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Week Five
February 11, 2022
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Thank you to the more than 250 members who traveled to Tallahassee to participate in the League's 2022 Legislative Action Days!
The following is a brief synopsis of the key legislative actions and bill summaries for this week. Thanks for all you do!
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Key Legislative Actions & Bill Summaries |
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No Butts About It – Smoking in Public Parks Continues to Roll (Support)
On Monday, CS/SB 224 (Gruters), relating to smoking in public parks, unanimously passed the Senate Environment & Natural Resources Committee. The bill would allow cities to restrict smoking within the boundaries of any public beach or park they own. CS/SB 224 was amended in committee to exempt cigars from the bill. CS/SB 224 will be heard in its final committee of reference on Tuesday, February 15. Please contact members of the Senate Rules Committee (click here for Committee contact info) and urge them to vote YES on CS/SB 224. The House companion, HB 105 (Fine), is waiting to be heard in its final committee of reference, the House Health & Human Services Committee. (Taggart)
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Tree Protection – FLC Priority Headed to Last Committee of Reference (Support)
HB 1555 (McClain), relating to tree protection ordinances and a League priority, passed unanimously in Monday's House Local Administration & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee. The bill would amend current law provisions that prohibit local governments from requiring permits for the removal of "dangerous" trees on residential property. The bill's third and final committee stop will be the House Judiciary Committee. On Thursday, the Senate companion, CS/SB 518 (Brodeur), passed unanimously in the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee. The bill will now move to its final committee of reference, the Senate Rules Committee. (Branch) (O'Hara)
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Sovereign Immunity Bill Takes a Step in the Wrong Direction (Oppose)
On Tuesday, CS/CS/SB 974 (Gruters) was amended and passed on a vote of 6-3 in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill, as amended, changes the current statutory limits for claims from $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident to $1 million per person and $3 million per incident. CS/CS/SB 974 is now waiting to be heard in the Senate Rules Committee. Thank you to those who attended the meeting and filled out cards in opposition. Special thanks to FLC First Vice President and Port St. Lucie Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer and Village of Islamorada Attorney Roget Bryan for providing excellent testimony to the committee as to why we opposed the amendment.
The House companion, CS/HB 985 (Beltran), still contains the language that would increase limits for claims to $1 million per person and no per-incident cap. The House bill will retroactively apply these new limits to any pending claims that have not been settled by the effective date of the bill (July 1, 2022). CS/HB 985 is waiting to be heard by the House Judiciary Committee. (Cruz)
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PTSD Workers' Compensation Bills Move Through Committee
On Monday, CS/HB 425 (Fischer) passed the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee unanimously. The bill would expand workers' compensation coverage for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for first responders to include correctional and other law enforcement officers. The Senate companion, CS/SB 664 (Bradley), is waiting to be heard in its second committee of reference, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Committee.
CS/SB 1066 (Burgess) specifies that a PTSD claim must be noticed within 52 weeks after the qualifying event or the diagnosis of the disorder, whichever is later. On Tuesday, CS/SB 1066 passed unanimously through the Senate Community Affairs Committee. The bill will be heard in its third and final committee of reference, Senate Rules, on Tuesday, February 15. The House companion, HB 689 (Giallombardo), is waiting to be heard in the House State Administration & Technology Appropriations Subcommittee. (Cruz)
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Financial Disclosures for Elected Local Officials Bills Fly Through Committee (Oppose)
This week, CS/CS/SB 510 (Brodeur) and CS/HB 301 (Roach) passed their respective committees. The bills require all municipal elected officials and all City Managers to file an annual full disclosure of financial interests (Form 6) with the Florida Commission on Ethics. CS/CS/SB 510 is now ready for the Senate floor. The House companion, CS/HB 301, will now move to its third committee of reference, the House State Affairs Committee. (Hughes)
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Stay Informed. Stay Engaged. |
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