RECAP
OF WEEK EIGHT
The Legislature has completed its eighth week of the 2006 Legislative Session. With one week to go, the House spent the week on the Floor and considered a broad range of measures.
Because bills must be considered in two separate actions (on 2nd and 3rd Reading ), most bills were considered on 2nd Reading and now await 3rd Reading (final passage) in the ninth and final week of the Session.
Among those bill that received final passage (third reading) by the House during Week 8:
• Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera's (R-Miami) HJR 353 , asks Florida voters to double the maximum additional homestead exemption for low-income seniors from $25,000 to $50,000.
• Representative Dudley Goodlette's (R-Naples) HB 821 provides increased tax credit opportunities in the widely-successful Community Contribution Tax Credit Program.
• Representative Nancy Detert's (R-Venice) HB 449 gives improved opportunities for job creation in the designated urban job tax credit areas.
• Representative Marty Bowen's ( R-Haines City ) HB 743 provides a tax exemption for diesel fuel and electricity used in farming.
• Representative Don Davis' (R-Jacksonville) HB 1321 develops a strategy for developing and strengthening Florida 's entertainment and film industry, through appropriate tax credits.
• Representative Joe Negron's (R-Stuart) HB 25 known as the “Anti-Murder Act” which prohibits bail or pretrial release for violent felony offenders of special concern, as well as other restrictions.
• Representative Sandy Adams' (R-Orlando) HB37 which provides consumers with protections against misuse or abuse of their consumer report information. (Approved by both House and Senate.)
• Representative Mitch Needelman's (R-Melbourne) HB 285 prohibiting the seizure of citizens' firearms by government during a declared state of emergency.
• Representative Baxter Troutman's (R-Winter Haven) HB 255 (passed as SB 258) providing transportation safety guidelines for vehicles used to transport farm laborers.
• Representative Jennifer Carroll's (R-Green Cove Springs) HB 761 increases penalties for trespass on the property of a certified domestic violence center.
BUDGET WATCH
The Budget Conference Committees continued meeting throughout the week and were able to reconcile a host of differences in House and Senate budget proposals. The Conference Chairs – Representative Joe Negron and Senator Lisa Carlton—continue to meet regarding lingering differences in House and Senate proposals.
At this stage, agreements have been reached to provide significant increases in funding for Healthy Kids and KidCare.
In education, Florida schools will see an almost $1.8 billion increase in K-12 education, nearly 11 percent over this year and one of the largest increases in education funding in 25 years .
HOUSE WORKS TO SECURE FLORIDA PORTS
House Bill (HB) 7145, sponsored by Representative Sandy Adams (R-Orlando) and relating to port security, was approved by the House this week and is now being considered by the Senate. The measure develops a first-of-its-kind port security strategy for the State of Florida —reflecting Florida 's ever-progressive leadership on homeland security issues since 9-11.
Prior to 2000, seaport security in Florida was focused on supply-chain theft prevention to protect the commercial interests of seaport tenants. Since 2001, considerable effort and resources have been dedicated to secure Florida 's 14 ports, and this measure creates a uniform strategy.
HB 7145 authorizes governmental seaport authorities to require that certain private security forces working at the port receive additional training and certification. The bill also focuses on establishment of security plans and the creation and use of seaport security forces.
HB 7145 creates the Seaport Security Standards Advisory Council to review and make recommendations for maintaining and creating effective seaport security standards. In addition, the Seaport Security Officer Qualification, Training, and Standards Council will create criteria for well-trained and uniformly-qualified seaport security officers.
HB 7145 provides for more comprehensive seaport security planning through the use of risk analysis, periodic review and inspection. In support of the public's security, the bill also authorizes certain private and other seaport security forces to take trespass suspects into custody proactively and detain them until a law enforcement officer arrives. Currently, security guards are only authorized to react in a limited way when confronted.
“ Florida 's seaports are vital to the prosperity of our State. Through input from everyone involved with our seaports, we have crafted legislation that we believe will serve as a model by which all others will seek to emulate,” stated Rep. Adams, Chair, House Domestic Security Committee.
Above all, the measure reflects the importance of safe and secure Florida ports.
