CAPITAL NEWS

2017 Legislative Session –Week 6

April 10 - 14, 2017

THE FLORIDA HOUSE AND SENATE HEADED FOR BUDGET CONFERENCE NEGOTIATIONS

The House on Thursday approved an $81.2 billion budget proposal for fiscal year July1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 setting up negotiations with the Senate aimed at bringing the annual legislative session to end by its scheduled conclusion May 5.
That came a day after the Senate unanimously approved what amounts to an $85.1 billion budget (SB 2500) when compared directly to the House. This means legislative leaders will need to bridge a gap of $3.9 billion on the overall size of the plan before negotiating committees know their individual allocations to begin hammering out a deal on how to divide the money.
Major negotiations will resolve around whether to tap the growth in local property-tax revenues coming from increased property values to help boost education funding. House leaders view that as a tax increase, which they vow to oppose, while Senate leaders do not.
Another issue concerns whether to authorize bonds to help pay for a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee that is a top priority for Senate President Joe Negron. House leaders have also said they will not allow bonds to be issued.
A complicating factor came Wednesday when the federal government announced they will make available $1.5 billion to help pay for health care for poor and uninsured patients using hospital services. The deal was larger than expected and could free up money to be used in other parts of the budget. Lawmakers were still studying the details Thursday.
Once committee allocations are known legislators selected to be on the conference committees will begin negotiatingline-items and proviso. Considering the 72 hour cooling off period this process will need to be completed by Tuesday May 2 in order to finish on time.

Supportive Housing Related Updates

There were no changes in the House or Senate positions on Affordable Housing Trust Funds. The Senatestill allocates$274,400,000 of housing trust funds for SHIP ($124,900,000) and SAIL ($149,500,000). The House budget remains $155,000,000 of housing trust fund for SHIP ($69,750,000) and SAIL ($85,250,000). Florida Supportive Housing Coalition is working to move the House to accept the Senate position.

Revenue maximization process is contained in SB 2514and the funding transfer language is in the General Appropriations Bill SB 2500. See attached Health Care Proviso for funding details.

SB 2500 also contains $60,148 to AHCA to contract with an independent consultant to study a Medicaid Buy-In Program for Florida. See attached Health Care Proviso for details.

The Senate took up CS/SB 854 in Commerce and amended it. The amendment eliminates the 9/1/2017 required start date.

BILLS

General Bills

HB 381 - Pub. Records/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. Now on Senate Calendar 4/6/17.

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. Now in House messages.

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.Amended by Community Affairs today (4/13/17) to remove the requirement that the task force meet no later than 9/1/17.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.Passed Appropriations 4/13/17 with technical amendments. Now on Senate Calendar.

HB 1013:Task Force on Affordable Housing:Similar to CS/SB 854. Passed Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on 3/15/17. Now inTransportation & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee.Will need to be amended to match CS/SB 854.

SB 1024:Public Records/Homeless Management Information Systemrelated toPublic 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.Placed on Senate Calendar 4/6/17.

* Note: (Bills that have not passed a committee in the House or Senate and therefore not expected to pass have been removed from the report. This includes HB 91 - State Housing Tax Credit Program; HB 133 and SB 1656:-Housing Assistance; HB 1327: Behavioral Health Services.

Appropriation Bills

SB 2500 – Senate’s General Appropriations Act (GAA): Providing moneys for the annual period beginning July 1, 2017, and ending June 30, 2018. Passed Senate & House.Now in Senate Messages.

SB 2502 – Senate’s Implementing Bill: Provides guidance as to how to appropriate funds in SB 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.Passed Senate & House.Now in Senate Messages.

SB 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.Passed Senate & House.Now in Senate Messages.

HB 5001 – HouseGeneral Appropriations Act: Laid on the Table. See SB 2500.

HB 5003 – House Bill Implementing the 2017-18 General Appropriations Act:Laid on the table. See SB 2502

HB 7109 – Taxation:Includesamendments to many aspects of the tax contribution. Amends s. 196.1978, F.S.; 9 discounting property taxes for properties that offer 10 affordable housing to specified low-income persons and 11 families; providing requirements for such discount. Extends the Community Contribution Tax Credit for affordable housing.Is tied to the GAA.

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 2017 Session convened on Tuesday, March 7th and is scheduled to conclude on May 5th
  • Week 7 - Senate Block Calendar/House Weekly Schedule
  • Week 8 – Senate Block Calendar/House Weekly Schedule
  • Week 9 – Senate Block Calendar/House Weekly Schedule

Prepared by FSHC 4/13/17Page 1