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Legislative Report Jan. 31 2022

Nat Bender
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January 31, 2022 Highlights 

BILLS OF INTEREST 

SB 270/HB 1327: Funds for Student Transportation, sponsor Travis Hutson (R) 

Funds for Student Transportation; Modifying requirements for determining student membership in a school district in order to determine the annual allocation for funding for student transportation, etc. Creates more routes without funding mechanism. Effective Date: 07/01/2022.  

STATUS: As currently written we are against. Working with school boards to try to improve the bill. The bill does not provide sufficient funding to pay for the additional routes. Hence our drivers will have more work but no more pay. Legislative leaders are trying to find more money for drivers, food workers and janitors. 

1/31/2022: NO CHANGEIN HOUSE AND SENATE 

1/24/2022: NO CHANGE 

1/14/2022: Referred to House committees 

1/11/2022: Introduced SJ 15 

11/02/21: Now in Senate Appropriations Committee 

11/02/21: Passed Senate Education Committee; 8-0 

9/21/21: Filed in Senate 

For more information: 

SB270: https://public.lobbytools.com/index.cfm?type=bills&id=59596 

Text: http://static-lobbytools.s3.amazonaws.com/bills/2022/pdf/0270.pdf 

SB 280/HB 403, local preemption 403 Sponsor Hutson (R), Glallombardo (R).  

Pre-emption bill. Allows for civil action against local governments that adopt local ordinances 

STATUS: AGAINST 

1/28/2022: NO CHANGE IN HOUSE 

1/27/2022: In Senate read second time, adopted amendment 349788, now as SJ235, read 3rd time, passed Senate Community Affairs 28-8, certified as SJ 236. 

1/26/2022: In Senate read first time, as SJ 220 

1/24/2022: Placed on Senate Special Order Calendar for 1/27/2022, as SJ 236 

1/21/2022: Placed on Senate calendar for 2nd reading 

1/20/2022: Senate Rules passed 14-2. Now as SJ-219 

1/18/2022: First read Senate Community Affairs as SJ 172 

1/12/2022:  Passed Senate Community Affairs 6-2 

1/11/2022: First reading in House (original bill) 

More information: 

SB 280: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/280 

HB 403:  https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/280/?Tab=RelatedBills 

NEWS 

1/27/2022: Senate Press release:https://www.flsenate.gov/Media/PressReleases/Show/4102 

1/27/2022:https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2022/01/27/dont-give-florida-businesses-a-green-light-to-prey-on-local-governments-editorial/  

1/21/2022:https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2022/01/21/florida-senate-moves-forward-with-bill-that-would-allow-businesses-to-sue-over-local-ordinances-that-cause-loss-of-profit 

1/21/2022:https://cbs12.com/news/local/controversial-local-measures-ready-for-full-senate-florida-business-lawsuit-municipalities-preemption-bill  

SB 620/HB 569, Local Preemption Sponsor Travis Hutson (R) 

Local government pre-emption bill 

Authorizing certain businesses to claim business damages from a county or municipality if the county or municipality enacts or amends certain ordinances or charter provisions; authorizing businesses to recover costs and fees in a specified manner and if certain requirements are met; requiring courts to consider certain factors and follow specified  guidance when assessing costs; specifying requirements for the courts in determining and awarding attorney fees; requiring attorneys and businesses to submit certain documentation relating to attorney fees, etc. 

STATUS: AGAINST 

1/27/2022: Senate read 2nd time, Amended (507868, 609228) as SJ 221, read 3rd time as SJ 231, passed appropriations 22-14 as SJ 231, certified as SJ 236 

1/26/2022: Senate Appropriates read first time, as SJ 221 

1/24/2022: On Senate calendar for 2nd read and special order calendar as SJ 236 for Special Order Calendar. 

1/20/2022: Passed Senate Appropriations 11-7 

1/18/2022: Referred to House committees, in Local Admin & Vet Affairs Subcom. 

1/16/2022: On Senate Appropriations committee agenda 

11/16/2021: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee, 7-4 

For more Information: 

SB 620: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/620  

NEWS 

1/27/2022:  Senate Press release:https://www.flsenate.gov/Media/PressReleases/Show/4102 

1/26/2022:https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2022/01/26/florida-senate-sponsor-agrees-to-weaken-preemption-bill/  

1/21/2022:https://cbs12.com/news/local/controversial-local-measures-ready-for-full-senate-florida-business-lawsuit-municipalities-preemption-bill  

1/20/2022:https://thecapitolist.com/florida-taxwatch-sb-620-has-real-risk-to-negatively-impact-taxpayers/   

SB 1124/HB 943. Preemption of local government wage mandates, sponsor Joe Gruters (R) 

Preemption of Local Government Wage Mandates; Creating the "Wage Mandate Preemption Act"; revising prohibitions relating to political subdivisions enacting, maintaining, or enforcing wage mandates in an amount greater than the state minimum wage rate, etc. Stop local wage ordinances 

STATUS: AGAINST 

1/28/2022: On Senate Commerce & Tourism committee agenda, Rules – as SJ 75 

1/26/2022: Referred to House committees, 1st reading in Regulatory Reform Subcomm 

1/25/2022: House, favorable in Local Admin & Vet Affairs Subcomm and reported out 

1/20/2022: Senate community Affairs agenda for 1/25/2022 @ 330PM 

1/11/2022: Introduced SJ 75 

1/7/2022: Sent to Local Admin. & Vet. Affairs (now), Regulatory Reform, State Affairs, 

12/16/2021: Filed in House 

1/7/2022: Sent to senate Community Affairs; Commerce and Tourism; rules 

12/1/2021: Filed in Senate 

SB 1124: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1124/?Tab=BillHistory 

HB 943: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/943 

NEWS 

1/28/2022:https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2022/01/26/florida-local-minimum-wages-would-gone-under-proposed-legislation/6611647001/  

12/29/2021: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2021/12/29/florida-labor-unions-2022-agenda-covid-pay-raises-work-rules/6493727001/ 

 

SJR 1412/HB 1127. Limit constitutional. amendments by citizen initiative, sponsor, Jason Brodeur (R) 

Revisions or Amendments of the State Constitution by Citizen Initiative; Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to limit revisions or amendments of the State Constitution by citizen initiative to matters relating to procedural subjects or to the structure of the government or of the State Constitution, etc. 

STATUS: AGAINST 

1/28/2022: House Judiciary Committee agenda (no date given)NO CHANGE IN SENATE

1/19/2022: In House Judiciary Committee 

1/18/2022: Introduced as SJ 125 

1/12/2022:  Referred to Senate Ethics & elections, Govt oversight & Account.; Rules – SJ 125 

1/3/2022: Filed in Senate. Filed in House 

SJR 1412: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1412 

HJR 1127: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1127 

NEWS:  

SB 1458 (HB 1197): Employee organizations, sponsors Dennis Baxley (R), Scott Plakon (R), Cord Byrd (R). 

Employee Organizations; Requiring employee organizations to provide a notice of employees’ rights form to specified employees; requiring an employee organization to revoke an employee’s membership upon receipt of the employee’s written request for revocation; prohibiting certain employee organizations from having dues and uniform assessments deducted by the employer from certain employees’ salaries; revising requirements for applications for renewal of registration of an employee organization; revising requirements for applications for renewals of registration for employee organizations certified as bargaining agents for units of instructional personnel, etc.  NEED 50% membership to keep union certification. 

STATUS: AGAINST 

1/27/2022: Favorable by Govt Ops Subcomm and reported out, now in State Admin & Tech Appropriations Subcomm. NO CHANGE IN SENATE 

1/25/2022: Added to House Govt Ops Subcomm agenda 

1/24/2022: Might be placed on a House committee agenda on 1/27/2022 

1/18/2022: Introduced in Senate as SJ 128 

1/12/2022: Referred to Senate Judiciary, Govt. Oversight & Accounta., Appropriations – SJ 129 

1/11/2022: House 1st reading, Govt. Ops, Subcomm. 

1/5/2022: Filed in House 

1/4/2022: Filed in Senate 

For more information: 

SB 1458: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1458/?Tab=RelatedBills 

HB 1197: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1197 

NEWS: 

1/26/2022:https://www.politico.com/newsletters/florida-playbook/2022/01/26/simpson-pressured-to-push-anti-union-bill-00002189 

1/27/2022:https://floridapolitics.com/archives/490882-sixty-days-for-1-27-22-a-prime-time-look-at-the-2022-legislative-session/ 

1/5/2022:https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/state/2022/01/05/bill-would-ban-union-dues-being-taken-out-public-employee-paychecks-state-workers-tallahassee/9107567002/  

1/4/2022:https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/florida-senate-proposal-targets-public-employee-unions 

SB 7022/(No companion). State group health insurance program, sponsor Gov’t Oversight & Account. Comm. (J. Brandes chair)  

Include high deductible plans in insurance selections, etc. 

STATUS: AGAINST 

1/28/2022: NO CHANGE 

1/20/2022: Referred to Approp. Subcom on Ag, env, and Gen Govt as SJ 215 

1/14/2022: Referred to Appropriations Subcomm on Ag, Env, & Gen Govt, Approp, SJ 215 

1/14/2022: Filed in Senate 

For more information: 

SB 7022: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/7022 

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/466306-senate-panel-eyes-state-group-health-insurance-plan-premiums/ 

NEWS: 

None showing up in google search 

Other bills of concern 

HB 1467/HB 1409/HB 1300, K-12 Education, Sponsors: Garrison, Fine/Gruters 

K-12 Education; Removes provisions relating to district school board members' salaries & revises provisions relating to selection of instructional materials & other materials. If school board members are not paid, does that hurt our members? Salaries of school board members range between $24,922 (25th percentile) and $62,093 (75th percentile) 

STATUS: AGAINST 

1/27/2022: On Senate Appropriations Committee Agenda 

1/26/2022: HB 1300 Read first time in House Rules comm as SJ 222 

1/21/2022: Now in House Appropriations 

1/20/2022: Favorable by House Education & Employment Committee 

1/16/2022: Referred to House committees 

1/11/2022: First reading in House 

1/10/2022: Filed in House 

For more information: 

HB 1467:https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1467/?Tab=RelatedBills 

HB 1409:https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1409 

NEWS: 

1/25/2022:https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/politics-issues/2022-01-25/florida-republican-legislators-back-an-effort-to-change-the-review-process-for-school-library-books 

No date:https://floridapolitics.com/archives/488522-bill-that-would-eliminate-school-board-salaries-advances/  

SB 1848/HB 1547, Personal Information Protection/ Sponsors Gruters/Overdorf 

 "Personal Privacy Protection Act"; prohibiting a public agency from requiring, publicly disclosing, or requesting specified personal information; providing construction and applicability; providing for the right of civil action and award of damages; providing penalties, etc. This means 501©(3), such as donations that do political work. Koch Brothers action to hide big money (dark money) in politics. 

STATUS: AGAINST 

1/26/2022: In Rules committee, read 1st time as SJ 222 

1/25/2022: Passed Education Committee 6-3, now as SJ 218 

1/20/2022: Senate Education Committee agaenda for 1/25/2022 as SJ 218 

1/18/2022: Introduced as SJ 159 

1/12/2022: Referred to Senate Govt Oversight & Accounta.; Comm Affairs, Rules – SL 159 

1/11/2022: Filed in House, 1st reading 

1/16/2022: Referred to House committees 

1/7/2022: Filed in Senate 

For more information: 

SB 1848: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1848 

HB 1547:https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1547 

NEWS: 

https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/sarasota-lawmakers-bill-would-hide-identities-of-political-donors/  First 2 paragraphs only.  

SB149/HB007, Individual Freedom/ Sponsors Diaz/Avila

Individual Freedom; Providing that subjecting any individual, as a condition of employment, membership, certification, licensing, credentialing, or passing an examination, to training, instruction, or any other required activity that espouses, promotes, advances, inculcates, or compels such individual to believe specified concepts constitutes discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin; revising the requirements for required instruction on health education; prohibiting instructional materials reviewers from recommending instructional materials that contain any matter that contradicts certain principles, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2022

Bill banning diversity trainings in public sector employers and as well, critics say will limit the teaching of black history and other important history in schools

STATUS: AGAINST

1/18/22: Favorable by Education Committee

Now in Rules Committee in the Senate

In State Affairs Committee in the House

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-bill-whites-discomfort-critical-race-theory-desantis/

https://cbs12.com/news/local/ban-critical-race-theory-progressing-florida-legislature-ron-desantis-teachers-tallahassee-crt