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Legislative History
2023
Bills (2 bills passed)
1. HB 1353/SB 1624-Commercial Financing Product Brokers & Providers
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Requires providers of commercial financing to provide simple and clear disclosures that allow business owners to make accurate comparisons between different types of financing.
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Codifies best practices for providers of nonbank commercial financing and brokers to benefit Florida businesses and the state's economy.
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Standardizes the disclosures related to total cost of capital.
1. HB 1255-West Orange Healthcare District, Orange County
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The West Orange Healthcare District was declared inactive by the Department of Economic Opportunity on January 3, 2023.
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Bill abolishes the District and transfers all assets and liabilities of the District to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.
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Requires the original copies of official West Orange Healthcare District record books dated 1949-1989 to be deposited into the Winter Garden Heritage Museum.
Appropriations
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$5 million for local projects + $5 million for Lake Apopka = $10 million total
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Approved by the Governor in the 2023 state budget
1. Apopka Regional Trail Connections - $2 million
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City of Apopka’s Active Transportation Network Implementation Project will allow the City, along with its City and County partners, to build connections to established regional trails throughout the region. This project will run from Lester Road in Apopka to Neighborhood Lakes Trailhead in Lake County, which will
complete the trail from Clermont in Lake County into Orange County and back again into Lake County ultimately finishing at Sanford in Seminole County. In addition, this project will complete the bike trail around Lake Apopka for both Orange and Lake Counties; Connector will allow trail users to access Lake County from other trail points.
2. Orange County/West Orange Trail Phase 4 - $640,080
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Sidewalk connector from Welch & Rock Springs to Wekiwa Springs State Park
3. Apopka Wekiva Springs Regional Aquifer Recharger & Flood Protection - $2.5 million Design, permit and construct a permanent stormwater treatment system to reduce flooding around Lake Page, Pleasant, Border, Cortez, Piedmont, Blue, Jackson, and McDade. In addition, modern water quality pre-treatment will be installed to significantly reduce Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and other pollutants in the stored, stormwater prior to use for irrigation and ultimately discharged back into the aquifer; deletes excess water from flowing into the aquifer, cap drainage wells. Regional joint partnership between the City of Apopka, Orange County, Seminole County, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD).
2024
Bills (7 of 11 bills passed, 4 prime co-sponsored)*
*Not included in bill total
1. Specialty License Plate/General Aviation (HB 105/SB 60)
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Status: Adopted into Specialty License Plates Package Bill (HB 03); signed into law by the Governor
Establishes a specialty license plate with proceeds from the plates providing funding assistance in the form of scholarships for future pilots, air traffic controllers, mechanics, and airport operations personnel, the scholarship will be managed by the Aerospace Center for Excellence in Lakeland, Florida. Florida’s distinct position as a leader in the aviation industry warrants the creation of this specialty license plate that
recognizes the General Aviation Community.
2. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases Policy
Workgroup (HB 115/SB 186)
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Status: Signed into law by the Governor
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PSP is a rare condition and is frequently misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease because they both involve slowed movements and gait difficulty, with PSP being one of a collection of diseases referred to as Parkinson plus syndromes. Because of a lack of awareness of PSP and similarity of symptoms between the two conditions, patients with PSP are often misdiagnosed as having Parkinson’s and do not receive the proper treatment. The impact of the symptoms of PSP not only effect the patients themselves but also their caretakers and families. This bill, AKA the Justo R. Cortes Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Act, would bring a diverse committee of 20 qualified individuals, (16 appointed by the State Surgeon General) led by the State Surgeon General and an appointed chair, to help provide a specialized focus on PSP symptoms, impacts of PSP, emerging treatments and care, and make policy recommendations on PSP patient treatment and awareness. The bill requires that the first meeting take place by October 1, 2024; a progress report to be submitted by the Department of Health (DOH) to the Governor and Legislature by January 4, 2025; a final report of committee findings to be submitted by January 4, 2026; DOH post the progress report and final report on their website; and that the committee sunset on July 1, 2026.
3. State Legal Tender and Bullion Depository (HB 697/SB 750)
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Status: Bill died in committee; $200,000 placed into CFO’s budget to conduct a study for state legal tender/bullion depository in the state (approved by the Governor)
4. Assessment of Renewable Energy Source Devices/RNG Tax Exemption (HB 769)
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Status: Adopted into Tax Package (HB 7073); signed into law by the Governor
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Adds equipment and infrastructure related to renewable natural gas to the preexisting property tax abatement, extending the same incentive by way of tax exemption to RNG that other renewables enjoy. This incentive will help to spur private investment in the development of more RNG in the state by reducing the carrying cost of projects by way of tax exemption, which will make more projects both viable and financeable.
5. Aviation (HB 981/SB 1362)*
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Status: Bill died in Returning Messages; plans to bring back next Session
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Based on the year-long findings of the AAM Working Group, industry partners, and FDOT, this proposed legislation incorporated various recommendations including. The bill proposed amending the definitions of “airport” and “aircraft” and removing unnecessary definitions; removed preemption of local regulations relating to vertiports; directed FDOT to coordinate with large hub airports located in the state to develop, fund, and enact projects to test and integrate AAM concepts and their support systems; established that an airport owned by a municipality which seeks a vertiport operator for a public-use vertiport, which operator will receive public funding for such operations, must contract with an operator selected through a competitive bidding process; and reverted portions of the airport zoning laws to language as it existed prior to changes made last session.
6. Unlawful Sale of Alcoholic Beverages (HB 1123/SB 1090)
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Status: Signed into law by the Governor
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Bill an Orange County Sheriff’s Office Priority. Increases the penalty for unlicensed or unlawful alcohol sales in commercial spaces (1) from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony and increase the fine to not less than $5,000 and not more than $10,000. (2) The bill also includes a penalty for a second or subsequent violation to charge a felony of the second degree with a fine of not less than $15,000 and not more than $20,000, and (3) it adds unlawful alcohol sales to the list of activities which could trigger nuisance abatement action especially if the business is near a residential neighborhood, stemming the tide of illegal activity and empowering law enforcement to make our neighborhoods safer.
7. Gender & Biological Sex/Compassion and Clarity Bill (HB 1639)*
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Status: Bill died in Senate
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Changes “gender” to “sex” to maintain original purpose in state statute regarding drivers licenses and ID cards as well as adds a definition of “sex” to ch. 322 related to driver licenses and ID cards as aligned to current law governing health care practitioners. The bill also effects insurers and HMO’s in the following manners based on parity not mandate: Requires those who cover sex transition prescriptions and procedures to also cover de-transition from such prescriptions and procedures; Requires those who offer a product that includes coverage of sex reassignment prescriptions and procedures to also offer a product that does not cover it; and prohibits insurers and HMOs from refusing to cover mental health or “therapeutic” services that affirm a patient’s sex at birth; the health provisions section of this bill are applicable to policies; group health insurance policies; health benefit plans; and to health maintenance organization contracts delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025.
8. Lewd or Lascivious Grooming (HB 1135/SB 1238)
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Status: Revised bill language added to HB 1545 (Rep Baker); signed into law by the Governor
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Initial bill language proposed to subdue lewd or lascivious grooming offenses that are committed upon or in the presence of any minor that is below the age of 16; proposed that anyone that is 18 years of age or older who commits grooming is committing a felony of the second degree and will be punished.
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Revised bill language stipulates that an “adult who engages in a pattern of communication to a minor that includes explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of sexual activity, sexual conduct, or sexual excitement and that is harmful to minors commits a felony of the third degree.” Also removes a potential for victim blaming.
9. Motor Vehicle Racing Penalties/Drag Racing (HB 449/SB 1764)
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Status: Signed into law by the Governor
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Orange County Sheriff’s Office priority bill. Statewide public safety issue from Jacksonville, to Orlando, Tampa, and Miami. Legislation seeks to address ongoing problems related to racing, stunt driving, street takeovers and reckless driving. Current penalties do not provide a deterrence, first violation remains a first-degree misdemeanor, second offense would be a third-degree felony, illegal acts driven by people trying to get more traffic on their social media feeds, and increase of fines and penalties in an effort to lower the crowd numbers attending.
10. Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day (HB 1227/SB 1312)
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Status: Signed into law by the Governor
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Designates the fourth Thursday in March as a legal holiday, to be known as “Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day.” The “Tuskegee Airmen” was the name given to the African American fighter pilots who trained near Tuskegee University. They formed part of the 332nd Fighter Group (332nd), also known as the “Red Tails,” comprised of four squadrons of African American pilots in the 15th Air Force during World War II. The 332nd compiled a stellar record of service in over 300 missions flown, particularly in the performance of defending heavy bombers from enemy interceptors. Passed with strong bipartisan support.
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A portion of HB 389 (Road Designation package) also proposes designating a portion of I-10 between the Alabama state and I-75 as "Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway." (currently awaiting approval by the Governor)
Appropriations
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$500,000 for local projects (total amount according to approved projects in the 2024-2025 budget) + $5 million for Lake Apopka = $ 5.5 million total
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*Vetoed by the Governor
1. Seminole County Septic to Sewer Conversion Phase 2 Wekiva Priority Focus Area - $1 million*
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Funds will be used to support a septic to sewer project extending access to public sanitary infrastructure for homes currently being served by on-site sewage treatment and disposal (septic) systems. One hundred eighty-four (184) residences located within the Wekiva Priority Focus Area have been identified for Phase 2 of this pilot (within Bear Lake Crossing/Holiday Bear Lake). This program is a critical step towards reducing harmful nitrogen that flows from septic systems into the Wekiwa Spring (Outstanding FL Spring).
2. Camp Thunderbird Septic to Sewer Conversion - $750,000*
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Funds will be used for the specific goal of reducing the environmental impact of a 10 tank, decades old, septic system within the Wekiwa River basin, allow for expansion of our camp swimming program, and eliminating maintenance and other related costs required to maintain the present system.
3. Camp Thunderbird Persons with Disabilities Kitchen Renovation - $750,000*
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Camp Thunderbird provides the opportunity for individuals with developmental disabilities to participate in a typical summer camp experience with sessions between 7-12 days. To meet the specialized dietary needs of individuals with a wide variety of disabilities, funds will be used to help provide a fully functional commercial kitchen. The kitchen at Camp Thunderbird is over 20 years old with no prior updates, making meal preparation a challenge. These funds will provide for a complete kitchen renovation.
4. STEPS Womens Residential Integrated Treatment Services (ITS) - $500,000
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The specific goal of STEPS Women's Residential Integrated Treatment Services (ITS) is to provide access to a safe, efficient and cost-effective level II residential treatment for women who are pregnant, post-partum and/or women with children in Central Florida. Funds will support the treatment approach which will include coordination with child welfare, the courts, offer medication assisted treatment (MAT) and STI prevention and treatment. This integrated approach will reduce immense costs to publicly funded systems. This program allows mother and infant to receive simultaneous opioid treatment.
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