Peter Schorsch
Sixty Days — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session
The Last 24
Good Tuesday evening. The House’s big gambling bill has taken off, and help may be on the way for traumatized first responders. Sixty Days stands and salutes them. Here’s your evening rundown.
Chips falling: A key committee moved along this year’s House gambling bill, but the fractures on the committee echoed those among the state’s gambling interests.
First response: A House committee pushed forward a redraft of a workers’ comp bill including benefits for first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Local control: A Senate panel OK’d a bill on comprehensive pre-emption of local laws regulating services provided by companies like Airbnb.
Unfree Willy: A bill to ban orca breeding and future captivity in Florida has died in a legislative subcommittee.
Hard work: Penalties for welfare recipients who don’t “get with the (work) program” would increase under a bill that cleared a House panel.
TIKD trouble: The Florida Supreme Court ordered the Miami-Dade firm that helps customers fight traffic tickets to show why it isn’t practicing law without a license.
No sanctuary: The contentious bill banning so-called “sanctuary cities” stalled in the Senate after Sen. Aaron Bean said the measure did not yet “meet the concerns” of senators.
Whose capital is it anyway? Is Bill Hager trolling Tallahassee? In an email, the state representative continued pressing his case to look at moving the state capital.
Quote of the Day
“People don’t need more cocaine than what they can use for their personal possession.” — Lobbyist Barney Bishop III, speaking against a Senate proposal that would give judges discretion over mandatory minimum sentences in certain drug possession cases.
Bill Day’s Latest
3 Questions
Speaker Richard Corcoran and Reps. Jennifer Sullivan, a Republican and Kristin Jacobs, a Democrat, are behind the introduction of the Florida House’s new sexual harassment prevention protocols (HB 7007), which they say will “provide the toughest protections in the nation.”
The Legislature is still reeling from the resignation of Clearwater Republican Sen. Jack Latvala. Two separate Senate investigations offered detailed findings on sexual harassment and misconduct allegations against him, including that he may have traded support for legislation for a sexual encounter with a lobbyist.
Another senator, Lake Worth Democrat Jeff Clemens, resigned after admitting to an extramarital affair with a lobbyist. Among other things, the House measure “makes a single unwelcome sexual advance an actionable offense, “protects victims who are legislative members, employees, agency employees, public officers and lobbyists,” and “applies to state employees, legislative members, lobbyists and other private third parties.”
Q: How tough are the sanctions in this new bill?
Corcoran: … We believe these new rules are the toughest in the nation and they will apply to all state employees, legislators and visitors. Never again should one’s job title or position of power shield them from accountability for their disgusting behavior. I am proud to lead this House of Reformers and believe these new rules will be a model for the nation.
Q: What feedback do you get about workplace harassment?
Sullivan: … My students are very clear in their communication with me. They want the culture of corruption in silence on this issue to end and people to be held accountable. I’m proud of the legislation we are introducing.
Q: Is it fair to assume this is a nonpartisan issue?
Jacobs: The legislation is proof that both parties can work together toward the common goal of protecting the safety of the workplace. Republicans and Democrats both agree that all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and that we must do all we can to provide victims of sexual harassment and misconduct with protections from their abuser.
Lobby Up
Even your fine silk, wool, and taffeta items need some help at the Legislature.
The Florida Drycleaners Coalition has hired Jorge Caspary of Littlejohn Mann & Associates to represent it for the 2018 Legislative Session, records show.
He joins a team that includes his firm’s Jeff Littlejohn, and Sydney Ridley and David Shepp of Southern Strategy Group.
The Lakeland-based group has listed its accomplishments in an online flyer:
“— Defeated legislative efforts to subject dry cleaning services to the state’s sales tax.
“— Created the Drycleaning Solvents Cleanup program, which since 1994 has raised more than $150 million to pay for site cleanups that drycleaners would otherwise have paid.
“— Defeated efforts to ban to use of perc (a commonly-used cleaning agent) by Florida drycleaners.”
Breakthrough Insights
The Next 24
The Florida League of Mayors will host a news conference to discuss the League’s priorities for the 2018 Legislative Session, including measures that would “undermine the authority of local governments to make appropriate decisions regarding the future of their communities,” a release said. Florida League of Mayors President Gary Bruhn, mayor of Windermere, will speak. That’s at 8:30 a.m., 4th-Floor Rotunda, The Capitol.
House Appropriations will consider a proposed budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Appropriations is the last committee stop for the budget before it heads to the House floor. That’s at 9 a.m., 212 Knott Building, The Capitol.
The Senate Democratic Caucus will meet ahead of the chamber’s floor session. That’s at 9 a.m., 200 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.
The Senate will hold a floor session and could pass a bill mandating a $100 million yearly spend on Florida Forever and a proposal that would commemorate civil-rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune at the U.S. Capitol. That’s at 10 a.m., Senate Chamber, The Capitol.
A proposal that would automatically restore some felons’ voting rights will be presented to the Declaration of Rights Committee of the Constitution Revision Commission. That’s at 10 a.m., 116 Knott Building, The Capitol.
A rally in support of a state fracking ban is expected to include bipartisan speakers like Republican Rep. Kathleen Peters, of Treasure Island and Democratic Rep. Ben Diamond, of St. Petersburg. That’s at 10:30 a.m., Waller Park, The Capitol.
Members of the bipartisan Veterans Military Families Caucus will vote to take a position on legislation related to Florida’s veterans and military families. That’s at noon, 316C House Democratic Office, The Capitol.
Senate Appropriations will consider a proposed budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Appropriations is the last committee stop for the budget before it heads to the Senate floor. That’s at 1 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.
The House will hold a floor session and could consider more than 30 bills. That’s at 3:30 p.m., House Chamber, The Capitol.
