Impact Report 5: Finalized Budget Proposals and Bill Updates
Impact Report 5: Finalized Budget Proposals and Bill Updates
As week four of the 2020 legislative session comes to a close, the House and Senate have finalized their budget proposals and have begun to review bill proposals. FICPA’s Director of Governmental Affairs, Justin Thames, has an update on the status of many of the most notable bills.
Also in this week’s IMPACT Report:
- Bill Tracking Updates
- Annual Conformity Bill Update
- Deregulation Bill Update
- Public Accountancy Bill Update
Sincerely
Justin Thames
Director of Governmental Affairs
Bill Tracking
SB474 – Deregulation of Professions and Occupations
Summary: Deletes the requirement that a yacht broker maintain a separate license for each branch office; specifies that the failure to repay certain student loans is not considered a failure to perform a statutory or legal obligation for which certain disciplinary action can be taken; revises licensure requirements for engineers who hold specified licenses in another state; provides that certain cosmetology services may be performed in a location other than a licensed salon under certain circumstances.
Status: Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) – (Committee Substitute)
Summary: Revises the definition of the term “retail sale”; renames the term “mail order sale” to “remote sale” and revises the definition; revises conditions under which certain dealers are subject to sales tax levies and collection; provides that certain marketplace providers are subject to registration, collection, and remittance requirements for sales taxes.
Status: Introduced – SJ 13
Summary: Prohibits employers from excluding applicants from an initial interview for employment under certain conditions; provides a civil penalty; provides applicability; provides exceptions; requires the Department of Economic Opportunity to enforce the act.
Status: Introduced – SJ 47
HB6021 – Corporate Income taxes
Summary: Repeals provisions relating to corporate income taxes imposed, automatic refunds, & downward adjustments to tax rates.
Status: Introduced – HJ 258
Summary: Creates the “Florida Real Estate Management Corporation Act”; requires a written contract with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation; prohibits the management corporation from exercising certain authority assigned to the board of directors; provides that the board, rather than the department, receive complaints and investigate and deter the unlicensed practice of real estate.
Status: Introduced- SJ 56
Summary: Revises the actions that an agency or independent contractor is prohibited from taking against an employee who participates in protected activity or discloses certain information; specifies that whistleblower remedies and protections do not apply to certain persons; revises applicability of provisions relating to investigative procedures upon receipt of whistleblower information; revises investigative procedures in response to retaliatory actions.
Status: Introduced -SJ 34
HB707 – Legislative Review of Occupational Regulations
Summary: Authorizes schedule for the systematic review of occupational regulatory programs; authorizes Legislature to take certain actions before scheduled repeal of occupational regulatory program; provides regulation of occupation to state if such occupation’s regulatory program has been repealed through this act; provides schedule of repeal for occupational regulatory programs.
Status: On Committee agenda– Health and Human Services Committee, 02/06/20, 12:00 pm, Morris Hal
HB1141 – Taxation of Real Property
Summary: Exempts from sales & use tax certain property that is rented, leased, subleased, or licensed to specified small business; provides application procedures; requires DOR to approve or deny such application within specified time period; provides requirements for DOR & small business; provides for expiration of approval letter; provides renewal procedures.
Status: Introduced -HJ 100
Summary: Requires certain applicants to not be licensed in any state or territory in order to be licensed by endorsement; provides license renewal requirements for nonresident licensees; requires that a majority of the hours required for continuing education include specific content; authorizes certain Florida certified public accountants to apply to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to have their license placed in a retired status; provides that retired licensees are not required to maintain continuing education requirements, etc.
Status: Favorable by Commerce and Tourism; YEAS 5 NAYS 0. Now in Rules
SB1526 – Food Donation Programs
Summary: Creates an agricultural commodity donation tax credit; authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to adopt rules; revises the department’s powers and duties relating to school food and other nutrition programs; deletes a provision authorizing district school boards to opt out of implementing universal school breakfast programs; requires the department to annually allocate to participating sponsors a reimbursement in addition to the sum appropriated for the Florida Farm to School Program if certain conditions are met; requires the department to develop the Florida Gleaning Support Grant Program, etc. APPROPRIATION: $1,650,000
Status: Introduced -SJ 112
Summary: Establishes the Red Tape Reduction Advisory Council within the Executive Office of the Governor; requires an agency adopting a rule to submit a rule replacement request to the Administrative Procedures Committee; requires the committee to examine rule replacement requests and existing rules; requires the Administrative Procedures Committee to establish a regulatory baseline of agency rules; provides that a proposed rule may not cause the total number of rules to exceed the regulatory baseline, etc.
Status: Introduced -SJ 90
Summary: Prohibits use of personal data contained in public records for certain marketing, soliciting, & contact without person’s consent; requires operator of certain website or online service to establish designated request address & provide specified notice regarding collection & sale of consumer information; prohibits sale of consumer information upon request of consumer; requires DLA to adopt rules; provides for injunctions & civil penalties.
Status: Introduced -HJ 83
Other Weekly News and Highlights:
Deregulation Bills on our Radar
We’ve been closely monitoring two bills regarding the “sunset” and “sunrise” review of occupations and professions, including the CPA profession. The sunset review bill, HB 707, was last heard on January 16, where it was favorable by a 22 to 1 vote. It was heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee yesterday where the bill sponsor, Representative Paul Renner, discussed his desire to have a structured review for all occupational licenses. The last time he presented the bill, he clarified that he believes it’s not a deregulation bill, but simply uses a sunset to force structured review. Meanwhile, the “sunrise” review bill, HB 1155, was favorable with a 10 to 2 vote. This bill, sponsored by Representative Hage, expands the current laws that created a process to review any regulation of a previously unregulated profession or occupations to now include a review of any expansion of regulation for an existing regulated profession or occupation. For more updates on these bills, be sure to follow our weekly bill tracker.
Advocacy At Work
State Representative Cyndi Stevenson, CPA and FICPA President-CEO Deborah Curry, CPA, CGMA
FICPA President-CEO Deborah Curry, CPA, CGMA, State Representative Mike Caruso, CPA, FICPA Director of Governmental Affairs Justin Thames
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