2013 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY STATEMENT STATE ISSUES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM Support the Governor’s Office in efforts to retain Florida’s spring training teams, and attract new teams to the State. Support continued use of public funds for professional sports facilities. •
Success – State appropriations bill created a sales tax distribution to local governments for the purpose of constructing or renovating Major League Baseball spring training facilities.
Funding for the Frank Lloyd Wright Tourism and Education Center. (Florida Southern College Request) •
Success - Funding allocated in state budget for restoration of Annie Pheiffer Chapel @ $350,000 and FLW Tourism (Line Item Budget – Section 3122A) & Education Center @ $750,000(Line Item Budget – Section 3155A)
PRESUMPTIVE DISABILITY REFORM Support local efforts to reform pension programs, specifically related to presumptive disability. Support legislative efforts to place a reasonable evidentiary standard in Statute in regards to workers compensation claims for hypertension and other heartrelated ailments, lung disease and certain mental conditions. Support prohibiting the application of presumption for users of tobacco products. •
PROPERTY INSURANCE REFORM Support property tax reform that does not unfairly shift the property tax burden onto Florida business owners. •
ENERGY SOLUTIONS Support comprehensive energy policy that balances affordable, reliable, conservative and environmentally responsible energy sources while promoting economic and national security. •
Success – Implemented several initiatives to enact Florida’s water standards, promote smart growth management, environmental regulation & smart reform
HEALTHCARE Support efforts to reduce fraud and abuse within the Medicaid system •
Success - SB 844 (Sen. Grimsley) & HB 939 (Rep. Pigman) – Reduces Medicaid fraud by adding controls and accountability. Addresses several gaps in the enforcement authority that will allow for greater oversight and less fraud.
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DID NOT PASS – Moving forward on Federal level
Success - SB 1770, HB 909 (Rep. Wood), HB 7093 (Rep. Nelson), SB 1046 (Sen. Brandes) & HB 635 (Rep. Edwards) – Takes steps to fix Florida’s broken property insurance system. Helps reduce taxpayers’ risk in the event of a catastrophic storm and creates a roadmap to help return Citizens to the insurer of last resort.
Support much-needed reforms to Florida’s property insurance market and the Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (CAT). •
DID NOT PASS - SB 1262 (Sen. Hays) & HB 1107 (Rep. Hager)
TORT REFORM Supporting passage of comprehensive tort reform to lessen the burdensome costs imposed by our current legal system on Florida’s employers and consumers. •
INTERNET TAX LOOPHOLE Support measures to close the internet sales tax loophole; and streamline sales tax information and definitions to make it easier to preserve the competiveness of Florida businesses.
Unfinished Business - No Movement or Progress
Success – SB 1412 (Sen. Richter) & HB 7015 (Rep. Metz), Requires Florida’s court system to adhere to the Daubert Standard and institutes a multi-faceted test to determine the admissibility of expert testimony. Brings Florida’s expert evidence standards in line with all federal courts and many other states and restores predictability to Florida’s legal system.
TRANSPORTATION Continue monitoring and working with the FDOT to pursue efforts to redirect freight traffic from Lakeland’s downtown corridor. •
Ongoing - Continue to work with the City of Lakeland to monitor development
May 15, 2013
2013 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY STATEMENT EDUCATION ISSUES K-12 EDUCATION - POLK COUNTY The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes that prioritizing investments in K-12 education and achieving measurable results for students and teachers are both critical to the future of our community. Therefore, the Chamber supports changes to K-12 education that allow a focus on local initiatives and local control, instead of a “statewide” approach. Provide real local control and flexibility that will allow Polk County Schools to properly allocate funding and provide specialized instruction for students/programs. (* Please refer to PCSB Legislative Platform for more) •
Unfinished Business - Partially accomplished through an increase in the base student allocation.
Create uniform accountability standards and realistic implementation timelines that lead to increased academic opportunities for students. (* Please refer to PCSB Legislative Platform for more) •
Success - Accomplished through a number of bills, including SB 1076 allowing additional pathways to graduation for students.
Stabilize state funding to allow flexibility for the District to support schools’ operations along with the ability to properly compensate educators/staff. (* Please refer to PCSB Legislative Platform for more) •
Success - Accomplished through an increase in funding and $480 million provided for teacher salary increases.
Support equity and flexibility for traditional, public, charter, magnet and choice schools (Polk State College Request) Provide additional state funding for school districts’ Early Childhood Education programs to be used to increase program quality for Florida’s youngest learners. •
Unchanged - Early Learning (VPK) funding remained the same as prior year.
LOCAL ISSUES SKYVIEW UTILITY Obtain State and Federal Grant funding to bring the Skyview water and wastewater utility into compliance without burdening City ratepayers. (City of Lakeland Request) •
Success - $3,750,000 allocated to Skyview Water and Wastewater System Modification (Line Item Budget – Section 1640C)
HIGHER EDUCATION - POLK COUNTY The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes Polk State College, Florida Southern College, Southeastern University and Florida Polytechnic as important, local ways for the county to produce college degrees and shrink the educational attainment gap, thereby advancing the cause of economic development. Therefore, the Chamber requests the state’s support of the above educational institutions in the following areas: Continued funding of the Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG) and Bright Futures (Florida Southern College, Southeastern University Request) •
Success – Florida Resident Access Grant will be funded at $2,500 per student level, allotting 32,477 grants available to students.(Line item budget – Section 61)
Continued support for operating and capital funding to further assist development of Florida Polytechnic, Florida’s 12th University. (Executive Committee Support) •
Success - Funding allocated in state budget for Florida Polytechnic University @ $28.279,555 from the general fund for operating, $50,000 financial aid and $367,509 for additional aid
Support the funding and addition for STEM-related programs including math, science, nursing (RN, DNP, and BSN) and other health science degrees, in collaboration with local partners. (Polk State College, Florida Southern College, Southeastern University Request) •
Unfinished Business - The legislature did not fund additional STEM-related programs but continued to support existing initiatives across the state.
Support funding for dual enrollment, which provides accelerated, affordable & local paths to degrees. (Polk State College, Southeastern University Request) •
Success – The legislature established a funding source for dual enrollment
Continued support, funding, affordability and flexibility in addressing local developmental educational needs for all Polk County higher educational institutions. (Polk State College Request) •
Success - The legislature passed a comprehensive reform of developmental education, providing Florida’s colleges with significant, increased flexibility in diagnostics and remediation.
PUBLIC SAFETY Provide continued funding for educational dual purpose capital improvement projects, such as the local Polk Sheriff/Polk State College facility. The request is on behalf of both Polk State College and Polk County public safety agencies. (Polk State College Request) •
Success - $4.5 million allocated to provide “Phase 2” funding for the Institute for Public Safety project.
May 15, 2013