 | |||||||||||||||||
 |
| ||||||||||||||||
 |
Legislative Affairs : Budget Status Report - Week #8 : |
Budget Status Report - Week #8 |
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission This week the Senate General Government Appropriations and House Environment & Natural Resources Joint Budget Conference Committees concluded their budget conference work, however, several issues were left undecided. These issues have been “bumped up” to the appropriations chairs for further consideration. For FWC, the bump issues are those that are associated with the Senate proposed vessel registration fee adjustment (SB 1286) and all pay issues. Bump Issues:Vessel registration fee adjustment vs LE positions cut The Senate proposed a 55% adjustment to vessel registration fees (SB 1286) in order to avoid having to cut law enforcement positions and marine mammal care. Law Enforcement: The House cut 66 FWC law enforcement positions and $3.3 million in order to reduce state General Revenue (GR) spending. The Senate did not cut them but shifted $3 million law enforcement costs from GR to the new revenues from the vessel registration adjustment in SB 1286. In addition, the Senate funded an additional $900,000 from the same source for law enforcement fuel costs. Marine Mammal Care: The House cut $2 million for marine mammal care and then reduced it to $1.15 million during the first part of the budget conference. The Senate shifted the entire $2 million into the new revenues from the vessel registration adjustment in SB 1286. Both sides redirect the documentary stamp tax savings to GR. Derelict Vessel Removal: The Senate used the vessel registration fees to fund $1,550,000 for recurring derelict vessel removal. The House funded $1.1 million from non-recurring GR. (addendum 4/27/08: The appropriations chairs met Sunday afternoon and the House agreed with the Senate position. The budget conference is approving the vessel registration fee adjustment and they will not cut the 66 law enforcement positions or marine mammal care. In addition, $900,000 is approved for fuel costs and $1,550,000 is approved for derelict vessel removal. I will be able to provide more details after the printed bills are released.) Pay Issues Our law enforcement retention pay issue will not be decided until the very last part of the budget conference. This is normal procedure for all pay actions. We are continuing our lobby efforts and will do so through conference. In addition to the law enforcement pay issue, we have requested the Legislature continue all past pay additives and consider new additives for prescribed burning, large boat crews and employees assigned to the law enforcement special operations group. Conference Issues Resolved:Reductions The House agreed with the Senate to not cut the $210,000 alligator trapper stipend, and the Senate agreed with the House to not cut three positions that had been vacant over 180 days. Requests The House agreed with the Senate to fund the $360,022 commercial license system re-write and to provide 26 grant-funded time-limited positions. The Senate agreed with the House to fully funded the $3.4 million Gopher Tortoise conservation issue (including 4 positions), the $40,000 specialty license plate sales issue and the two boating safety grant positions. Both sides funded the artificial reef issue at $1.7 million and both fully funded $4.5 million for Florida Forever and $10 million for mitigation park land acquisition. Also, while not originally a conference item, both sides picked up the $649,950 grant-funded laptop computers for law enforcement. Fund Shifts Fund shifts change the revenue source supporting activities and are often used to take GR from an agency without having to cut an activity. The House and Senate each had differing fund shift actions for FWC in their bills.
Transfers The House agreed with the Senate to not reduce our transfer coming from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Coastal Protection Trust Fund (CPTF). Other Fiscal Bills: HB 5079 - Invasive Plant Management Transfer A number of substantive bills are traveling with the appropriations bills in both houses because they have an effect on the budget. These were referred to the budget conference to be decided along with all the other budget issues. One of these, House Bill 5079, contains a provision that transfers the Bureau of Invasive Plant Management from DEP to FWC, including 29 positions, a $44 million budget and a trust fund. This bureau is responsible for directing the control, eradication and regulation of noxious aquatic weeds and invasive exotic plants on public lands and waters. Staff feel this is a good fit with activities currently conducted within our Division of Habitat and Species Conservation and would welcome the transfer should it take place. This bill is still pending in budget conference. What’s Next The appropriations chairs met today to review bump issues and agreed to meet again Sunday afternoon. Senator Carlton made the first offer and resolved to hold firm on the Senate position to adjust fees. She noted that in cases where user fees had not been adjusted in many years and the programs they support require supplemental funding, the Senate felt strongly that fee adjustments should be considered. With one week left in Session, the budget conference will need to conclude quickly and publish the budget conference report early next week to position it for a final vote before the end of Session. Reference As noted in previous reports, the appropriations bills are available online at: FWC issues start with line item 1946 and run through line 2058.
Some documents are in PDF format, and you will need Adobe Reader to see them. |
Our mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.
 |
|
