Smoking Ban, Nursing Homes, Net Metering & More On Tap At Capitol

Tallahassee, FL – Florida lawmakers have a slew of bills up for discussion in Tallahassee, including legislation for smoking bans, nursing home staff, net metering, and more. Smoking Ban On the Senate floor, lawmakers will discuss a companion bill to HB 105 proposed by Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) that looks to limit smoking in public places. If passed in its current state, SB 224—also known as the Florida Clean Air Act—would give Florida’s counties and municipalities the power to restrict smoking on public beaches and parks. But the bill is rather specific on what types of smoking it covers. An amendment penned by Gruters that was passed on Feb. 7 says cities and counties can regulate smoking at their parks and beaches, except when it comes to unfiltered cigars or cigars with a plastic tip; meaning unfiltered cigars can still only be regulated by the state. This was part of a promise from Gruters in a Senate committee to limit the power to regulate filtered tobacco products. The issue of smoking in Florida has been in and out of Tallahassee for years. It’s the first time though that legislation is expected to clear both chambers. SB 224 is up for a vote on Thursday (Feb. 24). Nursing Home Staff Shortages Since the COVID-19 pandemic put the squeeze on nursing home workers, facilities around the state have been tackling problems with staffing shortages. New legislation on tap in the Senate looks to revamp Florida’s nursing home standards. SB 804, introduced by Sen. Ben Albritton (R-Bartow), aims to reduce the time certified nursing assistants (CNA) spend with each resident from two-and-a-half hours a day to two. Non-medical staff would be allowed to help residents bathe, get to the bathroom, and do other daily tasks. While the bill would help alleviate the strain on workers, organizations like AARP have spoken out against the bill, fearing that residents could be harmed by the change. The main concern of the AARP was putting more of a strain on CNAs by limiting their time, adding onto the stress and burnout some are already encountering. They were also concerned with non-medical staff having to deal with issues such as feeding patients or helping them in the bathroom. The issue was first brought up in a bill introduced by Rep. Lauren Melo (R-Naples), HB 1239. Net Metering Changes Two companion bills, HB 741 and SB 1024, seek to make changes to Florida’s net metering system: when solar panel owners who have excess energy generated sell it back to the utilities at the usual retail rate. In the Senate bill, introduced by Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Orange Park), legislators filed an amendment that will create a step-down process to gradually drop what energy companies owe solar owners until 2028. While the amendment serves as somewhat of a compromise to alleviate concerns from interest groups, some are fearing the bill could ruin Florida’s solar industry. One business owner who spoke in front of the House State Administration and Technology Appropriations Subcommittee said he would have to lay off 50 employees, and nearly $800,000 in investments would disappear into thin air. Additionally, a report from the Guardian alleges Florida Power & Light’s parent company, NextEra Energy, contributed $10,000 to Bradley’s campaign fund and sent her staff a bill in October 2021; one similar to the bill she filed just a month after. The company said the $10,000 contribution was not made “with an expectation of favor.” The state House session begins at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday (Feb. 24). Click here to see the schedule.