Peter Schorsch
Sixty Days — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session
The Last 24
Gov. Rick Scott said he’ll propose $178 million to support active military, veterans and their families in Florida as part of his 2018-2019 recommended budget.
The attorney representing a woman who filed a sexual harassment complaint against Sen. Jack Latvala said she had not discounted the possibility of taking the case to court if a conflict of interest arises in the Senate investigation.
Rep. Ross Spano, a Dover Republican, is stepping up fundraising as he contemplates jumping in the race for Attorney General in 2018.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran wrote an op-ed opposing ‘sanctuary cities’: “This anti-American phenomenon must be stopped, and here in Florida we’re doing something about it.”
With Constitution Revision Commissioner Bill Schifino’s recent proposal to open Florida’s primaries, a nationwide movement has steam in the Sunshine State.
Quote of the Day
“Cities must continue to be laboratories of innovation, and this program will serve as a catalyst for bold solutions.” — Sen. Jeff Brandes, on a new program encouraging autonomous vehicles.
Bill Day’s Latest
3 Questions
October was its “strongest fundraising and petition gathering month to date,” the Voters In Charge Committee, sponsors of the Voter Control of Gambling Amendment, announced Monday. The group announced that it gathered nearly 200,000 petitions while raising $1.55 million during October. The group’s base of major financial donors expanded during October with significant contributions from Walt Disney World and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. John Sowinski is the chairman of Voters in Charge.
Q: How did you react to the Tribe’s support?
A: Voters across Florida are going on record in favor of citizen control of gambling. We are pleased that the Seminole Tribe of Florida responded favorably to our request to support our Voter Control of Gambling amendment, which gives Florida voters, not politicians or bureaucrats, the ultimate authority to approve gambling in Florida.
Q: Why is the Tribe supporting this?
A: A 2010 compact (or “agreement”) between the Tribe and the State of Florida is intended to provide a firewall against the expansion of gambling throughout Florida. But gambling lobbyists in Tallahassee continue to push expansion proposals that would violate the Seminole Compact and promises made to the people of Florida.
Q: When do you think you will have enough signatures for ballot placement? [The proposed amendment needs 766,200 signatures; it has 391,783 verified signers so far.]
A: Our message of giving Florida voters, not politicians, the ultimate authority on gambling decisions is resonating throughout Florida. We are on target to complete our petition drive by year’s end, after which we will turn our full attention to building voter support for our amendment through a broad grassroots effort and robust statewide campaign.
Lobby Up
Credit the Capital City Consulting team with hustle and a drive for business generation. The lobbying firm recently signed up a slew of new clients before the 2018 Legislative Session.
For instance, the firm’s Kenneth Granger, Nick Iarossi, Dean Izzo and Chris Schoonover have registered to personally lobby for Rick Staab. Staab seeks to fund dystonia research for UF Health. The health care business entrepreneur has a son, Tyler, with dystonia, a neuromuscular disorder.
Also, Granger and Izzo have registered to lobby for Tallahassee Retail Venture, the Birmingham, Alabama company that has been redeveloping the former Tallahassee Mall into The Centre of Tallahassee.
Jim Boxold and Ron LaFace Jr. registered to lobby for Florida Fuel Connection, a Palm Beach Gardens petroleum products distribution company. Boxold and LaFace also registered to lobby for HNTB Corp., a national planning, design and construction management firm.
Finally, Boxold, Iarossi, Izzo, LaFace, Schoonover, Ashley Kalifeh, Andrew Ketchel, Dan Newman registered to lobby for Lennar Ventures, a Florida home building company.
Breakthrough Insights
The Next 24
Sen. Jeff Brandes and Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Dew are among the scheduled speakers at the Florida Automated Vehicles Summit. It begins at 9 a.m., Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, 2900 Bayport Dr., Tampa.
The House Health & Human Services Committee will consider a proposal (HB 23) to allow types of health care facilities known as “recovery care centers,” where patients could stay up to 72 hours after surgical procedures. That’s at 9 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.
The House Judiciary Committee will take up a bill (PCB JDC 18-01) that would make a series of changes related to the insurance practice known as “assignment of benefits.” That’s at 9 a.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce will release its “2018 Jobs and Competitiveness Agenda” at a news conference with former House Speaker Will Weatherford. That’s at 11 a.m., on the Fourth Floor Rotunda, in front of the Florida Senate Chamber, The Capitol.
Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican and Rep. Sean Shaw, a Tampa Democrat, will hold a joint news conference on bipartisan affordable-housing legislation that would ban any ‘sweep’ of the State and Local Housing Trust Fund. That’s at 12:30 p.m., on the fourth floor Rotunda, in front of the Florida Senate Chamber, The Capitol.
The House Commerce Committee will consider a proposal (PCB COM 18-01) to reform the workers’ compensation insurance system. That’s at 1 p.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.
The House Government Accountability Committee will take up a bill (HB 17) to make changes involving community redevelopment agencies. That’s at 1 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.
The Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee will take up a bill (SB 494) that would clarify the “exclusive jurisdiction” of the Florida Public Service Commission to decide whether to require underground transmission lines for power-plant projects. That’s at 2 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will consider a proposal (SB 274) that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns while at private schools on the grounds of religious institutions. That’s at 2 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.
The Senate Transportation Committee will take up a bill (SB 572) on overseeing aspects of high-speed rail. That’s at 2 p.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.
There will be a reception to raise money for the campaigns of GOP Reps. Bobby Olszewski, Daniel Perez, House District 58 candidate Lawrence McClure and House District 72 candidate James Buchanan. That’s at 5 p.m., DoubleTree by Hilton, 101 South Adams St., Tallahassee.
Lobbying firms face a Tuesday deadline for filing reports that provide information about compensation from July 1 to Sept. 30.
