Legislative Update 2020/2021

Due to limitations on in-person meetings because of Covid-19, almost all our legislative contacts were done virtually. Significant planning went into these virtual meetings, which included two Zoom preparation meetings January 22 and January 29, with the first meeting focused on information and advice important to being an effective citizen lobbyist. That was followed by District leaders hosting Zoom meetings with Senators with members from clubs, local to the senators, joining in on the meetings. This allowed members new to being a citizen lobbyist to see and participate in the process. That was followed by local club leaders making appointments with House members to have discussions regarding issues that the AAF District 4 was supporting.

At or following our meetings with each legislator we presented a single page document that was provided to all AAF District 4 members to virtually leave with each legislator or legislative aide visited that summarized our position of issues we discussed.

We expressed our support for passage of the Entertainment Targeted Rebate Program (SB 704 & HB 757) and continued funding of $50M in the Governor’s proposed budget for Visit Florida. Unfortunately, the Entertainment Targeted Rebate Program only made it through one Senate committee and was not passed this year. Visit Florida funding has been preserved at $50M.

In the last several weeks of the legislative session AAF National expressed opposition to the “Consumer Data Privacy” legislation contained in SB 1734 and HB 969. The AAF District 4 took a position in opposition to this State legislation; it was thought that this issue was better to be resolved with national legislation rather than differing legislation throughout the country. The House bill passed 118 to 1. It ultimately did not pass through the legislative process in the Senate and did not become law.

Planning has begun for in-person meetings with legislators in Tallahassee on November 16, 2021 during a week of committee meetings in preparation for the 60-day legislative session beginning in January 2022.