SB 1010 –relating to Cable and Video Services
On Wednesday, April 30th, SB 1010, relating to Cable and Video Services, by Senator Garrett Richter (R-Naples) unanimously passed the House chamber. Representative Ray Wesley Rodrigues (R-Fort Myers) sponsored the House companion bill. The bill now heads to the Governor for consideration.

The bill repeals a study by the Office of Program Policy Analysis &Government Accountability on the status of video competition in Florid. This is a study that duplicates an annual national study done by the Federal Communications Commission and is an unnecessary expense for government and for companies to compile and submit proprietary information.

AIF supports eliminating duplicative laws that put an unnecessary compliance burden on Florida’s businesses and government.

SB 1524 – relating to Security of Confidential Personal Information
On Wednesday, April 30th, SB 1524, relating to Security of Confidential Personal Information, by Senator John Thrasher (R-St. Augustine) unanimously passed the House chamber. The bill now heads to the Governor for consideration.

This bill creates new Florida requirements for various notifications a company must make in the event of a data breach. This measure was originated by Attorney General Pam Bondi. AIF and our members across all industries and areas of the state have worked with General Bondi and Senator Thrasher throughout session to find a way to provide the consumer safeguards needed while avoiding unintended consequences that create costly regulatory burdens on businesses. AIF salutes Attorney General Pam Bondi and Senator John Thrasher for their diligent leadership in protecting consumer information in a manner that is fair and not burdensome to Florida businesses. 

AIF supports this important legislation because it provides clear direction to companies for handling data and security challenges in a timely and consistent manner. 

HB 7073 – relating to Information Technology Governance
On Friday, May 2nd, HB 7073, relating to Information Technology Governance, by the House Appropriations Committee and Representative Seth McKeel (R-Lakeland) unanimously passed the Senate chamber. The bill now heads to the Governor for consideration.

The bill substantially revises how the state establishes information technology (IT) policy and procedures. The bill creates the Agency for State Technology (AST), administratively housed in the Department of Management Services. The defunct Agency for Enterprise Information Technology is abolished by the bill, and its duties are transferred to the AST. The AST is given extensive authority to set state technology policy and perform project oversight of large IT projects.

AIF supports a strong Chief Information Officer in the Executive branch to provide the leadership needed to allow the state to provide quality services to the citizens in the most cost efficient way possible. Information technology will offer the tools to re-engineer the state’s business processes to accomplish this goal. In order to gain the benefits of IT, there must be significant changes in IT Governance in Florida and this bill does just that. Today Florida is ranked at the bottom of all states in Information Technology.