The Legislature will shift focus to a special session on vaccination mandates in what would normally be week five of interim committee meetings. The calendar of events during the upcoming special session is not available as of today. We are not sure if other interim committee meetings will be held simultaneously with meetings concerning the special session topic. Following the special session, there will be one more committee week (November 30th through December 4th) prior to the start of the regular session on Tuesday, January 11, 2022.

The budget outlook still remains positive with roughly $7 Billion in surplus General Revenue with 71% ($5 Billion) of the surplus as nonrecurring (one time) dollars. Our lobbying team continues to meet with the Senate and House leadership to discuss our goals (and their goals) for the 2022 Legislature.

The PBA will pursue legislation to provide special presumption coverage for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases (HB 117 & SB 774), along with including Correctional Officers, Correctional Probation Officers, and Emergency Dispatchers as recipients of workers’ compensation indemnity benefits for mental health illness such as PTSD (HB 49, HB 425, SB 200 & SB 664). Our statewide bargaining units are proposing pay raises for our state employees (Florida Highway Patrol Troopers, State Law Enforcement Officers, State Correctional Officers, and Correctional Probation Officers). We continue to lobby with multiple employee groups on pension reform/enhancements.

As always, please stay safe.

Sincerely,

Matt Puckett