In-House Bill 1331: Law Or Not?

House Bill 1331 has been introduced in the Florida Senate on several occasions. In 2017, it was known as the Education Bill, in 2023 as the Municipal Utilities Bill, and in 2024 as the Commodities Produced by Forced Labor Bill. Each iteration of the bill has addressed different topics and undergone varying levels of legislative progress.

House Bill 1331 (2024) – Commodities Produced by Forced Labor

The bill addresses commodities produced by forced labor, prohibiting companies on the forced labor vendor list from taking specific procurement actions. It also prohibits agencies from procuring commodities from certain companies. The bill requires solicitations and contracts to include a particular statement and mandates the inclusion of a termination provision in contracts. Additionally, the bill tasks the DMS with creating and maintaining a forced labor vendor list.

Companies that submit false certifications or have certain knowledge are subject to fines under the bill. It also authorizes the removal of companies from the forced labor vendor list under specific circumstances. The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2024, and its last action was recorded on May 16, 2024, when it was assigned Chapter No. 2024-185.

The bill has undergone several amendments, including the removal of lines 102-244 and the insertion of new text, which was adopted without objection on January 24, 2024. Another amendment involved deleting lines 142-174 and inserting new text, which was also adopted without objection on February 14, 2024.

House Bill 1331 (2023) – Municipal Utilities

Firstly, the bill authorises municipalities to fund or finance general government functions using a portion of the revenues generated from utility operations. This provision allows local governments to allocate a portion of their utility income towards general governmental expenses.

Secondly, it establishes limits on utility revenue transfers for municipal utilities. This means that there are restrictions on how much money can be moved from one utility area to another within a municipality.

Thirdly, it modifies the provisions relating to the permissible rates, fees, and charges that can be imposed by municipal water and sewer utilities on customers located outside the municipal boundaries. This change ensures that customers outside the municipality are charged fairly for their water and sewer services.

The bill was referred to the Energy, Communications & Cybersecurity Subcommittee, the Appropriations Committee, and the Commerce Committee. It was also added to the subcommittee agenda and received a favourable report from the Energy, Communications & Cybersecurity Subcommittee. However, the bill ultimately died in the Commerce Committee on May 5, 2023, indicating that it did not progress further in the legislative process and did not become law.

House Bill 1331 (2017) – Education

House Bill 1331, introduced in the Florida Senate in 2017, focused on education and aimed to establish a Schools of Excellence Program. This bill outlined the requirements for schools to achieve the designation of "School of Excellence" and the processes for redesignation, school flexibility, and loss of this status.

The bill proposed revisions to various aspects of educator certifications, including the process for renewal of professional certificates. It also addressed the School Community Professional Development Act, school district professional development systems, and the responsibilities of the DOE regarding specific professional development programs.

The bill progressed through several stages in the legislative process. It was introduced, referred to committees, underwent amendments, and was voted on in committees and the full chamber. However, the final outcome as indicated in the source is that it "Died in Education" in the Senate, with a companion bill, CS/HB 7069, passing into law (Ch. 2017-116).

The bill's journey through the legislative process included the following key steps:

• Introduced - HJ 135
• Referred to PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee and Education Committee - HJ 351
• On the agenda of the PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee on March 14, 2017
• Passed in the PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee with a vote of YEAS 14, NAYS 0 - HJ 383
• CS by PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee read the first time - HJ 381
• Referred to PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee and Education Committee - HJ 395
• On the agenda of the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee on March 28, 2017
• Passed in the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee with a vote of YEAS 9, NAYS 4 - HJ 491
• On the agenda of the Education Committee on April 6, 2017
• Passed in the Education Committee with a vote of YEAS 17, NAYS 1 - HJ 610
• Placed on the Calendar - HJ 632
• Placed on the Special Order Calendar on April 18 and 19, 2017
• Read the second time - HJ 731
• Placed on 3rd reading
• Read the third time - HJ 757
• Passed with a vote of YEAS 86, NAYS 33 - HJ 757
• Referred to Education and Appropriations - SJ 494
• Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration
• Died in Education, with companion bills passing into law

House Bill 1331 (2024) – The Florida Senate

Summary

The CS/CS/HB 1331 bill, Commodities Produced by Forced Labor, aims to prohibit companies on the forced labor vendor list from engaging in specific procurement actions and prevent agencies from obtaining commodities from certain companies. It also mandates that solicitations, contracts, and the Department of Management Services (DMS) comply with particular requirements regarding the forced labor vendor list. Furthermore, the bill outlines penalties for companies that submit false certifications or have certain knowledge, and it authorizes the removal of companies from the forced labor vendor list under specific circumstances.

Bill Details

The bill was introduced during the 2024 Session of the Florida Senate. It was initially referred to the Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee, the State Administration & Technology Appropriations Subcommittee, and the State Affairs Committee. After being added to the agendas of these subcommittees, it received favorable reports and was laid on the table under Rule 7.18(a). A Committee Substitute (CS) was then filed, and the bill was referred back to the subcommittees.

The bill received favorable reports from the subcommittees once more and was then referred to the House Calendar. It was added to the Special Order Calendar on February 21, 2024, and underwent its second and third readings. The bill passed the third reading with 113 YEAS and 0 NAYS. It was then referred to Fiscal Policy and subsequently withdrawn from there. The bill was placed back on the Calendar for its second reading and substituted for CS/CS/SB 7042.

Outcome

The bill continued through the legislative process, undergoing its second and third readings, passing both with unanimous votes. It was then ordered to be enrolled, signed by the officers, and presented to the Governor for approval. The bill was approved by the Governor, becoming Chapter No. 2024-185, with an effective date of July 1, 2024.

House Bill 1331 (2023) – The Florida Senate

The bill covers a few key areas. Firstly, it authorizes municipalities to fund or finance general government functions using a portion of the revenues generated from utility operations. Secondly, it establishes limits on utility revenue transfers for municipal utilities. Lastly, it modifies the provisions related to the permissible rates, fees, and charges that municipal water and sewer utilities can impose on customers located outside the municipal boundaries.

The effective date of the bill was set for July 1, 2024. However, the last action recorded for this bill was on May 5, 2023, when it died in the Commerce Committee. This means that the bill did not pass and did not become law.

It is worth noting that bills with the same number, such as House Bill 1331, can exist in different years and cover different topics. For example, House Bill 1331 in 2020 addressed intergovernmental programs, while House Bill 1331 in 2024 focused on commodities produced by forced labor.

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