CAPITAL NEWS

2017 Legislative Session –Week 4

March 27 - 31, 2017

BUDGET NEWS

The House and Senate completed the initial steps in passing a budget for FY 2017-18. The Senate on Thursday published an initial draft of its budget(SPB 2500) that would spend $83.2 billion for FY 2017-18. On Friday the House published its spending plan ( PCB –APC 17-01)of approximately $81.2 billion. Both chambers are expected to pass their budget bills next weekto get into the posture to negotiate their differences and the $2 million gap when they come back from spring break.

The state is projecting a small surplus in the fiscal year that starts July 1, followed by a $1.3 billion shortfall the following year and a $1.9 billion hole the year after that. House leaders focused on the future impact of their plan, which they said would turn the shortfalls in future years into surpluses. House Appropriations Chairman Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami, underscored his decision to slash about a quarter of the $700 million of budget projects that he said were wedged into spending plans by past lawmakers and draw on year-after-year funding without review. Most of the House cuts are to colleges and universities and hospitals.

Housing Budgets

The Senate allocated $274,400,000 of housing trust funds for SHIP ($124,900,000) and SAIL ($149,500,000). The House allocated $155,000,000 of housing trust fund for SHIP ($69,750,000) and SAIL ($85,250,000). Both allocations include new funding and reserves from unobligated Florida Housing Finance Corporation Guarantee Fund Program funds. The Senate allocated $75,000 from SHIP funding to Florida Supportive Housing Coalition for supportive housing training. (See attached for other designated funding and proviso).

Last year SAIL was funded at $64,600,000 and SHIP at $ $135,500,000. It is estimated that there is $292.37+million available for appropriation in the Sadowski Housing Trust Funds FY 2017-18.

Health Care Budgets

As part of health care appropriations both the House and Senate increase mental health and substance abuse funding through an approach called revenue maximization. SPB 2514, a Medicaid conforming bill,creates a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Safety Net Network (SAMH Network). SPB 2514 defines SAMH Network as the managing entities and their contracted network of providers. The Senate has the lead and legislation on this issue.

The proposal requires a transfer from $19 to $24 million of state general revenue from DCF to AHCA. This allows the state to draw down increased federal match. The purpose of the plan is to eliminate Medicaid limitations of some behavioral health care services, fund Medicaid substance abuse case management, and increase Medicaid rates on some services provided by the SAMH Network.The plan also establishes administrative claiming for the managing entities overseeing Medicaid recipients. (See attached proviso and SPB 2514 Section 3 for details).

Wednesday March 29, 2017: The Senate Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommitteehosted a workshop on Affordable Housing. Ken Reecy, Florida Housing Finance Corporation,provided an overview of its programs. Edward Pinto, Co-Director, AEI International Center on Housing Risk and a developer discussed his position that over regulation by mostly local governments are driving up the price of affordable rentals and forces the workforce to have to live further away from where they work. Dr. Adrian Moor, VP, Reason Foundation presented more research supporting Mr. Pinto. Time ran out so Dr. Staley, FSU’s DeVoe Moore Center did not speak.

Several committee members expressed concern about the data and did not support deregulation as a means to decrease costs and increase quantity. Audio, video and materials are available.

Week at a Glance

House Budget Considered: The House Appropriations Committee is expected to take up the House's proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. (Wednesday, 4/5/17, 9 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

Senate Budget Considered: The Senate Appropriations Committee will take up the Senate's proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Also, it is slated to consider a number of other bills, including a major water bill (SB 10) that is a priority of Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart. (Wednesday, 4/5/17, 10 a.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

BILLS

The House substantive subcommittees are over for the session. Any bills not heard by the referred substantive subcommittee will most likely not pass this year.

General Bills

HB 91 - State Housing Tax Credit Program - Requiring a minimum allocation be appropriated to State Housing Tax Credit Program each fiscal year. Referred toTransportation & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee, Ways & Means Committee, and Appropriations Committee.Now in Transportation & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee.

HB 133 -Housing Assistance:Increases percentage of local housing distribution funds that may be used to provide rental housing. Referred to Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, Transportation & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee, and Government Accountability Committee.Now in Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.

HB 381 - Pub. Rec./Homelessness Surveys and Databases:Creates public records exemption for individual identifying information of person contained in Point-in-Time Count & Survey or data in Homeless Management Information System; defines term "individual identifying information"; provides for retroactive application of exemption; specifies that exemption does not preclude release of aggregate information; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption; provides statement of public necessity. Referred to Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, Government Accountability Committee,and Oversight, Transparency & Administration Subcommittee.Now in Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.

SB 358 - Mental Health and Substance Abuse:Authorizes the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to approve behavioral healthcare receiving systems, designate and monitor receiving and treatment facilities and suspend or withdraw such designation for failure to comply with the law and the department’s adopted rules. This bill revises the reporting requirements to the crisis stabilization unit database by the managing entities and requires DCF to post that data on its website on a monthly basis. Passed Children, Families, & Elder Affairs 2/6/17: PassedSenate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services and Appropriations.Unanimously passed the Senate 3/30/17. HB 1327 contains SB 358 but is not identical and has not been heard in the House.

CS/SB 854:Task Force on Affordable Housing:Task Force on Affordable Housing;Creating a task force on affordable housing; requiring members of the task force to serve without compensation; directing the task force to develop recommendations for the state’s affordable housing needs, subject to certain requirements, etc.Now in Appropriations.

SB 916: Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Program:Deleting the fee-for-service option as a basis for the reimbursement of Medicaid provider service networks; requiring provider service networks to be prepaid plans; revising the number of eligible Medicaid health care plans the agency must procure for certain regions in the state, etc.Now inAppropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services.

HB 1013:Task Force on Affordable Housing: Identical bill to SB 854 but not CS/SB 854. Passed Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on 3/15/17. Now inTransportation & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee.

SB 1024:Public Records/Homeless Management Information Systemrelated to Public Records/Homeless Management Information System;Creating a public records exemption for individual identifying information of a person contained in a Point-in-Time Count and Survey or data; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of public necessity, etc. Passed Children, Families and Elder Affairs, 3/13/17. Passed Governmental Oversight and Accountability 3/27/17.Now in Rules.Identical to HB 381.

HB 1327: Behavioral Health Services: Authorizes DCF to approve receiving systems for behavioral health care; requires DCF to post certain data on its website; creates Substance Abuse & Mental Health (SAMH) Safety Net Network; provides for DCF & AHCA to determine scope of services offered; requires AHCA to contract with managing entities or their representatives to implement delivery of community mental health & substance abuse services to certain Medicaid-eligible individuals; provides for determination of rates for services & development of payment mechanisms; specifies that certain court hearings must be scheduled within 5 court working days unless continuance is granted; provides for AHCA to seek certain federal matching funds as revenue maximization.Now in Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee.Also referred to Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee; Health and Human Services Committee.

SB 1656:Housing Assistance:Increases percentage of local housing distribution funds that may be used to provide rental housing.Identical to HB 133.Referred to Community Affairs, Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development, Appropriations.

Appropriation Bills

SPB 2500 – Senate’s General Appropriations Bill: Providing moneys for the annual period beginning July 1, 2017, and ending June 30, 2018. On Appropriations agenda 4/5/17.

SPB 2502 – Senate’s Implementing Bill: Provides guidance as to how to appropriate funds in SPB 2500. Includes requiring the Agency for Persons with Disabilities to contract for an independent consultant to study and make recommendations on certain aspects of the home and community-based services Medicaid waiver program, etc.On Appropriations agenda 4/5/17.

SPB 2514 – Senate’s Health Care Conforming Bill: Creating the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Safety Net Network; requiring the Department of Children and Families and the Agency for Health Care Administration to determine the scope of services to be offered through providers contracted with the SAMH Safety Net Network, etc.On Appropriations agenda 4/5/17.

PCB APC 17-01 –HouseGeneral Appropriations Act: Providing moneys for the annual period beginning July 1, 2017, and ending June 30, 2018. On Appropriations agenda 4/5/17.

PCB APC 17-02 – House Bill Implementing the 2017-18 General Appropriations Act: On Appropriations agenda 4/5/17.

(See attached Project Funding document for project bills previously listed and related fundingincorporated into the House/Senate Appropriations Bills.)

Information about bills, committees, and handouts are available through Live streaming of committee meetings is available through the Florida Channel . Audio and pod casts are available from past committee meetings at listed under each Committee. If you have any questions contact

  • The Legislature will be taking its Spring/Easter Break from April 7th through the 13th.
  • The 2017 Session convened on Tuesday, March 7th and is scheduled to conclude on May 5th
  • Week 5 – Senate Block Calendar/House WeeklySchedule
  • Week 6 – Senate Block Calendar/House Weekly Schedule

Prepared by FSHC 4/1/17Page 1