TIPS
FOR COMMUNICATING WITH ME DURING SESSION
The
Legislature faces a busy workload during the legislative
session. Because citizen feedback is so vital to our
work in Tallahassee, consider these options and tips
when communicating with me during the months of March
and April:
Email/Letters:
This is the most convenient way to reach my office
during session with your viewpoints and opinions.
For convenience when sending emails, place the subject
and/or bill number that you are referencing in the
subject line. Please try to make letters brief and
to the point. This will assist us in understanding
exactly where you stand on any given issue.
Telephone:
While I may not be as accessible by phone during session,
feel free to contact my district office to register
your concerns, or to request information on certain
legislation.
Visits:
We welcome visitors to the Capitol in Tallahassee.
Schedules are somewhat constrained especially in the
last few weeks when we are almost entirely on the
floor, but feel free to contact my office should you
be in Tallahassee. My staff and I would enjoy meeting
you.
RECAP OF WEEK THREE
•
The House In Session…
The
House met in session on Tuesday and Thursday, conducting
committee meetings and other legislative business throughout
the week. The annual House Reunion welcomed dozens of
former citizen-legislators from across Florida who returned
to the Capitol to reminisce about their days of service
to Floridians.
•
Education Reforms Pass House
The
House considered and passed several measures relating
to education this week, including the A++ Education
Reform package (HB 7087), scholarship accountability
(HB 7041), financial aid guidelines (HB 205), and eligibility
changes for McKay Scholarships (HB 75).
•
Homeowners’ Insurance Reform
This
week the House Insurance Committee took the first significant
steps towards rebuilding and reforming the insurance
industry that has been rocked by back-to-back devastating
hurricane seasons. The Committee approved a bill (PCB
IN 06-01) that would reform Citizen’s Property Insurance
by creating a system that is more equitable, less costly,
and better suited to handle the challenges of future
storm seasons.
The
bill also encourages homeowners to fortify their homes
against storm damage with interest free loans and a
property tax exemption, along with new incentives for
private insurers to write more policies in Florida’s
high risk areas.
•
Tax Relief Update
The
House Finance & Tax Committee moved forward on several
sales tax exemption bills this week, each of which will
offer tax relief and investment incentives to the people
and businesses of Florida. Sales tax exemptions for
hurricane preparedness (HB 47), back to school shopping
(HB 29), machinery and equipment for increased productivity
(HB 69), and research and development in Florida’s vital
space industry (HB 415) have all progressed through
committees in recent days.
Finally,
the House passed a final elimination of the intangibles
tax (HB 209), thereby removing a burdensome double taxation
on savings and investment.
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