Legislative Delegation Season - 2020

WHAT

A Legislative Delegation is an office within (most) county governments and the group of state-level legislators that represent that county. This group holds public meetings once a year in the Board of County Commissioners chambers or some other public meeting place. This meeting is in the winter, between December and February. Members of the public who wish to speak must submit a completed Public Hearing Form well before the meeting, although in most cases citizens can show up and file a card on the spot to speak to the delegation.

This Legislative Delegation meeting provides local constituents with a rare opportunity to speak directly with the state lawmakers who represent them in Tallahassee. Local politicians often attend these events, so they will hear your concerns, too.

WHY

Protecting native plants and their habitats in Florida requires action by our state legislature. Attached is the schedule of the state’s remaining meetings for 2019. Fill out and submit a speaker’s card if the deadline hasn’t already passed. Speak as a citizen, not as a representative of the Florida Native Plant Society.

MAJOR POINTS TO EMPHASIZE

Restore Florida Forever funding.

Let them know that when you voted in support of Amendment 1, you intended for a large portion of the funds to be used to conserve land. Annual funding for Florida Forever should at least equal the $300 million that was allocated before funding was cut in response to the recession. This amount is not cost-prohibitive given that annual Amendment 1 funding exceeds $750 million.

Manage Florida’s conservation lands responsibly.

The land we have already conserved represents a valuable investment and proper management is necessary to protect our investment. Management shouldn’t be short-changed by inadequate staffing or funding. Funding should be sufficient to implement the management plans that have been adopted for each property.

Adopt a comprehensive approach to protection of our water resources. 

Such an approach must account for the water needs of our springs, rivers, estuaries, and other water-dependent natural systems.
Florida’s extreme vulnerability to sea level rise must be recognized as an immediate and long-term threat to our environment, economy and groundwater resources. It demands a comprehensive statewide response to conserve our beaches, coastal wetlands and seagrasses, and the fisheries that depend on them.

Please consider your own health and safety as well as that of others and wear a mask to these events. If the delegation is marked with a star, the organizers are recommending that attendees wear masks. If it's marked with a plus, masks are required.

Past Meetings

12/15 Alachua County - 10am - Lyceum Building, Santa Fe College - news article | Google Map
12/16 Palm Beach County South Regional Hearing - 10am-12pm - South County Civic Center - website | Google Map
12/16 Lee County -  9am-5pm - Room AA-177 of the Nursing Building, Florida SouthWestern State College - Google Map
12/16 Seminole County - 9am-12pm - County Commission Chambers - website | Google Map
12/17 Putnam County - 2pm - Board Room 2509, Suite 100, Putnam County Government Complex - Google Map
12/18 +Sarasota County - 9am - Sarasota County Commission Chambers - website | Google Map
12/18 Flagler County - 2pm-4pm - Flagler County Commission Chambers -  Google Map
12/18 St. Johns County - 9:30-11:30am - County Commission Chamber Auditorium - Google Map
1/6 +Osceola County - 9:00am-12:30pm - Osceola County Commission Chambers - submission deadline 1/4 - Google Map
1/6 Clay County - 3:30-5:30pm - Clay County Administration Building - deadline to submit your appearance form is 1/4 12pm - Appearance Form | Appearance Form submission email | Google Map
1/6 Monroe County - 2:00pm - Virtual meeting via WebEx. The link for the WebEx meeting will be sent out Monday January 4th  2021. For more information please contact Nicolas Frevola @ 305-453-1202 or via email at Nicolas.Frevola@myfloridahouse.gov
1/7 +Palm Beach County Joint Meeting and Public Hearing - 9am-3pm - Palm Beach County Convention Center - website | Google Map
1/7 Gilchrist County - 10am - Gilchrist County Commission Chambers - submission deadline 1/4 to Robin Steele - Google Map
1/7 Dixie County - 1:30pm - Dixie County Commission Chambers - submission deadline 1/4 to Robin Steele - Google Map
1/7 Brevard County - 4-7pm - virtual - news article
1/8 Taylor County - 5pm - Taylor County Administrative Complex and virtual - no published submission deadline - Google Map
A conference line has been set up in order to accommodate community access to the meeting as well (Conference Line: (917)900-1022; Access Code: 32347#). Please note that this is not a toll-free number and you may be subject to long distance charges according to your long distance plan. Those wishing to speak via this method should dial *5 when Chairman Shoaf opens the meeting for public comment. The moderator will unmute your line when it is your turn to speak, and notify you by announcing the last 4 digits of your telephone number. Please announce your name, address and organization (if applicable). You will be allowed to speak for 3 minutes.
1/19 St. Lucie County - 9:30am - The Kight Center @ the Indian River State College Massey Campus  - submission deadline 1/8 - Google Map
1/19 Pinellas County - 9:00am-12:00pm - The Digitorium @ St. Petersburg College, Seminole Campus - submission deadline 1/12 5pm - Website | Google Map
1/19 Suwannee County - 10am - Suwannee County Agricultural Coliseum - Google Map
1/19 Columbia County - 2pm - Columbia County School Board Committee Room - submit to Staz Guntek - Google Map
1/19 Escambia County - 2:30pm-7:00pm - Jean and Paul Amos Performance Studio @ Pensacola State College - submission deadline 1/13 5pm to Kevin Brown 850-595-1036 - Google Map
1/19 Polk County - 1:30-6pm - Center for Public Safety @ Polk State College - submission deadline 1/19 6pm - contact Colleen Burton 863-413-2640 - Google Map
1/19 Leon County - 5pm - 5th Floor Commission Chambers - Contact Andrew Johnson 850-606-5300 Google Map
1/20 Pasco County 2:00 - 3:00pm EST - West Pasco Government Center, Board Room, 1st Floor - no listed submission deadline - Google Map
1/21 Indian River County - 11am-2pm - Indian River County Commission Chambers and virtual  - submit to Jacob Dimond - Google Map
1/21 Seminole County - 3pm EST - virtual 
1/21 Bay County - 6pm EST - Bay County Government Building - submission deadline 1/18 4pm - contact Andrea Gainey or George Gainer - 850-747-5454 - Google Map
1/20 Martin County - 9:30am - Wolf Technology Center, Indian River State College Chastain Campus - submission deadline 1/8 12:00pm to Representative Toby Overdorf's office at (772) 221-4961 - Google Map
1/20 Hamilton County - 5:00pm - Court Room 207, Hamilton County Courthouse - no reported submission deadline - submit to Astaz Guntek 386-758-0405
1/20 Okaloosa County - 5:30-7:00pm - Okaloosa County Commission Chambers - submit to Kevin Brown 850-595-1036 - Google Map
1/21 Baker County - 10am - Baker County Commission Room - submit to Staz Guntek 386-758-0405 - Google Map
1/21 Milton County - 5:30-7:00pm - Santa Rosa County Commission Chambers - submit to Sydney Fowler 850-889-4974 - Google Map
1/21 Bay County - 6:00 p.m. EST - Bay County Government Building - submission deadline 1/18 4pm EST to Andrea Gainey or George Gainer - 850-747-5454. - Google Map
1/22 Liberty County 4:00PM EST - Liberty County Courthouse and Zoom (Meeting ID: 880 9632 9799; Passcode: 969093) - speaker request form is online, handouts and supporting documents should be submitted to Jessica Holley by 1/20 12pm EST - Google Map
1/22 Calhoun County 5:30PM CST - Calhoun County Extension Office - speaker request form is online, handouts and supporting documents should be submitted to Jessica Holley by 1/20 11am CST - Google Map
2/12 Holmes County - 4:00PM CST - Bonifay Elementary School - Google Map
2/15 Hillsborough County - TBA - Virtual - Speaker Request Form
2/19 Jackson County - 4:00PM CST - Chipola College - Google Map
2/19 Washington County - 1:00PM CST - Washington County Commission Chambers - submission deadline 2/8 4:00PM CST, contact Brad Drake or Ann McGraw 850-951-0547 Google Map
2/20 Pasco County - 2:00PM EST - West Pasco Government Center, Board Room, 1st Floor - Google Map
2/22 Calhoun County - 5:30PM CST - Calhoun County Extension Office - submission deadline 1/20 11AM CST, submit online, send handouts or supporting documents to Jessica Holley - Google Map
2/22 Liberty County - 4:00PM EST - Liberty County Courthouse  -submission deadline 1/20 12PM EST, submit online, send handouts or supporting documents to Jessica Holley - Google Map

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