May 9, 2011. A brief overview of what legislation passed or failed in this year’s session
Florida AFL-CIO
Working Families Lobby Corps Legislative Brief
135 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32301
850-224-6926
FAX 850-224-2266
www.flaflcio.org
Please Note: The following is merely a brief look at the final dispensation of some of the major bills we were following during the 2011 Legislative Session. A more detailed report will be made available following the publication of the House and Senate Session Summaries.
Worker Gag Bill SB 830/HB 1021……………………………………………………………………………………………..……………….………………Failed
(Prohibition of dues deduction/Prohibition on political expenses)
Teacher Merit Pay SB 736/HB 7019…………………………………………….…………………………………………………………….…………….Passed
(“Son of SB6”)
Unemployment Insurance – SB 728/HB 7005…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Passed
(54% reduction in benefit weeks/easier to terminate employees without benefits/changes in law to disadvantage employees during unemployment hearings)
TABOR- SB 958/HB 7221………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Passed
(Constitutional amendment to place a cap on state revenues)
Automatic Decertification- SB 1720/ HB 1025 ……………………………………….……………………………………………………………..…Failed
Medicaid Privatization SB 2144/HB 7107………………………………………….……………………….……………………………………………Passed
Labor Practices on Public Construction Projects HB 923/SB 1352……………………………………………………………………..Failed
(Prohibition of Project Labor Agreements, Local Hiring Ordinances, and Prevailing Wages)
Immigration SB 2040/HB691……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………..Failed
(An “Arizona Like” Immigration package)
Elections SB 2086/ HB 1355 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….…………………Passed
(Reduction in early voting/restrictions on voter registration activities /Prohibition on voter protection activities/50% reduction in the time to conduct citizen’s initiative drives etc.)
Florida Retirement System SB 2100/ HB 1405………………………….…………………………………………………………………………….Passed
(3% contribution rate/Reductions in COLA for new hires etc.)
Local Pensions SB 1128/HB 7241………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………..Passed
(Changes to police/fire and some other local pensions systems)
Telecom Deregulation – SB 1524/HB 1231……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Passed
Seaport Security – SB 524/HB 283……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….Passed
Health Care SB 2/HB 1………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………Passed
Prohibition of local wage theft ordinances – SB 982/HB241……………………………………………….……………………………………Failed
Minimum Wage- SB 1610/HB1425…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………….Failed
Repeal of the “Blain Amendment” SB 1218/ HB 1471…………………………………………………………………………………………….Passed
(Repeal of the prohibition of tax dollars going to religious institutions)