SB 324-Relating to Impact Fees

On Monday, January 29th, SB 324 by Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) was heard before the Senate Committee on Finance and Tax and passed by a vote of 6 yeas to 0 nays. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of the bill as amended.

The bill provides that an impact fee adopted by ordinance of a county or municipality or by resolution of a special district must, at minimum, specify that the impact fee be collected no earlier than the issuance of the building permit for the property that is subject to the fee.

Impact fees are enacted by local ordinance that were created to pay the cost of additional infrastructure necessitated by new development. AIF supported an amendment offered by Senator Keith Perry (R-Gainesville) that was adopted and relates to the sector planning process. The amendment makes clear that if a governmental entity wishes to impose a condition on a development order which implements a sector plan--such as the contribution of land/right of way, extension of public utilities, construction of parks, etc. - then the government must have ordinances in place to treat developments outside of sector plans in a similar fashion, and sets a time standard for local governments to process and act upon applications for implementing a sector plan.

SB 324 will go on to the Senate Committee on Appropriations to be heard.

AIF supports legislation that ensures the same protections to sector plans against demanding payment or construction of facilities beyond those needed to service the development.

SB 1224- Relating to Beverage Law

On Monday, January 29th, SB 1224 by Senator Rob Bradley (R-Orange Park) was heard before the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism and passed. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this bill.

Currently, vendors must purchase beer or malt beverage branded glassware from distributors for use in their establishments. This legislation allows for retailers to accept malt or beer beverage branded glassware from a distributor at no cost. The bill stipulates that the distributor may give no more than 10 cases (that include up to 24 pieces per case), per brand, per calendar year.

SB 1224 will go on to be heard in the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

AIF SUPPORTS legislation that will reduce costs on Florida’s businesses by allowing distributors to provide vendors, at no cost, glassware to use in their establishments. 

SB 1742-Relating to Supermajority Vote Required to Increase State Tax Revenues by Increasing Taxes

On Monday, January 29th, SB 1742 by Senator Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland) was heard before the Senate Committee on Finance and Tax and passed by a vote of 4 yeas to 2 nays. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this bill.

This bill proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to require a law that imposes a new tax, increases the rate or amount of a tax, or expands a tax base, and that results in a net increase in state revenues, to be approved by three-fifths of the membership of each house of the Legislature.

The amendment proposed in the joint resolution will take effect on January 8, 2019, if approved by sixty percent of the voters during the 2018 general election or earlier special election specifically authorized by law for that purpose.

SB 1742 will go on to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for its next hearing.

AIF supports legislation that would make it more difficult to raise taxes, leaving more money in the pockets of Florida’s families and business.

HB 971-Relating to Interruption of Services

On Monday, January 29th, HB 971 by Representative Randy Fine (R-Palm Bay) was heard by the House Energy and Utilities Subcommittee and passed. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in opposition of this bill.

This bill aims to prohibit certain service providers from charging customers for services that have been interrupted or not timely provided. The bill would require these service providers to pro-rate customers bills to reflect the dates the customer did not receive said services.

HB 971 will go on to the House Commerce Committee to be heard.

AIF opposes this legislation that provides for unnecessary government regulation and intrusion on an industry that must follow many of these provision in federal law.

SB 920-Relating to Deferred Presentment Transactions

On Monday, January 29th, SB 920, by Senator Rob Bradley (R-Orange Park) was heard by the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism and passed. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this bill.

The bill authorizes deferred presentment installment transactions under Florida law. Deferred presentment transactions made pursuant to SB 920 would be exempt from the underwriting requirement of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule because such loans would be for a term longer than 30 days and would not be a longer-term balloon payment loan because the bill requires installment payment to be as equal as practicable. Provisions of the CFPB rule relating to payment practices, lender reporting, and compliance will apply to deferred presentment installment transaction lenders that provide loans with a term longer than 45 days, with a cost of credit exceeding 36 percent per annum, and that have a leveraged payment mechanism.

SB 920 will go on to the Senate Committee on Rules for its next hearing.

AIF supports legislation that creates a new framework that conforms with the federal guidelines while also retaining the choices Florida consumers need and deserve.

SB 396-Relating to Motor Vehicle Insurance Coverage for Windshield Glass

On Monday, January 29th, SB 396 by Senator Dorothy Hukill (R-Port Orange) was heard before the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism, was amended and subsequently passed.

The sponsor of the bill offered a strike all amendment that removes the inspection language and replaces it with anti-inducement language for auto glass repairs covered by insurance. The bill was temporarily postponed at the beginning of the meeting due to a point of order. With five minutes left of the committee meeting, SB 396 was brought back up and passed.

SB 396 will go on to the Senate Committee on Rules for its next hearing.

AIF supports all efforts to curtail assignment of benefit abuse in order to reduce unnecessary costs on policyholders.