Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida February 2019 | Page 15

Legislative Priorities for
NUCA of Florida
LOCAL GOVERNMENT BIDS: HB 167 BY
REP. ANDRADE/SB 806 BY SEN. PERRY
The top priority for NUCA FL, HB 167 by Rep.
Andrade passed it first committee unanimously! On
February 20th, Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Pensacola)
presented NUCA of Florida’s local government
bidding bill which creates transparency in the
bidding process and levels the playing field for
private sector contractors. NUCA of Florida’s
lobbyists Kari Hebrank and Scott Jenkins lobbied the
committee, gaining unanimous support for HB 167
which sailed thru the H. Oversight, Transparency &
Public Management Subcommittee. HB 167 moves
next to Business & Professions Subcommittee. The
Senate companion, SB 806 by Sen. Keith Perry
(R-Gainesville) is awaiting its first hearing.
IMPACT FEES: HB 207 BY REP. DONALDS/
SB 144 BY SEN. GRUTERS
A repeat from last Session, this legislation specifies
that local governments may not collect impact
fees prior to building permit issuance (some were
collecting at platting) and codifies case law with
respect to the dual rational nexus test and utilizing
impact fees for existing debt service. Rep. Donalds
(R-Naples) did an excellent job fielding a bevy of
questions from members and HB 207 passed
unanimously thru H. Local, Federal & Veterans
Affairs Subcommittee on Feb. 20. HB 207 moves to
Commerce Committee next and the companion,
SB 144 by Sen. Gruters (R-Sarasota) will be heard in
S. Community Affairs first.
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES DAMAGE
PREVENTION SUNSHINE 811 LEGISLATION:
HB 263 BY REP. PAYNE/SB 848 BY SEN.
BROXSON
Recently, this Sunshine 811 legislation was revised
to apply only to damages to pipelines/hazardous
materials, rather than address pre-incident
occurrences. Other revisions:
• C
 reates 9-member review panel under the
Attorney General’s Office of Legal Affairs.
• T
 he sunshine 811 Board nominates 3 people for
each of the 8 industry seats and the AG appoints
the members of the panel from those nominees.
The AG can appoint whomever she wants in
the 9th (member of the public) seat. (NUCA of
Florida believes that the Association should
have a member represented on the panel.)
• T
 he panel’s enforcement is limited to damages
to gas/hazardous material lines.
• E
 xtends time to mark facilities from current 2
to 3 days. (NUCA of Florida would like a 2-year
sunset provision added to this section.)
• K
 eeps the language relating to damage/
removal of permanent markers.
PERMIT FEE TRANSPARENCY: HB 127 BY
WILLIAMSON/SB 142 BY PERRY
These bills are a carry-over from the 2018 Session
whereby the House bill died on the Senate
Calendar the final days of Regular Session. HB 127
and its companion seek to create transparency by
local governments with respect to permit fees. HB
127 has passed two House committees and the
Senate bill was approved by Senate Community
Affairs and its awaiting action in S. Innovation,
Industry and Technology.
FEBRUARY 2019 • DITCHMEN
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