AN EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER Volume 2 Issue 6 June 2008 2008 Legislative Wrap-up By Jenny Robertson, Legislative Affairs Director DMS worked diligently throughout the 2008 legislative session to support legislative priorities to help us better serve those who serve Florida. DMS tracked approximately 350 bills this session and prepared more than 250 bill analyses. Of the 2,156 bills filed in the Senate and House, only 13 percent passed. Thanks to all of you for your time and effort to educate legislators and legislative staff. Legislative Highlights State Employee Benefits • No premium increases or changes in covered services for fiscal year 2008-09 for state employees. State Facilities (HB 5003) • Begin construction of new buildings for the Department of Revenue and the First District Court of Appeals. Shared Resource Center (SB 1892) • The Agency for Enterprise Information Technology will oversee the SouthWood Shared Resource Center, which houses a number of the state’s technology services. A board with customer-represented members and appointees will manage the center. Office of Supplier Diversity (HB 687) • Adds Service-Disabled Veterans to Florida’s minority classifications. Other minority designations include Hispanic American, African American, Native American, Indian American and American Women. Business owners in those designations are eligible for Office of SupplierDiversity certification. For a full report on the 2008 legislative session, please contact Elizabeth Irvin at (850) 488-6285 or
[email protected]. Secretary South, fourth from the left, helped break ground June 17 for the new secretary Department of Revenue Building on Capital Circle Southeast in Tallahassee. Last year I made my first trip to Italy.