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Article
Courtesy of WCTV
By Brandon Farrington
Published February 19, 2020
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Legislature is past the halfway
point of its annual 60 day session and hasn’t tackled any major issues
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Republican Gov. Ron
DeSantis has been sent seven bills for his signature, most
of them housekeeping items. But there was also a measure
that, if the governor approves, will ban homeowners
associations from prohibiting law enforcement officers from
parking their assigned vehicles in their own driveways.
And another will prevent the state from denying or revoking
a professional license if someone misses payments on student
loans.
So what’s left? A lot. Pretty much everything. But DeSantis
might get the first major legislation on his wish list sent
his way in the week ahead.
That would be the bill to require girls under the age of 18
to get their parents permission before having an abortion.
It’s an issue that has drawn dozens of abortion rights
protesters to the Capitol to shout their disapproval outside
lawmakers’ chambers. But it’s also a bill that DeSantis
asked for in his State of the Union address when lawmakers
began their session last month.
The Senate has already passed the bill, which expands a
current law that requires girls’ parents be notified if
their daughters are having an abortion, and the full House
will take up the Senate bill this week. Similar to current
law, girls could petition a court for an exemption if they
feel getting a parent’s permission could put them in danger.
And now that the House and Senate have passed their budgets,
they will begin the process of working out differences. The
chambers are about $1.4 billion apart.
As Republican House Speaker Jose Oliva put it, “The fun
doesn’t start till next week.”
DeSantis, the Senate and House agree on some things with
their respective budget proposals, like giving teachers
raises and making environmental issues a priority. But
working out the details will now be the focus. The House and
Senate have until March 10 to agree on a budget if they want
to go home on time. |
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, center, gestures as he
speaks during a news conference with U.S. Secretary of
Transportation Elaine L. Chao, second from left, Rep. Mario
Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., left, PortMiami Director Juan Kuryla, third
from right, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, second from
right, and Rep. Donna Shalala, D-Fla., right, at a news conference,
Friday, Feb. 14, 2020, at PortMiami in Miami. Chao announced that
the department has awarded more than $280 million in a new Port
Infrastructure Development Program at 15 locations to improve
facility and freight infrastructure.
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Another DeSantis priority that will continue to move
through Senate committees is a bill that would force companies to use
E-Verify to make sure employees are legally able to work in the United
States. The Senate bill was watered down in its first committee stop to
exclude agriculture and small business.
The issue hasn’t moved in the House, but Oliva said he recognizes the
governor wants a bill sent to him, and he believes something can pass. But
he wants to make sure the final product doesn’t create burdens on
businesses.That would be the bill to require girls under the age of 18 to
get their parents permission before having an abortion. It’s an issue that
has drawn dozens of abortion rights protesters to the Capitol to shout their
disapproval outside lawmakers’ chambers. But it’s also a bill that DeSantis
asked for in his State of the Union address when lawmakers began their
session last month.
The Senate has already passed the bill, which expands a current law that
requires girls’ parents be notified if their daughters are having an
abortion, and the full House will take up the Senate bill this week. Similar
to current law, girls could petition a court for an exemption if they feel
getting a parent’s permission could put them in danger.
And now that the House and Senate have passed their budgets, they will begin
the process of working out differences. The chambers are about $1.4 billion
apart.
As Republican House Speaker Jose Oliva put it, “The fun doesn’t start till
next week.”
DeSantis, the Senate and House agree on some things with their respective
budget proposals, like giving teachers raises and making environmental
issues a priority. But working out the details will now be the focus. The
House and Senate have until March 10 to agree on a budget if they want to go
home on time.
Another DeSantis priority that will continue to move through Senate
committees is a bill that would force companies to use E-Verify to make sure
employees are legally able to work in the United States. The Senate bill was
watered down in its first committee stop to exclude agriculture and small
business.
The issue hasn’t moved in the House, but Oliva said he recognizes the
governor wants a bill sent to him, and he believes something can pass. But
he wants to make sure the final product doesn’t create burdens on
businesses.
“How exactly we do that is not yet determined,” Oliva said.
But he said he doesn’t agree that exemptions should be created for some
businesses while placing new requirements on others.
One item where there’s more agreement is legislation that would allow
college athletes to make money off their name, image or likeness — a
practice currently not allowed by the NCAA. Athletes still couldn’t be paid
to play, but they could use their name and their fame to earn money for
endorsements and similar deals. The idea is backed by Democrats and
Republicans and has the support of DeSantis.
A Senate bill on the issue is making its second of three committee stops and
a House bill is ready for consideration by the full chamber.
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