Legislative Archives
Explore past legislative platforms, agendas, and session reviews that reflect the Chamber’s advocacy efforts and policy priorities over time.
2024 Legislative Review
State Priorities
Federal Priorities
Transportation
- Support policies and funding that expand transit and mobility options for South Florida residents through the County’s SMART Program.
- Seek additional transit project funding through increased flexibility of FDOT District funding programs.
- Work with the Florida Dept. of Transportation to amend rule 14-90 to allow local transit agencies to have more flexibility in partnering with the private sector for on-demand transportation procurement opportunities.
- Carefully Monitoring HB 0287/SB 0266, HB 0479/ SB 0688, HB 0749/ SB 1032 HB 130/ SB 1226
Workforce Housing
- Support legislation that will strengthen the state’s "Live Local Act"; which provides historic funding levels for the State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) and State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP), as well as additional tax incentives for Workforce and Affordable Housing. Strengthening the state’s ability to recruit and retain a solid workforce.
- Support SB 0328 (Calatayud)/ HB 1239 (Lopez)
Workforce Development & Education
- Support legislation that will attract more healthcare providers to the state of Florida.
- Support Live Healthy Legislation SB 7016/ SB 7018
- BENEFITS CLIFF ABATEMENT: Address eligibility to Florida’s School Readiness program while positively affecting income stability and avoiding a benefits cliff for Florida families.
- Support SB 0916 (Calatayud)/ HB 0929 (Trabulsy)
Resiliency
- Advocate for continued property insurance legislation reforms which entice additional private providers to write policies in Florida.
- Support policies and funding for the PortMiami NetZero: Cargo Mobility Optimization and Resiliency Project. Advocate for inland port expansion.
Economic Development
International
- Support Consulate General of Canada in Miami's initiative to invite the Miami-Dade Congressional Delegation to join the Bipartisan American Canadian Economy and Security Caucus (ACES), recognizing Canada's pivotal role in propelling South Florida's economic growth.
- Support extending the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) to December 31, 2029, and provide duty refunds without interest since the program's expiration, which cost US importers $3 billion in additional costs, with Florida businesses bearing an estimated $300 million burden.
Transportation
- Support the Biden Administration's FY 2025 Budget request to Congress to fund the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works, facilitating the Northeast corridor rapid transit project. Although initially budgeted at $263.7 million, with rising costs totaling $900 million, the desired federal share of $450 million is crucial for the project's Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) from the FTA, advancing it toward implementation.
- Support policies and funding that expand transit and mobility options for South Florida residents through the County’s SMART Program.
- Support policies and funding for the PortMiami NetZero: Cargo Mobility Optimization and Resiliency Project. Advocate for inland port expansion.
Workforce Development and Education
Resiliency
2023 Legislative Platform
Transportation
- Support policies and funding that expand transit and mobility options for South Florida residents
through the County’s SMART Program.
Support policies and funding for the PortMiami NetZero: Cargo Mobility Optimization and Resiliency
Project. Advocate for inland port expansion.
Seek additional transit project funding through increased flexibility of FDOT District funding
programs
Work with the Florida Dept. of Transportation to amend rule 14-90 to allow local transit agencies to
have more flexibility in partnering with the private sector for on-demand transportation procurement opportunities.
Workforce Housing
as well as additional tax incentives for Workforce and Affordable Housing. Strengthen the state’s ability to recruit and retain a solid workforce.
Workforce Development & Education
- Support legislation that will attract more healthcare providers to the state of Florida
- BENEFITS CLIFF ABATEMENT: Address eligibility to Florida’s School Readiness program while
positively affecting income stability and avoiding a benefits cliff for Florida families.- Amend the School Readiness program eligibility criteria for low-income working families to align
with Florida’s growing economy by adopting an eligibility threshold based on 300% of the
Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (to align with Florida KidCare) - Maintain existing funding for the School Readiness program and ensure that the funding
methodology considers all community needs.
- Amend the School Readiness program eligibility criteria for low-income working families to align
Resiliency
- Advocate for continued property insurance legislation reforms which entice additional private providers
to write policies in Florida.
*Legislative bills will be attached to each priority as they develop.
2022 Legislative Review
During the 2022 Legislative Session, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce supported three key policy bills pass the Legislature: SB 7014, SB 434, and HB 513. In addition, several priority funding projects in transportation, resilience and healthcare were endowed for the City of Miami, the Miami-Dade County, and Miami Dade College.
Nevertheless, various issues are pending, including policy issues related to benefits cliffs, such as School Readiness funding parity and KidCare eligibility. Speaker-designate Paul Renner intends to make benefits cliffs one of his areas of focus. The Chamber will continue to work with local providers and policy makers to ensure employees and their families receive appropriate support.
At 1:03 p.m. on March 14, the Florida Legislature adjourned, sine die. Since the committee weeks before this year’s legislative session started in January, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce has been advocating and focusing its time in Tallahassee to promote seminal state bills tied to our seven Legislative Priorities: Healthcare, Economic Development, Tourism, Resiliency, Transportation, Workforce Housing, and Education and Workforce Development. Every issue on the Chamber’s priorities had an associated bill or legislative budget request. Following is a review of how the bills fared.
Healthcare
SB 7014 - COVID-19-related Claims Against Health Care Providers.
The bill extends the length of time that health care providers receive certain liability protections from COVID-19-related claims from March 29, 2022, to June 1, 2023.
- Passed Senate (22-13) and House (87-31) - Approved by Governor Chapter No. 2022-10
Take-away: Our healthcare businesses get extended protection from frivolous lawsuits.
HB 5001 – General Appropriations Act
Miami Dade College - Registered Nurses Growth Plan – $600,500
Take-away: Prior to session, GMCC attend a nursing shortage roundtable with Lt. Governor Nunez and President Pumariega at Miami Dade College.
This funding will help Miami Dade College turn a potential shortage into dynamic career pathways and pipelines.
Tourism
SB 434 - Florida Tourism Marketing
The bill extends the scheduled repeal date for the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation, doing business as VISIT FLORIDA, and the Division of Tourism Marketing within Enterprise Florida, Inc., until October 1, 2028.
- Passed the Senate (36-3) and House (98-17) On its way to Governor DeSantis
Take-away: VISIT FLORIDA’s efforts to lure visitors to Florida are important now more than ever as we rebound from COVID-19. This agency is key to driving more tourists to Miami businesses.
Resiliency
HB 513 – Comprehensive Review Study of the Central and Southern Florida Project
The bill requires the South Florida Water Management District (District) to prepare and submit a consolidated annual report regarding the status of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 216 Central and Southern Florida Project Infrastructure Resiliency Study to the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report is due by October 1, 2023, and each October 1, thereafter.
Passed House (113-0) and Senate (38-0). On its way to Governor DeSantis.
HB 2639 – Coral Gables Citywide Septic to Sewer Conversion Assessment – $187,500
Take-away: This project will help the City of Coral Gables complete a comprehensive sewer system assessment. The City estimates that over 7,400 properties are currently on septic tanks.
Transportation
HB 2807: Ludlam Trail Corridor High Speed Fiber Internet Infrastructure – Not in budget
HB 2839: Ludlam Trail Corridor – $2,000,000
Take-away: The funds will be used for the design and construction of the Ludlam Trail, a 5.6-mile greenway corridor to be used for nonmotorized active transportation to work, school, and play for approximately 40,000 residents with a half-amile of the trail, and providing a safe route to school for students. The trail connects to five greenways, four parks, two transit hubs and three schools.
HB 2393: The South Dade Trail Multi-Use/Mobility Corridor – $3,000,000
Take-away: The funds will be used to plan, design, and create design criteria plan for improvements along the South Dade Trail's 20-mile off-road mobility - multi-modal corridor.
Workforce Housing
SB 1150 (Rodriguez)/HB 495 (Rodriguez): Tax Exemption for Affordable Housing
The bill authorizes a county or municipality to adopt an ordinance to grant an ad valorem tax exemption for property used to provide affordable housing. The property must be in a multifamily project that contains 50 or more residential units, and at least 10 percent must be used to provide affordable housing. The Bill limits the exemption to 75 percent of the assessed value of the units used to provide affordable housing. Units may be entirely exempt if 100 percent of the multifamily project’s residential units are used to provide affordable housing.
House: Not heard Senate: Made it to the 3rd committee of reference
Sadowski Funds SAIL: $53,250,000 SHIP: $209,475,000 Total Housing: $337,725,000 Take-away: The House and Senate fully appropriated the Sadowski Housing Trust funds.
Education & Workforce Development
SB 1918 (Taddeo)/HB 1319 (Nixon): School Readiness Program
The bill requires early learning coalitions to adopt a payment rate schedule rather than a payment schedule. It also requires early learning coalitions to reimburse contracted school readiness program providers the minimum payment rate. Senate: Not heard House: Made it to the second committee of reference.
SB 1422 (Perry)/HB 1181 (Bartleman): Florida Kidcare Program Eligibility
Senate 1422 increases the income eligibility threshold for coverage under the Florida Kidcare program and requires an applicant seeking coverage under the program to provide certain documentation if eligibility cannot be verified using reliable data sources.
Not heard in the House or Senate.
2022 State Legislative Agenda
2021 State Legislative Platform
Healthcare
- Extend the timeframe for which COVID-19-related claims may not be brought against health care providers to December 31, 2023. – Support SB 7014/HB 2021 (Judiciary): COVID-19-related Claims
- Provide sufficient medical professionals to meet current & future demands.
Economic Development
Tourism
Extend the scheduled repeal date for the VISIT FLORIDA and Enterprise Florida, Inc.’s Division of Tourism Marketing until October 1, 2031. – Support SB 434 (Hooper)/HB 489 (Chaney): Florida Tourism Marketing
Resiliency
Transportation
Workforce Housing
Education & Workforce Development
- Eliminate the disparity in reimbursement between our providers in more affluent communities and those in the high-need areas; all children deserve a high-quality early education, regardless of their zip code. – Support SB 1918 (Taddeo)/HB 1319 (Nixon): School Readiness Program
- Support increases in Florida KidCare eligibility for our hard-working employees & their families. – Support SB 1422 (Perry)/HB 1181 (Bartleman): Florida Kidcare Program Eligibility
COVID-19 Liability Protection
Resiliency
Education
- Continue the Funding Compression and Hold Harmless Allocation formula established during the 2020 legislative session to address inequities of the current District Cost Differential calculation.
- Support state funding for a high-quality, full-day Voluntary PreKindergarten (VPK) program. – Support HB 419 (Grall)/SB 1282 (Harrell)
Workforce Development
Transportation
Workforce Housing
2020 State Legislative Platform
2019 State Advocacy Recap
Education
- Ensure that the district cost differential (DCD) properly accounts for the high cost of living in South Florida and empowers our school district to recruit and retain top talent.
- Increase investment in our attainment outcomes by increasing teacher salaries.
- Support state funding for a high-quality, full-day Voluntary PreKindergarten (VPK) program.
- Invest in our future workforce by improving attainment outcomes for our students – Support HB 187 (Zika).
Workforce Development
- Streamline occupational license attainment to increase jobs & reduce costly regulation. – Support HB 707 (Renner)/SB 1124 (Diaz)
- Create a Florida Business and Workforce Competitiveness Fund to assist existing businesses in meeting the demands of the everadvancing marketplace and assist job seekers obtain gainful employment.
Transportation
Workforce Housing
- Fully-fund the State Housing and Local Government Housing trust funds. – Support HB 381 (Silvers)/SB 306 (Mayfield)
- Allow local governments to waive impact fees for supportive housing by nonprofit, community-based organizations, whose government funding threshold is 75% or greater.
Sustainability
Healthcare
- Prohibit any state authority from suspending or revoking a professional license based solely on the licensee being delinquent on a payment of or defaulting on his or her student loan. – Support HB 115 (Duran)/SB 356 (Hutson)
- Continue investment in the Road to Recovery program.
Transportation
Position
- Retaining financial revenues generated by the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) here in Miami.
Actions
- Committee Level Meetings/Presentations: 3
- Met with Mayor Gimenez and had him address Trustee Luncheon guests
- Meetings with State Legislators: 29
Results
- HB 385 (Transportation) passed. It will eliminate MDX and replace it with the Greater Miami Expressway Agency (GMX)
- MDX expected to sue
- MDX bond rating had dropped at least 1 notch, which is an estimated $40M impact. Other impacts are bond refinancing ($237M) and signage changes ($40M)
- Kendall Parkway and 5-year work program expected not to finish on time
Workforce Development
Position
Fully-fund the State Housing and Local Government Housing trust funds
Actions
Pre-session meeting with 4 freshman House members
Meetings with State Legislators: 22
Results
- Sadowski funds partially raided to support Hurricane Michael recovery
- Affordable Housing Program: $31,040,00
- State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program (SHIP): $46,560,000
- Hurricane Housing Recovery Program: $65,000,000
- Rental Recovery Loan Program: $50,000,000
- Kendall Parkway and 5-year work pogram expected not to finish on time
- HB7103 impacts local ability to set rules for developments impacting rent control and affordable housing. Bad news: That bill passed. Good news: amendments were added that preserve Miami’s Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance for affordable housing
Education
Early learning
Position
Increase School Readiness (SR) program funding: Restore Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) funding to 2007 levels ($2,677 per child); and expand the Help Me Grow (HMG) program
Actions
Meetings with State Legislators: 19
Results
HB 1027 passed. It requires the Office of Early Learning to develop early learning professional development training and course standards for school readiness program providers and identify both formal and informal early learning career pathways with stackable credentials and certifications, which allow early childhood teachers to access specialized professional development
K-12
Position
Ensure that the district cost defferential (DCD) properly accoutns for the high cost of living in South Florida and empowers our school district to recruit and retain top talent
Actions
Miami Herald Op-Ed: https://hrld.us/2H5yWuL
Meetings with State Legislators: 28
Result
The Office of Economic and Demographic Research (EDR) will create a methodology to determine the impact to school borads if the DCD is changed.
Higher learning
Position
Invest in our future workforce by improving attainmetn outcomes for our students.
Actions
Meetings with State Legislators: 19
Result
HB 189 (Postsecondary Education for Secondary Students) passed. The bill authorizes district school boards to establish an early college program with a state university or an eligible institution.
Environment
Position
Protect South Florida’s economy through greater investment in the Everglades, water quality and sea level rise
Actions
Meetings with State Legislators: 19
Result
$1.5 million for Miami Biscayne Bay Tidal Waves and Stormwater Improvements, in addtion to $360 million for Everglades restoration projects outlined in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.