The state would have more authority to stop collection agencies that use harassing phone calls and threats under a bill approved Wednesday by the House Subcommittee on Banking and Securities.
The bill (HB 1371) and a Senate companion (SB 2430) would give the Office of Financial Regulation authority to investigate complaints, issue cease and desist orders and refund orders and fine agencies up to $1,000 per violation.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, is the sponsor of the House bill; Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa, is the Senate sponsor.
Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher joined both lawmakers at a news conference to promote the legislation.
Migrant workers would gain rights
A bill that advanced in the Senate Committee on Agriculture would strengthen protections for hundreds of thousands of migrant farm workers.
The bill (SB 2954) sponsored by Sen. JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales, would provide workers with better protections against pesticides, increase penalties against contractors who violate farm labor laws, and revive a dormant commission to watch over the issue.
Employers would have to inform workers about agricultural pesticides in a language they understand. Also, the cost to register as a farm labor contractor would increase from $75 to $275, and penalties against contractors who violate labor laws would increase from $1,000 to $2,500.
Travel to rogue nations would be taxed
Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, knows he can't stop people from traveling to Cuba or six other nations listed as sponsors of terrorism, but he wants to put a few hurdles in the way.
Under a bill approved by a House committee, charter companies originating such trips in Florida would be taxed, and Florida schools planning educational trips to those nations would have to submit itineraries and a list of participants to the state Department of Education.
Federal law prohibits tourism to countries the U.S. State Department considers terrorist states, but some religious, humanitarian, journalistic or educational groups are allowed to go with special authorization.
The bill (HB 1193) wouldn't apply to charter companies taking only government workers or contractors to terrorism-sponsoring nations.
Rivera predicted the tax would raise about $8-million annually. Proceeds would feed a trust fund, set up through a second bill (HB 1195), to pay for security improvements at seaports and airports. An official of Marazul Charters Inc., which flies from Miami to Havana, said the tax would have a "huge negative impact" on its business.
Bob Guild, program director at Marazul, said half of the 35,000 people the company flies to Havana every year are Cuban-Americans visiting their families.
Getting serious about phys ed
A bill (CS-HB 77) that could lead to more strenuous and frequent physical education training in schools cleared the House K-20 Education Committee.
It directs schools and school districts to study the issue of student health and fitness and make recommendations for improvements and requires that school boards give parents an annual "student health report." Rep. Frank Farkas, R-St. Petersburg, is the sponsor.
The Senate Education Committee, meanwhile, expects to to hear a revised plan next week combining bills offered by lawmakers Gwen Margolis, D-Miami; Walter "Skip" Campbell, D-Fort Lauderdale; and J. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami.
The Senate bill would require one high school credit in both physical education and nutrition, although credit could be awarded for marching band members and students in an ROTC program with a significant drill component. It includes a provision to put questions on nutrition in the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
