News - December 2019 RSS Feed

The 2020 Regular Session of the Florida Legislature is scheduled to begin Tuesday, January 14. Lawmakers will convene in Tallahassee for 60 days to debate and vote on proposed legislation and to pass a state budget for fiscal year 20-21. The annual session is scheduled to conclude on March 13.

On December 10, SB 404 (Stargel) was taken up a second time by the Senate Health Policy Committee and passed (6-3). Last month, time expired before a vote due to stall tactics by lawmakers who oppose the underlying measure. At this week's meeting, committee members were able to hear testimony from members of the community, with several testifying in support of the right of parents to be involved in a life-altering decision made by their minor daughters. When a minor is pregnant the support of her family is crucial, regardless of whether she has an abortion, she chooses to parent that child, or she places that child for adoption.

On Monday, December 9, James Herzog, FCCB associate director for education, testified on behalf of HB 2565 (Bush III) regarding security funding for non-public K-12 schools that participate in state scholarship programs. The $1 million appropriation will help bolster what schools are already doing to protect children by hardening the physical security of their campuses. Potential improvements include the installation of bulletproof glass, perimeter fencing, gates and locks, visitor screening, and security cameras. HB 2565 passed the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee unanimously.

Members of the Sadowski Coalition - representing a diverse group of organizations including: advocates for elderly, veteran, homeless and special needs populations; faith-based organizations; and business associations - gathered at the Capitol to urge the Florida Legislature to use affordable housing trust fund monies as intended.