---

Sponsored

CS/CS/HB 313 Premises Liability – Approved by Governor

Provides that owner or lessee who makes area available to another person for hunting, fishing, or wildlife viewing is entitled to certain limitations on liability if certain notice is provided; provides that owner of area who enters into written agreement with state for area to be used for outdoor recreational purposes is entitled to certain limitations on liability; deletes requirement that area be leased to state in order for limitations on liability to apply; defines term "area."

 

CS/CS/HB 449 Public Fairs and Expositions – Approved by Governor

Revises requirements for proposed charter of fair association; revises primary objective of fair association for purposes of oath required to be taken by subscribers; revises public notice requirements for fair association charter applications; authorizes fair association to file charter with DOS in addition to DACS; revises requirements for amendments to fair association charters; exempts certain money & property of fair association from taxation; revises provisions for use of remaining property upon dissolution of fair association; revises powers of fair associations; revises authority of fair associations to contract with state & local governments for use of land; revises exemptions from certain local business taxes for annual public fairs held by fair association; revises provisions that prohibit making false statements in annual public fair permit or application for distribution of certain licenses taxes; prohibits fair association from conducting more than one annual public fair; revises requirements for annual public fair permit fees; revises waiver requirements from minimum exhibit requirements; revises provisions that prohibit trespassing upon public fair grounds; removes limitations on use of certain buildings for public fairs.

 

CS/CS/HB 801 Emergency 911 Service – Approved by Governor

Provides exception to certain confidentiality provisions when coronary emergency is taking place; revises membership of E911 Board & qualifications for members; revises provisions for implementation of E911 fee & provisions limiting local carrier liability in connection with 911 or E911 service; provides for entity to notify local public safety answering point regarding location of defibrillator; revise provisions for appointment of representatives to advisory committee to PSC.

 

CS/HB 1039 Relief/James Feurtado/Miami-Dade County -  Approved by Governor

Provides for relief of James D. Feurtado, III, by Miami-Dade County; provides for appropriation to compensate him for injuries sustained as result of negligence of employee of Miami-Dade County; provides limitation on payment of fees & costs.

---

Co-Sponsored

 

CS/HJR 93 Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouse

of Military Veteran or First Responder -  Filed with Secretary of State

 Proposes amendment to State Constitution to allow Legislature by general law to provide ad valorem homestead property tax relief to surviving spouse of military veteran who died from service-connected causes while on active duty or surviving spouse of first responder who died in line of duty, provide definitions with respect thereto, & provide effective date.

 

CS/HB 95 Homestead Property Tax Exemptions – Approved by Governor

Creates "Fallen Heroes Family Tax Relief Act"; exempts from taxation homestead property of surviving spouse of first responder who dies in line of duty; provides definitions for "first responder" & "line of duty"; provides construction with respect to applicable tax roll & date of death; provides appropriation; provides effective dates, one of which is contingent.

CS/HJR 169 Additional Homestead Tax Exemption for Seniors – Filed with Secretary of State

Proposes amendment to s. 6, Art. VII of State Constitution to authorize Legislature, by general law, to allow counties & municipalities to grant additional homestead tax exemption equal to assessed value of homestead property, if property has just value lower than specified amount, to owner who has maintained permanent residency on property for specified duration, who has attained age 65, & whose household income does not exceed specified amount.

 

CS/CS/HB 189 Criminal Restitution – Approved by Governor

Provides that crime victim entitled to restitution may include trade association representing owner or lawful producer of recording who sustains loss as result of physical piracy; provides limitation of restitution obligation to specifically exclude acts of online piracy; defines "trade association."

 

CS/CS/CS/HB 363 Physician Assistants – Approved by Governor

Revises requirements for physician assistants to prescribe or dispense medicinal drugs; authorizing, rather than requiring, DOH to issue prescriber number to physician assistants granting authority to prescribe medicinal drugs; provides that physician assistant applying for prescribing authority must submit course transcripts and copy of course description in addition to other licensure application requirements.

 

CS/HB 691 Beach Management – Approved by Governor

Renames parts I & II of ch. 161, F.S., as Dennis L. Jones Beach & Shore Preservation Act; specifies that adequacy of design & construction for projects is supported by certain evidence; authorizes DEP to issue permits for incidental take authorization; requires department to adopt & amend rules involving excavation & placement of sediment, guidelines, & permit streamlining; provides permit life for certain joint coastal permits; requires DEP to justify items listed in certain requests; provides legislative intent with regard to permitting for periodic maintenance of certain beach nourishment projects & inlet management activities; requires DEP to maintain certain project information on its website & notify Governor & Legislature of certain changes; provides permit exemption for specified exploratory activities.

 

CS/CS/HB 1237 Department of Citrus – Approved by Govenor

Revises Florida Citrus Code; provides for appointment of Department of Citrus' (DOC's) executive director; revises terms of Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) members; provides for staggered terms of members appointed from each citrus district; establishes staffing requirements for DOC; deletes requirements for days, hours, & other conditions of employment for DOC employees; repeals various statutory standards & authorizes DOC to prescribe such standards, including maturity & quality standards for grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, canned orange juice, grapefruit juice products, canned blends of orange & grapefruit juices, frozen concentrated orange juice, & high-density frozen concentrated orange, limits on spacing between stacked field boxes caused by cleats, issuance of emergency quality assurance orders following freezing temperatures, & quality of citrus exports; redesignates excise taxes on citrus fruit as assessments & revises maximum rates of such assessments; revises number of FCC members required to issue marketing orders; & revises bond requirements for citrus fruit dealer licensees.

 

HB 1239 Pub. Rec./Department of Citrus – Approved by Governor

Provides exemption from public records requirements for nonpublished reports or data related to certain studies or research related to citrus fruit, citrus fruit juices, & products & byproducts thereof that is conducted, caused to be conducted, or funded by Department of Citrus; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption under OGSR Act; provides statement of public necessity.

 

CS/CS/CS/HB 1263 Department of Health – Approved by Governor

Revises purpose of DOH; revises duties of State Surgeon General; eliminates Officer of Women's Health Strategy; eliminates Florida Drug, Device, & Cosmetic Trust Fund as trust fund under DOH; provides that two or more counties may combine for operation of county health department under certain circumstances; requires DOH to be responsible for state public health system; requires DOH to provide leadership for partnership involving federal, state, & local government & private sector to accomplish public health goals; allows counties to enact health regulations & ordinances consistent with state law; requires DOH to establish rules for conditions & procedures for imposing & releasing quarantine; provides that rules established under this section supersede all rules enacted by other state agencies, boards, or political subdivisions; provides that violation of rules established under section, quarantine, or requirement adopted pursuant to declared public health emergency is second-degree misdemeanor.

 

CS/HB 1351 Homeless Youth – Approved by Governor

Defines term "certified homeless youth"; provides that minor who is certified homeless youth or who has had disabilities on nonage removed under specified provisions may obtain certified copy of his or her birth certificate; provides that unaccompanied youths who are certified homeless youths 16 years of age or older who apply to court to have disabilities of nonage removed shall have court costs waived; requires court to advance such cases on calendar.

 

CS/CS/CS/HB 1355 Protection of Vulnerable Persons – Approved by Governor

Revises language concerning child abuse reporting; requires DCF to provide for web-chat & update other web-based forms for reporting; requires specified educational institutions & their law enforcement agencies to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect in certain circumstances; provides financial penalties for violations; increases penalties for certain reporting offenses; provides for upward reclassification of certain prostitution offenses involving minors; provides for denial of relocation payment for domestic violence claim if claimant has been paid sexual battery relocation claim for same incident; provides for relocation assistance payments to victims of sexual battery; provides criteria for awards; provides for denial of relocation payment for sexual battery claim if claimant has previously been paid domestic violence relocation claim for same incident; provides appropriations; authorizes specified numbers of full-time equivalent positions with associated salary rates within DCF; defines "mental injury" with respect to offenses of abuse, aggravated abuse, & neglect of child; requires physician or psychologist acting as expert witness in certain proceedings have certain credentials; redefines "crime" for purposes of crime victims compensation to include additional forms of injury; redefines "victim" to conform with modified definition of "crime."

 

HB 7049 Human Trafficking – Approved by Governor

Adds violations to jurisdiction of Office of Statewide Prosecution & statewide grand jury; requires employee of massage establishment & any person performing massage therein to present, upon request of investigator, valid government identification; provides documentation requirements for operator of massage establishment; adds additional offenses to list of sexual predator & offender qualifying offenses; creates additional offenses relating to human trafficking; increases criminal penalties for certain offenses; provides for forfeiture of property used, attempted to be used, or intended to be used in violation of specified human trafficking provisions; increases criminal penalty for human smuggling; revises provisions relating to selling or buying of minors into sex trafficking or prostitution; provides additional authorization for interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications; ranks offenses on sentencing guidelines chart.

 

HB 7087 Economic Development – Approved by Governor

Provides exemption from intangible tax for lessees performing governmental, municipal, or public purpose or function; establishes funding source for H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute from portion of cigarette tax collections; establishes purposes for which funding to H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute may be used; revises excise tax rates levied upon each ton of phosphate rock severed; defines term "mature field recovery oil" & applies to such oil tiered severance tax rates applicable to tertiary oil; provides exemption from tax on sales, use, & other transactions for electricity used by packinghouses; expands exemptions from sales & use tax on labor, parts, & equipment used in repairs of certain aircraft; provides exemption from tax on sales, use, & other transactions for sale or lease of accessible taxicabs; revises eligibility criteria for tax credits under Urban High-Crime Area Job Tax Credit Program; increases amount of income that is exempt from franchise tax imposed on banks & savings associations, etc.

 

HR 9013 Girl Scouts – Adopted by the House by Publication

Honors 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts of the United States of America & recognizes 2012 as "The Year of the Girl" in the State of Florida.

---

 

HB 387 “Keeping Children Safe Act” – The bill protects children who have been sexually abused or exploited by parent or caregiver. As an adult, I believe it is my job to protect children and I believe that we must go over and above to protect children who have been abused.

HB 663 “Wounded Warriors Areas” – Wounded veterans and active duty service members who have combat-related injury will have the opportunity to use park areas for special outdoor recreational therapy. This bill will not cost the taxpayers of Florida any money and as a disabled veteran of the war in Iraq, I am honored to carry this bill for all wounded veterans.

HB 1141 "Tax Exemptions for Deployed Service members" – In 2009, 77.82% of voters in Florida approved the tax exemption and I am proud to carry out the will of Florida voters.

HB 93 “Security Cameras” – Our local businesses have been struggling in this economy and local governments should not be leaning on our entrepreneurs to balance their budgets”

---

2011 Committees: Finance & Tax and the Select Committee on Water Policy