Scott's workforce, unemployment bills get smooth Senate panel ride

Bills to give Gov. Rick Scott more power to fire leaders of the 28 local workforce boards throughout the state and to rename and reform Florida’s unemployment compensation system passed unanimously Thursday through the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee.

Both bills originated in Scott’s office and are headed to the House floor, but received their first review in the Senate Thursday.

The Senate version of the workforce board bill, SB 1398, passed over the objections of some workforce board members who contend the legislation punishes all workforce boards throughout the state for the actions of a few. Scott threatened to unseat the entire Central Florida workforce board last year in response to articles in the Orlando Sentinel detailing malfeasance – unwarranted expenditures and contracts with companies owned by board members’ relatives. Removing the entire board, the so-called “nuclear option”, currently is the only available option open to the governor, who wants to be able to remove individual workforce board members and executive directors with or without cause.

Workforce board members across the state expressed concern that their local issues may come into conflict with Scott’s agenda, thus politicizing the boards. Bill Williams, a Gulf County commissioner who was appointed the board of Workforce Florida Inc. in October by Scott, worried about the long-term consequences of giving the governor that much power over the boards.

“We don’t know who the governor is going to be 10 years from now. It politicizes that situation,” Williams said.

The panel also unanimously passed SB 1416, renaming the unemployment compensation system the “reemployment assistance program,” requiring training for claimants who score low on a skills test, allowing the state more time to recoup money from fraudulent claims, and exempting employers who lay off workers because of a natural or man-made disaster. Scott contends the "rebranding" of the compensation system is necessary to change the mentality of the system to one of helping the unemployed get back into the workforce, instead of being seen as an entitlement program.

“It’s the first time, I think, in the state where we’re addressing reemployment versus unemployment,” said Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, who is sponsoring the bill.

Both SB 1398 and SB 1416 must pass next through the Senate Budget Committee before heading to the Senate floor. The House versions, HB 7023 and HB 7027, respectively, have already moved through the committee process in that chamber and are ready for the floor.

Reporter Gray Rohrer can be reached at grohrer@thefloridacurrent.com.