 7099) and could reconsider a proposal (SB 318) related to the oil- and gas-drilling method known as "fracking." The committee has voted 10-9 to reject the fracking bill. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

VETERANS HONORED IN PINELLAS: Military veterans will be honored during a "Governor's Veterans Service Award" ceremony. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., C.W. Bill Young Armed Forces Reserve Center, 2801 Grand Ave., Pinellas Park.)

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION MEETS: The Florida Public Service Commission will consider proposals by Duke Energy Florida and Florida Power & Light to reduce customers' monthly bills this spring. Costs for power-plant fuel are passed through to utility customers, and the Public Service Commission uses projections each year to determine how much will be included in monthly bills. But after the amounts were set for this year, Duke and FPL proposed changes because of low natural-gas prices. If the proposals are approved, Duke residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month would see their bills drop from $114.15 to $108.32. Similar FPL customers would see their monthly bills go from $93.38 to $91.73. Also during the meeting, the commission will consider a pilot solar-energy program proposed by Gulf Power. Under the proposal, customers could voluntarily pay $89 or $99 a year for a utility solar project and get a portion of the money back as credits on their electricity bills. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

WILSON TESTIFIES IN WASHINGTON: Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled to testify before the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources about issues related to reforming the welfare system. The subcommittee is chaired by Florida Congressman Vern Buchanan. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C.)

SUN TRAIL DISCUSSED: The Florida Department of Transportation will hold a meeting to gather public input about the SUN Trail Network, a project that Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, has backed to provide a trail for pedestrians and bicyclists. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., Burns Building, 605 Suwannee St., Tallahassee.)

LOPEZ-CANTERA CAMPAIGNS IN HILLSBOROUGH: Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who is running for U.S. Senate this year, is expected to speak to the Greater Brandon Republican Club. (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., 100 South Mulrennan Road, Valrico.)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

Legislature:

SENATE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The Senate will hold a floor session and could vote on a series of measures, including a bill (SB 1220), filed by Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, that deals with attorney fees in public-records lawsuits. The issue stems from allegations by local governments that some public-records requests have been filed against agencies as part of a strategy to create violations and win attorney fees.  (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

HOUSE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The House is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

SCOTT, CABINET MEET: Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet will take up a series of issues, including two projects that would help conserve large tracts of land in Highlands and Osceola counties. The projects involve buying what are known as conservation "easements," which would protect the land from development but allow continued use as ranches. Scott and the Cabinet will consider spending $4.32 million for a 2,526-acre conservation easement on a northern Highlands County property owned by S.Y. Hartt & Son, Inc. They also will consider spending $2.35 million for a 1,189-acre easement on a central Osceola County property owned by Venture Four LLC. Both properties have long been used for cattle operations. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Cabinet meeting room, the Capitol.)

STAY OF EXECUTION SOUGHT: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether it should block the scheduled March 17 execution of Death Row inmate Mark James Asay, who was convicted of killing two men in 1987 in Jacksonville. Asay argues that he has not received adequate legal representation and that more time is needed to address a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last month that struck down Florida's death-penalty sentencing system. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETS: The state university system's Board of Governors is scheduled to meet and discuss issues such as a proposed downtown Orlando campus for the University of Central Florida. (Wednesday, committee meeting starts at 1 p.m., followed by the full board meeting, University of Central Florida, Fairwinds Alumni Center, 12676 Gemini Blvd., Orlando.)

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016

Legislature:

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

HOUSE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The House is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Thursday, 10:30 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

USF TRUSTEES MEET: The University of South Florida Board of Trustees will meet. (Thursday, 8 a.m., University of South Florida, Marshall Student Center, Tampa.)

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

PHARMACY BOARD HOLDS CONFERENCE CALL: The Florida Board of Pharmacy is scheduled to hold a conference call about legislative issues. (Thursday, 12:30 p.m. Call-in number: 1-888-670-3525. Code: 513-489-6685.)

FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016

Legislature:

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

HOUSE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The House is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Friday, 10:30 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

FSU TRUSTEES MEET: The Florida State University Board of Trustees will meet after holding a series of committee meetings Thursday. (Friday, 8:30 a.m., Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center, 555 West Pensacola St., Tallahassee.)

ETHICS COMMISSION MEETS: The Florida Commission on Ethics will meet and consider cases from West Palm Beach, Miami Shores, Indialantic and Sarasota. (Friday, 9 a.m., 1st District Court of Appeal, 2000 Drayton Dr., Tallahassee.)

MURPHY SPEAKS IN PINELLAS COUNTY: Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Murphy is scheduled to speak to the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club. (Friday, noon, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, 11 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.)

SPACE ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Space Florida Board of Directors is scheduled to hold a conference call. (Friday, 1 p.m. Call-in number: 1-888-204-5987. Code: 4503386.)