The Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) held a public hearing in Tallahassee on Wednesday, April 12 at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) as part of its “Floridians Speak, We Listen” statewide tour. Approximately 150 Floridians attended the hearing and more than 50 requested to speak before the CRC. All Floridians who attended the hearing and wanted to speak were given an opportunity to be heard by the CRC.
To watch last night’s full hearing, visit the Florida Channel’s website which has a page dedicated to all CRC public hearings and meetings. A complete transcript of the public hearing and appearance forms will be available online at FLCRC.GOV as soon as possible. Visit FLCRC.GOV for information regarding upcoming public hearings. Floridians can also receive updates by following the CRC on Twitter (@FloridaCRC) and on Facebook (@FloridaCRC).
Senate Passes Budget Focused on Education
Unprecedented K-12 Per Student Funding, Key
Investments in Higher Education, State Employee Raises
The Florida Senate today unanimously passed Senate Bill 2500, the 2017-18 General Appropriations Act. The budget prioritizes funding for Florida’s Pre-K–20 public education system, while setting aside more than $3 billion in total reserves. The budget also makes critical investments in Florida’s state workforce with salary increases for state employees.
Statement from Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart):
“If you look around the country, if you see vibrant, sustainable economic development and high paying jobs, you almost always see a higher education presence. The Senate budget reflects our commitment to elevate that environment here in Florida, while at the same time setting aside a more than $3 billion rainy day fund.”
“Over the last ten years, student tuition has nearly doubled, pushing the hope of higher education out of reach for too many students. The Senate budget invests in the opportunity of higher education with historic increases in both need and merit-based student financial aid. Merit-based aid is increased by 79 percent, including restoring the highest level of the Bright Futures Scholarship. Need-based aid is increased by 81 percent, including a $121 million increase for the Florida Student Assistance Grant, which is estimated to cover all unfunded students, and a 100 percent increase in First Generation Matching Grants.”
Statement from Senator Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater), Chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations:
“A dedicated and qualified state workforce is critical to our economy. For far too long, our state employees have gone without an increase in their pay. Our budget provides an across the board pay increase for state employees, with meaningful pay increases in areas where we have had trouble with employee retention. We significantly increase the starting salary for corrections officers, and appropriate impactful raises throughout the department ranks. The Senate budget also includes a five percent pay increase for all sworn law enforcement officers, and targeted pay increases throughout the judicial branch for judges, assistant public defenders, and our statewide Guardian Ad Litem offices.”
Summary of SB 2500, the 2017-2018 General Appropriations Act
Total Budget: $83.2 billion [$31.6 billion GR; $51.6 billion TF]
Major Statewide Issues
Education Capital Outlay
Total: $616.6 million [$599.8 million PECO TF; $16.8 million GR]
- Public School Repairs and Maintenance – $75 million
- Charter School Repairs and Maintenance – $75 million
- Developmental Research Schools – $5.8 million
- Public School Special Facilities – $50.8 million
- Florida College System Repairs and Maintenance – $38.0 million
- Florida College System Projects – $129.2 million
- State University System Repairs and Maintenance – $45.6 million
- State University System Projects – $176.0 million
- School for the Deaf and Blind Repairs and Maintenance – $2.2 million
- Public Broadcasting – Health and Safety Issues – $3.2 million
- FSU Developmental Research School Arts & Sciences Building – $7.5 million
- University Challenge Grants – $4.3 million
- High Growth Public Schools – $3 million
- Flagler College – $1.0 million
In addition: $45 million in authorization for SUS Capital Improvement Student Fee Projects
Compensation and Benefits:
Florida Retirement System – Total $96.9 million [$85.5 million GR; $11.4 million TF] (Normal Costs and Unfunded Actuarial Liability)
- State Agencies – $15.4 million GR; $11.4 million TF
- School Boards K-12 – $54.1 million GR
- State Universities – $11.1 million GR
- Community Colleges – $4.9 million GR
State Group Health Insurance – Total $36.5 million [$23.3 million GR; $13.2 million TF]
Pay Issues – Total $219.7 million [$147 million GR; $72.7 million TF]
- State Employee Pay Increase – $103.9 million [$43.3 million GR; $60.7 million TF]
- Correctional Officer Pay Increase – $57.9 million [$56.3 million GR; $1.5 million TF]
- State Law Enforcement Pay Increase – $14.8 million [$4.9 million GR; $9.9 million TF]
- Assistant Public Defender Pay Increase – $5.2 million [$4.5 million GR; $0.7 million TF]
- Judicial Pay Increase $38 million GR
- Pay Issues – Total $219.7 million [$147 million GR; $72.7 million TF]
State Employee Pay Increase – $103.9 million [$43.3 million GR; $60.7 million TF]
- $1,400 increase for employees making $40,000 or less
- $1,000 increase for employees making more than $40,000
- Effective Date October 1, 2017
All Pay Issues below are in lieu of the overall State Employee Pay Increase (Except for the Veterans’ Affairs certified nurse assistant, pay issue)
- Correctional Officer Pay Increase – $57.9 million [$56.3 million GR; $1.5 million TF]
- Minimum Salary adjustment as follows
- Correctional Officer $30,926 to $33,500
- Correctional Officer Sergeant $32,783 to $36,850
- Correctional Officer Lieutenant $35,061 to $40,535
- Correctional Officer Captain $37,576 to $44,589
- Minimum $2,500 increase for current employees in above classes.
- Effective Date July 1, 2017
- Minimum Salary adjustment as follows
- State Law Enforcement Pay Increase – $14.8 million [$4.9 million GR; $9.9 million TF]
- 5% Pay Increase for Sworn Law Enforcement Officers
- Effective Date July 1, 2017
- Assistant Public Defender Pay Increase – $5.2 million [$4.5 million GR; $0.7 million TF]
- 6% Pay Increase for Assistant Public Defenders with a minimum 3 years of experience in the Judicial Circuit they are currently employed.
- Effective Date July 1, 2017
- Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsels – $105,000 – $115,000
- Judicial Pay Increase – $38 million GR
- Supreme Court Justice: $162,200 to $192,945
- DCA Judge: $154,140 to $183,298
- Circuit Judge: $146,080 to $173,651
- County Judge: $138,020 to $164,003
- Special Pay Issues
- Critical market pay for Statewide Guardian Ad Litem Office to address recruitment and retention issues
- Critical market pay for certified nursing assistant employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (roughly $2,000 annual adjustment per employee)
- Set minimum salary for law enforcement officers working for the Florida Highway Patrol at $36,222.
- Authorized a $5,000 critical market pay adjustment for sworn law enforcement officers working for the Florida Highway Patrol residing in, and assigned to duties in, Pasco County.
- Authorizes the Department of Corrections to grant a one-time $1,000 hiring bonus to correctional officers filling a position in a facility that had at least a ten percent vacancy rate in positions during the prior calendar quarter.
- Authorizes the Department of Corrections to grant a ten percent pay additive for correctional officers attaining a correctional behavioral mental health certification and filling a post at a mental health facility.
- Health Insurance Benefits
- Six percent increase on overall premiums (state pays the full amount of the increase for employees)
- Retain current prescription drug copayment tiers ($7 for generic; $30 for preferred brand name drugs; and $50 for nonpreferred brand name drugs)
- Authorize dependent eligibility verification audit
PreK-12 Education
Summary
Total Appropriations: $14.8 billion [$11.6 billion GR; $3.2 billion TF]
Total Funding – Including Local Revenues: $24.3 billion [$14.8 billion state funds; $9.5 billion local funds]
Major Issues
Early Learning Services
Total: $1.1 billion [$571.8 million GR; $525.3 million TF]
- Voluntary Prekindergarten Program – $411.8 million GR; including $1.6 million for 549 additional students and $15 million for a 3.8% increase in the Base Student Allocation [from $2,437 to $2,529 per student]
- School Readiness Program – $596.3 million [$137.1 million GR; $459.2 million TF]
Public Schools/K12 FEFP
Total Funding: $21 billion [$11.5 billion state funds; $9.5 billion local funds]
- FEFP Total Funds Increase is $790 million or 3.92%
- FEFP Increase in Total Funds per Student is $209, a 2.91% increase [from $7,205 to $7,414]
- Enrollment Workload Increase of $197 million state funds for additional 27,368 students
- No Change in Required Local Effort (RLE) Millage of 4.638
- Federally Connected Student Supplement – total $13 million
- ESE Guaranteed Allocation – additional $22.8 million to maintain pre-recession funding level
- Supplemental Academic Instruction – additional $40.3 million for workload and for the Extended Day Program for Intensive Reading for 300 Elementary Schools, including funding for improved schools and a summer school component
- Student Transportation – $20.3 million increase for a total of $455.5 million
- Instructional Materials – $13.3 million increase, including an additional $3 million for dual enrollment materials, for a total of $242 million
- Elimination of Virtual Education Contribution – reduction of $14.6 million
- Digital Classrooms – $20 million reduction for a total of $60 million
Public Schools/K12 Non-FEFP
- Mentoring Programs – $17.3 million GR
- Gardiner Scholarships – additional $34.1 million for total of $107.4 million GR
- School District Matching Grants for school district foundations – $3.4 million increase for a total of $7.4 million GR
- School and Instructional Enhancement Grants – $39.7 million GR
- Exceptional Education Grants – $6.6 million [$4.3 million GR; $2.3 million TF]
- Florida School for the Deaf & Blind – $51.6 million [$47 million GR; $4.6 million TF]
State Board of Education
Total: $238.5 million [$85.7 million GR; $152.7 million TF]
- Assessment and Evaluation – $109.2 million [$52.9 million GR; $56.3 million TF]
- Transfer of $2.7 million to State Board of Community Colleges [$2.5 million GR and $.2 million TF]
Higher Education
Summary
Total Appropriations: $5.9 billion [$4.6 billion GR; $1.3 billion TF]
Total Funding – Including Local Revenues: $8.9 billion [$5.9 billion state funds; $3.0 billion local]
Major Issues
District Workforce
Total: $525.4 million [$293.5 million GR; $188.6 million TF; $43.3 million tuition/fees]
- Workforce Development – $366.9 million [$292 million GR, $74.9 million TF]
- Perkins Career and Technical Education grants and Adult Education and Literacy funds – [$113.7 million TF]
- No tuition increase
Florida College System
Total: $2.2 billion [$914.1 million GR; $231.8 million TF; $1 billion tuition/fees]
- Developmental Education Reduction – ($55) million GR
- Restoration of nonrecurring EETF base funds – $13.2 TF
- FRS adjustment – $4.9 million GR
- No tuition increase
State University System
Total: $5.1 billion [$2.9 billion GR; $262.8 million TF; $2.0 billion tuition/fees]
- Performance Based Funding – $525 million
- $250 million State Investment [GR]
- $275 million Institutional Investment
- Reprioritized from the base of each institution
- World Class Faculty and Scholar Program – $75 million GR
- State University Professional and Graduate Degree Excellence Program – $55 million GR
- Additional Funds for Preeminent and Emerging Preeminent State Universities – $50 million GR
- TEAM Grants – $55 million GR
- No tuition increase
Private Colleges
Total: $168.1 million GR
- Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) Grants (formerly FRAG) – Increases student award amount from $3,000 to $3,300.
- ABLE Grant – Increases student award amount from $1,500 to $2,500.
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities Funding Increase – $2.3 million
Student Financial Aid
Total: $716 million [$257.7 million GR, $458.3 million TF]
- Bright Futures – Academic Scholars Award Increase and Textbook Stipend – $151.9 million TF
- Bright Futures – Academic Scholars Summer Funding – $39.5 million TF
- Florida Student Assistance Grants – Increase Need-Based Aid – $120.95 million GR
- First Generation Matching Grant – Double State Match – $5.3 million GR
- Florida Farmworker Scholarship Program – $500,000 GR
- Benacquisto Scholarship Program – Workload and Expansion – $1.4 million GR
- Children/Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans Workload Increase – $893,931 GR
- Need-based educational benefits to pay living expenses during semester breaks for active duty and honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces – $1 million GR
Vocational Rehabilitation
Total: $218.6 million [$50.2 million GR, $168.4 million TF]
- Adults with Disabilities funding – $6.4 million GR
Health and Human Services
Summary
Total Budget: $35,517.0 million [$9,555.9 million GR; $25,961.1 million TF]; 31,824.07 positions
Major Issues
Agency for Health Care Administration
Total: $27,679.4 million [$6,598.1 million GR; $21,081.3 million TF]; 1,546.5 positions
- Low Income Pool – $607.8 million [$0.5 million GR; $607.3 million TF]
- Nursing Home Prospective Payment Transition – $57.6 million [$5.0 million GR; $52.6 million TF]
- Reduction of Hospital Rate Enhancements – ($258.6) million [($99.2) million GR; ($159.4) million TF]
Agency for Persons with Disabilities
Total: $1,333.5 million [$548.0 million GR; $785.5 million TF]; 2,711.50 positions
- Service Provider Rate Increase to Address Federal Fair Labor Standards Act – $41.0 million [$15.7 million GR; $25.3 million TF]
- Waiver Support Coordinator Rate Increase – $7.9 million [$3.0 million GR; $4.9 million TF]
- Licensed Practical Nurse Rate Increase – $3.4 million [$1.3 million GR; $2.1 million TF]
Department of Children and Families
Total: $3,164.3 million [$1,726.5 million GR; $1,437.8 million TF]; 11,944.5 positions
- State Mental Health Treatment Facilities Additional Staffing – 40.0 FTE; $2.9 million GR
- State Mental Health Treatment Facilities OPS Restoration – $2.7 million GR
- Community-Based Care Lead Agencies Funding Increase – $14.3 million [$11.3 million GR; $3.0 million TF]
- Child Care Regulatory Compliance – 16.0 FTE; $1.6 million [$0.9 million GR; $0.7 million TF]
- Maintenance Adoption Subsidies – $6.3 million [$2.8 million GR; $3.5 million TF]
- Prescription Drug Abuse Treatment Federal Grant – $27.2 million TF
- Additional Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Funding – $2.5 million GR
Department of Elder Affairs
Total: $313.5 million [$141.9 million GR; $173.6 million TF]; 439.5 positions
- Alzheimer’s Respite Care – 249 slots – $3.0 million GR
- Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) Program – 372 slots – $3.0 million GR
- Home Care for the Elderly (HCE) Program – 274 slots – $1.0 million GR
- Public Guardianship Services – 286 slots – $0.8 million GR
- Specialized Alzheimer’s Day Care Center Rate Increase – $3.0 million GR
Department of Health
Total: $ 2,884.5 million [$531.1 million GR; $2,353.4 million TF]; 14,064.57 positions
- Epidemiology, Surveillance, and Outbreak Control Workload – $1.9 million [$1.0 million GR; $0.9 million TF]
- Child Protection Teams – $ 1.4 million GR
- Poison Control Centers – $3.7 million GR
- Office of Compassionate Use Workload – 9.0 FTE; $0.8 million TF
Department of Veterans Affairs
Total: $139.7 million [$10.3 million GR; $129.4 million TF]; 1,117.5 FTE
- Complete Construction of 7th State Veterans’ Nursing Home – $38.7 million TF
- Veterans’ Benefits and Assistance Workload – 10.0 FTE; $0.8 million GR
Civil and Criminal Justice
Summary
Total Budget: $5.069.1 billion [$4.133.5 billion GR; $935.6 million TF]; 45,809.50 FTE
Major Issues
- Funding the Department of Corrections health services deficit – $18.0 million
- Funding a new residential mental health facility – $16.4 million GR
- Funding half of State Courts Technology Comprehensive Plan – $14.0 million; 45 FTE
Attorney General/ Legal Affairs
Total: $328.1 million [$55.2 million GR; $272.9 million TF]; 1,411.50 FTE
- Criminal appeals workload – 10 FTE and $0.8 million GR
- Information Technology workload – 3 FTE and $0.1 million GR; $0.2 million TF
- Information Technology infrastructure improvements – $0.5 million GR; $0.1 million TF
- Increase in the Federal Victims Assistance and Compensation (VOCA) Grants – $17.6 million TF
- Statewide prosecution case management system – $0.8 million TF
- Leased office space cost increase – $0.3 million GR; $0.2 million TF
- Increased cost of statewide prosecution – $0.3 million TF
Department of Corrections
Total: $2.43 billion [$2.36 billion GR; $74.1 million TF]; 24,238.00 FTE
- Funding the Department of Corrections health services deficit – $18.0 million GR
- New residential mental health facility – $16.4 million GR
- Motor vehicles – $0.3 million GR
- Enhance education and training program – $1.5 million GR
- Fixed capital outlay for repair and maintenance of DOC facilities – $6.4 million GR
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
Total: $291.8 million [$107.5 million GR; $184.3 million TF]; 1,844.00 FTE
- Fixed capital outlay for new Pensacola Regional Operations Center – $1.0 million TF
- Sexual assault kit backlog reduction plan – 5 FTE and $0.8 million GR
- Improve sexual offender and predator registry – $1.9 million TF
- Increase trust fund authority for law enforcement training – $2.2 million TF
- Increase sexual assault kit grants – $0.4 million TF
- Enhance missing children response and investigations – 9 FTE and $0.7 million TF
- Unsolved case website – $0.2 million GR
- Funds final year of Computerized Criminal History (CCH) database – $5.0 million TF
Department of Juvenile Justice
Total: $576.3 million [$417.5 million GR; $158.8 million TF]; 3,269.50 FTE
- PACE Centers for Girls – $3.6 million GR
- Funds state share of juvenile detention cost share – $2.5 million GR
- Increases the number of juvenile residential commitment beds – $5.2 million GR
- Funds enhanced evidence-based services for residential programs – $5.3 million TF
- Funds the SNAP Program for young children -$1.1 million TF
- Fixed capital outlay for repair and maintenance of department-owned facilities – $6.5 million GR
State Court System
Total: $528.0 million [$436.6 million GR; $91.4 million TF]; 4,408.50 FTE
- Funding half of State Courts Technology Comprehensive Plan – $14.0 million; 45 FTE
- Case management resources – $1.40 million; 20 FTE
- Address additional 3rd DCA courthouse costs – $0.1 million GR
- Naltrexone injections to treat opioid- and alcohol-addicted offenders – $2.5 million GR
- Veterans’ Courts – $0.8 million GR
Justice Administration
Total: $902.8 million [$748.6 million GR; $154.3 million TF]; 10,506.00 FTE
- Increased due process funding for death penalty cases – $1.3 million GR
- State attorney workload – $0.4 million in GR, $0.4 million in TF
Clerks of the Court
- Address clerk revenue deficits – $25.0 million nonrecurring GR for CFY 2016-17 and a conforming bill that redirects $25.0 million in recurring GR to the clerks.
Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development
Summary
Total Budget: $13.4 billion [$434.8 million GR; $13.0 billion TF]; 13,275.5 positions
Major Issues
- Transportation Work Program – $9.9 billion TF
- Affordable Housing Programs – $274.4 million TF
- Economic Development Incentive Programs, Projects and Initiatives – $83.4 million TF
- Economic Development Partners – $135.8 million TF
- Library Grants and Initiatives – $39.4 million GR
- Cultural and Museum Grants and Initiatives – $24.2 million (TF & GR)
- Historic Preservation Grants and Initiatives – $11.8 million (TF & GR)
- Motorist Modernization Project and Enterprise Data Infrastructure – $17.5 million TF
- National Guard Tuition Assistance – $4.5 million GR
Department of Economic Opportunity
Total: $1.4 billion [$300.8 million GR; $1.1 billion TF]; 1,538.5 positions
- Economic Development Incentive Programs, Projects and Initiatives – $83.4 million TF includes:
- Economic Development Toolkit Payments and Initiatives – $83.4 million TF
- Payments for existing contracts-$38.4 million
- Quick Action Closing Fund-$45.0 million
- Economic Development Partners – $129.2 million TF includes:
- Enterprise Florida (EFI) – $23.5 million TF
- VISIT Florida – $76 million TF
- Florida Sports Foundation – $4.7 million TF
- Space Florida – $19.5 million TF [$12.5 million recurring; $7 million nonrecurring]
- Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research –$5.5 million TF [$1 million recurring; $4.5 million nonrecurring]
- Workforce Development Programs, Projects, and Initiatives – $22.4 million TF includes:
- Quick Response Training Program – $16.0 million TF
- Workforce Development Projects and Initiatives – $7.6 TF
- Affordable Housing Programs – $274.4 million TF:
- SHIP – $130.9 million TF (allocated to local governments), includes:
- More flexibility in the SHIP program regarding rent subsidies and rental assistance
- $5.2 million allocated for homeless Challenge Grants
- State Housing Programs – $143.5 million TF includes:
- At least 50 percent for the SAIL Program
- $10 million for competitive grant program for housing developments designed for persons with developmental disabilities
- $20 million for workforce housing to serve low-income persons and certain households in the Florida Keys
- Housing and Community Development Programs, Projects, and Initiatives – $26.1 million TF includes:
- Housing and Community Development Projects and Initiatives – $23.8 million TF
- Technical and Planning Assistance and Competitive Florida Partnership Program – $1.3 million TF
- Building Homes for Heroes-$1 million TF
- SHIP – $130.9 million TF (allocated to local governments), includes:
Department of State
Total: $141.0 million [$104.5 million GR; $36.5 TF]; 412 positions
- State Aid to Libraries – $25.2 million GR
- Libraries – $15.5 million GR o Library Construction Grant Ranked List – $5.3 million GR
- Library Technology Grants – $8.2 million GR
- Library Cooperatives – $2 million recurring
- Cultural & Museum Program Support and Facilities Grants – $29.1 million [$27.6 million GR; $1.5 million TF]
- Historic Small Matching and Facilities Grants – $11.7 million GR
- County Elections Assistance – $1.2 million GR
Department of Transportation
Total: $10.9 billion TF; 6,299 positions
Transportation Work Program – $9.9 billion TF:
- Highway and Bridge Construction – $4.2 billion
- Resurfacing and Maintenance – $1.2 billion
- Design and Engineering – $1.2 billion
- Right of Way Land Acquisition – $733.3 million
- Public Transit Development Grants – $639.7 million
- Rail Development Grants – $237.7 million
- County Transportation Programs:
- Small County Road Assistance Program (SCRAP) – $30.0 million
- Small County Outreach Program (SCOP) – $64.3 million (includes $9 million for Small Cities)
- Other County Transportation Programs – $55.6 million
- Aviation Development Grants – $257.1 million
- Seaport and Intermodal Development Grants – $188.0 million
- Economic Development Transportation (“Road Fund”) Projects – $24.1 million TF
- Shared-Use Non-Motorized Trail Network – $25 million
- Transportation Disadvantaged Program Grants – $54.1 million
Department of Military Affairs
Total: $86.3 million [$29.5 million GR; $56.9 million TF; 453 positions]
- Armories – $6.0 million GR
- Community Outreach Programs (Forward March and About Face) – $2 million recurring GR
- Secure and Harden State Readiness Centers – $2.0 million GR
- Tuition Assistance for Florida National Guard – $4.2 million GR
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Total: $476.8 million TF; 4,414 positions
- Florida Highway Patrol:
- Replacement Of In-Car Digital Video Cameras- $3.6 million TF
- Motorist Modernization Project – Phase I and II – $14.0 million TF
- Enterprise Data Infrastructure – $3.5 million TF
- Maintenance and Repairs of Facilities – $3.0 million TF
Division of Emergency Management
Total: $395.3 million TF; 157 positions
- Federally Declared Disaster Funding, excluding state match – $310.5 million:
- Communities – $293.3 million
- State Operations – $17.2 million
- Statewide Notification and Alert System – $3.5 million TF
- Residential Construction Mitigation – $4.0 million TF
The Environment and Natural Resources
Summary
Total Budget: $3.8 billion ($506.3 million GR; $693.5 million LATF; $2.6 billion Other TF); 8,671 positions
Major Issues
Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Total: $1.7 billion ($208.6 million GR; $23.1 million LATF; $1.5 billion TF); 3,614 positions
- Wildfire Suppression Equipment $3 million TF
- Florida Forest Service Grants for Endangered Species $1.2 million TF
- Citrus Greening Research $8 million TF
- Farm Share and Food Banks $2.2 million GR
- Agricultural Best Management Practices Partnership Agreements $1.4 million TF
- Agriculture Education and Promotion Facilities $4.6 million TF
- Citrus Health Response Program $7.1 million TF
- Kissimmee Animal Diagnostic Lab $4.1 million GR
- State Farmers Markets Facility Improvements $1 million TF
- Critical Building Repairs and Maintenance $2 million GR
- African Snail Eradication Program $2.3 million TF
- Child Nutrition Program Grants $99.2 million TF
Department of Citrus
Total: $33.1 million ($33.1 million TF); 39 positions
- Advertising/Promotion $2.7 million TF
Department of Environmental Protection
Total: $1.7 billion ($213.1 million GR; $609.2 million LATF; $862.4 million TF); 2,899.5 positions
- Everglades Restoration $144.0 million ($32.0 million LATF; $112.0 million TF)
- Northern Everglades Restoration $34.0 million ($28.2 million LATF; $5.8 million GR)
- St. John River/Keystone Heights Restoration, Public Access & Recreation $20 million LATF
- Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern $25 million LATF
- Hurricane Recovery Beach Projects $50.0 million GR
- Beach Management Funding Assistance $50 million LATF
- Springs Restoration $50 million LATF (base funding)
- Indian River Lagoon Septic to Sewer Assistance Grants $20 million GR
- Water Projects $67.3 million GR
- Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) $5.4 million GR
- State Parks Maintenance and Repairs $22.9 million TF
- Petroleum Tanks Cleanup Program $110 million TF
- Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) $7.4 million GR
- Drinking Water & Wastewater Revolving Loan Programs $18.4 million GR; $226.9 million TF
- Hazardous Waste/Site Cleanup $8.5 million TF
- Small County Solid Waste Management Grants $3.0 million TF
- Small County Wastewater Treatment Grants $15 million ($13 million TF; $2 million GR)
- Lake Apopka $5 million LATF
- Local Parks $3.2 million GR
- Water Management Districts’ Minimum Flows and Levels Support $1.9 million GR
Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Total: $372.7 million ($81.2 million GR; $61.2 million LATF; $230.2 million TF); 2,118.5 positions
- Apollo Marine Fish Hatchery $3.5 million ($1.75 million GR; $1.75 million TF)
- Boating Infrastructure and Improvement Program $5.7 million TF
- Artificial Fishing Reef Construction $.6 million ($.3m GR & other TF)
- Derelict Vessel Removal $1.5 million GR
- Black Bear Conflict Reduction $.5 million GR
- Building Improvements $.6 million TF
General Government
Summary
Total Budget: $2 billion [$299.3 million GR; $1.7 billion Other TFs]; 11,350 positions
Major Issues
Department of Business & Professional Regulation
Total: $152.3 million [$1.9 million GR; $150.3 million TF]; 1,618 positions
- Promoting Florida’s Hospitality Program – $1 million TF
- Legal Costs-Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco – $.4 million GR
Department of Financial Services
Total: $386.7 million [$28.2 million GR; $358.5 million TF]; 2,617.50 positions
- Florida Planning, Accounting & Ledger Management (PALM) Project – $41.9 million TF
- Florida Accounting & Information Resource (FLAIR) Staff Augmentation – $.6 million TF
- Fire College and Arson Lab Repairs and Maintenance – $.4 million TF
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fraud – $.2 million TF; 3 positions
- Fire College Building Maintenance – $.4 million TF
- Local Government Fire Services – $5.8 million GR
- Increase Contracted Services Budget Authority – $1.6 million TF
- Increase State Fire Marshall Grant Programs – $.9 million TF
- K-12 Public School Funding Transparency Website – $.5 million GR
Department of the Lottery
Total: $167.9 million TF; 420 positions
- Statewide Document Management System – $.8 million TF
- Information Technology upgrades to software, hardware, and equipment – $.3 million TF
Department of Management Services
Total Budget: $619.8 million [$56.5 million GR; $563.3 million TF]; 833 positions
- Florida Facilities Pool – $36.9 million [$25.2 million GR; $11.7 million TF]
- FDLE Pensacola Regional Operations Center – $28.2 million [$26.5 million TF; $1.7 million GR]
- Dependent Eligibility Verification Services – $1 million TF
- Florida Interoperability Network and Mutual Aid – $2 million GR
- Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) Staff Augmentation, Equipment and Independent Verification and Validation Services – $1.6 million TF
- Division of Retirement Information Technology Contract – $2.1 million TF
- Fleet Management Information System – $.5 million TF • Seminole County Computer Aided Dispatch System – $2 million GR
Division of Administrative Hearings
Total Budget: $26.1 million TF; 241 positions
Agency for State Technology
Total: $67.8 million TF; 227 positions
- Infrastructure Replacement and License Consolidation – $.3 million TF
- Security Training – $.2 million TF
Public Service Commission
Total: $25 million TF; 273 positions
- Replacement of Motor Vehicles – $.1 million TF
Department of Revenue
Total: $577.6 million [$212.7 million GR; $365 million TF]; 5,121 positions
- Fiscally Constrained Counties – $26.2 million GR
- Aerial Photography – $.2 million GR
Highlands County man wins top prize playing $5000 A WEEK FOR LIFE Scratch-Off game
The Florida Lottery announces that Morris Cash, Jr., of Lake Placid, claimed a top prize in the $5,000 A WEEK FOR LIFE Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee.
Cash chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $4,124,060.20. He purchased his winning ticket from Raceway, located at 5100 US Highway 27 South in Sebring.
The $10 game, $5,000 A WEEK FOR LIFE, has more than seven million winning tickets. The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-3.34.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 65 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $734 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2015-16.
UCF Urges Students: Apply for Financial Aid on Time or Risk Delays
The Internal Revenue Service’s removal of a popular tool that helps students apply for financial aid has made it even more important for students to file their aid applications early and to fill out the forms correctly – otherwise, they’ll be at greater risk of delays in receiving their money.
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool was created to help students and their families more efficiently and accurately report required financial data on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA), which is the form students are required to submit to determine their eligibility for aid.
The IRS removed the tool in March “due to security concerns.”
Millions of people use the online tool to import their income tax information into the financial aid form. Now students and their families must type in the information directly, and that could increase the likelihood of errors – making it more important for students and families to be certain they are inputting the correct information.
For example, students and families must use their 2015 tax information for both the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 FAFSA. They cannot use their 2016 tax information. Using 2016 tax information would be flagged as an error by the federal government and could delay the receipt of financial aid.
Error rates nationwide could increase as a result of the online tool not being available, which means more applications could get flagged by the federal government, creating a backlog of applications that require additional reviews.
UCF administrators are encouraging students and their families to file as soon as possible to avoid potential delays in receiving aid. Delays could result in students not getting their financial aid for up to six weeks into the semester.
“We don’t want that to happen to our students,” said Alicia Keaton, UCF’s director of Student Financial Assistance. “So, we are asking them to get their applications in now, ASAP, so there is time to resolve any issues.”
What should students do?
- Students should act now.
- File your application at www.fafsa.gov.
- Because the IRS Data Retrieval Tool is not available, you must manually enter your and/or your family’s 2015 tax information.
- Remember, you will use your 2015 tax information for both the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 FAFSA.
- If you already filed your application and used incorrect information, go back into your application and correct it now.
- If you do not have your income tax information handy, request a tax transcript now by contacting the IRS at www.irs.gov/transcript, by calling 1-800-908-9946 or to request a hardcopy in the mail go to Get Transcript by Mail .
If students make an error on the form, their application will be flagged by the feds. Student will then have to seek out a 2015 income tax transcript from the IRS and then submit it to UCF for verification and to correct the error.
UCF is reaching out to students in a variety of ways, including creating a new website http://finaid.ucf.edu/completing-the-fafsa-without-the-irs-data-retrieval-tool/, calling students via phone and using social media to communicate with students and parents.
Florida Supreme Court: New Posting, 4/13/2017, 9:30 a.m. ET
New material has been posted to the Supreme Court website in:
Follow the links at: http://www.floridasupremecourt.org.
Legislation to Reduce Criminalization of Adolescence Passes Final Committee
The Florida Senate Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Senator Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater), today passed Senate Bill 196, Juvenile Civil Citation and Similar Diversion Programs, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Anitere Flores (R-Miami, Monroe). The legislation reforms requirements regarding the issuance of civil citations, rather than criminal charges, for certain non-violent youthful offenses.
“In too many cases, we have become a society where law enforcement officers are brought in to referee the day-to-day challenges that come with raising children. Instead of helping our youth to learn positively from their mistakes like we once did, they could be put in the juvenile justice system, creating a criminal record that could potentially follow them for their rest of their lives,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). “This good bill strikes an appropriate balance between public safety and decriminalizing the youthful mistakes of adolescence.”
Senate Bill 196 requires a law enforcement officer to issue a civil citation, or require the juvenile’s participation in a diversion program when the juvenile admits to committing certain first-time misdemeanor offenses including: possession of alcoholic beverages, criminal mischief, trespass, and disorderly conduct, among others.
“When young people commit serious, violent crimes, there needs to be an appropriate legal penalty. However, there are many other situations where young people are displaying a lack of judgement and maturity, rather than serious criminal behavior,” continued President Pro Tempore Flores. “This legislation ensures that we utilize other avenues that correct inappropriate behavior without stigmatizing our youth with a criminal record that could impact their future education and career opportunities.”
“Reducing the criminalization of adolescents is not only the right policy for our state, but it ensures that we uphold our commitment to safeguarding limited taxpayer dollars,” said President Pro Tempore Flores, who serves as the vice chair of the Committee on Appropriations. “Over time, the bill may have a positive fiscal impact to state and local governments because an increase in civil citations and similar diversion programs may result in young people being diverted from the Department of Juvenile Justice’s more costly residential program. It also may reduce the cost to state and local governments for housing youth in juvenile detention.”
Under Senate Bill 196, a law enforcement officer must provide written documentation articulating why an arrest is warranted when he or she has the discretion to issue a civil citation, but instead chooses to arrest the juvenile. The legislation also specifies that the option of the issuance of a civil citation or referral to a similar diversion program, does not apply to a juvenile who is alleged to have committed, has plead guilty to, or has been convicted of a felony, or a misdemeanor offense arising out of an episode in which the juvenile is also alleged to have committed a felony.
Ballard Partners Adds Robert Wexler to New Washington Team
Former U.S. Congressman joins leading governmental
consulting firm’s Washington, D.C. office
Leading Florida-based government affairs firm, Ballard Partners, strengthens its newly-formed Washington, D.C. office with the addition of former U.S. Congressman, Robert Wexler, as Senior Counsellor. In his new role, Wexler will apply his foreign policy expertise while spearheading the firm’s growing international affairs practice.
Wexler currently serves as the president of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace in Washington, D.C., where he draws upon decades of work on Middle East and Israel issues to guide the non-profit group toward its goal of peacefully resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict. Previously, Wexler spent 13 years in Congress, advocating for the United States’ alliance with Israel and traveling on numerous congressional delegations to the Middle East. Working to strengthen the transatlantic alliance and build security with the European Union, Wexler served as Chair of the Subcommittee on Europe, senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Member of the Middle East Subcommittee.
“Having someone of Robert Wexler’s caliber on our team is a tremendous win for the firm,” said Brian Ballard, president of Ballard Partners. “Having worked with numerous governments in Europe, Asia and the Middle East throughout his tenure as U.S. Congressman and advisor to President Barack Obama, Robert’s three decades of political experience will advance our work for international clients. We are pleased to welcome him to our office in the nation’s Capitol.”
Enhancing his congressional duties, Wexler served as an American representative to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly while co-founding the Caucus on U.S.-Turkish Relations, the Taiwan Caucus and the Indonesia Caucus. As a result of his extensive foreign policy leadership, Wexler has been recognized as one of the “50 Most Effective Legislators in Congress” by Congressional Quarterly and was named to the Forward 50 list as one of the most influential leaders in the American Jewish community. The former Florida Senator holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Florida and a law degree from George Washington University.
Gov. Scott appoints Judge Jason Emilios Dimitris to Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court
Governor Rick Scott announced the appointment of Judge Jason Emilios Dimitris to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court.
Dimitris, 46, of Coral Gables, has served as a County Judge for Dade County since 2013. Previously, he served as General Counsel for the Florida Department of Management Services and Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Children and Families. Dimitris has prior experience as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Assistant Statewide Prosecutor, and Assistant State Attorney. He received a bachelor’s degree from Rollins College and a law degree from Stetson University College of Law. Dimitris fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Victoria R. Brennan.
Daytona State College students to celebrate Earth Day
Mother Earth takes center stage when Daytona State College clubs and student organizations celebrate Earth Day with hide-and-seek-painted-rocks on Wednesday, April 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the college’s 
Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd.
“This will be an exciting event that will help promote kindness to our planet,” said Lori Lemoine of DSC’s Office of Co-Curricular Activities. “We’re thrilled to support a hobby that has rocked Volusia County and other parts of the country, where students will launch #DaytonaStateRocks by decorating rocks and secretly placing them around campus for later discovery by avid collectors.”
The student groups will set up booths to help raise awareness about such earth-nurturing practices as recycling old cell phones, reducing energy consumption, composting, making environmentally safe beauty products, cleaners and pesticides, reducing water consumption, planting trees and wildflowers, solar power and urban farming, to name just a few.
Music, food and vendors will be on hand, as well, all focused around a theme of conservation and sustainability.
The celebration is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Lemoine, (386) 506-3486 or [email protected].
Governor Rick Scott to Announce New Jobs at Comcast in Miramar
MEDIA ADVISORY
Tomorrow, April 13th, Governor Rick Scott will announce new jobs at Comcast in Miramar.
