2012 Legislative Update #1: The First Two Weeks

  • Latest Update: January 20, 2012
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Summary

Redistricting

The full Senate voted during Week 2 on that chamber’s two final proposed redistricting maps for Congress and the State Senate. The maps passed with an overwhelming majority, but there were six dissenting votes. The House will vote on its final Congressional and State House district maps next week. The House has agreed to take up and pass the Senate’s state Senate map while the Senate has agreed to take up and pass the House’s state House proposed district maps after next week. The final Congressional map will have to be agreed upon by a joint committee of both chambers.

Religious Freedom and Separation of Church & State

SB 98 is a revival of Senator Gary Siplin’s (D-Orlando) so-called “school prayer” bill from last session that would authorize local school boards to adopt policies to allow student government-led “inspirational messages, including but not limited to, prayers of invocation or benediction” at school events. The bill cleared two committees in the first two weeks of session with only two dissenting votes. The ACLU, along with the Anti-Defamation League, has led the opposition to the bill as it heads towards its final Senate committee next week before reaching the floor for a final vote. The House companion bill is still in its first committee.

Drug Policy

Last session we saw passage of a law requiring applicants for TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) benefits to submit to a drug test as criteria for eligibility. The ACLU has since won a preliminary injunction halting the program as an unconstitutional search. In response, the same legislators who sponsored the TANF drug testing bill have filed a TANF felony drug conviction bill. HB 813 restricts applicants of TANF and food stamps from receiving those benefits if they have ever been convicted of felony drug trafficking, possession, or use. The bill met tough opposition from Democrats at its first committee stop and one Republican who wondered why the legislature was being so unforgiving toward the poor. The bill passed nine to six and has two more committee stops in the House. The Senate companion has not been heard in its first committee.

Anti-Shackling

A pro-active measure to end the cruel and inhumane practice of restraining incarcerated pregnant women during labor, delivery, and post-partum recovery has had significant movement in only its second year in the legislature. During committee weeks in December, the bill moved out of its only committee in the Senate with a unanimous vote. The first day of the full Senate meeting last week heard debate on the bill on the floor followed by unanimous passage by the full chamber. This week, House bill sponsor Rep. Betty Reed (D-Tampa) stood before its first committee and oversaw a unanimous vote by 13 of her colleagues. The bill continues to move forward as it makes its way through three more committees before reaching the House floor where a majority vote sends it to the Governor.

Media Roundup Week of January 16 - 20, 2012

Coming up next week:

  • The “school prayer” bill, SB 98, is up in the Senate Rules Committee on Monday, January 23. Please click on this link to find contact information for Rules Committee members and ask them to “Protect religious freedom for Florida’s public school students. Oppose SB 98.” http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/RC/
  • Three abortion bills (HB 277, HB 839 & HB 1327) are scheduled to be heard in the House Health & Human Services Access Committee on Tuesday, January 24. Please click on this link to find contact information for HHS Subcommittee members and tell them to “Trust women. Oppose restrictions on access to abortion services.” http://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Committees/committeesdetail.aspx?SessionId=70&CommitteeId=2611

Publications

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