March 19, 2024

Tallahassee Trend

Florida Legislative Preview - 2012

Redistricting won't completely dominate the legislative landscape in January. A look at other issues percolating in the background and who wants what.

Amy Keller | 1/1/2012

SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

 [Photo: Brendan Fitterer/Tampa Bay Times]
The session will as always see its share of grab-bag legislation, including several laws related to sports and entertainment: Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fort Walton Beach) is proposing legislation aimed at ticket brokers like Ticketmaster that have restrictive paperless ticketing policies. He aims to make it easier for purchasers to resell or pass along tickets they can't use.

Sen. Mike Fasano (R-New Port Richey) has introduced a bill that would prohibit Florida's three NFL teams that receive tax dollars from the state from blacking out their games.

Meanwhile, Sen. Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) has a bill that would make sports franchises in Florida comply with an overlooked statute that requires them to use their sports facilities as homeless shelters when the stadium is not in use.

MEDICAL

Medical
REGULATION — The Retail Federation will push for "open networks" for pharmacies and other service providers as the state's Medicaid system moves to a managed care system. It also wants no new restrictions on retail medical clinics, such as CVS' MinuteClinic and The Clinic at Walmart.

NURSES — The Florida Nurses Association wants the state to give more responsibility to registered nurse practitioners, including allowing them to prescribe certain controlled substances. Florida TaxWatch estimates the move could save $339 million across all healthcare systems, including Medicaid.

DRUGS — State Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty and a broad business coalition that includes the Florida Chamber of Commerce, AIF and corporations are urging lawmakers to cap the amount that physicians charge when they include repackaged drugs as part of an injured worker's treatment under workers' comp insurance — a lucrative source of income for many physicians but a cost driver in workers' compensation insurance rates, which are set to rise 8.9% this year. On the other side of the issue are groups like the Florida Medical Association and businesses like Automated HealthCare Solutions, a Miramar-based company that sells software called ezDispense to doctors who dispense medications in their offices.

Tags: Politics & Law, Government/Politics & Law

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