The Week Ahead in Florida Politics – March 6, 2017

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, MARCH 3, 2017....... With Gov. Rick Scott giving his "State of the State" address, the 2017 legislative session will start Tuesday. Lawmakers then will move quickly into committee meetings, where they will take up high-profile issues such as school choice, health-care regulations and fracking.

MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2017

Legislature:

SENTENCING DISPARITIES AT ISSUE: Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, and Rep. Kionne McGhee, D-Miami, will hold a news conference to discuss legislation (SB 382 and HB 255) that would address disparities in prison sentences in Florida. (Monday, 11:30 a.m., fourth floor, the Capitol.)

ALBRITTON RAISES MONEY FOR COMMITTEE: State Rep. Ben Albritton, a Wauchula Republican who is running for the Senate next year, will hold a fundraiser for the Advancing Florida Agriculture political committee, which he chairs. (Monday, noon, Governors Club, 202 South Adams St., Tallahassee.)

SPECIAL ORDER SET: The Senate Special Order Calendar Group will meet to set a special-order calendar, which spells out the bills that will be heard on the Senate floor. (Monday, 1 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TAX BREAK CONSIDERED: The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will take up a bill (SB 664), filed by Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, that would allow shoppers to avoid paying sales taxes on disaster-preparedness supplies from May 30 through June 5. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

BODY CAMERAS AT ISSUE: The Senate Criminal Justice Committee will consider a series of bills, including a proposal (SB 624), filed by Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, that would lead to law-enforcement officers being able to view footage on their body cameras before writing reports of incidents. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

FINANCIAL LITERACY SOUGHT: The Senate Education Committee will take up a proposal (SB 392), filed by Chairwoman Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, that would require high-school students to take financial-literacy courses. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

PARENTING TIME ON THE TABLE: The Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee will consider a proposal (SB 590), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, that deals with "parenting time plans" and child support. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

VISIT FLORIDA, ENTERPRISE FLORIDA AT ISSUE: The House Rules & Policy Committee will take up controversial bills (HB 9 and HB 7005), sponsored by Rep. Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, that would make changes in the operations of the tourism-marketing agency Visit Florida and abolish the economic-development agency Enterprise Florida. The bills are part of a dispute between House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O' Lakes, and Gov. Rick Scott about state funding for such programs. (Monday, 3 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

DEEPWATER HORIZON MONEY DISCUSSED: The House Select Committee on Triumph Gulf Coast will take up bills (PCB SOT 17-01 and PCB SOT 17-02) that involve the use of settlement money from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (Monday, 3 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

PUBLIC RECORDS CHANGE DEBATED: The Senate Community Affairs Committee will debate a bill (SB 80), filed by Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, that would give judges discretion in deciding whether to award attorney fees in public-records lawsuits. Judges are now required to award attorney fees to people who successfully file lawsuits against government agencies that have improperly withheld public records. But local governments have lobbied to make the fee awards discretionary. (Monday, 4 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

PHARMACY BENEFITS ADDRESSED: The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee will consider a series of measures, including a bill (SB 670), filed by Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, that would prevent managed-care plans from excluding pharmacies that meet credentialing requirements and mandate that plans offer the same reimbursement rates to all pharmacies in their networks. (Monday, 4 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

FIRST RESPONDER TAX BREAK PROPOSED: The Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee will take up a bill (SB 764) that would provide a tax exemption for first responders who are permanently disabled because of injuries suffered in the line of duty. The bill also would provide an exemption for surviving spouses of first responders who die in the line of duty. (Monday, 4 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE REPUBLICANS RAISE MONEY: A fundraising reception is scheduled for Rep. Cary Pigman, R-Avon Park, Rep. Julio Gonzalez, R-Venice, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Naples, Rep. Michael Grant, R-Port Charlotte, Rep. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, and Rep. Ralph Massullo, R-Lecanto. (Monday, 4:30 p.m., Governors Inn, 209 South Adams St., Tallahassee.)

FRESHMAN REPUBLICANS RAISE MONEY: A fundraising reception is planned for Rep. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, Rep. Stan McClain, R-Belleview, and Rep. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville. All three were elected to the House in November. (Monday, 5 p.m., Governors Club, 202 South Adams St., Tallahassee.)

ARTILES, DIAZ RAISE MONEY: A fundraising reception is scheduled for Sen. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, and Rep. Manny Diaz Jr., a Hialeah Republican who is running for Senate next year. (Monday, 6 p.m., The Maddox House, 510 North Adams St., Tallahassee.)

Also:

FELONS RIGHTS AT SUPREME COURT: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in three cases, including a case about a proposed constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting rights for many felons. The Supreme Court will review the proposed ballot wording of the initiative, backed by a group known as Floridians for a Fair Democracy. Restoring the voting rights of convicted felons has long been a controversial issue in Florida. The proposed "Voter Restoration Amendment" would automatically restore voting rights for felons who have served their sentences including completion of parole or probation. The initiative would not apply to felons convicted of murder or felony sex offenses. (Monday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

PROPERTY TAXES AT ISSUE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will analyze ad valorem, or property, taxes. (Monday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

LEAGUE OF CITIES DISCUSSES PRIORITIES: The Florida League of Cities will hold a media event to discuss its priorities for the 2017 legislative session. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., Raymond C. Sittig Hall, 301 South Bronough St., Tallahassee.)

HASTINGS TOUTS AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT: U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., will take part in a groundbreaking ceremony for an affordable-housing project in Belle Glade. (Monday, 11 a.m., Covenant Villas, Covenant Drive, Belle Glade.)

ROONEY HOLDS TOWN HALL: U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., will hold a town-hall meeting in Sarasota County. (Monday, 11:30 a.m., Englewood Event Center, 3069 South McCall Road, Englewood.)

KIDCARE COSTS REVIEWED: The Social Services Estimating Conference will consider expenditures in the KidCare subsidized health-insurance program. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HOOPER RAISES MONEY: A fundraising reception will be held for former Rep. Ed Hooper, a Clearwater Republican who is running next year in Senate District 16. (Monday, 2:30 p.m., Governors Club, 202 South Adams St., Tallahassee.)

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

Legislature:

SENATE GOES INTO SESSION: The Senate will meet as the 2017 legislative session begins. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

HOUSE GOES INTO SESSION: The House will meet as the 2017 legislative session begins. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

SCOTT GIVES 'STATE OF STATE' ADDRESS: Gov. Rick Scott will give his annual "State of the State" address during a joint meeting of the House and Senate to kick off the 2017 legislative session. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

SCOTT SPEECH GETS RESPONSE: Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, and representatives of groups such as the Florida Immigrant Coalition, the Florida AFL-CIO and the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy will hold a news conference to respond to Gov. Rick Scott's "State of the State" address. (Tuesday, noon or immediately following the Scott speech, fourth-floor rotunda, the Capitol.)

'LIQUOR WALL' BILL TEED UP: The House Government Operations & Technology Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a proposal (HB 81), filed by Rep. Bryan Avila, R-Hialeah, that would repeal a Depression-era law requiring liquor stores and bars to be separated from groceries and other retail goods, an issue commonly referred to as the "liquor wall." (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

CERTIFICATES OF NEED DEBATED: The House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a bill (HB 7), filed by Rep. Alex Miller, R-Sarasota, that would eliminate the state's "certificate of need" regulatory process for the construction of hospitals, nursing homes and hospice facilities. Under the longstanding process, the state Agency for Health Care Administration must give approval before such facilities can be built. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

BILL WOULD BOLSTER SCHOOL CHOICE: The House PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee will take up a bill (HB 15), filed by Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, R-Mount Dora, that would increase the amount of money given to students in the voucher-like Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program and make more children eligible for scholarships aimed at students with disabilities. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Mashburn Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES GET PUSH: The House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee will consider a proposal (HB 725), filed by Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, that would make changes to help move forward with the use of autonomous vehicles in the state. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ON THE AGENDA: The House Agriculture & Property Rights Subcommittee will take up a wide-ranging bill (HB 467), sponsored by Rep. Jake Raburn, R-Lithia, that deals with activities of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE TAKES AIM AT REGULATIONS: The House Careers & Competition Subcommittee will consider a proposal (PCB CCS 17-02) that would scale back regulations on a variety of types of professions. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

TEXTING WHILE DRIVING TARGETED: The Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee will take up a proposal (SB 144), filed by Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, that would make texting while driving a "primary" offense for motorists age 18 or younger. Under current law, texting while driving is a "secondary" offense, meaning motorists can only be cited if they are pulled over for other reasons. Under Garcia's bill, police could pull over young drivers for texting while driving. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

FRACKING BAN SOUGHT: The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee will take up a bill (SB 442), filed by Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa, that would ban fracking in Florida. Fracking is a method of drilling for oil and natural gas that has become controversial in recent years as it has become widely used in other parts of the country. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

ELECTED SECRETARY OF STATE PROPOSED: The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee will consider a proposed constitutional amendment (SJR 882), filed by Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, that would lead to the secretary of state being elected to a seat on the Florida Cabinet. If approved by lawmakers, the proposal would go on the November 2018 ballot. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

GUN BILLS ON THE AGENDA: The Senate Judiciary Committee will take up a series of gun-related bills, including measures (SJR 910 and SB 912), filed by Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, that would seek to exempt law-enforcement officers from a three-day waiting period for purchasing handguns. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

MEDICAID PROGRAM CONSOLIDATION SOUGHT: The House Health Innovation Subcommittee will consider a proposal (HB 619), filed by Rep. Cary Pigman, R-Avon Park, that would lead to a consolidation of what are known as Medicaid "waiver" programs. Under the proposal, waiver programs that serve people with AIDS, adult cystic fibrosis and traumatic-brain and spinal-cord injuries would be consolidated into a Medicaid long-term care program. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., Mashburn Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

HIGHER ED, JUSTICE FUNDING REQUESTS EYED: The House Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee and the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a series of bills aimed at obtaining money for local projects. (Tuesday, Higher Ed, 4 p.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol. Also, Justice, 4 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

WORKERS' COMP DISCUSSED: The House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee will hold a workshop on proposed committee bills that would make changes in the workers' compensation insurance system. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

TEGU LIZARDS, LIONFISH TARGETED: The House Natural Resources & Public Lands Subcommittee will consider a bill (HB 587), filed by Rep. Halsey Beshears, R-Monticello, that would create a pilot program to capture and destroy non-native tegu lizards, lionfish and a number of types of snakes. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

CIVIC LITERACY ON THE AGENDA: The House PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee will take up a proposal (PCB PKQ 17-01) that seeks to boost civics instruction. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

UTILITY REGULATORS MEET: The Florida Public Service Commission will meet. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

SLOT MACHINES TALLIED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will take up issues involving slot machines. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

INDIAN GAMING ON THE TABLE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will analyze Indian gaming issues. (Tuesday, 3 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

I-75 MASTER PLAN DISCUSSED: The Florida Department of Transportation will hold an open house about a northern Interstate 75 master plan. The plan involves improvements to I-75 and the ability of other north-south highways, such as U.S. 41, U.S. 301 and U.S. 441, to provide traffic relief. (Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., College of Central Florida, 3800 South Lecanto Highway, Lecanto.)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017

Legislature:

COUNTERTERRORISM CONSIDERED: The Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee will receive an update on an expansion of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Counterterrorism Unit. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

PANEL TAKES UP WATER PLAN: The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a proposal (SB 10), filed by Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, that would lead to buying 60,000 acres of farmland south of Lake Okeechobee for a reservoir. The controversial proposal is a top priority of Senate President Joe Negron, as he seeks to prevent discharges of polluted water from the lake into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

MORE SCHOOL RECESS SOUGHT: The Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a proposal (SB 78), filed by Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, that would require public schools to provide minimum amounts of recess for students. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

CAR TITLES AT ISSUE: The Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a bill (SB 164), filed by Sen. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, that addresses situations in which car titles are changed after co-owners of vehicles die. The bill would bar the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and tax collectors from charging fees to remove the names of the co-owners who died. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

SENATE DEMOCRATS HUDDLE: The Senate Democratic caucus is scheduled to meet. (Wednesday, noon, 200 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

SENATE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The full Senate is expected to meet. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

VETERINARY MEDICINE CHANGES DISCUSSED: The Senate General Government Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a bill (SB 220), filed by Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, that would change veterinary-medicine laws to address issues related to veterinary dentistry, veterinary telemedicine and treatments such as acupuncture. (Wednesday, 4 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING CONSIDERED: The Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a plan (SB 7006), filed by Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa, that would allow the Department of Health to continue contracting with a direct-support organization to raise money for the state's prescription-drug monitoring program. (Wednesday, 4 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

ARTS TEACHING CENTER ON THE TABLE: The Senate Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a bill (SB 256), filed by Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, that would clear the way for the continuation of the Florida Center for the Partnerships for Arts Integrated Teaching. (Wednesday, 4 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

CIGARETTE TAXES AT ISSUE: The Senate Regulated Industries Committee will take up a proposal (SB 662), filed by Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa, that would change the amount of money that goes to the Moffitt Cancer Center from collections of a cigarette tax. (Wednesday, 4 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

STATE LEADERS TO SPEAK AT TAXWATCH DINNER: House Speaker Richard Corcoran, Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, House Ways & Means Chairman Jim Boyd, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Attorney General Pam Bondi are expected to speak during Florida TaxWatch's "State of the Taxpayer Dinner." (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Hotel Duval, 415 North Monroe St., Tallahassee.)

OTHER SCHEDULED LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS:
--- House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee (Wednesday, 8 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Criminal Justice Subcommittee (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Energy & Utilities Subcommittee (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Health Quality Subcommittee (Wednesday, 8 a.m., Mashburn Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Transportation & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 116 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee (Wednesday, noon, 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee (Wednesday, noon, 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Oversight, Transparency & Administration Subcommittee (Wednesday, noon, Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Post-Secondary Education Subcommittee (Wednesday, noon, Mashburn Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee (Wednesday, noon, 116 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Tourism & Gaming Control Subcommittee (Wednesday, noon, 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Appropriations Committee (Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Ways & Means Committee (Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

SUPREME COURT WEIGHS TOBACCO DAMAGES: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in four cases, including a case in which an appeals court rejected a $30 million punitive-damages award against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. The Broward County lawsuit, filed by the widow of late smoker James Schoeff, is part of thousands of what are known as "Engle progeny" cases filed in Florida against tobacco companies. The 4th District Court of Appeal in 2015 ordered reconsideration of the award of $30 million in punitive damages. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

CABINET AIDES MEET: Aides to Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam will meet to discuss issues in advance of a March 14 state Cabinet meeting. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Cabinet meeting room, the Capitol.)

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

Legislature:

MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING AT ISSUE: Rep. Mike Miller, R-Winter Park, and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, are expected to take part in a news conference about funding for mental-health services. (Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Room 333, the Capitol.)

SPECIAL ORDER SET: The Senate Special Order Calendar Group will meet to set a special-order calendar, which spells out the bills that will be heard on the Senate floor. (Thursday, 12:45 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The full House is expected to meet. (Thursday, 1 p.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

SENATE DEMOCRATS GATHER: The Senate Democratic caucus is scheduled to meet. (Thursday, 3 p.m., 200 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

SENATE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The full Senate is expected to meet. (Thursday, 4 p.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

OTHER SCHEDULED LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS:
--- House Commerce Committee (Thursday, 8 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Government Accountability Committee (Thursday, 8 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- House Public Integrity & Ethics Committee (Thursday, 8 a.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Rules Committee (Thursday, 10 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)
--- Senate Appropriations Committee (Thursday, 1 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

Also:

HILLSBOROUGH, DUVAL DEATH CASES AT SUPREME COURT: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in four cases, including death-penalty cases from Hillsborough and Duval counties. In the Hillsborough case, Edward Allen Covington was convicted in the 2008 murders of his girlfriend and her two children. In the Duval case, Raymond Morrison was accused in the 1997 killing of an elderly man, but a circuit judge in 2015 ordered a new trial. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)

MEDICAID MONEY ON THE TABLE: The Social Services Estimating Conference will look at expenditures in the Medicaid program. (Thursday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

SOUTH FLORIDA WATER BOARD MEETS: The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board will meet. (Thursday, 9 a.m., district headquarters, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach.)

USF TRUSTEES MEET: The University of South Board of Trustees will meet. (Thursday, 9:30 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.)

NORTHWEST FLORIDA WATER BOARD MEETS: The Northwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board will meet after a meeting of its Resource Management Committee. (Thursday, committee at noon, followed by full board, district headquarters, 81 Water Management Dr., Havana.)

FINANCIAL AID DISCUSSED: The Educating Estimating Conference will analyze issues related to student financial aid. (Thursday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

COMMUNICATIONS TAX AT ISSUE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will take up issues such as the communications-services tax and gross-receipt taxes. (Thursday, 3 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017

Legislature:

HOUSE EDUCATION PANEL MEETS: The House Education Committee is scheduled to meet. (Friday, 8 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

'DRIVE-BY LAWSUITS' TARGETED: Rep. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, and Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, are expected to take part in a a news conference to discuss bills (HB 727 and SB 1398) that would address what are described as "drive-by lawsuits" in which businesses are sued about frivolous violations of the American with Disabilities Act. (Friday, 9:30 a.m., House media room, the Capitol.)

HOUSE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The full House is expected to meet. (Friday, 10:30 a.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

Also:

ETHICS COMMISSION MEETS: The Florida Commission on Ethics will meet. (Friday, 8:30 a.m., Florida Commission on Offender Review, 4070 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

STATE COLLEGE PRESIDENTS MEET: The Council of Presidents of the Florida College System will meet. (Friday, 8:30 a.m., Tallahassee Community College Capitol Center, 300 West Pensacola St., Tallahassee.)

TRANSPORTATION MONEY AT ISSUE: The Revenue Estimating Conference will discuss transportation revenues. (Friday, 10 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

SPACE ISSUES DISCUSSED: The Space Florida Board of Directors is scheduled to hold a conference call. (Friday, 11 a.m. Call-in number: 1-888-204-5987. Code: 4503386#)

EDUCATION TRUST FUND CONSIDERED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will consider an "outlook" for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. (Friday, 1 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

SMALL COUNTIES EYED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will look at issues related to "fiscally constrained" counties, which are typically small, rural counties. (Friday, 1:15 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS DUE: State candidates and political committees face a Friday deadline for filing reports showing finance activity through Feb. 28.