Legislative Action Plan – 2015

Affordable Housing
The Broward League of Cities supports full funding and protection of the Sadowski Housing Trust Fund and authorization of local governments to explore funding and policy changes to meet local housing needs.

Education
The Broward League of Cities supports increased funding for education with a strong emphasis on teacher salaries for Florida to continue attracting qualified teachers and delaying the implementation of teachers’ pay being tied to student performance.

The Broward League of Cities supports funding of the capital outlay needs of municipally-run charter schools as provided pursuant to Section 1013.62 F.S., to correct inequalities without removing current revenues from public school districts to provide every Florida child with an appropriate public school education.

Energy Environmental & Natural Resources
The Broward League of Cities supports effective implementing legislation for Amendment 1 that meets the following principles:

  • Providing new funding of environmental priorities as intended by the voters, rather than replacing existing spending or replacing capital improvement funding for utilities or for septic tank upgrades.
  • Allocating the funding in a geographically and demographically balanced manner; voters throughout Florida supported Amendment 1 and all areas of the State should benefit from its implementation.

The Broward League of Cities supports legislation and funding to implement shoreline protection, resilience and adaptation projects that address sea level rise through restoration and maintenance of reefs, dunes, mangroves and beaches.

The Broward League of Cities supports funding of alternative water supply projects such as the C-51 Reservoir to assure adequate future water supply for urban areas in South Florida.

The Broward League of Cities supports inclusion of alternative fuel vehicles in state negotiated vehicle contracts to allow local, regional and state governments to transition to alternative fuel vehicles through collective purchasing power.

The Broward League of Cities supports changes to Florida Building Code to require that all new residential construction be electric vehicle ready and that provisions are made as part of multi-family residential and commercial developments to require an appropriate number of electric vehicle charging stations.

Enterprise Zones
The Broward League of Cities supports re-authorization of the statewide Enterprise Zone program, an important statewide economic development tool, developed to assist in revitalizing and rehabilitating distressed areas by encouraging business to locate and to expand in these areas and by stimulating employment among area residents.

Growth Management
The Broward League of Cities supports growth management for community and regional planning and opposes further state preemption of local discretion over its implementation.

Marriage Equality
The Broward League of Cities supports legislation that provides marriage equality for all residents of the State of Florida, including same sex couples.

Regulation of Firearms on Municipal-Owned Property
The Broward League of Cities supports legislation that, except as otherwise expressly prohibited by the State Constitution, allows a county or municipality to regulate the field of possession of firearms on property owned by such municipality or county.

Required Public Notice Advertising in Newspapers
The Broward League of Cities supports legislation authorizing local governments the option of using their publicly accessible websites for legally required public notices and advertisements in lieu of newspapers.

Safe Neighborhood Districts
The Broward League of Cities supports legislation that would allow neighborhood improvement districts to incur indebtedness, subject to referendum approval.

Transportation
The Broward League of Cities supports legislation that provides increased funding to municipalities for transportation choices and allows flexibility in the use of those funds.

Vacation Homes
The Broward League of Cities supports reinstatement of local authority to regulate vacation homes.

Communications Services Tax/Local Business Tax
The Broward League of Cities opposes legislation that modifies the Communications Services Tax or the Local Business Tax in a way that would have a negative fiscal impact on municipalities.