Here Comes the 2014 Session
March 3rd, 2014 by flanews60 days of bills, meetings, and maybe some new laws await Florida legislators. The 2014 session starts Tuesday, with everything from Pot to Pensions on the table for lawmakers to consider.
The Senate’s Democratic Caucus laid out its session priorities Monday. The state’s budget is always priority one. Dems will support a proposed rollback for 2009 tag fees, but slammed the “historic education budget” that Governor Rick Scott is touting.
“We have not gotten back to our historical highs of over $7,000 per student,” said Miami Democratic Senator Dwight Bullard.
Medical marijuana will get high consideration from the House and Senate. A ballot referendum will be decided by voters in November. Something that some members of the legislature view as going too far.
“Those proponents have used children with seizures and dying patients as bait to get folks to vote for a far more permissive and, I think, ill-advised amendment,” said Senate President Don Gaetz.
Red light cameras, gun laws, and gaming will all be dissected by members of both chambers over the next two months.
The Senate Gaming Committee will take a gamble on expanded gaming. A three bill package includes the creation of “the Department of Gaming Control” and would allow Las Vegas style resort casinos that could offer blackjack and other table games.
“Leave it up to the people of the counties to decide whether they want to bring in this new business, or whether they want to expand the gaming that’s already in their county, or they don’t want it at all,” said committee Vice Chair Sen. Maria Sachs.
By the time the hanky drops on the 2014 session, Florida is expected to have more than 200 new laws.
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