Florida House to create new subcommittees, add ‘Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts’

Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, to formally become speaker

Paul Renner, R- Palm Coast, makes a point, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, during a combined meeting of House Commerce, Education and Judiciary Committees to discuss equal treatment of student athletes at the Knott Building in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) (Phil Sears, Copyright 2020 the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Incoming House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, released a plan Friday that will make changes in committees and subcommittees, including creating an Infrastructure Strategies Committee overseeing issues such as transportation, water quality and flood resilience.

The plan came as lawmakers prepare to meet Tuesday in an organization session that will include Renner formally becoming speaker.

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The plan will make a series of changes in subcommittees, such as creating the Water Quality, Supply & Treatment Subcommittee and the Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts Subcommittee.

While the House has had a similarly named Local Administration & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee the past two years, the addition of special districts to the name comes after lawmakers decided in April to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District in the Orlando area and five other special districts.

Reedy Creek was created in the 1960s for Walt Disney World and has provided many traditional functions of government.

Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed to dissolve Reedy Creek after Walt Disney Co. opposed a controversial education measure that was a DeSantis priority. The dissolution, however, is not scheduled to take effect until June 2023, which means lawmakers in the coming months could decide to re-establish the district or look at alternatives.


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