LobbyTools Policy Briefing 2/24/2023

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Here's your weekly wrap-up of legislative news in Florida. Brought to you by the policy professionals at LobbyTools, Florida's most trusted legislative intelligence company.

Higher Ed

Art Exhibit Canceled Over Use of Words "Diversity" and "Inclusion" 

An art exhibit planned at the Manatee-Sarasota campus of the State College of Florida was canceled following a demand by the school that exhibitors remove the words "diversity and inclusion" from a poster that was part of the exhibit. The director of the arts and education nonprofit Embracing Our Differences said university officials told the nonprofit it wanted the words removed from the exhibit. The request came on the same day Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at the campus to announce his plans to eliminate "diversity, equity and inclusion" initiatives in Florida schools. The executive director of Embracing Our Differences, Sarah Wertheimer, said the group wouldn't remove the words, and so had to pull the exhibit. "Promoting those values is literally the goal of our organization," she said. ArtNews 

Corcoran OK’d as New College Interim Pres 

Richard Corcoran, former House speaker and state education commissioner, was approved as interim president of New College of Florida by the Board of Governors, which oversees Florida's university system. Approval came despite concerns raised publicly about an overhaul of the college's trustees and mission and the high salary offered to Corcoran. Earlier this month, the New College trustees signed off on an 18-month contract for Corcoran with a base salary of $699,000. He also will get a housing stipend, car allowance and an annual retirement supplement of $104,850, pushing his total pay package to more than $400,000 higher than the school's previous leader, Patricia Okker. In January, the college's board – made up of several new appointees of Gov. Ron DeSantis – terminated Okker, and drew criticism from students, parents and alumni as the board pledged to remake the school into a conservative institution. José Oliva and Deanna Michael were the only two Board of Governors members voting against Corcoran’s appointment. Corcoran starts March 1. Florida Politics / Tampa Bay Business Journal

Related: How does Richard Corcoran's salary at New College compare to other state university presidents? Tampa Bay Times

Faculty Reviews: The Board of Governors released a revised proposal for new post-tenure faculty review rules. The new faculty review scheme was the result of a broad education measure passed last year as SB 7044 pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The head of United Faculty of Florida said the new proposed rules address some issues it had, but the group still has concerns about due process and disciplinary procedures that would be changed by the new requirements. Inside Higher Ed  

K-12 Education

Questions Mount Over Cost of Voucher Plan

The Legislature moved a step closer to approving a broad expansion of the state’s school voucher program this week but opponents of the idea are questioning how much taxpayer money will be siphoned from public school budgets to go to private schools under the plan. The House version of the bill (HB 1), which would allow any student regardless of income or public school status to attend a private school using taxpayer dollars in an “education savings account,” was approved in Thursday's House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee meeting. It has one more House committee stop before the floor, has drawn broad Republican support and backing from the governor, and is widely expected to pass and become law. House proponents of the bill put the cost for the plan at just over $200 million – a number that was severely criticized by opponents who noted that other estimates have pegged the cost to public schools as high as $4 billion. Backers said some of the money that would go to private schools under the plan is already accounted for because it is part of current voucher programs, and said some parents whose students attend private schools wouldn't apply for the tax rebates they'd be entitled to under the legislation. The Senate version of the bill, SB 202, is awaiting a hearing in that chamber's education budget committee. A broader, no-strings attached voucher program has long been sought by some school choice advocates but opponents fear the defunding of public schools that would come with an expected exodus of students using the vouchers. Tampa Bay Times

State Officials Discuss SAT Alternative 

State officials have been meeting with the founder of an education testing company that backers say is seeking to expand the "great classical and Christian tradition" in American education as Florida considers ditching the long-used SAT test for college admissions. The alternative test, which focuses on a traditional Western European-centered interpretation of history, philosophy and culture, is used mostly by homeschooled and private school students. The company's founder, Jeremy Tate, says the alternative test is needed because the SAT ignores questions meant to test learning about the "Christian-Catholic intellectual tradition," and other Western philosophy. Gov. Ron DeSantis has suggested that he may try to shift Florida away from use of the SAT test for college admissions, as part of a feud between the governor and the College Board, which produces the SAT,  over the board’s effort to introduce a new AP course on African-American history. Tate has met several times in Tallahassee with university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues and Republican legislators to try to get the state to offer the Classic Learning Test to Florida high school students. "We're talking to people in the administration, again, really, almost every day right now," Tate told the Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald. DeSantis has said he wants to pursue "other vendors" who can offer a college admissions test besides the College Board. Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald

Perry Pushes to Broaden Early Grade Music Education 

Gainesville Sen. Keith Perry is pushing to make the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Program permanent with legislation (SB 478) that would turn a pilot program into an ongoing one that provides $150 per student for music education in kindergarten through grade 2. The program, which would be voluntary for schools, would provide the funding for programs that have certified music teachers and teach at least 30 minutes of music education twice a week in those grades. The idea was tested in schools in Alachua, Marion and Miami-Dade counties earlier. The bill is awaiting a hearing in the Education Pre-K-12 Committee in the Senate. A House version of the measure (HB 703) also is awaiting committee hearings. Main St Daily News

Hutson Pushes Career, Tech Ed Bill

Middle and high school students would have more work-based learning opportunities under a measure filed this week by Republican Sen. Travis Hutson. The proposal (SB 240) aims to support career and technical education, or CTE, in grades 6-12 by connecting educational programs to specific industry and employment needs in local communities. It would also establish regional education groups that would include representatives from local businesses and education institutions to create additional opportunities for work-based learning and apprenticeships. Additionally, the legislation provides $100 million for the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program for schools to fund the creation of career and technical education programs. It would also require school boards to provide work-based learning opportunities, diversify education opportunities and expand apprenticeships to all high school students. Hutson Press Release 

DeSantis Sets Targets for School Board Elections

Gov. Ron DeSantis will again target local school boards for change in the next statewide election, setting out a list of board members he'll push to help defeat because they "do not protect parental rights and have failed to protect students from woke ideologies." School board elections in the past have often been driven mostly by local issues, but in the last few years have become embroiled in broader political issues and targeted by partisans at the state and national levels. That includes Florida, where DeSantis backed several school board candidates in 2022, and was successful in changing the makeup of several boards that had previously backed policies opposed by the governor. DeSantis met this week with members of Moms for Liberty and other backers of conservative school board policies and said he'll target 2024 school board races in several counties, including Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Duval and Pinellas, which are some of the largest counties in the state. The Tampa Bay Times identified some of the school board members the governor will target, including Nadia Combs and Jessica Vaughn in Hillsborough County, Kelly Coker and Cindy Pearson in Duval, Tom Edwards in Sarasota County and Luisa Santos in Miami-Dade County. Fox News 

Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement and Public Safety

Permitless Carry Measure Advances in Senate 

Legislation that would allow people to carry concealed guns in Florida without a permit began its path through the Legislature this week over objections from gun rights opponents, and from backers who say it doesn't go far enough in removing firearms regulations. The bill (SB 150) also includes several provisions intended to bolster school security. The measure was approved on a 5-3 party line vote in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee with Republicans in favor. The bill removes the requirement that people who want to carry a concealed weapon have a permit. The law would still allow for the prohibition of carrying guns in certain locations, including courthouses, polling places, schools and legislative meetings, among other places. The measure also would create a program to provide gun detecting canines for schools, require additional law enforcement training, and provide money for school security. The Senate bill only has one more stop, in the Committee on Fiscal Policy, before it can go to the full Senate for a floor vote. The House bill (HB 543) also advanced this week with approval from the Judiciary Committee and now is ready for consideration by the full chamber. The House panel adopted an amendment to the bill to add the school safety provisions that had previously only been in the Senate bill, bolstering the measure’s chances of passage. Tampa Bay Times / WUSF / Florida Politics / Florida Phoenix    

Kratom: The House Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Subcommittee unanimously advanced legislation to regulate the sale of an Asian plant called kratom in Florida. The proposal (HB 179), called the "Florida Kratom Consumer Protection Act," would ban the sale of kratom to people under the age of 21 and define kratom for the first time under Florida law. The bill, filed by Pensacola Republican Rep. Alex Andrade, would also allow the Department of Agriculture to test products containing the substance in a bid to prevent selling of kratom that contains other harmful substances while providing penalties for violators.

Death Penalty: Florida carried out its first execution in nearly four years on Thursday as Donald Dillbeck was put to death by lethal injection for the 1990 murder of a woman during a carjacking in Tallahassee. Associated Press / Tallahassee Democrat 

Health Care

Out-of-State Patients Drove Fla Abortions Higher 2022 

The number of abortions in Florida increased in 2022 over the year before despite a new ban on the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with people coming from states with stricter abortion restrictions driving much of the increase. Newly released Agency for Health Care Administration data shows 82,192 people got abortions in Florida in 2022, up from 79,817 in 2021. More than 7,700 of those procedures were for women who came from out of state, up 38% from 2021. Since late last year, Georgia has had a ban on abortions starting at about 6 weeks of pregnancy. The other state bordering Florida, Alabama, has had a near total ban on abortions since last year. WUSF 

Moody Asks Courts to Block All Funding for Abortion Clinics

Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a motion this week to reinstate part of a 2016 law that prohibited state and local funds from going to institutions that provide abortions, such as Planned Parenthood. Although money was already banned from being used for abortions, some public funding did go to entities that provided other reproductive services for low-income residents, including STD screenings and family planning. The provision in law withholding state and local funds was initially ruled unconstitutional by Federal Judge Robert Hinkle, who ruled it discouraged organizations from providing abortion care. But Moody argues the law now should be seen in a new light because since Hinkle ruled, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending long standing constitutional protections for the right to obtain an abortion. In the motion, Moody says Hinkle's ruling should be vacated because "the legal basis for this Court's injunction no longer exists." Those in opposition claim blocking all funding would mostly affect minority groups, economically disadvantaged individuals and young people who predominantly use services provided by clinics like Planned Parenthood. Tampa Bay Times / Moody Press Release

Nursing Homes Seek More Funding, Expanded CNA Practice

Long-term care facilities and nursing homes are asking lawmakers for more money to help combat inflation and to expand the scope of practice for some certified nursing assistants, or CNAs, ahead of the 2023 regular legislative session. The Florida Health Care Association, which advocates for the state's nursing home industry, published a press release Monday requesting a $311 million boost in funding. Around $159 million of that would be distributed among facilities to counter ongoing inflation and the rest would be used for nursing homes that satisfy certain quality improvement requirements. In addition to the funding needs, the statewide organization is in favor of legislation (SB 558, HB 351) that would expand the scope of practice for CNAs by allowing those with at least one year of experience to be eligible for a 34-hour training course that would allow them to administer medication to nursing home residents and home health agency patients. The FHCA also said the group is working to educate the Legislature on the impact that lawsuits have on facility operations and resources, which can affect quality of care and staff morale, according to the association's CEO Emmett Reed. But restricting such lawsuits did not make the agency's legislative priority list. Florida Politics / Florida Health Care Association

Bill Seeks to Boost Mental Health Care

Boca Raton Democrat Sen. Tina Polsky and Hollywood Democrat Rep. Hillary Cassel, filed legislation this week hoping to address a shortage of mental health professionals in Florida. The identical bills (SB 1102, HB 1057) would establish a mental health profession scholarship and loan forgiveness program in the Department of Health to attract and recruit students to the mental health field and seek employment in areas with shortages. According to the sponsors, Florida ranks 42nd in mental health worker-to-patient ratio and there are nearly 3 million adult residents in need of care, with an estimated 191,000 youth who have experienced major depressive episodes in the past year. Scholarship recipients would get up to $8,000 a year for a maximum of two years, and must agree to work one year in an area with a shortage of mental health professionals or as faculty in their field of study. Polsky-Cassel Press Release

Lawmakers Take On Gender Treatment Rules for Minors

The House is expected to consider legislation this session that would codify new rules banning physicians from providing gender affirming care to minors that were put in place by state health regulators at the behest of the DeSantis administration. The House Health & Human Services Committee this week heard from speakers who previously spoke before the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine about the issue. Palm Bay Republican and Chairman Rep. Randy Fine said he would pursue legislation to prohibit gender affirming care for minors. Earlier this month, the medical boards approved new standard of care guidelines prohibiting doctors from prescribing puberty-blocking medications, providing hormone therapy and performing gender reassignment surgery on people under 18. The move to regulate the treatments came last year when Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, with the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis, called for the standard of care guidelines to be updated "due to the lack of quality evidence regarding the effectiveness of such treatments for gender dysphoria." Opponents argued the House committee only heard from speakers who agreed with the majority party, but Fine said he invited a gender affirming surgeon in Miami but received no response. Florida Politics / Florida Today / WFSU

Step Protocols: The Senate Health Policy Committee advanced a proposal to allow Medicaid recipients with serious mental illness to bypass step-therapy protocols, which require patients to try a preferred drug before using a costlier treatment. The measure (SB 112) defines a "serious mental illness" to include bipolar disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, paranoid personality disorder, schizophrenia and other disorders. The policy change will only apply to the state's Medicaid managed care plans, not commercial health policies or policies in the state group insurance program. But it requires the state to consider the new policy when implementing the next batch of Medicaid managed care rates for the standard managed medical assistance program and the long-term care program.

Opioid Addiction: Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state will receive over $205 million as part of a multistate settlement in a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. Under his plan, around half of the funds will be used for treatment, with more than $38 million allocated for prevention programs, including an education initiative in schools led by First Lady Casey DeSantis. Over $10 million would go toward expanding the Office of Opioid Recovery, $25.3 million would be allocated for recovery and peer support services, more than $11 million would be used to develop an integrated statewide database on crime, overdoses and treatment information, and $26.8 million would fund the expansion of an addiction care service initiative known as the Coordinated Opioid Recovery, or CORE, network.  DeSantis Press Release / Opioid One-Pager / Florida Politics / The Center Square / WFLA  

Executive Branch

DMS Has New Rules for Events at Capitol 

The Department of Management Services has put rules in place over the last few months to require that groups that want to hold events inside the Capitol must be holding events that "align with state agency missions," and have to route requests for events through state government agencies that will sponsor the event, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing a DMS document. "Once a sponsorship has been obtained, the state agency shall submit the required application to DMS on behalf of the requestor," the new rules say. DMS oversees state facilities. The new rule also defines demonstrations, vigils, sit-ins and other such gatherings meant to express views on issues, and says that while such activities could still be allowed, DMS could request size limits on events. The new rules are "absurd and against our First Amendment right," Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said. Politico

DCF to Take Over Protective Investigations From Counties

The Florida Department of Children and Families will take over child protective investigative duties from seven local sheriff's offices. The state had delegated the duties to county officials in Broward, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Seminole and Walton counties as part of a plan to shift most of the work to local governments. In recent years, however, officials have decided to shift the work back to the state. Tampa Bay Times 

Judiciary and Legal Policy

Pro Bone-O Advocacy?  

Neglected and abused animals would receive their own representation in the courtroom under bills filed this week. The legislation (SB 1006, HB 989) would give an appointed attorney or certified legal intern the authority to attend hearings, aid in fact-finding, monitor the case and present recommendations to the court on behalf of the victim animal. The initiative would provide support and assistance to prosecutors and judges in cases of animal cruelty and give a voice to the animal victims, mirroring laws permitting the appointment of guardians ad litem to serve in the interests of children. The advocates would also help reduce the burden on judges and prosecutors by handling the animal welfare aspects of each case. The sponsors, Fleming Island Republican Sen. Jennifer Bradley and St. Petersburg Democrat Rep. Lindsay Cross, say the measures will help protect animals from mistreatment and neglect and ensure that they have a trusted advocate to represent their interests. The effort is supported by The Humane Society. Bradley-Cross Press Release

Bill Would End Some Debt-Based License Suspensions

Valrico Republican Rep. Mike Beltran has filed legislation to end Florida's policy of suspending driver's licenses due to court debt. The bill (HB 921) would abolish driver's license suspensions for motorists who fail to pay fines unrelated to dangerous driving citations or child support delinquency. The proposal would also alleviate the financial burden on drivers who owe court debts by expanding on an initiative that eases how local governments can offer payment plans to indebted motorists. That law allows specialized payment plans, waiver of fees and fines, community service hours in lieu of charges and grace periods. The policy of suspending driver’s licenses for nonpayment of fees is widely used across the country but the practice has been criticized for its disparate impact on individuals from marginalized communities, particularly people of color and the economically disadvantaged. Around 20 states and the District of Columbia have implemented or are considering curbing or ending driver's license suspensions solely for fee and fine nonpayment. Florida's 67 court clerks and comptrollers incorporate court fees into their office operating budget and clerks argue they’re already underfunded. Beltran said a possible solution would be supplementing or fully funding those offices with the surplus from the state's general revenue fund. Changing that funding model, however, would require amending the state constitution. Florida Politics  

Bill Would Limit Sanctions for Jury No-Shows

A bill awaiting a committee hearing in the Senate would limit sanctions judges can impose for failure to appear for jury duty "without a sufficient excuse" to a $1,000 fine, community service, three days in jail, or a combination of those penalties. The proposed measure (SB 638)  also says failure to appear "may" be considered contempt of court, though it wouldn't allow imprisonment for contempt if the person who didn't show for jury duty doesn't have a lawyer. The bill doesn't yet have a House companion. Florida Bar News

Violence: A bill to increase penalties for violent offenses against law enforcement officers, judges, correctional officers and criminal defense attorneys passed the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee on a 13-1 vote. The proposal (HB 71) "provides for a safe space for the people's business to be conducted, and if somebody violates that law, it provides for an enhanced penalty," according to the bill sponsor, Republican Rep. Patt Maney. A similar Senate measure (SB 384) has yet to be heard in committee. Florida Channel Video

Immigration

DeSantis Unveils More Immigration Policy Plans 

Gov. Ron DeSantis made a new foray into national policy this week ahead of an expected presidential run as he proposed another state legislative package aimed at addressing illegal immigration. DeSantis said new state laws are needed because of what he said was the failure of the Biden administration to secure the nation's borders. The governor wants to increase state penalties for human smuggling, strengthen detention statutes for people in the country illegally, increase penalties for document falsification and ban local governments from issuing ID cards to people not lawfully in the country. The proposal also includes invalidating out-of-state licenses for unauthorized immigrants, requiring affirming citizenship and legal residency to register to vote, preventing unauthorized immigrants from practicing law and repealing a law that allows undocumented migrants to pay in-state tuition at universities – a measure sponsored by Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez when she was in the Legislature. DeSantis also wants all businesses to use the E-Verify system for checking employment status and the state would be able to revoke a business license if a company violates the requirements twice in two years. "Florida is a law and order state, and we won't turn a blind eye to the dangers of Biden's Border Crisis," DeSantis said. The immigration reform effort follows recommendations made by a statewide grand jury impaneled by the Florida Supreme Court at the behest of DeSantis to investigate the impact of illegal immigration on Florida earlier. In the first report released in December, the panel recommended creating new criminal penalties for harboring undocumented immigrants. DeSantis Press Release / Immigration Reform Handout / Politico

Judge Rejects Pizzo Challenge to Migrant Flight Program

A Tallahassee-based circuit judge has rejected a legal challenge of the DeSantis Administration's migrant flight program that was filed by state Sen. Jason Pizzo, a South Florida Democrat. Judge John Cooper agreed with the governor's legal team that the lawsuit was undercut by the Legislature, which last week enacted legislation continuing the program and cleaning up language that had raised questions about the program's legality. Politico 

The Environment

Excise Tax on Water Extraction Proposed 

Bottled water companies could have to pay an excise tax under legislation filed by Orlando Democrat Sen. Linda Stewart. The proposal (SB 930) would create a Water Extraction Tax, which would charge one-thousandth of a cent per-gallon on water extracted for commercial or industrial purposes. The money would be deposited into the Water Protection and Sustainability Program Trust Fund, which would then be used to combat nutrient pollution, preserve the state's aquifer and safeguard the current water supply. No House version is currently filed but similar proposals have been introduced in the past. Stewart Press Release 

Growth and Development

Land Use 'Loser Pays' Bill Moving in House 

A House committee this week unanimously advanced legislation (HB 359) that would let developers and local governments ask judges to order the payment of legal costs from residents or groups who lose in administrative law challenges in local land use cases. Critics say the measure, if approved, will have a chilling effect on such challenges. Politico 

Tourism and Travel

Happy Campers: Legislation giving Floridians the upper hand when reserving campground space at state parks unanimously passed the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. The measure (HB 109), sponsored by Republican Rep. Jennifer Canady, would give state residents an extra month to book their reservation at a Florida park. Following recommendations made by the Department of Environmental Protection, the bill was amended to change the time frame from 11 months to 10 months and alter the effective date from July 1, 2023 to Jan. 1, 2024. The proposal also aims to bypass third-party entities, such as Ticketmaster, from securing spots to resell at a higher price. It has one more committee stop. The Senate companion (SB 76), carried by Republican Sen. Ed Hooper, has two more committees before the floor. Florida Channel Video 

Media

Press Advocates Criticize Defamation Bill 

Advocates for open government and free speech are criticizing new legislation (HB 991) that would limit who is considered a public figure for the purposes of defamation suits and that could make it more difficult for media outlets to use anonymous sources. The bill could also remove protections that allow journalists to protect sources. Bobby Block, executive director of the First Amendment Foundation said the bill would endanger open discourse in Florida. “We think it’s a terrible piece of legislation,” Block said. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has pushed for changes to laws that offer protections to media outlets, said the changes are needed. “When the media attacks me, I have a platform to fight back,” DeSantis said in a statement. “When they attack everyday citizens, these individuals don’t have the adequate resources to fight back. In Florida, we want to stand up for the little guy against these massive media conglomerates.” Pluribus News 

Business Regulation

Gun Credit Card Code Ban Advances 

Legislation approved this week by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee would prohibit banks and credit card companies from being able to create separate merchant codes for transactions involving the sales of guns or ammunition. The measure (SB 214), backed by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, is in response to a new rule approved by the International Organization for Standardization that creates a merchant code for firearm stores. Gun rights advocates say the new code could make it easier for credit card companies to monitor transactions of guns and ammunition, or help the government do so. Opponents argue the tracking of large purchases could aid in the prevention of mass casualty events. The bill, sponsored by Zephyrhills Republican Sen. Danny Burgess, passed on a 9-3 party line vote with Democrats in opposition. Its identical House companion (HB 221), filed by Palm City Republican Rep. John Snyder, has yet to be heard in committee.

Bills Would Block Chinese Land Holding Near Bases

A pair of recently filed bills would prohibit the Chinese government or any related party from purchasing agricultural land or property near military bases in Florida. The legislation (SB 924, HB 835) aims to protect national security and prevent foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party, from surveilling and exploiting strategic assets, including power plants, water treatment facilities, emergency operation centers, military bases, telecommunications towers and law enforcement centers. Gov. Ron DeSantis has previously floated a similar idea, noting that more than 5% of the state's agricultural land is currently foreign-owned. The sponsors of the identical measures, Boynton Beach Democrat Sen. Lori Berman and Wellington Democrat Rep. Katherine Waldron, said their proposals compliment President Biden's executive order that seeks to protect sensitive data and support the nation's supply chain resilience. Berman-Waldron Press Release

State Budget and Finance

Bill to Prohibit ESG Investing Filed 

Legislative Republicans this week filed legislation (HB 3) to prevent the investing of state funds using "Environmental, Social and Governance," or ESG standards. The legislation, a priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis, would also prohibit the use of anything but purely economic factors in determining government contracting. A Senate version of the proposal is yet to be filed. The House bill is being carried by Republican Rep. Bob Rommel. So far, it's yet to receive a committee assignment. Flagler Live

Transportation

State EV Purchase Bill Rolls Forward 

A proposal updating a 2008 law that sets out how the state should purchase vehicles cleared the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee, but got some pushback. The measure (SB 284), by Republican Sen. Jason Brodeur, would change the purchasing criteria to include electric vehicles by requiring local governments, state agencies and public colleges to shop for the cars based on the lowest lifetime ownership cost, rather than just fuel efficiency. Electric vehicles don't have a fuel efficiency metric and therefore are left out of the current law. Florida Politics  

Local Government

8-Year Term Proposed for County Commission, School Board Members 

County commissioners would have a maximum term of eight years before being forced off the board by term limits under legislation filed this week in the Senate that would also shorten the term limit for school board members. The measure (SB 1110) by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, would reduce the school board term limit from 12 years to eight years and set limits on county commission members for the first time. The bill comes amid a push in recent years by state lawmakers to lessen local control over a number of policy issues in favor of giving more power to the Legislature to decide those issues at the state level. Florida Politics / WFLA / Ingoglia Press Release 

Lawmakers Take Aim at Local Redistricting

Duval County Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough filed legislation this week in response to the redistricting undertaken by the Jacksonville City Council, which resulted in the council's self-drawn local map being thrown out in federal court. The bill, SB 1080, would prevent local councils from considering the incumbents' residence when drawing maps for county commissioners, city council members and school board members. The proposal would grandfather existing maps but prevent future maps from being drawn with the intent of favoring or disfavoring a candidate based on their residential address. While the measure would apply statewide, some critics said the effort aims to reprimand some of Jacksonville's local officials. No House version of the proposal is filed. Florida Politics 

History and Culture

Historic Cemeteries Bill Advances 

The House Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee unanimously approved a bill to create a Historic Cemeteries Program in the Division of Historical Resources at the Department of State. The legislation (HB 49) would also establish the Historic Cemeteries Program Advisory Council and provide curriculum on the subject of lost – often African-American – cemeteries for schools. Additionally, the measure seeks to open access to cemeteries that may be on private property. The bill is sponsored by Democratic House Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell, who was a member of the Abandoned African-American Cemeteries Task Force. A similar proposal last session made it to the House floor but the Senate's version died in committee. Driskell represents the Tampa area where Zion cemetery was rediscovered in 2019 beneath a low-income housing community. The similar Senate version of the measure (SB 430), carried by West Palm Beach Democrat Sen. Bobby Powell, has yet to be considered in committee. Florida Politics 

Media

Free Speech, Press Advocates Criticize Defamation Measure 

Advocates for open government and free speech are criticizing new legislation (HB 991) that would limit who is considered a public figure for the purposes of defamation suits that could also make it more difficult for media outlets to use anonymous sources. The bill could also remove protections that allow journalists to protect sources. Bobby Block, executive director of the First Amendment Foundation said the bill would endanger open discourse in Florida. "We think it's a terrible piece of legislation," Block said. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has pushed for changes to laws that offer protections to media outlets, said the changes are needed. "When the media attacks me, I have a platform to fight back," DeSantis said in a statement. "When they attack everyday citizens, these individuals don’t have the adequate resources to fight back. In Florida, we want to stand up for the little guy against these massive media conglomerates." Two different bills are filed in the House on the subject. The other (HB 951) sets out rules for defamation cases, including changing who is considered a public figure and that plaintiffs in defamation cases are entitled to legal fees. Pluribus News 

Florida People

John Hitt Dies: Former University of Central Florida President John Hitt, who led the school for 26 years and oversaw massive growth at the school, died Monday at age 82. Hitt, who retired just under five years ago, helped transform UCF from a small campus into one of the largest in the nation with over 68,000 students. Orlando Sentinel / UCF Today

And Finally

Tails Not Wagging Over Dog Window Bill 

South Florida Democratic Sen. Lauren Book got an immediate tongue lashing over legislation she recently proposed to ban dogs from sticking their heads out of car windows while the cars are moving. And she said she hears the criticism and will make changes to the bill, which is a broad animal welfare measure (SB 932). "She's heard from folks who feel really strongly about this," said a spokeswoman for the senator. "This is not something that Floridians want." Veterinarians were among those who did want the change, citing the number of injuries they see in dogs hit by objects as they're doing what they do when riding in cars. It wasn't clear what the consensus on the idea was among dogs. Sun-Sentinel 

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