In Tallahassee, representatives and senators ended their session March 11 with a final funding budget of $89.3 billion.
Three bills introduced during the session would have had an impact on Anna Maria Island, but two died in the Legislature.
The good news from the capital, Anna Maria is set to receive $750,000 toward the rebuild costs for the Anna Maria City Pier.
The local funding request was made by state Rep. Jim Boyd and state Sen. Bill Galvano, both Bradenton Republicans.
Mayor Dan Murphy issued a statement March 16 announcing the funding would be included in the final budget.
He thanked Galvano and Boyd, as well as city clerk LeAnne Addy, city lobbyist Chip Case and Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore for helping get the funding in the final state budget.
Two other bills did not pass.
A bill that would have negated tree trimming and removal regulations introduced by state Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, died March 10 in the environmental preservation and conservation committee. It was in the second of three committees the bill needed to pass to move to the floor.
A companion bill in the House, introduced by Rep. Katie Edwards-Walpole, D-Broward, passed 107-2 but died March 10 at the end of the session, having failed to move in the Senate.
Another bill introduced by Steube, SB 1400, would have superseded local vacation rental regulations in the state and create state regulations for short-term rentals.
Steube’s bill failed to make it on the agenda of the appropriations committee’s final meeting March 2, therefore dying before it reached the senate floor.
Companion HB 773, introduced by Rep. Mike La Rosa, R-Osceola, died on the calendar after an amendment was introduced by Jay Fant, R-Jacksonville, requiring property owners to notify everyone within 1,000 feet if a sex offender occupied a vacation rental.
It also would have required visitors who are sex offenders to register with the sheriff’s office 48 hours before arrival at the rental.
Next election looms ahead
While the 2018 session has ended , state politics churn on.
The Florida Constitution Revision Committee, a state advisory board formed to propose changes to the guiding document for the state, met in March to consider proposals for the November ballot.
Proposal 91, which was scheduled for discussion in the final of three committees April 3, after The Islander went to press, would ask voters to decide if they want to ban oil and gas drilling in all Florida state waters.
It is one of 25 proposals under consideration.
If approved, revisions to the state constitution would go before the electorate in November.