[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6097796,"mediaKeyId","2826462-8f9f731779192fbe9115ce9f96695d47","parentId",2826462,"title","Committee adopts strike‑all, advances bill requiring registration of agents linked to 'countries of concern'","audioSeconds",152,"startMs",1390000,"endMs",1542000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826462-8f9f731779192fbe9115ce9f96695d47&start=1390&end=1542","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826462-8f9f731779192fbe9115ce9f96695d47/thumbnail_1390000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6097796/Florida/Committee-adopts-strikeall-advances-bill-requiring-registration-of-agents-linked-to-countries-of-concern","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097796-bb145d750abe3b6b49d2c411bbda4516/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137120&Signature=HiM49zRShbodBhMyovDsEz7sCr627YHewOMxHBb6HQQBgdls5x-3j0e2JmHyyGisXI0-1~9kKH-o1EEWbyvf6WewJews2uvjAOXIc1RbMUKm31bUq1EmdZTFUXwxDpYYM0hA1UowrjEa7NsX2R0TKM1iUEyzWhqQHWPlaaD2Tl4kHcJ0oQB47V-3VEAO2BY5rwGaqE8EcqslF1oIH745Omk6WH1zuD1Ad6rmnooD7YEffnyewXbs0NtZiQna6cTW7s4BNDWZ-5unbW1p2YTmHfPlPiCAD9p23BfH5GqALF6pnGML-AdiSvK2oK~CfUlk76LqF-BMzeLDrZa5NzR~Bw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Florida State Legislature","date","2025-03-31T00:00:00Z","article","The Committee on Ethics and Elections adopted a strike‑all amendment and reported favorably on Senate Bill 766, a measure to require registration of agents and certain political organizations associated with specified foreign governments.

Sponsor Senator Burgess told the committee the strike‑all clarifies that the measure targets “countries of concern,” language used elsewhere in Florida statute, and that the list includes China, Russia, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Cuba and the “Maduro regime in Venezuela.” He said both the original bill and the strike‑all require agents and foreign‑supported political organizations to register with the Division of Elections, but the strike‑all removes ownership and control disclosure requirements and instead focuses on the relationship to the listed countries.

Senator Burgess also said the committee sought to align the bill’s approach with the federal Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which has been codified at the federal level since 1938, while narrowing implementation to what can be practically enforced at the state level.

The committee heard no recorded public appearances on the amendment or the bill as amended. Members voted to adopt the amendment; the clerk called the roll after debate on the amended bill and the committee voted to report SB 766 favorably.

The bill will proceed to the next committee stop. Committee members and the sponsor discussed stakeholder feedback and implementation challenges, and the sponsor said the changes were intended to balance transparency goals with practicable enforcement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee on Ethics and Elections 3/31/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Ethics and Elections Committee adopted a strike‑all amendment to SB 766 and voted to report the bill favorably; sponsor Senator Burgess said the amendment defines targeted nations as \"countries of concern\" and focuses state registration on agents and foreign‑supported political organizations.","taxTitle","Ethics and Elections , Standing Committees, Senate, Legislative, Florida","taxId",26948,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":46,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097791,"Senate committee advances Mike LaRosa nomination after detailed questioning on PSC orders, storm‑protection plans and SMRs",513,2055000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826462-8f9f731779192fbe9115ce9f96695d47&start=1542&end=2055","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826462-8f9f731779192fbe9115ce9f96695d47/thumbnail_1542000.jpg","/articles/6097791/Florida/Senate-committee-advances-Mike-LaRosa-nomination-after-detailed-questioning-on-PSC-orders-stormprotection-plans-and-SMRs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097791-7875d4bb1bfa4a45ec233530ecfc5c46/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137120&Signature=jCdvW254wrhGJFg2slUQ4HUoB8JbrY5kBzNLgbtb3r0gxvRxmfojzpg4B~xhZV6POvzYlBb8sSuEh1cTcpRuLzZmKuz1EKVTZ6n46KnD2UpscAbLWrlKra1XhdviHiSKoZ-45Jkcgio5q5appO-kwF2fiZeW5NNs-CDg8ORjxjFbYuCQ24vIlBqjFvU~pwrtIPFuV3-T5bFjv6ia7vnC~0fmbyqSL8r7gD-RtG-MHtHzI4kQkRHWHDzhV2YRDtma~V46jO1n7uxkRI33DJdxJ0UOo3~EMTo0ovLN6cHDRS26gN6Ke6DmWLS~qQM6ycun9bdG6XpTgckJn1fd0RKBzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ethics and Elections Committee advanced the nomination of Mike LaRosa to continue serving on the Florida Public Service Commission after a confirmation hearing under oath that focused on the quality of PSC final orders, oversight of utility rate requests and resilience investments.

LaRosa, who currently serves as a commissioner and was serving as the PSC chair at the time of the hearing, described his regulatory philosophy and cited experience in the Legislature and at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. \"This is why the commission's role as a utility watchdog is so important,\" LaRosa said, describing the PSC's role in overseeing investor‑owned utilities that provide electric, natural gas, water and wastewater service.

Much of the committee's questioning centered on recent criticism from the Florida Supreme Court. Senator Bradley quoted the chief justice's comments during argument that PSC orders were often inadequate and likened them to a \"black box,\" including a line the senator read from the chief justice: \"when he was looking in the order for, reason conclusion for facts, he said, that's the only thing supporting this, that I can point to a human being that spoke the word reasonable, and that's supposed to be substantial, competent evidence.\" LaRosa responded that the commission and staff had taken the court's feedback seriously, reviewing orders and increasing the depth of findings and references to testimony and evidence since a remand in 2023.

Committee members also pressed LaRosa on how the PSC evaluates storm‑protection programs and measures of return on investment for resiliency spending. LaRosa said the agency approves 10‑year hardening plans with program buckets and cost estimates; the commission reviews actual spending and prudency on the back end and tracks restoration‑time reductions and rate‑impact metrics across multi‑year plans.

Lawmakers asked about the Office of Public Counsel and how it participates in rate cases; LaRosa described the office as a legislative arm that intervenes in most rate cases to represent consumers. Senators also asked whether the PSC monitors executive compensation or bonuses during rate proceedings; LaRosa said salary and compensation figures are often treated as confidential or trade secrets in filings, but that intervenors and staff see the information and that compensation is a regular subject of rate‑case review.

LaRosa told the committee he prioritized transparency, workforce development, customer hearings in affected territories and broader public communications. He said the commission had begun broadcasting more meetings, returning to in‑person customer hearings and increasing staff‑commission interaction to produce more detailed orders and better documentary support for decisions.

After debate, the committee voted to move the nomination to the full Senate. Several senators, including Senator Bay and Senator Bradley, said they would support the nomination while warning that legislative scrutiny and potential reform legislation could follow if the PSC's performance did not improve.","The Ethics and Elections Committee advanced the nomination of Mike LaRosa to continue serving on the Florida Public Service Commission after a confirmation hearing that probed PSC order quality, storm‑protection oversight and transparency.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097786,"Votes at a glance: Committee reports two bills favorably, advances PSC nomination and recommends nominees en bloc",2851,1352000,4203000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826462-8f9f731779192fbe9115ce9f96695d47&start=1352&end=4203","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826462-8f9f731779192fbe9115ce9f96695d47/thumbnail_1352000.jpg","/articles/6097786/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-Committee-reports-two-bills-favorably-advances-PSC-nomination-and-recommends-nominees-en-bloc","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097786-f09786bab0bdb7680415a9849b47e87e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137120&Signature=fgSL787zlWAyd0~PxVNIEdiQEbaI-D4pguJPYUFEYNU1rdkkPkJS-RGUgArpz5jOgIaA1TPj20~GfmcmyyG6peTJxEfim-fA8a0Rl3lFarwOubdttKJmf058XvelbOhnzZIikcQ90yCrfJ249rK3WAahQyCtbNDaCNqv1LjQAGHdjvYKubdFgNUQQi3E6U34VBQU3ImFcikrqBcDen9Mx9bTGKb0RwIov7R3LawWoHsgl53WdX4cW98wm11Uf1A6Vl~pjaaJAJy5eJEcH1~1pmLX1OEnG82lTLxCJ3SXhf5-9VrLBu0xUpXMydd1l6oJxeb248lhzcwpkH4sD1SZpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its meeting, the Committee on Ethics and Elections recorded the following formal actions:

- SB 1416 (election dates for municipal offices): Reported favorably to the next committee stop; roll call recorded as 'Yes' for multiple members and Senator Polsky excused.

- SB 766 (registration of agents and organizations associated with specified foreign nations): Strike‑all amendment adopted; bill as amended reported favorably to the next committee stop.

- Nomination of Mike LaRosa (Florida Public Service Commission): Committee recommended the nomination favorably and moved it to the full Senate for confirmation.

- Tab 4 through Tab 27 nominees: The committee voted to recommend all nominees listed on tabs 4–27 favorably en bloc (no individual pull requests recorded).

Senator Grahl asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on SB 1416 and SB 766.","The Committee on Ethics and Elections voted to report SB 1416 and SB 766 favorably, advanced the nomination of Mike LaRosa to the full Senate and recommended tabs 4–27 nominees favorably en bloc; one senator requested to be recorded in the affirmative on two bills.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097801,"Senate committee backs bill to move municipal elections to general-election dates",383,972000,1355000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826462-8f9f731779192fbe9115ce9f96695d47&start=972&end=1355","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826462-8f9f731779192fbe9115ce9f96695d47/thumbnail_972000.jpg","/articles/6097801/Florida/Senate-committee-backs-bill-to-move-municipal-elections-to-general-election-dates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097801-3063bc01f8ec512d251918d34aee2d49/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137120&Signature=lR2dZTqnWqJGWZCb2nauw6LAF5De4SKFmk7aPOVAFkynMpHNicEgs-Wqss0bXl~Zr3~iElN8I-Rm-0FAxJBKYCeAq7lIqho8IaY0NEOHTMYDK6jSn5P94EbEENcc4eNrNX~1RDm596A~tnq0xuwQLHGrYTupiDG-05xQS4x0EmkTYjY84mpeirdeZNjhujsDzdLZ40qCw3JSIv9y830ePH94qyKAKnHSpirIqgAXj0ENQM-zGy3v9ZaADTggsydEkFWlmyOGbWi6YpP1I73Ju5GLwYXN99hzkXiqkka3JA1gB6qzQkoPi59h8DWS4chuyPpHG32I-stxZ1wQtVgttQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Ethics and Elections voted to report favorably on Senate Bill 1416, a measure to shift municipal-office elections to the general-election calendar, sponsor Senator Sigley told the committee.

The bill would require municipal elections to be held on the same date as the general election and includes implementation provisions that extend the terms of incumbent elected municipal officers until the first municipal election held under the new calendar, Senator Sigley said.

Supporters and several senators in debate emphasized potential cost savings from synchronizing municipal elections with county and state contests. Senator Avila and other members noted that some Pinellas County cities, including St. Petersburg and Clearwater, already hold municipal elections aligned with general elections by local referendum, and a sponsor said the proposal mirrors those local choices.

Senators also questioned how runoffs would be handled. Vice Chair Bernard asked whether the bill contemplates runoff elections; Senator Sigley replied that any runoff component would move to the primary-election date (an August primary) so that a top-two or runoff contest would fall on the general election date in November under the bill’s scheme. Senator Sigley said he is open to discussing whether to eliminate runoffs entirely at later stops in the process.

Several senators, including one representing multiple municipalities in Miami-Dade County, urged the committee to consider cost savings for taxpayers if local elections line up with county ballots. One lawmaker said a single city in his district could save “more than half a million dollars” on a primary by aligning dates.

With no appearance forms in opposition authorizing public debate, the committee called the roll; members present voted to report SB 1416 favorably. Senator Polsky was excused from the meeting and will not vote on the item.

The measure will move to the next committee stop for further consideration; the sponsor and several senators signaled openness to continued conversations with municipal groups and associations about transition details and staggered terms.","The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections voted to report SB 1416 favorably after debate about runoffs, cost savings and engagement; sponsor said the bill would align municipal election dates with statewide general elections and extend incumbent terms until the first aligned municipal election.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee adopts strike‑all, advances bill requiring registration of agents linked to 'countries of concern'

Senate committee advances Mike LaRosa nomination after detailed questioning on PSC orders, storm‑protection plans and SMRs

Votes at a glance: Committee reports two bills favorably, advances PSC nomination and recommends nominees en bloc

Senate committee backs bill to move municipal elections to general-election dates