THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS/BOARDS SECTION RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF THE 2018 STATE PRIORITY POLICIES, 2018 STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM AND 2018 STATE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES.
Motion A
During the County Commission meeting of November 7, 2017, the Board directed staff to establish a process to identify a shortlist of Priority Policies contained in the State Program that will be presented to legislative member offices in Tallahassee as the most important issues for Broward County. Each office was given a document that listed the proposed Legislative Policies and were asked to rank policies from 1-5 (one being most important). The tally of all Commissioner's rankings will be provided as additional material on Monday November 13th, 2017.
Motion B
The 2018 proposed State Legislative Program (Exhibit 1) contains the County's policies, proposed appropriations requests, and legislative proposals. The Board's Fundamental Principles (Exhibit 2), which guide the lobbying efforts of County Commissioners, staff, and the County's contract lobbyists, have been updated to reflect the Board's continuing visions and goals. It is recommended that the Fundamental Principles be updated every two years; and to allow Intergovernmental Affairs staff to make changes, as needed and directed by the Board periodically.
Proposed 2018 Legislative Policies are as follows:
- Adult Civil Citations (New)
- Affordable Housing (Title Updated)
- Affordable Housing for Seniors
- Article V Technology Fee (Updated)
- Childcare Development Associates
- Criminal Justice Reform (Updated)
- Emergency Management (New)
- Firearms Regulation
- Juvenile Justice Civil Citations
- Mitigation Land Regulation
- Nursing Home Regulation (New)
- Prohibition on Oil and Gas Drilling
- Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact
- State Beach Management Program
- Texting While Driving (New)
Subsequent to the Legislative Policies Priorities List being distributed to the Commissioners for ranking, three new Policies have been proposed by Commissioners for consideration to be added to the Legislative priorities as well as for consideration for prioritization ranking. They are as follows:
CHILD WELFARE
SUPPORT adequate and equitable resources for the child welfare system to ensure the safety and well-being of children at risk of abuse. Provide a continuum of high-quality services for children in the dependency system and youth in transitional independent living programs.
ELDER CARE
SUPPORT and increase funding for home based programs that enable frail seniors to remain in their homes, including community care for the elderly, home care for the elderly, and Alzheimer’s respite care programs. (Replacing Affordable Housing for Seniors)
CORAL REEF DISEASE WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROJECT
Amend state law directing the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) to develop a management plan for the proposed coastal management area from the St. Lucie Inlet south to the northern boundary of Biscayne National Park. Support DEPs Legislative Budget Request for $1 million for the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Management and resource condition monitoring program to document and track the health of the coral reef ecosystem.
Additionally, the 2018 Broward County Specific Appropriation requests are as follows:
- Alzheimer's Caregiver Respite Center
- Beach Renourishment - Broward County Specific Request
- Benefits Bank
- Broward Transit Downtown Intermodal Facility
- Coral Reef Disease Water Quality Monitoring Project (corresponds to newly proposed policy)
- Challenge Grants
- Courthouse Furnishings Reimbursement
- Forensic Assault Services NJCC
- Human Trafficking Community Coordination Outreach Project
- Joint Medical Examiner/BSO Crime Lab Funding
- Port Everglades Funding
- Regional Water Reuse Purple Pipeline Project
The 2018 Statewide Appropriation requests are as follows:
- Aviation Fuel Tax
- Behavioral Health Services
- Boys and Girls Club
- Child Protection Team Funding
- Child Welfare Funding
- Cultural and Libraries Funding
- Community Care for the Elderly
- Crime Lab Funding
- Department of Juvenile Justice Detention Centers
- Early Learning Funding
- Economic Development Programs
- Florida Coalition for the Homeless
- Florida Job Growth Fund
- Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP)
- Funding to Reach Recycling Goal
- Guardian Ad Litem
- Homeless Rapid Rehousing
- Mosquito Control (Zika) Funding
- Natural Gas Fuel Rebate Program
- State of Florida Office on Homelessness
- TANF Emergency Assistance Program
The 2018 Department Legislative Proposal priorities are as follows:
- Child Care Development Registry
- Consultants' Competitive Negotiation Act Revisions
- Establish Funding Mechanism for Resilient Infrastructure Projects
- Film and Entertainment Economic Development
- Firearm Regulation in Treatment Facilities
- Hollywood North Beach Anchorage Restriction
- Kayak Safety Regulations
- Needle Expansion Program
- Opioid and Heroin Abuse
- Public Records Exemptions for BARC and NJCC
- SUN Trail Funding Mechanism
- Worker's Compensation (Moved to Fundamental Principles)
Of note, the Local Bills Section of the document that was in front of the Board on November 7, 2017 has been removed.
Fundamental Principles (Exhibit 2)
The following statements are new in the fundamental Principles: Conversion Therapy - supports legislation prohibiting the practice of conversion therapy on minors relating to sexual orientation; Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Funds - supporting equitable distribution of funds. Additionally, technical and substantive corrections were made to several statements throughout the document, specifically, the statements pertaining to:
- Alternative fuel vehicles and charging infrastructure
- Annexation
- Climate preparedness and adaption
- Cultural arts
- Electronic public notice (title change)
- Growth management
- Home rule
- Human services
- Local amendments to the Florida Building Code
- Port Everglades
- Recovery residence/sober homes
- Transient rental tax (title change)
- Water policy
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