The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – July 27, 2015

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, JULY 24, 2015…..Florida is still more than seven months away from its high-stakes presidential primary elections. But candidates including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are expected to take the stage next Friday during a National Urban League conference in Fort Lauderdale. The event also is expected to draw Republican Ben Carson and Democrats Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders.

MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

LOTTERY DOLLARS EYED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will discuss the lottery. (Monday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HILL SPEAKS TO GOP WOMEN'S GROUP: State Rep. Mike Hill, R-Pensacola Beach, is scheduled to give a legislative review to the Escambia Federated Republican Women's Club. (Monday, noon Central time, New World Landing, 600 South Palafox St., Pensacola.)

HIGHWAY SAFETY MONEY ANALYZED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will analyze highway-safety revenues. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

JUDGE TAKES UP REDISTRICTING ISSUES: Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis will hold a case-management conference to discuss issues such as scheduling in a case about redrawing congressional districts. Lawmakers will hold a special session starting Aug. 10 to redraw the districts, and the map then will have to go to Lewis for review and arguments. (Monday, 2 p.m., Leon County Courthouse, 301 South Monroe St., Tallahassee.)

RUBIO STAFF HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's staff will hold "mobile office hours" in Wakulla and Franklin counties. (Monday, 3 p.m., Sopchoppy City Hall, 105 Municipal Ave., Sopchoppy. Also, 3 p.m., Apalachicola Community Center, 1 Bay Ave., Apalachicola.)

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

RISK MANAGEMENT REVIEWED: The Self-Insurance Estimating Conference will look at the state's Risk Management Trust Fund. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

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

JACKSONVILLE POWER PLANT DEAL AT ISSUE: The state Public Service Commission will take up a proposal by Florida Power & Light to buy and, ultimately, shut down a coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville. FPL contends that the $520.5 million deal would lead to eventual savings for customers. FPL entered into a long-term contract in 1988 to purchase power from the Cedar Bay plant, but the utility argues it can now generate electricity at a lower cost than what the contract requires it to pay. As a result, it would buy and shut down the plant at the end of 2016. But the proposal has met opposition from critics such as the Florida Industrial Power Users Group, which has described the $520.5 million cost as an "inflated, overstated sum." (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

RUBIO STAFF HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's staff will hold "mobile office hours" in Pinellas County. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Gulf Beaches Public Library, 200 Municipal Dr., Madeira Beach.)

FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC PRESIDENT DISCUSSED: The Governance Committee of the Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees will hold a conference call and discuss an evaluation and goals for university President Randy Avent. (Tuesday, 2 p.m. Call-in number: 1-888-670-3525. Code: 5879779062#)

CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS ANALYZED: The Criminal Justice Estimating Conference will take up criminal-justice issues. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HAGER GIVES LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: State Rep. Bill Hager, R-Delray Beach, will give a legislative update to the mayor and Town Council of South Palm Beach. (Tuesday, 6:45 p.m., South Palm Beach Town Hall, 3577 South Ocean Blvd., South Palm Beach.)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2015

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

CHILD ABUSE DEATH PANEL MEETS: The Florida State Child Abuse Death Review Committee will meet as it seeks ways to reduce child-abuse deaths. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Embassy Suites USF, 3705 Spectrum Blvd., Tampa.)

UNCLAIMED PROPERTY ACCOUNTED FOR: The Revenue Estimating Conference will address issues related to unclaimed property. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building the Capitol.)

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.)

VETERANS' HALL OF FAME DISCUSSED: The Florida Veterans' Hall of Fame Council will hold a conference call to review and certify an earlier vote on the hall of fame's class of 2015. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. Call-in number: 1-888-670-3525. Code: 3244965172 #)

PROPERTY TAXES AT ISSUE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will analyze ad valorem, or property, taxes. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSING PANEL DISCUSSES MONEY FOR 'PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS': The Florida Housing Finance Corporation is expected to hold preliminary discussions about the process for awarding money to finance housing for "persons with special needs." (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Florida Housing Finance Corporation, 227 North Bronough St., Tallahassee.)

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

PASSIDOMO SPEAKS TO BUSINESS GROUP: State Rep. Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican who is running next year in Senate District 23, is scheduled to speak during a meeting of Businesspeople United for Political Action Committee, or BUPAC. (Thursday, 7:30 a.m., Florida SouthWestern State College, 8099 College Parkway, Building AA, Fort Myers.)

COMMUNICATIONS TAX DISCUSSED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will take up issues such as the communications-services tax and bond rates for the Public Education Capitol Outlay, or PECO, program. (Thursday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

RUBIO STAFF HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's staff will hold "mobile office hours" in Martin and Columbia counties. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Martin County Blake Library, 2351 S.E. Monterey Road, Stuart. Also, 3 p.m., Board of County Commissioners office, 135 N.E. Hernando Ave., Lake City.)

FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES SPEAK TO URBAN LEAGUE: Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Ben Carson and Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders are scheduled to speak during a National Urban League conference in Broward County. (Friday, 8 a.m., Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.)

VOLUNTARY PRE-K AT ISSUE: The Early Learning Programs Estimating Conference will discuss issues related to the state's voluntary pre-kindergarten program. (Friday, 9:30 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

TRANSPORTATION MONEY ON THE AGENDA: The Revenue Estimating Conference will analyze transportation revenues. (Friday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HILL ATTENDS TREATMENT COURT EVENT: State Rep. Mike Hill, R-Pensacola Beach, is scheduled to take part in a graduation event for the Okaloosa Veterans' Court, which provides a treatment program for veterans. (Friday, 1:30 p.m. Central time, Okaloosa County Courthouse Annex, 1940 Lewis Turner Blvd., Fort Walton Beach.)