Greetings!
Welcome to Capital Watch, Florida Wildlife Federation's weekly update on legislative activities concerning issues of conservation.
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Capital Watch 2007
Week Six - Ending April 13
Jay Liles, FWF Policy Consultant
We are at the half way mark of the 2007 Legislative Session. There are less than four weeks left to conclude the business of the 60 day regular session which, in legislative terms, is a life time. It is however, a time to make the last push for committee hearings and the beginning of much of the horse trading that characterizes the final days of the session.
State budget plans for both the House (HB 5001) and Senate (SB 2800) have been passed and conference committees are beginning to meet to start ironing out the differences in the two bills. These meetings, while held in the public eye, are usually quiet affairs with little (if any) public testimony. Typically, it will take until the final days of the session before final agreements are reached on the overall budget. Among the most contentious issues to be resolved is the fate of property tax reform, where the House and Senate are far apart and the Governor has begun to assert his influence in hopes of reaching a compromise. Unfortunately, the log jam created by this high profile issue is having an effect on all other legislation as a result of the time and attention it is taking away from other agendas, like land conservation, habitat management and energy legislation.
In anticipation of the April 16 - 20 legislative calendar, here are several key actions we can expect:
- On Wednesday, April 18 the House Environment and Natural Resources Council will hear a proposed committee bill that establishes the Florida Climate Action Partnership. As we have previously reported this public/private, high level, group will focus on hearings throughout the state culminating in a proposed Global Warming action plan for Florida.
- This same day FWF and NWF have invited advocates from across the state to join us in efforts to ensure passage of the Climate Action Partnership and other energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation.
- On Thursday, April 19 the Senate Finance and Tax Committee is expected to take up the FWC bill increasing user fees for hunting and fishing, SB 1982. Passage in this committee sets the stage for a hearing before the full Senate.
- Throughout the week conferees will meet on budget issues of which Florida Forever is one of the key elements we will watch with an eye toward greater funding in 07-08.
It will be an important week of action in Tallahassee so stay tuned....
FWF Policy Consultant
We have created a list of the priority issues the Florida Wildlife Federation is determined to have heard this year. Many of these issues are, or will be, addressed in one or more bills. Some have no bills filed as of yet but may appear in the form of spending bills (appropriations) or amendments.
UPDATED! Under the heading "Bills to Watch" we have included a list of bills already filed. It is this section that will undergo the most change as we proceed through the legislative session. Please click on this link each week to see the update list.
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