SRQ State Reps Outline 2012 Legislative Priorities

Two of Sarasota's representatives to the Florida House of Representatives say there are four major issues the House plans to tackle during its session starting in January.

Those issues, as idenfitied by state Reps. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg) and Ray Pilon, (R-Sarasota) are:

• the state's budget deficit;

• personal injury protection insurance fraud

• casino gambling expansion; and

• redistricting. 

"In between that, there are bills that will be filed. Some of us are not planning to file big pieces of legislation," Rouson told the Sarasota City Commission at the commission's Monday evening session. "We're planning to fight the bad pieces of legislation that's going to be out there."

The Legislature will get an early start in Tallahassee this year, starting Jan. 10.

Budget Deficit 

The biggest issue Rouson and Pilon said is the $2 billion budget deficit, which faces scheduling challenges.

Budget estimating is required to be provided in February, but that's when lawmakers normally convene in March, Pilon said.

Lawmakers could pass the budget based on February estimates even though the budget year doesn't start until July 1, or delay passing it until the spring or don't pass it at all, he said.

House Speaker Dean Cannon told The Current  he thinks Florida's fiscal 2013 budget will pass:

State economists are projecting a shortfall of  $1.2 billion to $2 billion, but because the upcoming session begins in January instead of March in order to accommodate the once-in-a-decade task of redistricting, lawmakers will miss out on updated estimates they would normally get in a non-redistricting year.

But Cannon doesn’t think the spring estimates will be drastically different than current projections, and said that lawmakers would simply need to have a special session if there is any large shift in revenue projections.

“I’ve seen nothing to indicate that there’s a likelihood that our revenue picture will be substantially and unexpectedly much better by delaying two months, and therefore I see no reason not to act on the information we have,” the Winter Park Republican said.

His outlook was unchanged, even if the state takes in much less revenue than expected.

“Then we’ll deal with it like we’ve dealt with it in past years where if it’s so far below the estimates that the Revenue Estimating Conference, or any of the triggers that are in the process compel us, we’ll certainly come back and deal with it,” Cannon said.

Redistricting

As The Current noted, redistricting will take time to figure out, and Pilon floated an idea to the City Commission that he thinks could simplify voting.

"It would be interesting not to have any precincts," he said. "Why do we have to be in this church or that building?" 

Voting systems have everyone's identification information in the system to help get them to the voting booths, he said, and it could be more convenient for voters. But the idea is just that—a thought.

"I'm not proposing any legislation like that," Pilon added. "It's just an idea I had sitting around having morning coffee one day."

Casino Gambling

Pilon said he is against the gambling expansion while Rouson previously voted in 2009 to expand gambling at Seminole Tribe casinos, but didn't address his stance on the current proposal at the meeting.

Casino gambling expansion is more of a Miami area issue, focusing on three casinos eyeing to open in Dade and Broward counties, The New York Times reports, but what happens there could mean more or less money going to the state.

"The local competition — the Seminoles and the racinos — is gearing up for the coming legislative brawl. If casino gambling expands, the Seminole Tribe says it will stop paying the state the $1 billion it agreed to over five years in exchange for exclusive rights to blackjack and baccarat. No exclusivity, no money.

“Every payment stops,” said Barry Richard, the tribe’s lawyer. “The Seminoles are entitled to continue with their casinos for 20 years, and the state gets no money.”

The racinos with slot machine licenses are waging a separate battle. They pay a 35 percent tax rate to the state and, under the bill, the three casinos would pay a 10 percent rate. This would most likely put some of them out of business and shrink tax revenues."

The only legal gambling site in Sarasota is the dog track featuring dog racing and poker.

Personal injury protection

Personal injury protection insurance fraud in Florida is an increasing serious issue, causing high car insurance rates for consumers.

"The gaming of that system is really the problem," Pilon said. 

Also known as PIP, it's a no-fault car insurance where benefits are provided regardless of who caused the crash, in return for limiting lawsuits. It's required by Florida law to carry $10,000 PIP coverage for each driver.

Here's why PIP is a problem in Florida, accoring to The Gulf Coast Business Review:

The law puts limits on lawsuits for non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, in exchange for assurance of payment of these benefits. Insurers typically must pay these benefits within 30 days, which makes it difficult for insurers to fully investigate a suspicious claim in that limited time. …

These “passengers” jump in the vehicles involved in a minor staged accident. Then they claim they have a soft-tissue injury that can’t be disproved and run-up the PIP payments that a medical provider in on the scheme shares with the accident “victims.” A single staged accident can yield more than $100,000 in PIP claims divided among the parties, according to the crime bureau.