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Home My Public Portal AboutLTC 183 -2023 - Florida 2024 Legislative Session - Committee Week ReportBAL HARBOUR - VILLAGE - OFFICE OF THE VILLAGE MANAGER To: From: Date: Subject: LETTER TO COUNCIL NO. 183-2023 Mayor Jeffrey P. Freimark and Members of the Village Council Jorge M. Gonzalez, Village Manager December 15, 2023 ,z( Florida 2024 Legislative Session — Committee Week Report The purpose of this Letter to Council (LTC) is to transmit the attached Florida Legislative Committee Week Report provided by Ron L. Book for this past week. As a reminder, the 2024 Florida Legislative Session is scheduled to begin in January 2024. If you have any questions or need any additional information, please feel free to contact me. JMG/MH Ronald I., Book, P fl. 12/4/-12/8 Committee Week Report Enclosed is our 2024 Session Committee Week Report which includes a weekly update on state legislative and fiscal affairs. As we move through Session and issues arise, we will include those in our weekly reports as well. Please let us know if you have questions on issues included in this report, or on any other issue of concern. We will be happy to provide information to you. Included in the report: • Overview of Governor's budget recommendations: DEP, DOT • Bills of interest to local governments (Please note, all bills have not been filed, bills will continue to be filed through the first week of Session. o Vacation Rentals — SB 280 by Senator DiCeglie o Communications Services Tax presentation (no bill filed at this time) o Municipal Water and Sewer Utility Rates — PIB 47 by Representative Robinson o Governing Body Meetings — HB 157 by Representative Caruso o Limitation of Local Fees for Virtual Offices — HB 503 by Representative Fabricio o Municipal Water and Sewer Utility Rates, Fees, and Charges — HB 777 by Representative Brackett o Preemption of Recyclable and Polystyrene Materials — SB 498 by Senator Stewart The 2024 Regular Session will begin on Tuesday, January 9th, with opening speeches from Governor DeSantis as well as both Senate President Passidomo and House Speaker Renner. Each will outline their goals for their respective chambers for the Legislative Session and for Florida. During the penultimate committee week leading into the next session, members convened to hear reports from the Governor's "Focus on Florida's Future" 2024 budget priorities, as well as take votes on priority bills for leadership. One additional committee week remains before the holiday season begins, the week of December 11th. With a proposed budget of $114.4 billion, the Governor is seeking an overall funding reduction of $4.6 billion compared to the current fiscal year. rM4,f.M , lane ea Fiscal Year 2024-25 Governor Recommended Budget TotalBudget Total General Revenue $114.4 Billion aharonr, $46.0 Billion 1261.111. war I II .4.510Nof (LP SW0. -1 tIn ceoe GOVERNOR PON DE SANTIS FISCAL YEAR 2024.2O2S UUOGCT Fttt LS ON FLORIDA'S Fr!, i'R►: > Fiscal Issues including summaries and action on the following topics: • Governor's Proposed Budget for the Department of Transportation • Governor's Proposed Budget for the Department of Environmental Protection Governor's Proposed Budget for the Department of Transportation: On Wednesday December 6th, DOT Secretary Jared Perdue presented the Governor's budget proposals to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development. The total proposed budget for the Department of Transportation is $15.6 billion. Division of Emergency Management 1. BiHi n Open Federally Declared Disasters $1.3 Nihon state match in General Revenue $199.9 Million Emergency Storage Facilities. $534 Million tease/Build New Warehouse 551.5 Million Y Warehousing Spate Needs for Commodity Storage and $1..9 minion Operations Technology Infrastructure at the New Emergency Operations Center Non-profit Security Grants Transport of Unauthorized Aliens $35.6 Million $10 Milion i $5 Million GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2029 NUDOt 1 Focus oN FLORIDA'S FUTURE Governor's Proposed Budget for the Department of Environmental Protection: Also on Wednesday, DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton presented the Governor's budget proposals for the Department of Environmental Protection to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government. It included $157 million for resilience and coral protection, and $50 million for beach nourishment. This reflects a $93 million dollar decrease from the current fiscal year, as noted by Senator Polsky. Secretary Hamilton clarified that the current proposal is indicative of the first of a three year plan approved by the legislature last session. $1.3 Billion for Protection of Florida's Water Resources Major Issues Funded Amount Everglades Restoration Targeted Water Quality Improvements Springs Restoration Alternative Water Supply Grant Program Water Quality Enhancement a Accountability Innovative Solutions to Algae Harmful Algal Blooms and Pod Tide Management FWC Center for Red Tide Research Total Proposed for Everglades & Water Resources $745 million $330 million 550 million $00 million $10.8 million 510 million $30 million $4.7 million $1.3 billion GOVERNOP RON DESANTIS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Focus oN Fi oRll).•1'5 FUTURE 2 ➢ Bills filed to date that affect local governments: Please note, bills will continue to be filed through the first week of Session. Vacation Rentals — SB 280 by Senator DiCeglie SB 280 has been filed by Senator DiCeglie, however no House companion bill has been filed at this time. The Senate bill linked above, addresses the following issues: Requiring advertising platforms to collect and remit taxes collected for vacation rental transactions; defining the term "advertising platform"; adding licensing to the regulated activities of public lodging establishments and public food service establishments which are preempted to the state; requiring advertising platforms to require that persons placing advertisements or listings for vacation rentals include information in the advertisements or listings, such as license number with the associated identifier and if applicable, the local registration number, and attest to that information; outlining parameters for and authorizing the division to revoke, refuse to issue or renew, or suspend vacation rental licenses. The bill includes a clause that allows for laws, ordinances, or regulations that were in place prior to 2011, to continue. On Committee agenda - Regulated Industries, 12/13/23, 8:30 am, 401 S. Communications Services Tax: (No legislation filed at this time). This week, the Senate Committee on Finance and Tax received a presentation about the communications service tax delivered by the new staff director, Azhar Khan There he explained the evolution of the tax as it regarded local government conversion rates set by the Revenue Estimating Conference in 2001 to include any additional rates. Last year's tax package prevented any local governments from increasing their rates until January 1, 2026 outside of emergency authority where a property's jurisdiction changes resulting in a shortfall. That halt remains in effect. Senator Boyd asked about state regulations that limit how local CST revenues are spent. He expressed interest in setting a requirement that CST revenues are allocated to communication services. Senator Hutson built off of this question noting that local governments have asked for LFIR projects that would go towards communications -related projects. Chair Ingoglia concurred with both of their sentiments, and alluded to that being something worth considering further, comparing similar guardrails imposed on impact fee collections. Bob McKee from FAC spoke about concerns the association has with satellite collections declining, and how it impacts the low population counties who get support from that revenue. He commented on the preceding conversation by noting that CST revenue sent to general revenue funds is spent currently by the majority of counties on public safety and infrastructure investments. Local CST Local governments may use a general rate or a jurisdiction specific conversion rate • The rate may be increased through permit fee add-on rates or emergency rates • The rate may be increased by the Local Option Discretionary Sales Surtax Conversion Rate 481 local governments collect a local CST with a range from 0.3% to 7.7% and a statewide effective rate of 5.23%• Local rates may not be increased until January 1, 2026 'There are four cities (Fanning Springs, Flager Beach, Longboat Key, and Marineland) that are in two counties_ Due to the fad that counties may hove different Local Option Discretionary Safes Surtax Conversion Rates, this may result in different total CST rates within one city. Asa result, we are counting the four cities in multiple counties twice, bringing the total local gnvemments from 471 to 451. Municipal Water and Sewer Utility Rates — HB 47 by Representative Robinson 3 Compare SB 104 by Senator Jones Requires municipality to charge customers receiving its utility services in another municipality same rates, fees, & charges as it charges consumers within its own municipal boundaries. Now in Energy, Communications & Cybersecurity Subcommittee. Governing Body Meetings — HB 157 by Representative Caruso Authorizes governing bodies of municipalities to convene meetings and conduct official business via teleconferencing or other technological means, no more than two times per year. However, those meetings cannot include formal action on ordinances or are quasi-judicial hearings. These limitations may be suspended during a state of emergency issued by the Governor. Now in Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts Subcommittee. Limitation of Local Fees for Virtual Offices — HB 503 by Representative Fabricio Identical SB 578 by Senator Ingoglia Prohibiting a county, municipality, or local governmental entity from imposing, levying, or collecting tax, fees or other charges relating to the utilization of a virtual office. Now in Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts Subcommittee. Municipal Water and Sewer Utility Rates, Fees, and Charges — HB 777 by Representative Brackett Removes provision authorizing municipalities serving consumers outside their boundaries to add up to 25% surcharges to rates, fees, & charges; removes provision which do not require public hearing for adding specific surcharges; requires municipalities to conduct rate studies by January 1, 2027 and every 7 years after. Has not received committee assignments. Preemption of Recyclable and Polystyrene Materials — SB 498 by Senator Stewart Removing the preemption of local laws regarding the regulation of auxiliary containers, wrappings, or disposable plastic bags; removing the preemption of local laws regarding the use or sale of polystyrene products to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Now in Commerce and Tourism Committee. > Final Committee Week Dates: December 11 through December 15, 2023. > Session Dates: January 9 through March 8, 2024. 4