Gearing up for the 2018 Legislative Session which began Jan. 9, 2018, Katie Kelly, the Government and Community Affairs Manager for Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) gave the district’s governing board a review of environmental matters relative to the 2018 legislative session.
Kelly began, reviewing the economic outlook for the upcoming year and proceeded with items on the Governor’s environmental wish list.
“As a result of Florida’s economic turnaround,” she explained, “Florida will have a record $33.8 billion of general revenue available next year.”
The Governor is proposing a budget of $87.4B, which is a 2.8% increase over the current budget ($85B).
Gov. Scott’s recommendation for the environment is as follows:
• $55M for Florida’s springs
(Kelly remarked that this is a $5 million increase from last year’s budget) With over 200 springs within the SWFWMD, this would make a positive impact.
• $100M for Florida’s beaches
• $50M for Florida’s state parks
• $21M to help Florida’s citrus industry following Irma
• $50M for Florida Forever to help preserve and protect natural lands
• $365M for Everglades restoration including $50M to expedite repairs for the federal Herbert Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee
Kelly explained that with the end of the sixth and final week prior to the start of the 2018 Legislative Session, a total of 1029 policy bills have been filed with 34 of those bills having environmental impacts. There are four bills that deal with SWFWMD legislative priorities, which focus on Water Management Districts (WMD) surplus lands.
House Rep. Danny Burgess and Sen. Dennis Baxley have each taken up the WMD surplus lands legislative priorities, filing two bills apiece in the House and Senate respectively.
According to Kelly’s presentation, the Sale of Surplus Lands bills: HB 703 (Burgess) and SB 806 (Baxley) make the following changes:
• Provides flexibility to the District’s in selling small parcels valued less than $25,000 by providing an expedited method to selling surplus parcels directly to adjoining property owners
• Significantly reduces the associated costs involved in selling these parcels
• Clarifies language in existing Statute
• Provides additional flexibility to all water management districts in determining how to dispose of low value surplus lands
• Provides the general public a fair opportunity to purchase low value surplus lands
The other set of bills creates a public records exemption for the sale of surplus lands by water management districts: HB705 (Burgess) and SB 808 (Baxley) (Sale of Surplus Lands Public Records Exemption). Kelly’s presentation specified that the bills do the following:
• Make appraisal documents, offers and contracts for the purchase of surplus lands confidential
• The District and prospective purchasers are currently at a competitive disadvantage due to lack of confidentiality
• Prospective purchasers may not know their offers have been obtained by other prospective purchasers
Kelly explained, “This will also help provide consistency among the five water management districts and the department of environmental protection…”
Ending her presentation, she reminded the governing board that prior to the 2017 session, new house rules required that all project specific appropriations bills requests must be filed and referred to the respective committees. She stated that there have been 1169 appropriations bills filed, with 33 total water projects that could potentially come to Southwest Florida.
The 2018 Legislative Session convenes Tuesday Jan 9, 2018 and is scheduled to end March 9, 2018.
Following Kelly’s presentation, SWFWMD Governing Board Member Michelle Williamson was concerned about the Constitutional Review Committee’s Proposal 23 which would make it easier to bring litigation in environmental matters. “I’m afraid it may take us out of the purview of an administrative hearing and open us up to lawsuits,” she said.
Karen West, Governing Board General Counsel stated that there is currently a method to challenge various transgressions in civil court. “I’m not sure it’s going to open up more opportunities, it may reduce some of the burden.”