Legislative Update

FROM THE STATEHOUSE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

By State Representative Robin Bartleman

In March, we concluded the 2022 Legislative Session and I want to share with you a few pieces of legislation my office passed to support Floridians across our state and to bring dollars back to District 104. I am excited to announce the following accomplishments that are headed to the Governor's desk for approval!

My office passed three pieces of legislation to improve Florida’s Medicaid program, harden our flood management system, and protect the well-being of Floridians.

HB 855 directs Florida’s Medicaid program to collect data by subgroups to address health care disparities. This will ensure that tax dollars are spent effectively and that patients' needs are better met.

CS/HB 513 creates a system of accountability to ensure South Florida’s critical flood control system functions properly. This system protects 11 million residents, our aquifer, the Everglades, and 1/3 of Florida’s economy. I also secured $2 million to implement this project.

CS/SB 898 honors the memory of Miya Marcano, a Pembroke Pines teen who was killed in her Orlando college apartment. The alleged killer was a maintenance worker who gained access into her apartment through a master key. In response, this bill requires criminal background checks on all apartment employees, logs of employees who have access to units and when a unit was entered, increased notice before entering a tenant's unit, and a provision to curb human trafficking. One of the few constitutional obligations of the Legislature is to design a well-balanced budget. This year’s budget came in over $112 billion thanks in part to federal funds from the American Rescue Plan. The adopted budget provides needed fiscal relief for everyday Floridians as well as a punitive standard I opposed. I stood strong against a provision to reduce $200 million of funding for school districts including Broward County that maintained mask mandates in the height of the pandemic. On the other hand, the final budget appropriated over $337 million for affordable housing, fully funded arts programs, a 5.38% state employee pay raise, and a $15 minimum wage for state employees and contractors. The Legislature also cut over $600 million in taxes, most notably a one-month gas tax holiday in October to alleviate increasing gas prices. The budget has not yet been presented to the Governor at the time of writing this article, but I expect him to exercise his line-item veto authority once he receives it.

I am proud to announce that my office secured nearly $4 million in appropriations in this year’s budget. These dollars will be used to improve our flooding infrastructure on all levels, enrich our schools, and build a new capital project in Pembroke Pines.

We recognize Memorial Day in May to commemorate the armed service men and women who have died in the line of duty. I extend my gratitude to the millions of Americans who sacrificed their lives to protect our freedoms and to their families and loved ones they have left behind.

Now that I am back home in District 104, I want to meet with you! I am eager to hear about what is important to you and how I can help. If you or a loved one are ever in need, please contact me at 954-668- 3662 or email me at Robin.Bartleman@myfloridahouse.gov.