Caldwell Pacetti Edwards Schoech & Viator LLP’s April newsletter provides a summary and status of proposed bills submitted during the 2017 Regular Session of the Florida Legislature that may affect special districts. The 2017 Legislative Session started on March 7, 2017 and will end on May 5, 2017.
The legislative process starts with the bill’s first reading by publication in the Journal. The Speaker will refer the bill to committees in one of the houses. The committees may amend, accept or reject the bill. The bill is then sent to the House or Senate. The second reading takes place when the bill is introduced at the start of the legislative session and read on the Special Order Calendar where it is debated and amended. The bill is then taken up on third reading before being voted on by the House or Senate. If the bill does not receive a favorable vote, it dies on the floor. If the House or Senate pass the bill, it sends a message and the bill to the other house for voting. The other house takes the bill through a similar process and returns it with a message to the originating house. If the bill passes both houses, it is enrolled and sent to the Governor for approval.
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