MONROE COUNTY OUTLINES STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AT PUBLIC MEETING HOSTED BY SEN. FLORES AND REP. RASCHEIN 

MARATHON, FL – Monroe County Legislative Affairs Director Lisa Tennyson outlined the County’s state legislative priorities for the 2020 session at today’s Legislative Delegation meeting hosted by State Rep. Holly Raschein and State Sen. Anitere Flores. Monroe County Commissioners Michelle Coldiron and David Rice, County Administrator Roman Gastesi, and County Attorney Bob Shillinger also attended the meeting at Marathon City Hall.

Tennyson presented and explained Monroe County’s priorities – which were approved by the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners – for the upcoming session that runs Jan. 14 through March 13, 2020:

  • Support the Florida Keys Stewardship Act for $20 million appropriation for water quality projects and $5 million for Florida Forever land acquisition
  • Support the Florida Keys Property Rights Act, formerly known as the 50-50 bill, that will codify the shared State and County responsibility on takings judgments that arise from State-imposed growth restrictions and hurricane evacuation requirements, a result of the State designation of the Florida Keys as an Area of Critical State Concern. In addition, also support a $269,685 reimbursement for the State’s 50 percent share of the Galleon Bay inverse condemnation case judgement against Monroe County and the State of Florida that Monroe County has paid in full.
  • Support legislation to limit Monroe County’s annual wind insurance rate glidepath to a maximum of 10 percent, recognizing the county pays the highest rates despite having the strongest building codes in the State of Florida.
  • Support legislation that provides local governments of the Florida Keys an exemption from Statewide preemption on vacation rental regulations legislation that would allow local governments with grandfathered ordinances to amend and update its regulations without losing its grandfathered status.
  • Support a $750,000 appropriation for the vessel pump out program and support legislative efforts to reduce the number derelict vessels and removal costs.
  • Support a $500,000 appropriation for security and facility upgrades to Monroe County’s Baker Act Receiving Facility.
  • Support $3 million DEP, DOT and/or legislative efforts to fund the construction of Sugarloaf section of the Overseas Heritage Trail.
  • Support efforts to promote the development of affordable housing including avenues like tax credit awards and full appropriation of Sadowski Trust Fund.

“Monroe County has seen many successes in the past due to the committed leadership at the State level with Holly Raschein and Anitere Flores,” Tennyson said. “We are optimistic we will continue to see success in the 2020 session.”

More information about Monroe County’s legislative priorities at the state and federal levels are available at www.monroecounty-fl.gov/legislativeaffairs.

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