Before the 2016 Florida legislative session began on Jan. 12, Law360 published an article about issues that may take prominence this year.
Government specialists weighed in on the fact that the 2015 legislative session ended early, effectively killing many bills. Gunster government affairs consultant Cameron Yarbrough told Law360 that will put pressure on this year's Legislature to finish on time and approve a budget. Law360 also describes the tighter schedule that this year's Legislature will have, which may make progress difficult for new bills and easier for those affected by last year's abrupt end to session.
According to Law360, some of the issues that will play an important role this year include:
- A comprehensive water plan
- Health care
- Seminole gaming compact
- Fracking regulations
- Medical marijuana regulations
- Ride-sharing regulations
- Budget issues
Law360 describes the various perspectives on SB 552 and HB 7005, bills that essentially create a comprehensive water plan, which passed both the House and the Senate during the first week of session.
In the article, Law360 indicates that although health care will not play as important of a role this year as it did last year, there are still challenges ahead. For example, the Legislature will look at regulations in the area of hospital development, particularly surrounding certificates of need, according to Yarbrough.
Ride-sharing, a service offered by companies like Uber and Lyft, remains a hot topic. According to the article, HB 509 aims to regulate the industry by increasing permit and background check while protecting the companies' access to marketplace areas across the state.
The article also discusses Governor Scott's proposed $1 billion in tax cuts and funding for Enterprise Florida.
Read the Law360 article, "Florida Regulation and Legislation to Watch in 2016." Access to the article requires a subscription to Law360.
