2021 Florida Legislative Session ends, Chamber reflects on priorities

JENNA BUZZACCO-FOERSTER, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

The 2021 legislative session ended April 30, shortly after Florida lawmakers approved a $101 billion budget for fiscal 2021-22.

The Greater Naples Chamber advocated for a variety of issues, ranging from COVID-19 liability protections to increased funding for career and technical education, during the 2021 legislative session. Although the Florida Capitol was closed to the public due to COVID-19 protocols, the Greater Naples Chamber stayed in regular contact with legislators throughout the 60-day session.
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WHERE WE STAND

• The Greater Naples Chamber supported proposals ((HB7/SB72) to provide liability protections to businesses and other organizations for damages related to COVID-19.
  • Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 72, which provides a variety of COVID-19 liability protections, into law on March 29.
• The Chamber supported proposals (HB15/SB50) to require online retailers to collect sales tax on goods sold in Florida.
  • Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 50 into law on April 19.
    • The law requires out-of-state, online retailers to collect sales tax on goods sold in Florida. Money collected will be used to replenish the unemployment compensation trust fund until it reaches pre-pandemic levels.
    • Once the unemployment trust fund is replenished, revenue generated from out-of-state, online sales tax collection will be used to reduce the commercial lease tax rate to 2%.
      • The Chamber has advocated for the state to reduce, and eventual eliminate, the commercial lease tax.

Workforce training

• Collier County will receive about $10 million for workforce development funding in fiscal 2021-22, which is the same as current year’s funding. Under the budget approved by state lawmakers, Collier remains 88% funded.
• The Legislature considered several bills that addressed workforce programs, work-based learning and internships.
  • The Legislature approved HB 1507, which coordinates data collection among state workforce and education programs, and only pays workforce partner programs that show results.
  •  The House approved HB 1505, which would have required state career planning resources be provided to students, create and establish criteria for work-based learning opportunities and require the Department of Education to establish minimum standards for governing apprenticeships. The bill did not get a vote in the Senate, and died when the session adjourned.

 
Workforce housing

• The Legislature approved SB 2512, which changes how much money is distributed to affordable housing trust funds. The bill splits the documentary stamp revenues between the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, sea level rise projects and wastewater grants.
  • The affordable housing trust fund is expected to receive approximately $200 million in fiscal 2021-22.
  • The bill also prevents funds distributed to the state and local housing trust funds from being transferred to the general fund.

Water quality

• The Florida Legislature included significant funding for environmental projects in the budget, including:
  • $500 million for wastewater grant programs
  • $360 million for Everglades restoration
  • $354 million for water quality improvements, which includes funding to administer the wastewater grant program and incentives to upgrade septic systems.
  • $108 million for water quality improvements related to the Blue Green Algae Task Force.

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