10 big issues to watch in Floridas 2023 legislative session, 5 highlights from DeSantis book, The Courage to Be Free, Florida bill would outlaw treatments for transgender youth, prevent insurance coverage, DeSantis says he supports open carry in audio recorded from gun rights group, DeSantis takes his culture war to Texas Gov. Florida State And employees working for state vendors, such as nursing home attendants, also will get pay increases. Why is diversity the hot issue in Florida higher education? State workers in Florida get first raise in 12 years Appropriations Committee (AP). Salaries - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Pay Raises for Florida Teachers The journals or printed bills of the respective chambers should be consulted for official purposes. More than a half dozen local projects, however, did get approvedalong with the pay raise for state workers, soAusley said overall, This is a great budget for North Florida. The Gadsden EOC and Sheriffs office is currently housed in a 30-year-old building that does not meet hurricane building codes and lacks space to house all agencies needed during an emergency. This is just the amount to offset the increased cost of living not covered by past pay increases we have received. DMS Pay Periods and Holiday Schedule / Agency Human Resources / Agency DeSantis on masks, Districts rebelled against DeSantis: Florida school districts rebel against governor's mask order, presenting political test, What DeSantis wanted: Helped by federal aid, Gov. The study suggested solutions to the national problems, such as expanding Medicaid eligibility and providing more subsidies for insurance plans on the Affordable Care Acts marketplace. Theyre proposing $200 million in federal relief dollars to supplement a monthlong cut to the states gas tax in October. He previously reported for Fresh Take Florida, a news service that covers the Florida Legislature and state political stories operating out of UFs College of Journalism and Communications. The legislature must increase pay to in order to retain a qualified workforce. As a result of having skin in the game, Brandes said, they are less likely to consume unnecessary health care services that can increase costs. Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, last year successfully pushed to bring state workers up to a minimum $13 hourly wage. WUSF 89.7 depends on donors for the funding it takes to provide you the most trusted source of news and information here in town, across our state, and around the world. This is very important. The budget also includes various state tax suspensions, which the governor and others have said are needed to help combat economic inflation. The state has also set aside money to provide for up to $5,000 signing bonuses for new or out-of-state law enforcement officers who join policing agencies in Florida. "Our members came to the bargaining table to eloquently and passionately talk . Email: [emailprotected] Florida lawmakers to vote on budget to raise state workers' minimum wage That money is in addition to another $12 million in local funding requests, along with $80 million for construction of a new state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. Not sure how much this has penalized us. On top of that, employees saw big cost increases in dependent health care coverage, meaning state employees actually saw their take home pay decrease. <> Existing Florida law. The Legislature is set to approve the budget, and end its legislative session, on Monday. A South Florida native, he has a passion for political and accountability reporting. About 9 p.m.Tuesday, Trumbull and Stargel sent a memo to fellow lawmakersacknowledging that they wouldn't make a midnight deadline in time fora constitutionally required 72-hour waiting period before lawmakerscanvote on the budget by Friday'slast scheduled day of the 2022 session. endobj Employees can choose a standard option or a high-deductible policy. Publications, Help Searching And the cost of living continues to rise! Elections - $16.2 million GR and TF - includes: Additional Positions for Voter Registration Activities - $1.1 million; 15.0 positions, Office of Election Crimes and Security Investigators - $1.1 million; 15.0 positions, Florida Voter Registration System Modernization Feasibility Study - $450,000, Grants to Supervisors of Elections for Cyber Security - $8 million, Memorial for Champlain Towers South - $1.0 million, New Artifacts Curation Facility - $13.8 million SFRF, Local Transportation Initiatives (Road Fund) Projects - $498.6 million, Innovative Grant Program for Transportation Disadvantaged - $4 million, Commercial Driver License Training, Testing, and Licensing - $500,000, New Positions - 11.0 positions; $1.2 million GR, Urban Search and Rescue Teams Training and Equipment Grants - $10 million GR, Mobile Home Tie-Down Program Increased Funding - $7 million GR, Open Federally Declared Disaster (FEMA reimbursement and pass-through) - $1.5 billion, Community Recovery, Preparedness, and Critical Facilities Projects - $30.8 million GR, Rural and Family Lands Protection Program/Wildlife Corridors - $300 million, Emergency Wildfire Management - $93.8 million, Wildfire Suppression Equipment/Aircraft - $42.7 million, Florida Forest Service Aerial Protection Program - $15 million, Road/Bridge and Facility Maintenance - $8.4 million, Citrus Protection and Research - 5 positions and $16.6 million, Lake Okeechobee Agriculture Projects - $5 million, Florida Agriculture Promotion Campaign - $19 million, Licensing Concealed Weapons Program - 25 positions and $1.7 million, Feeding Programs/Farm Share/Feeding Florida - $15.1 million, Agriculture Education and Promotion Facilities - $31.8 million, Building Repair and Maintenance - $1.5 million, Water Quality Improvements - $782.4 million, Staffing for Environmental Permitting - 33 positions and $3.3 million, Biscayne Bay Water Quality Improvements - $20 million, Septic Upgrade Incentive Program - $10 million, Non-Point Source Planning Grants - $10 million, Water Restoration Assistance Staff - 25 positions and $3 million, Flood and Sea-Level Rise Program - $470.9 million, Water Quality Improvements - Blue Green Algae Task Force - $10.8 million, Innovative Technology Grants for Harmful Algal Blooms - $15 million, Resilient Florida Program - 25 positions and $2.4 million, Florida Forever Programs and Land Acquisition - $168.7 million, Florida Recreational Development Assistance Grants - $10.7 million, Green Heart of the Everglades Acquisition - $35 million GR, Rattlesnake Key Acquisition - $23 million GR, Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern - $20 million, Petroleum Tanks Cleanup Program - $180 million, Hazardous Waste and Dry Clean Site Cleanup - $40 million, Beach Management Funding Assistance - $50 million, Drinking Water Revolving Loan Program - $202.6 million, Wastewater Revolving Loan Program - $264.8 million, Water Infrastructure Improvements - $178.9 million, Small County Wastewater Treatment Grants - $12 million, Land and Water Conservation Grants - $13.5 million, State Parks Maintenance and Repairs - $239.5 million, Customer Experience Modernization - $4.4 million, Florida Planning, Accounting & Ledger Management (PALM) Project - $45.7 million, Information Technology Upgrades to Software, Hardware, and Equipment - $7.7 million, Florida Firefighter Cancer Research - $2.0 million, Local Government Fire and Firefighter Services - $46.3 million, Law Enforcement Positions, Equipment, Training and Enhancements - 12 positions and $4.3million, Marine Fisheries Recovery Grant Program - $2.5 million, Law Enforcement Equipment Replacement - $12.7 million, Law Enforcement Enhanced Patrol and Support - 12 positions and $2.6 million, FWC Buildings Maintenance and Repair - $4.2 million, Boating Infrastructure and Improvement Program - $7.2 million, Nuisance and Invasive Species Response - $2 million, Apalachicola Bay Oyster Restoration - $3.2 million, Land Use Planning Program - 10 positions and $0.8 million, Increased Payments Related to Ticket Purchases - $6.7 million, Florida Facilities Pool (FFP) Fixed Capital Outlay - 16 positions and $61.8 million, Capitol Complex Renovations and Repairs - $115 million, State Emergency Operations Center - $80 million, Department of Corrections Facilities Master Plan - $5 million, Division of Retirement Critical Workload - 20 positions and $2.4 million, Executive Aircraft Program - 17 positions and $30.8 million, Cybersecurity - 8 positions and $119.2 million, Cloud Modernization and Migration - $163.4 million, Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC)/State Data Center - $20 million, State Data Center Contract with NWRDC - 7 positions and $1 million, Fiscally Constrained Counties - $38.8 million. The food organization's program was among a list of projects for what are considered "financially constrained" counties. Support WUSF now by giving monthly, or make a one-time donation online. Florida Gov. Tantalsofound the Second Harvest veto disappointing. Some environmental advocates noted that the Florida Communities Trust program, which provides matching grants to create parks close to where people live, is not funded. The teamwork and collaboration between the Governors team and our district leaders has been incredible and I am so grateful for that. You can reach Tristan at [emailprotected], or on Twitter @TristanDWood. Those making $15 to $25 could see a pay increase as well. The governor had originally asked for a five-month suspension of the state gas tax. The Republican governor signed the budget legislation at an event in The Villages, the nations largest retirement community, where supporters packed out a recreation center and applauded as he highlighted his pandemic policies and spending priorities while criticizing Democratic President Joe Biden. Pay Period Beginning: Pay Period Ending: Warrant Date: 12/23/2022 01/05/23 01/13/23 01/06/23 01/19/23 01/27/23 . Nat Bender on Monday, June 6 2022 - 12:03pm. AFSCME, the labor union representing state workers, said it appreciates the state recognizes theres been years of undervaluing workers. We have saved the livelihoods of so many people who are hardworking, who dont have the luxury of working from home, and we stood up for them time and time again, he said. It also receives funds from Tallahassee and Leon schools. Lawmakers want salary hikes for state workers but - Florida Politics Brandes, now chair of the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee, wants to steer more state employees into high deductible health plans. What's in the budget? Vote on Florida's budget plan expected - WFLA As lawmakers craft the 2022-23 state budget, the House and Senate are pushing to boost pay for state employees, local school staffers and certain health care workers. Employees in Florida paid more for their health insurance in 2020 than workers in nearly every other state, a new study from The Commonwealth Fund found. There is no doubt that fair salaries play a key role in maintaining a skilled and qualified workforce. Session lurches into overtime as state worker pay raises approved in 2021-2022 Base Salary Increase & Staff Bonus Memo TALLAHASSEE In what would be by far the largest budget in state history, legislators on Thursday released a record $112.1 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that includes more than $1 billion for pay raises for state workers and contractors. DeSantis budget also allocates $75.4 million to increase the base rate of more than 4,500 sworn law enforcement officers, $124.2 million to increase the base rate pay for correctional probation officers and inspectors who work for the Department of Corrections, and another $15.9 million to the department to implement an employee retention plan. You Asked: When will state employees receive pay raises? Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami appears to have lost out on more than $71 million with that decision. Were working hard to bring you the latest news from the states legislative session. Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Kelly Hayes, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Andrew Wilson, Wes Wolfe, and Mike Wright. In a session in which the majority generally inflicted pain or ignored the needs of working Floridians, caregivers and the elderly, this budget provision was a considerable slice of relief, said Dale Ewart, executive vice president of 1199 Service Employees International Union in Florida, the union representing more than 24,000 active and retired caregivers across the state. Though the longtime lobbyist was quick to add that the pay raise "is huge" for the region. Theres funding for water projects in both Leon and Gadsden, said Ausley. These historic increases to starting pay and significant across-the-board pay raises are well-deserved and much appreciated, Hall said in a statement. Lawmakers fund nearly all of his priorities. Gov. DeSantis' proposed budget would improve Florida's defined (A similar program was vetoed by DeSantis last year.).