SB 1008-Relating to Public Records/Injured or Deceased Employee/Department of Financial Services
On Monday, April 17th, SB 1008, by Senator Keith Perry (R-Gainesville) was heard before the Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability and passed. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this bill.

This bill would exempt private and personal identifying information of an injured worker or deceased employee from public record. Currently, this information is open to the public and often times injured workers are inundated with outreach from attorneys wanting to take on their cases immediately after filing their claim.

SB 1008 will now go to the Senate Committee on Rules to be heard.

AIF SUPPORTS protecting the private information of injured or deceased employees.

Please see the below statement from our President & CEO, Tom Feeney, regarding SB 1008:

AIF: SB 1008 is One Piece to Putting Workers’ Comp Back Together Again

Tallahassee, Fla. – The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) today released the following statement on behalf of its President & CEO Tom Feeney regarding its support of Senate Bill 1008, by Senator Keith Perry, relating to Public Records/Injured or Deceased Employee/Department of Financial Services.  SB 1008 was today heard in the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee, its second committee of reference.

“AIF supports legislation that helps restore a stable, self-executing and affordable system for injured workers.  One of the abuses Florida’s employers face within the workers’ compensation system is addressed by SB 1008 – exempting public records relating to injured or deceased workers.”

“However, SB 1008 is just one of the pieces to the puzzle that will help put Florida’s workers’ compensation system back together again.  AIF believes Floridians deserve a comprehensive workers’ compensation system that gives them the benefits they need to get better if injured on the job at affordable rates to employers. 

“AIF looks forward to continuing the thoughtful discussions with our state’s leaders on how workers’ compensation can holistically be addressed this session.”

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SB 600-Relating to Rural Economic Development Initiative 
On Monday, April 17th, SB 600, by Senator Denise Grimsley (R-Lake Placid) was heard by Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability and passed. AIF stood in support of this bill.

Currently, Florida’s rural communities are experiencing additional challenges compared to their urban counterparts in many quality of life indicators. The state has an opportunity to improve the economic competitiveness of Florida’s rural communities by reforming the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI).  This legislation accomplishes this by:

• Focusing the mission of REDI on challenges rural communities face in the areas of workforce development and education, infrastructure, and access to healthcare;
• Streamlining REDI membership to ensure decision makers are at the table; and
• Making REDI a real tool for rural communities as they navigate through the red tape of state government.
  
  

SB 600 will now go to the Senate floor to be heard.

AIF SUPPORTS efforts to increase economic development in Florida’s rural areas by increasing job growth.