Action Item: SB1576 Florida Property Rights - Action needed tonight or early Am.

[Leanne King]

  Action Alert - Contact FL Committee Senators - Stop Springs Bill SB 1576

IF you believe a FREE PEOPLE deserve the RIGHT to PRIVATE PROPERTY, then

Property Rights Assault Continues...
Legislative Alert of the "Florida Springs and Aquifer Act"

This bill is on the Appropriations Committee Agenda
(http://flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/AP/MeetingNotice/2701) this Tuesday,
April 22 at 9 AM. All those who oppose this sweeping onerous approach by our
Republican majority Senate and House should contact the committee members
below immediately, either by email today and/or by phone tomorrow.
------------------------------------------------------------

CS/CS/SB 1576: Springs (http://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2014/1576)

     As written, this bill is loaded with serious financial consequences to the
state budget, county and municipal budgets, as well as to individual
homeowners. Although the intent of the bill is to fund projects that
improve water quality in the springs, in fact, most of the millions
dedicated in the bill will be spent justifying and funding an added
bureaucracy designed to take full control of the ownership and operation of
our septic systems, and the ability to set fees for whatever action they
feel is necessary. The bill even grants water management districts the
authority to identify land for acquisition that, in their opinion, and in
the name of public interest, will prevent harm to water quality. There is
no provision in the bill to provide oversight of rule-making or
recommendations for land acquisition.

     Property owners should look carefully at SB 1576 - be very wary of it and
those who support it. If you would like to express your thoughts about SB
1576 to the members of the Appropriations Committee, which is the next
committee stop for this bill, please do so without delay.

Here are the Appropriations Committee members: Please call or send them a written message by clicking on the links next to their names.

Chair: Senator Joe Negron (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S32) (850)
487-5032

Vice Chair: Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto (R)
(http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S30) [phone]

Senator Aaron Bean (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S4) [phone]
Senator Rob Bradley (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S7) [phone]
Senator Bill Galvano (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S26) [phone]
Senator Andy Gardiner (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S13) [phone]
Senator Denise Grimsley (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S21) (850)
487-5021

Senator Alan Hays (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S11) (850)
487-5011

Senator Dorothy L. Hukill (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S8)
[phone]

Senator Arthenia L. Joyner (D)
(http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S19) [phone]

Senator Jack Latvall (R)(http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S20) [phone]
Senator Tom Lee (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S24) [phone]
Senator Gwen Margolis (D) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S35) [phone]
Senator Bill Montford (D) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S3) [phone]
Senator Garrett Richter (R) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S23) (850)
487-5023

Senator Jeremy Ring (D) (http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S29) (850)
487-5029

Senator Christopher L. Smith (D)
(http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S31) [phone]

Senator Eleanor Sobel (D)
(http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S33) [phone]

Senator John Thrasher (R)
(http://flsenate.gov/Senators/S6) [phone]

You may also find them by using the following link:
http://flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/AP

"It is sufficiently obvious, that persons and property are the two great
subjects on which Governments are to act; and that the rights of persons,
and the rights of property, are the objects, for the protection of which
Government was instituted. These rights cannot well be separated."
--James Madison, Speech at the Virginia Convention, 1829

Material for this Action Item received from The Florida Tea Party

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I apologize again for the late notice and for not being able to add to the issue to assist you in your contact.

God Bless You and God Bless Our America

Leanne

[Leanne King]

Update: 4/23

It was an adventure and interesting political theater, yesterday in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

An entirely new bill was introduced for CS/CS/SB 1576.  But, before that substitute could be debated, several “late-file” amendments were introduced and adopted “without objection.” To the credit of the sponsoring Senators, the amended version has several improvements.  What   are they?

Deleted was the authorization for local governments to establish Responsible Management Entities.  Retained was the state statute on septic systems inspections which serves our state well.  And, strengthened was the Basin Management Action plan (BMAP) process for assessing and addressing potential pollution sources.

CPR offered testimony in the committee pointing out the bill still mandates a one-size-fits-all approach to regulating property owners’ septic systems.  In fact, in the water quality section of the bill, one third of the language focuses on septic systems.  Such mandates could impair the work of the BMAP process which is designed to be spring-shed specific.  All potential pollution sources should be considered, not just a focus on one.

CPR, once again, pointed out the need for science-based identification of pollution sources, without which effective remediation cannot take place.  However, the Senators have not addressed this in the bill language although they say they want a scientific approach.  The bill is approximately 24 pages.  And yet, the word science does not appear once; neither do the words scientific data or scientific method.

The biggest surprise of the day, however, was reserved for the League of Cities and Association of Counties.  One of the amendments removed the promise of recurring funding to carry out the mandates of the bill.  Without such funding, they do not wish to be left with unfunded mandates.
Following a close to the bill offered by Senator Simmons, the Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to pass the bill.

By way of observation, it is curious that the bill has been heard now in three committees.  CPR has not heard one question from a Senator and, not one Senator has asked to be recognized in debate over this bill.

The bill now moves to be considered by the entire Senate.  In the Florida House, the bill has yet to be heard in its first committee (the Agriculture and Natural Resource Subcommittee).  Without an identical House companion, the Senate bill cannot become law.  Please note, even at this late date, the House leadership could call a special meeting of that first committee to hear and pass the bill.  It would then be eligible to be withdrawn from its other two committees of reference and be put before the entire House for a vote.

[Carole McManus]

I agree with Marty.  We all need to respond to our encroaching state government as well.

[Marty Cleghorn]

Thank you, Leanne, even with lat notice.