Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
The state’s elections chiefs will have a little more cash in their pockets thanks to a bill just signed into law.
It was among 14 bills Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed on Wednesday. The measure (SB 514) gives the state’s 67 supervisors of elections a pay raise. The bill was sponsored by Republicans Sen. Garrett Richter and Rep. Frank Artiles.
The measure puts the elections officials’ salaries in line with the base salaries of elected clerks and comptrollers, property appraisers and tax collectors.
Supporters of the proposal said elections supervisors have one of the toughest jobs in county government and should get a raise. Artiles, the Miami Republican who sponsored the bill in the House, said supervisors in 33 of the state’s 67 counties make less than $100,000 a year.
The change will lead to $1.2 million in salary increases statewide, or an average increase of $18,540 per county.
The change goes into effect on Oct. 1, the beginning of most local governments fiscal year.
The Naples Republican also OK’d a bill (SB 708) that authorizes the Department of State to reimburse the next of kin up to $7,500 for burial expenses for the remains of each child recovered from the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys by the University of South Florida.
It also calls on the Department of State to form a task force to explore creating and maintaining a memorial and internment site for unidentified remains. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Arthenia Joyner and Rep. Ed Narain.
The governor also signed:
SB 124 — Public-Private Partnerships — This bill establishes a uniform framework for the establishment of public-private partnerships.
SB 126 — Public Records and Public Meetings — This bill creates a public records and public meetings exemption for unsolicited proposals for public-private partnership projects.
SB 194 — Redevelopment Trust Fund — This bill exempts hospital districts from contributing to community redevelopment agencies created on or after July 1, 2016.
SB 436 — The Crime of Making Threats of Terror or Violence — This bill creates penalties for specified threats of violence.
SB 580 — Reimbursement to Health Access Settings for Dental Hygiene Services for Children — This bill clarifies that dental hygienists may receive Medicaid reimbursement for providing children’s dental services.
SB 592 — Public Records — This bill exempts from public records the personal identification information of emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and Department of Financial Services’ investigative personnel.
SB 626 — Consumer Credit — This bill authorizes the Office of Financial Regulation to take action against a person who violates the Military Lending Act.
SB 628 — Fees for Records — This bill allows the Agency for Persons with Disabilities to pay a reduced fee for background screenings from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
SB 752 — Public Records — This bill creates a public records exemption for certain personal identifying information of a current or former employee of an agency’s office of inspector general or internal audit department.
SB 754 — Public Records — This bill creates a public records exemption for certain civil and criminal investigative information held by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
SB 772 — Regulated Service Providers — This bill reduces fees and modifies provisions in several areas regulated by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
SB 908 — Organization of the Department of Financial Services — This bill revises provisions relating to the organization of the Department of Financial Services.
