At their meeting today, Leon County Commissioners approved the 2020 Florida Legislative Session Final Report. They also extended the County’s state and federal lobbying contracts.
The 2020 Florida Legislative Session ran from Jan. 14 to March 19. The Legislative Session Final Report details legislation that may impact Leon County’s budget.
The report includes appropriation requests submitted by Leon County before the 2020 session. Initially, two of the County’s priorities were added to the Legislature’s adopted budget: $325,000 in funding for the Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network and $100,000 in funding for the Leon Works Expo and Junior Apprenticeship. The governor later vetoed the Leon Works request.
The report also includes legislation passed during the 2020 session that relates to Leon County’s policy priorities.
House Bill 5001, “Protection of the State Workforce,” includes a 3% pay raise for state employees and was one of the County Commission’s top priorities for 2020.
Senate Bill 1050 increases the number of state employees who can take volunteer leave during a disaster by expanding the Florida Disaster Volunteer Leave Act to include any tax-exempt nonprofit organization rather than the American Red Cross only.
House Bill 1005 allows independent automatic tabulating equipment to be used during vote recounts. Staff reports that the bill will speed up manual recounts by allowing for counting either the physical paper ballots or digital images of the ballots.
House Bill 733 and Senate Bill 802 extinguish “discriminatory restrictions” from recorded title transactions like deeds.
Senate Bill 810, which has not yet been signed by the governor, will require vape shops to get “limited” tobacco retail permits.
The Commissioners also approved extending two current lobbying contracts.
“The County’s current state lobbying contract with Capitol Alliance Group is for $70,000 annually and is set to expire on September 30, 2020. At the federal level, the County’s current lobbying contract with Squire Patton Boggs is for $100,000 and is set to expire on December 31, 2020,” staff reports.
The County Administrator can extend both contracts for one more year.
A workshop on 2021 State and Federal Legislative Priorities is scheduled for Oct. 27, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
County Commissioners Approve 2020 Florida Legislative Session Final Report added by Lexie Pitzen on
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No Children Services Council!
This money will be wasted on bureaucracy and politics. There are programs in place already and ramp up volunteering and do away with the lobbying contracts and special interests.
Don’t vote for any candidate who is for the CSC.
WHAT SHE SAID.