Sen. Nick DiCeglie

Schools of Innovation; Provides for operation of schools of innovation by district school board; provides such schools operate pursuant to performance contract; providing requirements & monitoring of such contracts; provides application process; authorizes schools to request waivers from statutes & rules; provides for support network; authorizes third-party contracts; provides protections for students; requires annual reporting; authorizes alternative grading system & instructional hours.

Pinellas County Gladys Douglas Property Acquisition; Provides an appropriation for the Pinellas County Gladys Douglas Property Acquisition. APPROPRIATION: $1,500,000

St. Petersburg Museum of History Expansion; Provides an appropriation for the St. Petersburg Museum of History Expansion. APPROPRIATION: $500,000

Neighborly Care Network – Facility Build-Out; Provides an appropriation for the Neighborly Care Network – Facility Build-Out. APPROPRIATION: $500,000

Temple Terrace Emergency Operations Center; Provides an appropriation for the Temple Terrace Emergency Operations Center. APPROPRIATION: $5,432,169

Utility and Communication Service Poles; Requires PSC to regulate & enforce rates, charges, terms, & conditions for pole attachments; specifies PSC powers related to pole attachments; requires PSC to apply certain decisions & orders of FCC; provides guidance for use by PSC in making certain determinations; specifies party rights regarding pole attachments; requires PSC to provide certification to FCC upon adoption of certain rules; requires PSC to regulate safety, vegetation management, repair, replacement, maintenance, relocation, emergency response, & storm restoration of certain communications services providers; requires PSC to create process requiring advance hardening project notice; provides requirements for pole attachments & liabilities; requires PSC to adopt rules, including monetary penalties, by specified date.

Payment for Construction Services; Increases interest rate for certain payments for purchases of construction services; specifies that person, firm, or corporation who fails to make certain payments relating to public projects commits misapplication of construction funds & is subject to criminal penalties; expands list of actions for which licensee may be disciplined by Construction Industry Licensing Board; requires board to suspend certain licenses for minimum period of time; specifies that certain licensed contractor, subcontractor, sub-subcontractor, or other person is subject to certain discipline if convicted of misapplication of construction funds.

Craft Distilleries; Authorizes craft distilleries to be licensed as specified vendors under certain circumstances; requires certain alcoholic beverages to be obtained through licensed distributor; prohibits distillery from operating as craft distillery until certain requirements are met; authorizes persons to have common ownership in craft distilleries under certain circumstances; requires minimum percentage of craft distillery’s total finished branded products to be distilled in this state & contain one or more Florida agricultural products.

Veterans' Preference in Employment; Authorizes state & political subdivisions to waive certain postsecondary educational requirements for employment for certain servicemembers & veterans; revises list of positions that are exempt from veterans' preference requirements; requires each political subdivision to develop & implement veterans' recruitment plan; modifies point preferences given to veterans & their family members when numerically based selection process is used for hiring.