Okaloosa County BOCC — November 18, 2014 — Okaloosa 2015 State Legislative Issues

State Legislative Issues - Draft • Support legislation to amend Section 403.0893 F.S. to provide authorization for stormwater utilities to charge and collect fees from all beneficiaries to include non- profits, schools, churches, etc. of the stormwater utility system. • Support legislation in favor of Self-Performing Construction Projects. The current legislation is transparent and does not need to be changed. If we desire to perform a construction project with our own crews valued at over $300,000, we need to have a Public Meeting to gain Board Approval after proving that self-performance is in the public’s best interest. We can perform the project faster, better, and more economical that contracting it out, in which contractors add markup, profit, per diem, etc. and the quality is often compromised by cutting corners. From year to year, there is proposed legislation that would prohibit self-performance of projects. Such a change to the current legislation would not be in the public’s best interest. • Support legislation allowing Strategic Intermodal Systems (SIS) funds to be used on roads and other transportation facilities not designated in the SIS network if the improvement relieves congestion on the SIS. • Support legislation that would provide an equitable share of State DMV drivers licenses with the counties who are providing the drivers license services via the County Tax Collector offices • Support continued State Aid to Libraries • Support State funding of derelict vessel removal and the Boating Improvement Fund program. • Support legislation that reduces County jail expenses by setting the amount paid by Counties to medical providers for health care services for inmates and arrestees at no higher than the established Medicare rate plus 10%; the same rate as currently charged by the State Department of Corrections. • Support reimbursement to counties for overcharges for juvenile detention costs. Okaloosa County’s overcharges are approximately $3.1 million. • Oppose any legislation or rule that would change juvenile detention cost share assessment as determined by the recent DOAH order • Support legislation that would have DJJ assuming responsibility for all secure juvenile detention – predisposition or otherwise • Support increased funding for core mental health and substance abuse programs. Increased funding may improve early identification, intervention, and treatment of mental illness. Having effective mental health programs should also decrease populations in State prisons and County jails and juvenile detention, as well as homelessness and the costs associated with these programs. • Oppose any legislation that would increase the amount of time that a defendant would spend in custody before being placed on pre-trial release • Oppose any legislation that would limit a defendant’s qualifications for pretrial release supervision or otherwise weaken pretrial services programs • Support the continuation of Coordinated Transportation Disadvantaged system and to avoid costly duplication of TD Systems • To enhance and maintain the independence of the state’s five water management districts. Northwest Florida is facing totally different issues than South Florida related to water supply • Oppose the Competitive Consultants Negotiations Act (CCNA). The current system is working great and does not need to be changed. Right now, we select the most qualified consultant for each particular project, and then negotiate to come to terms. If that were changed to make it price based, we could be severely affected by having to hire less-than- qualified engineering firms to perform critical infrastructure projects. To do this would be making the engineering profession a commodity • Support legislation that would exempt sales taxes on commercial leases, phased out over a 4-to-5 year period. • Support legislation to reauthorize existing statewide enterprise zone incentive programs [currently due to sunset in June 2015] • Support changes to 125.0104 F.S. to allow counties to use a portion of bed taxes for additional uses in the tourism special districts, e.g., for increased law enforcement needs related to tourism, infrastructure projects like sidewalks, stormwater and road repairs, and other discretionary needs as approved by County Board of Commissioners. • Support the continuation of a dedicated state funding resource for beach renourishment and a significant increase in statutory funding level for beach projects as part of Amendment 1 implementing legislation.