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Florida Statutory Changes
Public Works Issues

Transportation
SUPPORT restoring monies generated by statewide gas tax collections to the State Transportation Fund to ensure essential transportation programs are fully funded.
Relates to returning revenues generated from the state service charge (seven percent) on local option fuel taxes back to the county where the tax was levied to meet local transportation needs.
(This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Local Option Gas Taxes
SUPPORT legislation giving counties the authority to index their local option gas taxes to annual changes in the consumer price index (CPI). (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Bascule Bridges
SUPPORT legislation that would give the State of Florida responsibility for the bascule bridges which cross the Intracoastal Waterway.

Solid Waste Management
SUPPORT funding of Solid Waste Management Grants. SUPPORT legislation that ensures adequate revenues from waste tire fees are returned to counties to combat mosquito infestations and prevent the illegal dumping of tires. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Water Conservation
SUPPORT legislation establishing a statewide policy that requires the local determination of the phase-in and implementation of conservation rate structures for public and private water utilities. OPPOSE statewide requirement to adopt drought rates as part of conservation rate structures. SUPPORT a statewide policy that provides for the implementation of informative billing, provided there is an appropriate phase-in period and state financial assistance for small utilities. OPPOSE statewide requirements to implement sub-metering of multi-family residential units. SUPPORT legislation that encourages state agencies, water management districts, local governments, landscaping contractors and builders to develop and implement irrigation design and installation standards that promote water conservation. SUPPORT state and regional financial and regulatory incentives to encourage water conservation, including, but not limited to, water use permitting incentives for utilities that voluntarily implement reuse programs. Promote the greater utilization of reclaimed water and stormwater through state and regional financial and regulatory incentives. SUPPORT viable state and regional funding programs for greater and more efficient use of reclaimed water and stormwater. SUPPORT state, regional and local water conservation education campaigns. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Water Pricing and Privatization
OPPOSE legislation that shifts water supply allocation from a publicly regulated process to a market driven process. OPPOSE legislation that undermines the fundamental principles of Florida water law, which establish a right of use not a right of ownership. SUPPORT legislation that preserves the fundamental principles of Florida water law, which requires a showing that a proposed use of water is a reasonable-beneficial use, will not interfere with an existing legal use of water, and is consistent with the public interest. SUPPORT legislation consistent with the fundamental principles of Florida water law, that will allow water management districts the flexibility to work with local governments to establish procedures to manage reallocation efforts when regions have reached or surpassed their sustainable amount of water usage. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Water Supply Funding
SUPPORT legislation that enhances regional and local financial capacity to address water resource and water supply development. SUPPORT legislation that enhances the flexibility of expenditures from the state, regional, and local funding sources to address water resource and supply development. OPPOSE any legislation to expand the existing limitations on the use of Florida Forever funding for water resource development.
(This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Finance and Administration Issues

Article V/Revision 7
The Volusia County Councils supports the implementation of Article V by the constitutionally mandated deadline of July 1, 2004, in the manner expressed and intended by the framers of Revision 7, the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission. Volusia County also supports the revision of the definitions of county responsibilities to be consistent with the provision of the Constitution of the State of Florida. Volusia County opposes efforts to reduce or eliminate existing county revenue sources or require county funding of additional state programs in implementing Revision 7, so the true intent of the voters will be realized. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Teen Court Legislation
Support legislation which would enable counties to continue collection of Teen Court Revenue. Volusia County supports an amendment to F.S. 938.17 which would enable a $3 fee assessed by the court system to be collected and deposited into an account specifically for the operation and administration of the Teen Court.

Public Protection Issues

Emergency Medical Services
The Volusia County Council respectfully requests that the Florida Legislature make no changes to 401 F.S. and maintain a county wide regulatory system for emergency medical services through the existing Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (COPCN) process. (This is a guiding principle of FAC.)

Juvenile Detention Facilities Legislation
The Volusia County Council opposes any legislation which shifts the costs for the predisposition detention of juveniles to the county. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Pre-trial Release
OPPOSE any legislation that will diminish the First Appearance Judges’ authority to release inmates through the current non-monetary release program. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

County Emergency Radio Systems
The Volusia County Council opposes legislation that would shift funds away from or impede counties from building and maintaining an inter-operable radio communication system as authorized by statute. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Community Services Issues

County Heath Departments
SUPPORT maintaining state general revenue funding for county health departments and OPPOSE any state reductions to the county health department trust funds. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

County Medicaid Responsibilities
SUPPORT legislation that reduces inpatient hospital costs by limiting county responsibility to only the 13th-45th day of hospital coverage. Moreover, SUPPORT legislation requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to reimburse counties the amount of mandated county contributions when AHCA recovers Medicaid costs from liable third parties. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Medicaid Mandate
OPPOSE legislation increasing the county share for nursing home and inpatient hospital costs. SUPPORT legislation recognizing the disproportionate impacts at the county level due to Medicaid caseloads and county’s limited revenue capacity. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Medicaid Transportation Disadvantaged
OPPOSE and shifts to county governments for costs associated with Medicaid Transportation Disadvantaged. Oppose the proposed $17 million cut to MTD that would eliminate Medicaid non-emergency, non-disabled transportation.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse
SUPPORT revising the local match requirement to reflect current programs, funding sources, state contracting, and reimbursement requirements of the state. Additionally, SUPPORT increased state funding for community mental health and substance abuse services, crisis stabilization units, prevention and intervention programs for consumers including older adults, and the local planning process. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Growth and Resource Management Issues

Growth Management
OPPOSE any legislation that erodes county authority to regulate development pursuant to the Growth Management Act of 1985. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Cell Tower Siting
Relates to efforts to override local authority to regulate the placement of cellular facilities. (This is also a Florida Association of Counties position.)

Funding Requests
Emergency Services Institute /Emergency Operations Center

The Volusia County Council respectfully requests the Florida Legislature’s assistance in funding an Emergency Services Institute and Emergency Operations Center. This is a joint project between Daytona Beach Community College and Volusia County Government. - $2 million

Water and Sewer projects
The Volusia County Council respectfully requests the Florida Legislature’s assistance in funding the following water projects (The first two projects have been short-listed in the Water Project Funding program):
North Peninsula (Ormond Beach) sewer system - $20 million total in increments of $5 million per year for four years
Stone Island – extend central service to remainder of island - $1 million
Southwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility Reclaimed Augmentation -
project can reduce the Floridan Aquifer groundwater demand in Southwest Volusia County by extending reclaimed lines to meet irrigating needs. $16 million total in increments of $4 million per year for four years.

Spring Hill stormwater, water, sewer and road project

The Volusia County Council and the City of DeLand respectfully requests the Florida Legislature’s assistance in funding a significant program in the Spring Hill area of unincorporated Volusia County. The requested amount of $1.4 million will fund the first phase of the needed infrastructure. Together, the County and City will provide $735,000 in local match for the first phase. The total cost of the project will be $8.3 million

Library Funding
The Volusia County Council respectfully requests that the Florida Legislature fund the State Aid to Public Libraries at $43,530,000. This funding provides approximately $750,000 annually to Volusia County.

Historic Preservation Grant Funding
The Volusia County Council respectfully requests that the Florida Legislature fully fund the Historic Preservation Special Categories Grant Program. Over $800,000 of projects in Volusia County were ranked for funding.

Florida Forever Funding
The Volusia County Council respectfully requests the Florida Legislature’s assistance in funding the entire Florida Forever program as originally intended.

Rural And Family Lands Protection Act
The Volusia County Council respectfully requests the Florida Legislature’s assistance in funding the Rural and Family Lands Protection Act in the amount of $25,000,000. This Act allows local governments to create partnerships for conservation easements and rural lands protection easements.

Legislation and Issues to Monitor

Annexation Reform
Legislation is being proposed regarding reform of municipal legislation for the dual purposes of supporting acceptable growth management principles and promoting cost-effective and efficient local government service delivery. (FAC)

Community Redevelopment Agencies
Monitor legislation being proposed to revising the Tax Increment Financing provisions to allow the needs of both redevelopment and the general purpose governments to be met in the later years of the CRA. (FAC)

County Jails
Monitor discussions and possible legislation as relates to various issues impacting the cost and operations of county jails including, but not limited to, staffing increase in the mentally ill population, bed capacity/infrastructure expansion demands, and housing of state prisoners. (FAC)

Human Services Funding
Monitor discussions and proposed legislation regarding social service needs related to child welfare and long-term care.

Infrastructure Funding
Proposed legislation includes several components that Volusia County should monitor. (FAC)

Trauma Care
Relates to sufficient state funding to adequately meet the growing financial needs of the trauma care system to prevent closure of any trauma care centers.

Baker Act Reform
Monitor discussion and possible legislation as it relates to changes in the Baker Act.

For more information contact Dona DeMarsh:
(386) 736-5920 x5849

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Volusia County, Florida.