The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – June 15, 2015

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, JUNE 12, 2015…..Florida lawmakers are slated to finish a special legislative session during the coming week and approve a budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. But much of Florida's political world will focus on Miami, where former Gov. Jeb Bush is expected to formally announce his candidacy for president.

SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015

DEMOCRATIC LEADERS MEET: The Florida Democratic Party State Executive Committee will meet as the party concludes its annual "Leadership Blue" weekend. (Sunday, 9:30 a.m., Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood, 3555 South Ocean Dr., Hollywood.)

MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015

Legislature:

SENATE MEETS ON FLOOR: The Senate is scheduled to hold a floor session and could approve a package (HB 33A) that includes about $400 million in tax cuts. (Monday, 9 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

HOUSE TO HOLD FLOOR SESSION: The House is scheduled to hold a floor session. (Monday, 11 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

SPACE ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Space Florida Board of Directors will hold a conference call. (Monday, 10 a.m. Call-in number: 1-888-204-5987. Code: 4503386#.)

FAU TRUSTEES TO MEET: The Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees will hold a series of committee meetings. Among other things, trustees will receive a legislative update. (Monday, 10 a.m., Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton Campus, Administration Building, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton.)

BUSH TO ANNOUNCE PRESIDENTIAL PLANS: Former Gov. Jeb Bush will hold an event in South Florida and is expected to announce his candidacy for president. (Monday, 3 p.m., Miami-Dade College, Kendall Campus, Theodore Gibson Health Center, 11011 S.W. 104th St., Miami.)

TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2015

Legislature:

HEALTH ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Senate Health Policy Committee is scheduled to meet and could consider a series of health-care bills passed by the House. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

APPROPRIATIONS PANEL MEETS: The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

RUBIO STAFF HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's staff will hold "mobile office hours" in Miami-Dade and Nassau counties. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Stephen P. Clark Government Center, 111 N.W. First St., Miami. Also, 10 a.m., Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce, 961687 Gateway Blvd., Amelia Island.)

HIGHER ED AFFORDABILITY DISCUSSED: The Strategic Planning Committee of the state university system's Board of Governors will meet and receive a presentation from Michigan State University Dean Donald Heller about higher-education affordability issues. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., University of South Florida, Marshall Student Center, Tampa.)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

Legislature:

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

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

Also:

SCOTT HEALTH PANEL TO MEET IN TAMPA: The Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding, which was formed by Gov. Rick Scott, will meet. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., University of South Florida, Patel Center for Global Solutions, 4202 East Fowler Ave., Tampa.)

PERFORMANCE FUNDING AT ISSUE: Committees of the state university system's Board of Governors will meet and take up issues such as performance funding for universities. (Wednesday, 8:15 a.m., University of South Florida, Marshall Student Center, Tampa.)

CABINET AIDES PREPARE FOR MEETING: Aides to Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater will meet to prepare for a June 23 Cabinet meeting. Among other things, the Cabinet is expected to consider applicants for the jobs of commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Cabinet meeting room, the Capitol.)

CITRUS COMMISSION TO MEET IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: The Florida Citrus Commission will meet in Bonita Springs. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, 5001 Coconut Road, Bonita Springs.)

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

THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Legislature:

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

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

Also:

REGULATORS TO CONSIDER FPL DRILLING ISSUE: The state Public Service Commission will consider how to handle future Florida Power & Light proposals to invest in natural-gas production, after giving approval last year to a controversial FPL investment in an Oklahoma drilling project. FPL wants the commission to approve guidelines that could help govern the utility's involvement in additional drilling projects. (Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

BOARD OF GOVERNORS TO MEET: The state university system's Board of Governors will take up a series of issues, including improvement plans submitted by Florida Atlantic University, New College of Florida and the University of West Florida. (Thursday, 10:45 a.m., or upon completion of committee meetings, University of South Florida, Marshall Student Center, Tampa.)

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

RUBIO STAFF HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's staff will hold "mobile office hours" in Miami-Dade County. (Thursday, noon, Miami-Dade County Library, West Flagler Branch, 5050 West Flagler St., Miami.)

FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015

Legislature:

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

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

Also:

PODIATRIC ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Florida Board of Podiatric Medicine will meet. (Friday, 9 a.m., Caribe Royale, 8101 World Center Dr., Orlando.)

JOBS NUMBERS TO BE RELEASED: The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is scheduled to release May unemployment figures. (Friday, 10 a.m.)

BUSH SPEAKS AT HILLSBOROUGH GOP EVENT: Former Gov. Jeb Bush, a likely presidential candidate in 2016, is expected to be the keynote speaker during the Hillsborough County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner. (Friday, 7:15 p.m., TPepin's Hospitality Centre, 4121 North 50th St., Tampa.)

SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2015

RUBIO STAFF HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's staff will hold "mobile office hours" in Orange County. (Saturday, 10 a.m., Oak Ridge High School, 700 West Oak Ridge Road, Orlando.)

SPECIAL SESSION SET TO END: Saturday is the final scheduled day of a special legislative session called to pass a budget.