MEDIA RELEASE
March 17, 2020
We’d like to share with you a brief overview of the initial results of the 2020 Florida Legislative Session. It’s important to note that the items that passed the Senate and House require approval from Governor DeSantis before they take effect.
First, we’d like to thank you for your calls and emails. You made a difference – for Florida Forever, for affordable housing, and with helping to move forward good legislation and halt damaging bills – and we appreciate your continuing to stay engaged.
Second, we invite you to visit our 2020 Legislative Wrap Up web page and attend our April 15 Wrap Up webinar for more information on what passed and failed.
But in the meantime, here are some highlights:
Budget
With the worsening of the Coronavirus pandemic, House and Senate leaders went back into the budget over the weekend to set aside an increased $300 million emergency fund. We thank them for keeping funding intact to address key environmental and housing needs during these difficult times, and thank you for your calls that stressed the importance of these programs:
Florida Forever – The Legislature has finalized an appropriation of $100 million toward Florida Forever for the next budget year, the amount requested by the Governor and three times as much as the current year’s $33 million. We extend a sincere thanks to Senate and House budget chairs Rob Bradley (904-278-2085 or [email protected]) and Travis Cummings (904-278-5761 or [email protected]), and the chairs of the Senate and House budget subcommittees on the environment, Debbie Mayfield (321-409-2025 or [email protected]) and Holly Raschein (305-453-1202 or [email protected]) for making this happen and encourage you to reach out and extend your thanks as well. Rest assured we remain committed to advocating for a return to the historic funding level of $300 million a year for Florida Forever next year and for years to come.
Affordable Housing – The Senate held firm to its commitment to allocate $370 million for the Sadowski Trust Funds, and in budget talks persuaded the House to come along. As we noted earlier, since 2002, more than $2 billion allocated for the Trust Funds has been “swept” and not used for the intended purpose of affordable housing, so this represents a major victory. Sadowski Coalition leader Jaimie Ross, who led the campaign for full funding, thanked 1000 Friends for its advocacy on this issue.
Water Quality Improvements and Everglades Projects — The House and Senate also agreed to allocate $650 million for projects to improve water quality and protect the Everglades, even more than the $625 million in Governor DeSantis’ budget and the second installment in his four-year commitment to spend $2.5 billion to address blue-green algae and red tide, restore the Everglades, and protect freshwater springs.
Legislation that 1000 Friends Supported that Passed:
Each piece of legislation that has passed the House and Senate is on its way to the Governor for final action.
Uniform Partition of Heirs – SB 580 protects co-tenancy family property from being divided and sold, thus lessening its vulnerability to development by real estate speculators.
Public Financing of Construction Projects – SB 178 requires state-financed construction of certain structures in coastal areas to await a sea level impact projection study.
Aquatic Preserves — HB 1061 creates the Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve designating the coastal areas of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties so that “its biological and aesthetic values may endure for the enjoyment of future generations.”
Environmental Enforcement — HB 1091 increases the penalties for violating Florida’s environmental laws, including increasing required or maximum environmental penalties in various sections of Florida law.
Legislation that 1000 Friends Opposed that Passed:
Growth Management — SB 410 is the most problematic bill to pass this session in terms of managing growth. In a nutshell, SB 410 requires that each local comprehensive plan in Florida include a new private property rights element which adds no additional property rights protection for individuals but requires more work of local governments which will be paid for by taxpayers. A late Senate amendment usurps the authority of municipal governments to manage growth within their borders by allowing charter counties to continue to enact county land use regulations on areas within a municipal boundary. The amendment could clear the way for high-density development in designated rural areas. 1000 Friends will be requesting that Governor DeSantis veto this legislation and will update you on this in the next few days.
Florida Drug and Cosmetic Act — SB 172 preempts the regulation of over-the-counter proprietary drugs or cosmetics to the state, nullifying local bans on sunscreen to prevent damage to coral reefs, such as the one passed by Key West. 1000 Friends of Florida generally supports local government home rule authority to regulate activities within their borders and opposed this bill.
Constitutional Amendments Proposed by Initiative — SB 1794 tightens rules for constitutional amendments from citizens to reach Florida’s ballot, including requiring more signatures to qualify for Supreme Court review and shortening the time frame for collecting them. 1000 Friends of Florida opposed these bills because they would severely restrict the ability of Floridians to amend their constitution, which would further inhibit citizen initiatives like the land and water conservation amendment approved 3-1 by voters in 2014.
Other Legislation of Note:
Impact Fees — This legislation passed. 1000 Friends had initially opposed this legislation but thanks to your calls damaging provisions were removed and 1000 Friends rescinded its opposition. SB 1066 provides for impact fee related definitions for infrastructure and public facilities, it requires that the data used for calculating impact fees not be older than 36 months old, and blocks increased fees on pending applications.
Water Quality Improvements — This legislation passed. Titled the “Clean Waterways Act”, SB 712 moves regulation of septic tanks from the Department of Health to the Department of Environmental Protection, directs DEP to address septic tanks and wastewater treatment facilities in pollution reduction plans, creates a wastewater grant program, sets up new regulations and oversight for agricultural use of fertilizers, and establishes a water-quality monitoring program.
Statewide Office of Resiliency — 1000 Friends supported this legislation which ultimately failed. We appreciate your calls. SB 7016/HB 1073 would have created this office within the Executive Office of the Governor and also create a Sea Level Rise Task Force. SB 7016 passed the Senate but ran out of time before the House could pass it.
Once again, we appreciate all of your help this session and encourage you to visit our legislative web page and sign up for our 2020 Legislative Wrap Up webinar to find out more about these and other bills.
With thanks,
Paul Owens
President