Leon County Commission Holds Workshop on Legislative Priorities

On October 22, 2024, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners (Board) held a workshop to discuss the 2025 State and Federal legislative priorities.

The workshop focused on the priorities for the 2025 Florida Legislative Session and the first session of the 119th Congress. On average, Leon County secured roughly $60 million through state and federal agency appropriations annually.

State legislative priorities include protection of the state workforce. During the 2024 session, the Legislature introduced a 3% salary increase for all state employees. Throughout the 2025 session, the Board hopes to support the protection of the state workforce and oppose any reductions to state employee benefits. The expansion of Medicaid is also included within these priorities, specifically to provide coverage eligibility for adults under the age of 65 with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level.

The Board will support legislation establishing May 20th, Florida’s Emancipation Day, as a state holiday.

The Board opposes statutory changes to section 790.06, F.S., that would allow the concealed carrying of firearms into college or university facilities.

The Board is requesting $21.3 million for projects that are eligible for funding via state appropriation requests. These requests include funds for backup generators at branch libraries and community centers, the design and construction of the Leon South Regional water system, and fairgrounds beautification and improvement.

The Board has a variety of federal legislative priorities. These include funding for new sewer connections under Section 50209 of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Board will support federal legislation leading to the decriminalization of marijuana at the federal level, and to utilize federal lands for affordable housing and public services.

The Board will also support the National Association of Counties (NACo) issues which include infrastructure funding, health care and mental health reform, economic and workforce development, and disaster relief.

The Board will support efforts to facilitate the restoration of passenger rail service in the Gulf Coast region. In September 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced the award of a $178 million grant to complete the necessary train depot improvements in Mobile. The route is anticipated to open in February 2025. Once completed, the SRC plans for passenger rail service to resume with two trains daily between New Orleans and Mobile, with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula, Mississippi. Staff will continue to keep the Board apprised of these efforts and will continue to advocate for the restoration of passenger rail service along the full Gulf Coast route.

The Board will support the City of Tallahassee’s application for a Foreign Trade Zone at the Tallahassee International Airport. The City’s formal application was subsequently submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zone Board and is now pending approval. As part of this process, the City is also completing construction of an International Processing Facility at the airport, a key milestone in the FTZ process. The City anticipates its FTZ application will be approved concurrent with the completion of the International Processing Facility in 2025 – which is projected to generate over 1,660 jobs and have an economic impact of $304 million annually by 2034.

The Commissioners unanimously passed the legislative priority list 7-0.