Nancy Stephens, CAE, DPL
FBMA strives to bring you the latest and most up-to-date news about legislative activities that may affect your business. In that regard, FBMA has engaged Nancy Stephens, nancy d. Stephens & Associates, to provide FBMA members with information on bills of interest being filed in the Florida Legislature. You will receive updates twice a month during the months leading up to the 2016 Session, and then weekly during Session.
Ms. Stephens has a long history with both government and the private sector. During her government career she worked for the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Florida Department of Community Affairs, USDA – Farmers Home Administration, and the Florida Senate. More recently she has represented, and lobbied for, the private sector before the Florida Legislature on issues related to taxes, safety, water, education, workforce, insurance, research, regulation, appropriations, and more. She has 24 years’ experience lobbying the Florida Legislature. She will be giving FBMA members a heads up on bills related to wood, lumber and other key business issues that could affect FBMA members’ businesses.
Kicking Off the 2016 Legislative Session
The Florida Legislature will convene early in 2016, beginning on January 12, 2016 and ending on March 11, 2016. Prior to the January start date, legislators will meet in Tallahassee for interim committee meetings scheduled for September 16-18; October 5-9; October 19-23; November 2-6; November 16-20; and November 30-December 4. Legislators will hear briefing reports from agencies and associations during the interim committee meetings and begin discussing and passing bills.
Bills that may be of interest to FBMA members that have been filed through September 4, 2015 for the 2016 Session are below:
| Bill Number | Sponsor | Name | Description |
| SB 6 | Bullard | State Minimum Wage | Raises the state minimum wage from $6.15/hour to $15.00/hour |
| HB 7 | Cruz | Employment Discrimination | Equal pay for equal work for women |
| HB 33 | Rogers | Community Investment Program | Encourage investment in economically disadvantaged communities; develop criteria for investing in construction, expansion, renovation, and rehabilitation of buildings |
| HB 45 | Raschein | Prohibited Discrimination | Prohibits discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation |
| HB 51 | Jacobs | Building Code | Technical amendments to the Florida Building Code related to water conservation practices or design criteria |
| HB 55 | Pilon | Trade Secrets | Includes financial information as a trade secret |
| SB 76 | Hukill | Corporate Tax | Increasing amount of income exempt from corporate tax |
| SB 98 | Hukill | Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment | Permanent sales tax exemption for purchase of manufacturing machinery and equipment |
| HB 109 | Torres | State Minimum Wage | Raises the state minimum wage from $6.15/hour to $15.00/hour |
| HB 115 | Magar | Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment | Permanent sales tax exemption for purchase of manufacturing machinery and equipment |
| SB 116 | Hukill | Tax on Sales, Use and Other Transactions | Reduces tax on rent and lease of real property from 6 percent to 5 percent |
| SB 120 | Abruzzo | Prohibited Discrimination | Prohibits discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, race and other factors |
| SB 180 | Richter | Trade Secrets | Includes financial information as a trade secret |
| SB 188 | Braynon | Unemployment Compensation | Victims of domestic violence cannot be denied benefits for voluntarily leaving work |
If you would like a copy of any of these bills, please contact the FBMA office.