UPDATE ON CS/CS/HB 883
House Vote
March 6, 2018
The final vote on CS/CS/HB 883 (the CRA issue) is expected to take place this week. The Call to Action is to OPPOSE the "Caldwell Amendment" that contains the CRA language, which is proposed to be added to the bill - the amendment contains some of the contents of previously filed (and opposed by the Florida Redevelopment Association) HB 17 and SB 432, on CRAs.
The House took up the bill yesterday,
but the vote was postponed. It has not taken the bill or the amendment up so far, but it is expected to come back up.
Our position is to OPPOSE the Caldwell amendment to CS/CS/HB 883 on the House floor, third reading.
It is not too late to call your house members with this updated message! Their numbers can be found in this directory.
Also, our CRA coalition is vigilantly making any and all efforts to kill this amendment. If your lobbyist can help us on this bill, now is the time to have them contact Bill Peebles, FRA lobbyist, at
bill@psmfl.net.
IF the house bill is passed with the CRA language on it, the Senate could take up the House Bill and send it on to the Governor for his signature.
Salient portions of this latest Caldwell Amendment:
- Legislative creation of any new CRAs after October 1, 2018, is included in the Caldwell amendment.
- Everything in CS/HB 17 in current form appears to be included, including reporting, transparency and accountability requirements, auditing requirements.
- It includes the "fix" to the three year language for carry over of CRA balances at the end of the fiscal year.
- Language about sun setting all CRAs in 2038 and requiring re-approval by supermajority is removed.
- The new state lobbying registration requirements from SB 432, along with the prohibition against spending TIF on grants, festivals, or street parties for tourism, and non-profit entities is included.
- Also included in the Caldwell amendment are changes that could pave the way for the University of Central Florida to develop environmentally sensitive lands near the Econlockatchee River, adjacent to their campus. This is a very controversial portion of the bill, and the issue is up before the Cabinet and Governor tomorrow. One administrative law judge has already declared that current statutes do not allow this development capacity, i.e. to be used for "urban development". Source: 100 Friends of Florida.
Please help us OPPOSE the Caldwell Amendment to CS/CS/HB 883 by making sure your house members know that the "revised"amendment with the legislative creation language, to HB 883, will negatively impact quality redevelopment in Florida!
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