AGENDA ITEM: IX D iv Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees December 17, 2013 Subject: Approval of the FY 2013-14 Legislative Affairs Plan Proposed Board Action Approve the FY 2013-14 Legislative Affairs Plan. Background Information On June 25, 2013, Rick Maxey, Director of Government Relations presented the Legislative Affairs Plan for FY 2013-14 for discussion during the board retreat. An update was provided during the board meeting held on August 26, 2013. While the Legislative Plan has been presented twice it has not been approved. In addition to your vote of approval, an update on the Plan’s implementation is provided. The Legislative Plan was reviewed and discussed during the Strategic Planning Meeting on November 19, 2013 and they recommend approval of the Plan. Supporting Documentation: FY 2013-14 Legislative Affairs Plan FY 2013-14 Legislative Affairs Plan (Update) Prepared by: Rick Maxey, Director of Government Relations Agenda Item IX D iv: Approval of the FY 2013-14 Legislative Affairs Plan 1 Legislative Affairs Plan 2013-2014 Pre-session: June through start of session in the following calendar year 1) Identify Legislators who support Florida Poly. 2) Meet with the Governor, Legislators, BOG members and their staffs between June 1st and August 31st. These meetings should involve members of our BOT and university administration. There are three primary goals of these summer meetings. One is to understand legislators’ interests and goals. Two is to help members better understand the value of Florida Poly to the State of Florida generally and how it impacts their local districts. Three is to generate support for Florida Poly. State Executive Office Position/Committee City Leadership Governor Rick Scott (R) Executive Office of Governor Tallahassee the Governor State Senate Leadership Office Position/Committee City Governor Rick Scott (R) Executive Office of NA Tallahassee the Governor Sen. Don Gaetz (R) Florida Senate Senate President Destin Sen. Andy Gardiner Florida Senate Senate President Designate Orlando Sen. Denise Grimsley Florida Senate Appropriations Sebring Sen. Kelli Stargel Florida Senate Lakeland Sen. Garrett Richter (R) Florida Senate President Pro Tempore Naples Appropriations Appropriations Subcommittee on Education Rules Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto Florida Senate Majority Leader Ft. Myers (R) Appropriations (Vice Chair) Appropriations Subcommittee on Education Education Rules Sen. Christopher Smith Florida Senate Minority Leader Ft. Lauderdale (D) Rules Committee, Vice Chair Appropriations Committee Sen. Joe Negron Florida Senate Appropriations (Chair) Palm City Rules Sen. Jack Latvala Florida Senate Ethics and Elections, Chair Clearwater Appropriations Rules Sen. Bill Galvano Florida Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Bradenton Education, Chair Appropriations Education Rules Sen. John Legg Florida Senate Education, Chair Lutz Appropriations Subcommittee on Education Ethics and Elections Agenda Item IX D iv: Approval of the FY 2013-14 Legislative Affairs Plan 2 Legislative Affairs Plan 2013-2014 Sen. Bill Montford (D) Florida Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Tallahassee Education (Vice Chair) Appropriations Rules Sen. John Thrasher Florida Senate Rules, Chair St. Augustine Appropriations Appropriations Subcommittee on Education Ethics and Elections State House Leadership Office Position/Committee City Rep. Will Weatherford (R) Florida House of House Speaker Wesley Chapel Representatives Rep. Steve Crisafulli Speaker Designate Appropriations (Vice Chair) Rep. Steve Precourt Majority Leader Rep. Perry E. Thurston, Jr. Democratic Leader Rep. Marti Coley Speaker pro tempore Rep. Seth McKeel Appropriations (Chair) Rep. Erik Fresen Education Appropriations Subcommittee (Chair) Rep. Marlene O’Toole Education (Chair) Education Appropriations Subcommittee (Vice Chair) Rep. Elizabeth Porter Education (Vice Chair) Rep. Jeanette Nunez Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee (Chair) Rep. Jason Brodeur Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee (Vice Chair) Rep. Robert Schenck Rules (Chair) Rep. Frank Artiles Rules (Vice Chair) Rep. Ben Albritton Polk Delegation Rep. Neil Combee Polk Delegation Rep. Mike LaRosa Polk Delegation Rep. John Wood Polk Delegation 3) Identify university goals and strategies for the next legislative session that include budgetary requests and substantive legislation. 4) Implement an education plan that makes all members of the Legislature aware of the value of Florida Poly and the university’s legislative goals. 5) Ensure that all persons and groups involved with advocating on behalf of Florida Poly fully understand the formal and informal legislative processes. 6) Define roles for all groups and individuals who actively support the university. Groups include the university’s BOT and staff as well as advocates who are external to the university. Agenda Item IX D iv: Approval of the FY 2013-14 Legislative Affairs Plan 3 Legislative Affairs Plan 2013-2014 7) Establish and maintain regular communications with the Legislature, Governor, BOG, BOT, internal, and external advocates. 8) Identify which supporters have relationships with specific legislators and the Governor as well as defining the nature of those relationships. In-session: Opening day of session through the month immediately following session 1) Communicate with Legislators (staff), the Governor (staff), BOG, BOT, internal staff, and outside advocates regularly. All communications with key members of the process should occur within the goals and strategies established over the previous summer (and informed by session activity). 2) Coordinate internal and external advocates so that contact with Legislators, the Governor and the BOG happens in a manner and context that increases the likelihood of ending the session in a manner that benefits the university. 3) Gather and share information weekly in meetings with outside advocates and university staff (information includes an update on activities of the previous week, upcoming week, intelligence sharing, and assignments). The weekly meetings include discussions of strategy effectiveness and consideration of changes to strategies. Generally, these meetings would occur each Monday during the session. Post-session: Month following session 1) Thank the Governor, Legislators and their staff for any support received during the legislative season. 2) Evaluate the activity and outcomes of the session to determine what was effective, what needs to be improved, and what was harmful to our ability to accomplish our goals. 3) Evaluate the effectiveness and coordination of outside advocates in terms of their access to key Legislators and the Governor and their ability to get Legislators to support fiscal and substantive issues important to Florida Poly. 4) Submit an end of session report by the Monday immediately following Sine Die that includes the outcome for Florida Poly regarding appropriations and substantive legislation. Follow up reports will include actions taken by the Governor on individual bills presented by the Legislature. Communications 1) Identify key groups and individuals with whom communications must be maintained (Legislature (staff), Governor (staff), BOG, BOT, internal staff, outside advocates. 2) Maintain regular communications with key groups and individuals. This includes progress reports regarding fiscal matters, facilities, academic and operational issues. 3) Develop a message that supports the university’s budgetary and substantive legislative goals. Prepare materials for each group dependent on their role in the legislative process. The message should be developed in several forms dependent on the environment in which they are used. A short one to three minute version or “elevator speech” is for brief conversations. A more extended five to ten minute version of the message is normally used in one-on-one office type settings. An Agenda Item IX D iv: Approval of the FY 2013-14 Legislative Affairs Plan 4 Legislative Affairs Plan 2013-2014 extended version of the message is used in situations that allow for conversations that could last for 20-30 minutes such as in committee meetings, dinners and other situations where there is sufficient time to delve into more detail. 4) Control the message by agreeing on what the message will be, the tone and tenor of the message, who will respond to actions and statements by the Legislature, Governor, BOG and media as well as staying on message unless the message changes. 5) Manage media relations proactively to get the university’s message out through various outlets. This includes providing information and story ideas to reporters ahead of time, responding to media stories to ensure that the university’s point of view is made and providing background information to increase the understanding of the university’s mission. 6) Develop and distribute support materials in support of the university’s budgetary and substantive goals for the session. These include pocket sized information cards, brochures, flyers and reports that support the university’s session goals. Agenda Item IX D iv: Approval of the FY 2013-14 Legislative Affairs Plan 5 Legislative Affairs Plan Update 2013-2014 Goals for 2014 Session 1) Educate House and Senate leadership as well as the Governor on the University’s mission and progress 2) Secure confirmation of Florida Poly Board of Trustees members. 3) Support bills that enhance the University’s ability to fund and construct facilities on campus 4) Obtain Florida Poly’s share of appropriations to