MEETING MINUTES FLORIDA TAX COLLECTOR S ASSOCIATION PUBLIC INFORMATION COALITION

Transcription

1 FLORIDA TAX COLLECTOR S ASSOCIATION PUBLIC INFORMATION COALITION MEETING MINUTES Meeting: PIC Quarterly Meeting When: Thursday, January 22, 2015 Where: Lee Cunty Attendees: 1. Nancy Millan, Hillsbrugh Cunty, PIC Chair, Leadership Team Member, Meeting Facilitatr Educatin Cmmittee Chair Administratin Cmmittee Member 2. Brenna Haggar, Pinellas Cunty, PIC C-Chair, Leadership Team Member, Meeting Facilitatr Administratin Cmmittee Chair 3. Aarn Frisbee, Brevard Cunty, Leadership Team Member, Meeting Facilitatr Fall Cnference Cmmittee Chair Administratin Cmmittee Member 4. Chris Sttz, Brward Cunty, Leadership Team Member, Meeting Facilitatr Cmmunicatins Cmmittee Chair Administratin Cmmittee Member 5. Janne Rbertsn, Lee Cunty, Meeting Hst 6. Steffan Burris, Lee Cunty, Graphic Design Cmmittee Chair 7. Jsue Valbrn, Lee Cunty 8. Carla Hills, Hillsbrugh Cunty 9. Melissa Russell, Charltte Cunty Educatin Cmmittee Member 10. Kim Jnes, Charltte Cunty Educatin Cmmittee Member 11. Dra Smith, Charltte Cunty 12. Christine Lee, Charltte Cunty Scial Media Cmmittee Member 13. Alexandria Thmpsn, Len Cunty Scial Media Cmmittee Member 14. Steve Hall, Marin Cunty Graphic Design Cmmittee Member 15. Deb Dbsn, Marin Cunty Educatin Cmmittee Member 16. Greg Girdan, Pas Cunty Legislative Cmmittee Chair 17. Lauren Wd, Duval Cunty

2 Scial Media Cmmittee Chair 18. Jayne Jhnsn, St. Lucie Cunty Scial Media Cmmittee Member 19. Jan Hilker, Manatee Cunty Educatin Cmmittee Member 20. Rana Mye, Sarasta Cunty 21. Melissa Parsns, Cllier Cunty 22. Wyndell Wallace, Clumbia Cunty Scial Media Cmmittee Member Graphic Design Cmmittee Member 23. Kelly Quinter, Orange Cunty MEETING SUMMARY Meeting Minutes: Nancy Millan and Brenna Haggar: Intrductins and review f missin and visin Greg Girdan: Mck Legislative Educatin Sessin, see separate ntes sectin belw Lunch Brenna Haggar: Legislative revisit t intrduce current bills that may affect tax cllectr ffices thrughut the state and intrduce Senate Tracker Aarn Frisbee: FTC PIC website review and new PIC submissin (pic@brevardtc.cm) NEW Passwrd: PIC2015 Ideas t add: 1. Charltte Cunty driver license public/private partnership bags that prmte dcument requirements fr driver license, 2. CarFit event (elderly and handicapped event t help them retrfit their car t their needs), 3. AAA teens, car seats, senir day, and bike safety events, 4. Office grand penings, 5. Hmecming/prm safety prmtin 6. Dn t text/drink and drive cars parked arund cities with signs n them saying Prvided by Yur (insert yur cunty name) Tax Cllectr Brenna Haggar: FTC Discussin Bard intrductin and verview Chris Sttz and Brenna Haggar: PIC cmmittees verview and develpment, cmmittee members and chairs listed in the attendees sectin f these minutes, additinal members can be fund in the PIC Cmmittees Cntact List dcument Chris Sttz: Meeting wrap up, next meeting plan, and grup picture Educatin Sessin Ntes: Next Meeting: Thursday, May 14, 2015 in Pinellas Cunty PIC Assignment/Actin Item: All cmmittees must cnnect prir t the next meeting and develp a descriptin/missin fr their cmmittee and present it n May 14 th. MOCK LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION SESSION WITH GREG GIORDANO

3 Hw des a bill becme a law? Starts with an idea (tax cllectrs, special interest grup, citizens ) Citizen: Chris Sttz Made an appintment with Senatr Dbsn t present his prpsed bill idea universal healthcare fr all Flridians he thinks t much mney being spent n unnecessary ER visits and csts didn t the Gvernr reject sme f the federal mney ffered I wuld als like t make state dllars mre transparent s see where ur tax dllars are ging hw lng is this prcess, are there ther flks that I need t get supprt frm? Senatr: Deb Dbsn Have yu thught abut the funding fr universal healthcare, where wuld the funding cme frm? It will ultimately be cming frm the taxpayers I understand that the Gvernr rejected the federal dllars, but it was because f the stipulatins. Hwever, Lauren and I will take a lk at yur prpsal and see what we can d. I will als lk t see if there is supprt frm ther legislatrs it is imprtant t have supprt t mve this frward (assume Senatr Dbsn is ging t file the legislatin, which she must get supprt frm ther legislatrs t mve it frward). She received the necessary supprt and she prpsed Dbsn Care. Senatr Dbsn s Legislative Aid: Lauren Wd Healthcare Senate Cmmittee: Steve Hall, Kelly Quinter, Jayne Jhnsn (Chairman), Alexandria Thmpsn, Wyndell Wallace Pr-Bill Advcates: Steffan Burris and Jan Hilker can g t senate healthcare cmmittee t amend bill Anti-Bill Advcates: Aarn Frisbee, Janne Rbertsn (insurance, businesses, etc.) can g t senate healthcare cmmittee t amend bill Gvernr: Carla Hills, she is interested in the bill because it has legs/tractin President f the Senate: Jsue Valbrn At the Senate Cmmittee Meeting: Public hearing meeting, pr and anti-bill advcates Senatr Dbsn presents SB 123 Universal Healthcare fr Flrida Residents She stated it is a high pririty t cnstituents in Flrida, and it is elected fficials duty t review. Chair pened the flr fr public cmment Pr-cnstituent presents visin fr universal healthcare system fr Flrida, lw incme tax incentive s they can insure their families hw can yu be pr-life and nt fr healthcare? Let s be a leader in the cuntry Anti-bill advcate rebuttal Janne Rbertsn (Hertz crpratin f Lee Cunty) we have already been strapped by the federal healthcare, where wuld this funding be cming frm? Afraid that funding will cme frm increased taxes n businesses. Cmmittee Chair calls n anther speaker frm the pr-bill advcate (Jan Hilker with daughter Carla Hills) they spent all f their life savings n getting Carla well they need as much supprt as they can get (in reality, this happens ften, emtinal appeal). Cmmittee Chair calls n anther speaker frm the anti-bill advcate (small business wner, Aarn Frisbee) let s fix the insurance system we have place, healthcare is nt free that s all there is t it als as individuals, are they ging t mandate what type f healthcare we have, I dn t believe in handing ut free healthcare (questins asked by cmmittee, discussin ensued). Pr-Bill Advcate (Steffan Burris, Yung Peple s Assciatin Representative) yung peple need healthcare, they are ging t g t the ER anyways and the taxpayers will be respnsible fr the csts the yung peple f America want this bill. When Senatr Dbsn cmes back up t the pdium, Cmmittee Member Wallace asked her t make an amendment t the bill t make sure small businesses can sustain the csts, a subsidy fr small businesses based n the size f the business the panel discusses Senatr Dbsn cmments that they understand the ppsitin, there will nt be an impact t small businesses, it is already addressed in the bill, research has been cmpleted and it will nt affect small businesses, this is in additin t the mandatry healthcare bill that has already passed

4 Cmmittee member Steve Hall adds t amendment that the amunt paid fr insurance shuld be based n the amunt earned by each individual nt a blanket percentage Cmmittee vtes t amend the riginal amendment, amendment passes Senatr says she supprts the amendment Cmmittee vtes t adpt the bill and mve it SB 123 frward t the Huse This was the first cmmittee, when passed; nw it will g t mre cmmittees the same prcess will take place Eventually the bill gets t the flr f the senate,11 senatrs in ttal + the President f the Senate this is the day the senate will take up Dbsn Care (SB 123) President recgnizes Senatr Dbsn (n amendments fr tday, they were reslved in cmmittee reviews) wh presented standing frm her seat The senate decides t g with the bill as is N final cmments Senatr Dbsn makes a clsing plea fr the bill Bill passes by majrity f 6 ut f 11 vtes and is passed n t the Huse f Representatives This entire prcess takes place again in the Huse f Representatives assume the huse passed the bill Senatr Dbsn r citizen wuld have apprached a Huse Representative t mve a similar bill frward at the same time the huse bill may be a little different because f amendments in reality if the SB and HB pass but are different, it can g back and frth between the senate and the huse until agreed upn r it may be killed due t indecisin/lack f supprt Gvernr signs SB 123! Universal healthcare is nw adpted in Flrida! General Legislative Ntes If a bill is filed in September, it may nt reach the agenda until Octber January, if the chairman likes r believes he/she has the vtes t kill it, it will shw up quickly, if he/she really desn t like it, it may never appear n the agenda. There is usually a ceremny when the gvernr signs a bill. Senate may put time limit fr public cmment during meetings/hearings (i.e. tw minutes per persn). When the chair pens the flr fr public cmment each presenter will receive an appearance card and the cmmittee chair will call him r her up in rder. Cmmittee can ask questins f any presenter. Public can nly speak when it is their designated time they may request t address afterwards If ther cmmittee members have questins, they must have the apprval f the cmmittee chair Public hearings/presentatins n bills usually run tw hurs. After everyne has spken, the presenting speaker cmes up t clse, this is where she will present her psitin and the cmmittee tells her what they are cnsidering The regular legislative sessin starts n the first Tuesday after the first Mnday in March fr a perid nt t exceed 60 days. Hwever, every ten years the regular sessin is mved t earlier in the year in rder t reapprtin legislative districts. The dates fr the 60-day perid f this regular sessin are fixed by law. ( Preliminary senate and huse meetings start in September, twice a mnth meetings. When a bill is filed, the speaker f the huse and president f the senate lk at the bill t see which cmmittees f reference f the huse and senate it tuches the first cmmittee f reference is the mst imprtant because they review the bill and make any amendment recmmendatins. If a bill is killed in the first cmmittee it is dne, if passes there is a gd chance t get it t the flr fr a vte. Gal f spnsring senatr t get it ut f the first cmmittee, amended r nt public is given the pprtunity t speak n every amendment.

5 Bills must pass by majrity (three t tw vtes in a five-member cmmittee) cmmittee is usually set up prprtinally bipartisan. Many times bill amendments will be adpted, but the bill will be vted dwn, may be t placate cnstituents. When a bill is ready fr a vte n the flr, a large prtin f the senate had already reviewed r is aware f the bill. When a bill is n the flr fr a vte, press and visitrs bserve frm the gallery. Every senatr has a phne at their desk is t cmmunicate with their legislative assistant in the capitl ffice. Senatrs are free t get up, walk arund and talk t ther senatrs at will while they are in sessin. Every senatr may cmment, they sign up befrehand and the president will call them t speak it is t the advantage f the bill t have peple speak n the bill smetimes high-up leaders (speaker pr-tem, etc.) may nt weigh in because f the cntrversial nature f the bill. The cmmittee chair at every step has a tremendus amunt f pwer, if they dn t like it, they dn t have t put it n the agenda hwever the president can ask that they put it n the agenda, if they dn t the president may take they ut f the chair rle f that cmmittee. When the bill is n the flr, it is a ppular time fr senatrs t weigh in and get their pinin ut there since the press is in attendance. Senatrs may ask questins directly t the spnsr f the bill. Once the bill passes the senate it is ut f the chamber and they have n cntrl ver it anymre, it ges t the huse. 40-member senate, need majrity (21 vtes) t pass, (taxatin and cnstitutinal amendments are different, require larger majrity) senatrs push green r red buttn t pass, shws up n vting bards. A bill must pass bth chambers t get t the Gvernr s desk. Representatives are generally mre invlved than senatrs. The same peple that lbby the senate and the huse can lbby the gvernr especially effective if the gvernr is undecided n the bill. The gvernr can ask senate r huse members t amend the bill based n any cncerns they have. The gvernr has a perid f time t adpt r vet if it passes during sessin he has 7 days frm the time the bill arrives at his desk t sign, if the sessin ends befre the riginal 7 day timeframe ends, he has 15 days t sign. Bills can take years t pass fr example the drug mnitring prgram legislatin tk nine years t be passed. What des all this have t d with PIOs? It is imprtant that we understand the prcess fr when we are talking abut and creating press releases that have an effect n ur rganizatins We need t advcate what is imprtant t ur tax cllectrs Mandates are always a pssibility fr anyne in this rm When we g t Tallahassee

6 Handut frm Greg: Seven Keys t Successful Legislative Advcacy Schedule in advance if pssible: General recmmendatin, call tw weeks ahead f time during sessin t request an appintment, shuld be in ffice all day every day during sessin, district ffice may nt need as much ntice Be plite/respectful f legislatr and staff: Aides are the gatekeepers, the legislatr is the ne that vtes the aides d the bulk f the wrk/research, effective advcates and lbbyists remember the aides always thank them, be plite and respectful! Be cncise: There is nthing wrse than sitting and having smene taking 30 minutes t tell yu smething that culd be tld in 5 minutes 3-5 minutes is ideal just say what yu want them t d Understand and be able t explain bth sides f the issue: Yu must understand bth sides t rebut ptential arguments t arm the legislatr with infrmatin if they ask and yu cannt respnd with rebuttal they may dismiss yur request Specifically ask fr legislatr t take actin (i.e. vte fr bill, vte against amendment, etc.): ASK THEM TO DO SOMETHING supprt, nt supprt, amend, speak abut the issue, etc (i.e. Please vte fr this bill that is being presented next Tuesday.) Leave material with a brief summary f yur request as well as yur cntact infrmatin: One page at mst, cncise talking pints AND the ask with yur cntact infrmatin Fllw-up with a thank yu card r nte: Thank the staff persn and the legislatr keeps yu n their radar. Q&A Q: Wuld it be better t g t a senatr/representative n a cmmittee r g t lcal representative? A: Yu want t invlve yur lcal members always they will have t vte n it when it cmes t the flr and yu dn t want t surprise them all cunties have a legislative delegatin meeting pubic can cme up and give presentatins, great pprtunity, g t thse meetings, (general rule f thumb: call yur speaking fr 10 peple, letter 100 peple), DON T USE frm letters! Legislatrs will nt listen t them. Handwrite imprtant letters! Als, dn t use rb calls t legislatr, nt Q: Where d yu mail letters t, lcal ffice r Tallahassee? A: Always smene in the lcal ffice, legislatrs in Tallahassee in March and April near write t district ffice, if it s cming up immediately, Tallahassee, thank yu cards t district ffice Q: Can yu leave additinal research materials with legislative aides? A: Yu can leave whatever yu want but put a cver sheet n it with a summary in reality they d nt have the time t read it Additinal research available upn request is a gd ptin t add t the summary page. Q: Hw many ptential bills cme thrugh that dn t get seen the public? A: Average f 2,000 bills prpsed each sessin, 160 members (120 Huse, 40 Senate), Average f 10-20% f bills passed, S ¼ f all bills filed actually pass Actin Items: 1. All cmmittees must cnnect prir t the next meeting and develp a descriptin/missin fr their cmmittee and present it n May 14 th. 2. Administratin Cmmittee t publish mnthly PIC update e-newsletter starting at the end f February. All cmmittees shuld send stries/tpics t pic@brevardtc.cm. Legislative Day: Wednesday, March 11, 2015, Tallahassee Next PIC Meeting: Thursday, May 14, 2015, Pinellas Cunty