The Week Ahead in Florida Politics - January 12, 2015

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, JANUARY 9, 2015…..Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, will be a busy man during the coming week. Seven county legislative delegations in Dean's sprawling district will hold meetings --- including four on Tuesday. Similar delegation meetings will take place throughout the state as lawmakers gather local input before the annual legislative session starts in March. Meanwhile, Gov. Rick Scott and the state Cabinet will meet in Tallahassee, and the state Board of Education will hit the road to Highlands County.

MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2015

VETERANS GROUP BOARD TO MEET: The Florida is for Veterans Inc. Board of Directors will meet. Lawmakers last year created Florida is for Veterans Inc. to help encourage veterans and military families to move to the state and to promote veterans' hiring and education. (Monday, 8 a.m., 28 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

FSU TRUSTEES TO TALK: The Florida State University Board of Trustees will take up a series of issues and will receive a report from university President John Thrasher. (Monday, 10 a.m., Florida State University, Westcott Building, 222 South Copeland St., Tallahassee. Call-in number: 850-645-6338.)

MARION COUNTY DELEGATION TO MEET: The Marion County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Monday, 1 p.m., College of Central Florida, Ewers Center, 3001 S.W. College Road, Ocala.)

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS DUE: Updated campaign-finance reports are due Monday for candidates, political parties and committees. That includes candidates in special elections in Senate District 6, House District 17, House District 24 and House District 64.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015

CABINET TAKES UP LAND ISSUES: Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet will take up issues such as proposed land acquisitions in Collier and Charlotte counties. The targeted properties are part of the Florida Forever land-conservation program. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Cabinet meeting room, the Capitol.)

LEE COUNTY DELEGATION TO MEET: The Lee County legislative delegation will consider local bills and hear a series of presentations as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Florida SouthWestern State College, Nursing Building, Fort Myers.)

SUWANNEE COUNTY DELEGATION TO MEET: The Suwannee County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Suwannee County Judicial Annex, 218 Parshley St., Live Oak.)

ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER BOARD TO MEET: The St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board will meet after holding a series of committee meetings. (Tuesday, committees start at 9 a.m., district headquarters, 4049 Reid St., Palatka.)

SUWANNEE WATER BOARD TO MEET: The Suwannee River Water Management District Governing Board will meet. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Dixie Plantation, 1583 Livingston Road, Greenville.)

PALM BEACH DELEGATION TO MEET: The Palm Beach County legislative delegation will consider local bills and other issues as it continues to prepare for the 2015 session. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Alzheimer's Community Care Center, 470 East First St., Pahokee.)

MEDICAID ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Medical Care Advisory Committee, which reviews and provides input about Medicaid issues, will meet. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Dr., Tallahassee.)

POLK COUNTY DELEGATION TO MEET: The Polk County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Polk County Commission, 330 West Church St., Bartow.)

COLUMBIA COUNTY DELEGATION TO MEET: The Columbia County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Florida Gateway College Library, 149 S.E. College Place, Lake City.)

BOARD OF ED TO TALK ABOUT STRUGGLING SCHOOLS: The Florida Board of Education will hold a workshop and will discuss issues related to underperforming schools. (Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., Highlands County School Board, 426 School St., Sebring.)

BAKER COUNTY DELEGATION TO MEET: The Baker County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., Baker County Commission, 55 North Third St., Macclenny.)

UNION COUNTY DELEGATION TO MEET: The Union County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Union County Commission chamber, 55 West Main St., Lake Butler.)

CANDIDATES TO CAMPAIGN IN FLAGLER COUNTY: The Flagler County Chamber of Commerce, the Flagler County Association of Realtors and the Florida Home Builders Association will host a candidate forum in special elections in Senate District 6 and House District 24. The special elections stem from the resignation in November of former Sen. John Thrasher, a St. Augustine Republican who became president of Florida State University. State Rep. Travis Hutson, R-Elkton, will leave the House District 24 seat because he is running to succeed Thrasher in the Senate. Special primary elections will be held Jan. 27, with the special general elections April 7. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, 55 Town Center Blvd., Palm Coast.)

WAKULLA COUNTY DELEGATION TO MEET: The Wakulla County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., Wakulla County Commission, 29 Arran Road, Crawfordville.)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

STATE BOARD OF ED MEETS IN HIGHLANDS: The Florida Board of Education will meet in Highlands County and take up a variety of issues, including digital learning and approval of scholarship-funding organizations that play a key role in the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program. (Wednesday, 8:30 a.m., Highlands County School Board, 426 School St., Sebring.)

APPEALS COURT TAKES UP BLIND TRUSTS: The 1st District Court of Appeal will hear arguments in a challenge to a state law that allows elected officials to set up blind trusts. Jim Apthorp, a former chief of staff to the late Gov. Reubin Askew, contends in the challenge that blind trusts violate the Florida Constitution's open-government requirements. Those requirements include public officials providing details about their financial interests. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 1st District Court of Appeal, 2000 Drayton Dr., Tallahassee.)

PARI-MUTUELS AT ISSUE: The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation will hold a workshop on proposed rules for the pari-mutuel industry. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Northwood Centre, 1940 North Monroe St., Tallahassee.)

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

LEVY COUNTY DELEGATION MEETS: The Levy County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 legislative session. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Cobb Municipal Building, 660 East Hathaway Ave., Bronson.)

EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE AT ISSUE: The Self-Insurance Estimating Conference will analyze the state employees' health insurance program. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

FIU TRUSTEES TO MEET: The Florida International University Board of Trustees will meet after holding a series of committee meetings earlier in the day. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., FIU Modesto Maidique Campus, Graham Center Ballrooms, Miami.)

CITRUS COUNTY DELEGATION TO MEET: The Citrus County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Wednesday, 3 p.m., Citrus County Courthouse, 110 North Apopka Ave., Inverness.)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015

SOUTH FLORIDA WATER BOARD MEETS: The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board will meet in Key Largo. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Murray Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo.)

BOARD OF GOVERNORS TO GET BRIEFED ON ORLANDO PROJECT: The state university system's Board of Governors will get briefed on a proposed University of Central Florida project in downtown Orlando and will take a tour of the proposed site. (Thursday, 9:30 a.m., University of Central Florida Center for Emerging Media, 500 West Livingston St., Orlando.)

DUVAL DELEGATION ADDRESSES PENSIONS: The Duval County legislative delegation will hold a workshop about local-pension issues. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Jacksonville City Hall, 117 West Duval St., Jacksonville.)

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

DUVAL DELEGATION TO MEET: The Duval County legislative delegation will meet as it prepares for the 2015 session. (Thursday, 2 p.m., Jacksonville City Hall, 117 West Duval St., Jacksonville.)

KORMONDY TO BE EXECUTED: An execution is scheduled for Johnny Shane Kormondy, who was convicted in the 1993 murder of Gary McAdams, who was shot in the back of the head during a home-invasion robbery in Escambia County. McAdams and his wife, who was raped during the attack, had returned home from a high-school reunion when confronted at the front door by Kormondy and two accomplices. (Thursday, 6 p.m., Florida State Prison, near Starke.)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015

ACCESS TO CIVIL JUSTICE DISCUSSED: The Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice, which was created by Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, will hold its first meeting. The commission will focus on how civil legal needs can be met for low- and moderate-income Floridians. (Friday, 12:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

GOP LEADERS GATHER: Republican Party of Florida leaders and activists will hold caucus meetings in advance of the GOP's annual meeting Saturday. (Friday, 6 p.m., Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Dr., Orlando.)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2015

GOP HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING: The Republican Party of Florida will hold its annual meeting, with Gov. Rick Scott and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera expected to take part. During the meeting, a party chairman will be elected. (Saturday, 9 a.m., Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Dr., Orlando.)

EARLY VOTING STARTS IN SPECIAL ELECTIONS: Early voting will start in special Republican primaries in Senate District 6, House District 17 and House District 24. The primaries, which will be held Jan. 27, stem from the resignation in November of former Sen. John Thrasher, a St. Augustine Republican who became president of Florida State University. House District 17 includes part of St. Johns County. House District 24 includes Flagler County and parts of St. Johns and Volusia counties. Senate District 6 includes St. Johns, Flagler and Putnam counties and part of Volusia County.