TAX PACKAGE A comprehensive package providing $168.6 million in tax relief passed both chambers during the extended session. Included in this legislation are: sales tax holidays for disaster preparedness and back-to-school purchases; tax breaks for farmers and homeowners who experienced property damage during the 2017 hurricane season; a tax exemption for personal hygiene products; reduced Read more about Legislative Issues[…]
PAY RAISES Florida Supreme Court Justices received a 24 percent pay raise, taking their salaries to $220,600. Assistant state attorneys and assistant public defenders got a $2,000 bump or $4,000 if they have three or more years of service. State firefighters earned a $2,500 raise and law enforcement officers at the Florida Highway Patrol, the Read more about Issues of Interest[…]
STATE ID DESIGNATIONS An individual who is deaf or hard of hearing may add the international symbol for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to his or her driver license or identification card. TELEPHONE SOLICITATION Two bills passed this year dealing with telephone solicitors. Senate Bill 568, sponsored by Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa), revises the definition of Read more about Legislative Issuees[…]
Below are some highlighted bills that failed RELOCATING THE CAPITOL Representative Bill Hager’s (R-Boca Raton) bill to study the feasibility of moving the State Capitol to a more central location in Florida fell flat as it did not get a committee hearing all session. VACATION RENTALS Several bills related to vacation rentals were introduced but none passed Read more about Legislative Issues[…]
Governor Scott Appointments: Board of Dentistry Dr. Matthew Freedman, Naples, orthodontist with Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics; and Dr. Nicholas White, Longwood, owner of Lake Mary Pediatric Dentistry. Board of Medicine Reappointed were Dr. Jorge Lopez, 60, Orlando, a physician with Florida Emergency Physicians of TeamHealth; and Dr. Merle Stringer, Panama City, a neurosurgeon Read more about Movers and Shakers[…]