A look at the results of the 2015 Special Session In a recent newsletter, Career Source Florida offered this review of the Florida legislature's 2015 Special Session. . 2015 Special Session Sine Die Late Friday, June 19, the Florida Senate and Florida House of Representatives Sergeants at Arms dropped the traditional handkerchiefs in the ceremonial end to the 2015 special legislative session after Florida’s nearly $78.8 billion budget was approved by both chambers.The special legislative … [Read more...]
An important message from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
Proposed changes to Florida economic development programs The following message was provided by Burt C. Von Hoff, Special Programs Manager, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Division of Strategic Business Development. Greetings from Tallahassee! We are attaching a copy of Chapter 2015-221, Laws of Florida, an Act relating to Taxation, as well as the final staff analysis for House Bill 33A. This bill was initially introduced as PCB FTC 15-05: Taxation, was amended as House Bill … [Read more...]
Scott Raises Specter Of Government Shutdown
Gov. Rick Scott raised the possibility Thursday that state government could shut down because of a budget impasse in the Legislature and asked agencies to outline services that need to keep running regardless of whether lawmakers reach an agreement. In addition to raising the issue of a shutdown with state departments, Scott appeared to try to preemptively blame the Senate if negotiations drag on past June 30, the end of the current budget year. Senators have pushed for the budget to include … [Read more...]
Supreme Court Orders House to Respond to Senate’s Lawsuit by 10AM Today
The battle over the messy end to the legislative session raged on Thursday, as Gov. Rick Scott and Senate President Andy Gardiner released competing visions for a special session on the state budget and as Senate Democrats asked the Florida Supreme Court to force the House to return to the Capitol on Friday. The events showed that the conclusion of the regular session remained mired in controversy and that state leaders are perhaps as sharply divided as ever about how to finish work on a … [Read more...]
Update on Early Adjournment of the House
Senate leaders are considering legal action to try to force the House to return to the Capitol to finish out the work week as the slow-motion collapse of the regular legislative session appeared to near its end Wednesday. With the Senate completing the business it could after the House's abrupt decision to leave town Tuesday amid a health-care and budget dispute, Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, sent a letter asking House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, to call House … [Read more...]
In The News: Enterprise Zones
There continues to be significant coverage of Enterprise Zones in the news this week. The Florida News Service reports that on Tuesday, Senator Latvala R-Clearwater attached an amendment to SB1214 that would advance a $7 million-a-year package for improvements at Daytona International Speedway, the Miami Dolphins' home of Sun Life Stadium and EverBank Field in Jacksonville and for construction of a soccer stadium in Orlando. You can track progress on SB1214 on the Florida Senate's website: … [Read more...]
Lawmakers Seek To Revamp Florida’s Jobs Incentive Programs
State lawmakers are demanding sweeping changes to the taxpayer-funded programs that Gov. Rick Scott uses to attract jobs to Florida, citing the need for more openness and better accountability. The changes come in the wake of a Herald/Times investigation into accountability shortcomings within the state’s jobs incentive programs. And the proposed overhaul comes as new leadership takes over Enterprise Florida, the state’s lead economic development entity tasked with assembling incentive … [Read more...]
New Florida Budget Forecast Predicts Slow Steady Growth
Florida's economy continues to have slow steady growth. State economists met Tuesday to draw up new forecasts to predict how much the state will collect in taxes. The forecasts will be used by state legislators as they draw up this year's budget. Economists expect the state's main budget account to grow nearly 5 percent during the fiscal year that ends in June. They predict growth of an additional 4.5 percent in the 2015-16 fiscal year. Amy Baker, coordinator of the Office of Economic and … [Read more...]
Scott Calls On ‘Florida Exceptionalism’ To Tout Agenda
Calling on something he termed "Florida exceptionalism," Gov. Rick Scott used the annual State of the State address Tuesday to try to reinvigorate his legislative agenda after a difficult opening to his second term. During the 21-minute speech, Scott pushed lawmakers to adopt his proposals to slash taxes, hold down the cost of higher education and boost public education spending to the highest per-student level in state history. "Now that our economy is thriving, it's time to make major … [Read more...]
Enterprise Zones Information from Florida Association of Counties
The Florida Enterprise Zone Act is scheduled to sunset (expire) on December 15, 2015. Florida Association of Counties put together this background in order to support the process of renewing Enterprise Zones this legislative session. Visit the FAC website for PDF downloads of documents related to the reauthorization of Enterprise Zones. SB 392 - An Act Relating to Enterprise Zones; was filed by Senator Clemens. The legislation proposes several technical and policy changes to the current Florida … [Read more...]
