Rep. Shawn Harrison Recaps The Legislative Special Session

By Rep. Shawn Harrison

In the 2015 Florida Legislative Special Session, the State House and Senate came together to pass a $79-billion budget that includes $400 million in tax cuts, returning money to the pockets of hard-working Floridians, and of special note, extending the normal, three-day “Back to School” sales tax holiday to 10 days. The 2015-16 budget allocates a record-breaking $19.7-billion in funding to Florida’s public schools, approximately $7,097 per student. It was my pleasure to serve on the House K-12 committee, looking out for our New Tampa public school students. 

My fellow Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation members and I worked hard to ensure that the University of South Florida (which has a Tampa campus just south of Tampa Palms on Bruce B. Downs [BBD] Blvd.) received all the support it needs to flourish. I sponsored budget requests for the USF-based Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resource System Specialized Multidisciplinary Educational Services Center, which provides unique, specialized services for students having the most complex needs in Florida, providing support services to educators, parents and other professionals who work with students with disabilities.

I also sponsored budget requests for USF’s Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (or CARD, see pg. 17), and the Florida Center For Cybersecurity. These programs’ funding levels were all fully maintained.  

CARD serves individuals of any age with autism-related disorders, as well as individuals with related disabilities, such as vision and hearing impairment. The Florida Center for Cybersecurity trains students in this burgeoning field, helping to position Florida and USF as leading sites for cybersecurity. 

We also worked across partisan lines to secure $17 million for the relocation of USF’s Morsani College of Medicine from the main campus to downtown Tampa. This move will attract researchers to the medical school and put it in much closer proximity to Tampa General Hospital and assist medical students with easy access to residencies. In addition to the academic benefits of the move, it will allow the current USF Med School on campus to modernize and expand the adjacent School of Nursing, which is currently at full capacity and turning away qualified students. The expansion will solve this problem and further enhance the great work being done by the School of Nursing. 

In addition, I obtained funds for genetic testing on infants to determine whether or not they have life-threatening or debilitating diseases, such as phenylketonuria (a condition that increases the levels of a substance called phenylalanine in the blood and can result in death, brain damage and blindness), as well as organic academia, which causes high acid and ammonium levels or high or low glucose levels and also can result in death. Detecting these diseases early greatly improves the quality of life these children will have. The University of Miami (UM), USF and the University of Florida (UF, in Gainesville) have each received $100,000 for funding of this type of testing.

We also secured $1 million for the Lowry Park Manatee Hospital, a unique facility designed and built specifically for the critical care and treatment of sick, injured or orphaned wild manatees. It is the only non-profit hospital in the world specifically dedicated to manatee rehabilitation.

This past session, Governor Rick Scott signed four of the seven bills I had filed into law. Out of 155 total bills from all members and 55 from freshmen representatives, four of my bills passed both houses. I am proud of that record of accomplishment. Two of those bills are highlighted below. 

Unlawful Detention by a Transient Occupant (HB 305), defines transient occupancy and gives law enforcement statutory guidance in the identification and removal of unwelcome guests. This bill protects homeowners and assists law enforcement officers across the state. For sponsoring this bill, I received the Florida Sheriff’s Association “Legislative Champion Award.” 

Patient Admission Status Notification (HB 309), provides requirements for licensed medical facilities to notify patients regarding their admission status. This bill provides for transparency and protection for our seniors, allowing full planning for Medicare to take place. I received the “Champion for the Elderly Award” from the Florida Health Care Association for my work on this bill. 

The most controversial measure to come before the legislature this year was the Senate’s Medicaid expansion bill, or FHIX (Florida Health Insurance Exchange). The bill would have expanded Medicaid coverage to 800,000 of Florida’s working poor, people who for the most part have jobs without employer-sponsored insurance, but do not qualify for indigent healthcare or Medicaid subsidies from the Affordable Care Act. I was proud to cross party lines (only one of four Republican representatives to do so) and support this bill, but it did not pass the House. The final vote on the bill was 72-41. Quality accessible healthcare will continue to be a focus of mine.  

All in all, it was an interesting and dramatic session in Tallahassee, but ultimately, we passed a good budget with bipartisan support, which keeps our great USF growing and provides record funding for Florida’s public school system. We also protected Florida’s seniors and returned more of your tax dollars to you to spend how you want.

For further information about any of these issues or programs, please contact me at Shawn.Harrison@myflorida house.gov, stop by and visit my district office in the Palm Lake Plaza building in Tampa Palms (15301 Amberly Dr., Suite 215) or call the office at 910-3277. 

Thank you for the allowing me the honor of serving my community in the Florida Legislature.