Budget, Guns in Schools and Felon Voting Ahead in Florida
So far only one bill has been sent to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis: the repeal of a smokable medical marijuana ban that DeSantis signed into law last Monday.
March 25, 2019 at 01:02 PM
4 minute read
If Florida lawmakers are trying to break a record for fewest bills passed during their annual session, they're on a pretty good pace.
So far only one bill has been sent to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis: the repeal of a smokable medical marijuana ban that DeSantis signed into law last Monday.
There isn't much more teed up to go to DeSantis' desk. Sure, one bill that could see final passage is a measure that would require counties to post permit and inspection fees on their websites, as could another measure that would let theme parks, restaurants and hotels donate unclaimed lost property to charities instead of turning it over to police. But the most talked about issues facing lawmakers won't get to DeSantis this week.
The state budget will be a hot topic in the week ahead. The Senate and House have proposals ready for lawmakers to consider — both of which are below DeSantis' recommended $91.3 billion spending plan. The proposed Senate budget is $90.3 billion and the House is coming in at $89.9 billion.
All three budget proposals for fiscal 2019-2020 are higher overall than current budget. On education, the Senate wants an overall $1.1 billion increase for public schools, while the House increase is $600 million. DeSantis' plan is closer to the House figure. The Senate amount also includes about $600 million that local school districts could use for teacher raises or other needs.
The implementation of a constitutional amendment that restores the voting rights of most ex-felons will draw a lot of attention. Voters approved the amendment in November, and the ballot language states that felons can register to vote once they've completed their sentence, unless they were convicted of murder or a felony sex crime. The Senate Criminal Justice Committee will take up the issue Monday with a bill very similar to a House bill that began moving last week despite complaints from the groups who helped get the amendment passed.
At issue is the definition of completing a sentence. That wasn't spelled out in the constitutional amendment, and Republican lawmakers ushering the bills through the Legislature say completing a sentence isn't just about serving time in prison, completing supervised release and paying restitution to victims. The bills also say that court costs imposed by a judge as part of the sentence also need to be repaid, and advocates for ex-felons say that amounts to a poll tax and goes against the will of voters.
The Senate Infrastructure and Security Committee will consider a school safety bill that's drawing opposition from groups seeking restrictions on guns. That's because it expands a new law that allows teachers to carry guns in schools. The bill makes changes to the law passed after a former student killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The proposed legislation addresses many items, like speeding up the process for evaluating children showing signs of emotional or behavioral problems, requiring schools to quickly report school safety incidents, and expanding a mobile suspicious activity reporting program by including the tool on all computers issued to students.
But the change that's drawing the most attention is language that would make all teachers eligible for a program to arm teachers who volunteer and go through training. Right now, teachers are only eligible for the program if they also have another role outside the classroom, such as an athletic coach or teachers involved in other extra-curricular activities.
The bill being considered will expand that to any teacher, regardless if they have another role at the school. Opponents fear that allowing more guns at schools creates a danger.
Brendan Farrington reports for the Associated Press.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View AllTrending Stories
Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250