Osceola’s delegation updates legislation at Chamber’s update event

The Osceola Chamber can still pack a room, especially when it brings the area’s Tallahassee legislators together for an update on the 2024 legislative session and the bills passed, and signed by the governor, and how they will affect the county.

Tuesday, the Chamber gathered the Osceola Legislative Delegation, which includes Sen. Victor Torres (District 25) and Representatives Kristen Arrington (District 46), Paula Stark (District 47) and Tom Keen (District 35) at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center.  Rep. Carolina Amesty (District 45), the fourth state house representative whose district includes part of Osceola County, had to drop out of the panel at the last minute due to a conflict, Chamber officials said.

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto also appeared to talk about federal legislation, including advancements and funding for NeoCity.

During a moderated conversation with Walt Disney World Senior Government Advisory Manager Leticia Adams, Torres, Arrington, Stark and Keen engaged in conversation about the 2024 session.

Torres is Torres is leaving the Legislature, after two terms in both the state House and Senate, due to state term limits. Arrington and Carmen Torres, Victor’s wife, will face off in August in the Democratic primary for Torres’ seat.

“It’s been a real pleasure serving you,” he said.

NeoCity, and funding to keep bringing microchip research and manufacturing companies coming to do business, was a popular topic of discussion.

“This manufacturing that’s going to be in Osceola secures a future, not just for Osceola but for our kids, we even have a special school (NeoCity Academy) there,” Torres said.

Property tax reform — which impacts all property owners in the state — also came up.

“When you pass legislation in the prior session, then you come back the next session to continue to address it, you know it’s important, and it’s going to be addressed again,” Torres said.

Keen, who was elected a couple days into the session after winning a special election for the seat on Jan. 16, said he sat in on a property insurance workshop in committee.

“It lasted 30 minutes. That was disappointing,” he said.

The legislators also spoke about home rule — and how it’s disappearing. It means that state laws are superseding local ordinances passed by cities and counties trying to manage issues like growth and funding unique to their location. 

“Because of the leadership in the House and Senate, they started pre-empting things that concern (a place like) Osceola County,” Torres said, giving an example of managing vacation home rentals, which Osceola does on a bigger scale and better than most anywhere else in state.

Keen noted that while homes rented as “AirBNBs” or “VRBOs” should be under the same standards as hotels, the state intervening may have been an overreach.

But, on the brighter side, Arrington noted Osceola County entities Park Place Behavioral Center and Hope Partnership, which help those with mental illness and homelessness, will receive added funding, and that the Legislature passed tax credits for companies that hire those with disabilities and offer child care. Stark said Osceola’s Meals on Wheels program was able to also secure added funding, and she worked with newcomer Keen to help secure an appropriation to upgrade wells and provide safe, reliable water to residents of the historic Whitted community near Narcoossee.

As a bonus, FDOT District 5 Director of Development Jack Adkins reported on ongoing local transportation projects, such as an upgraded John Young Parkway and Pleasant Hill Road intersection and the extension of Poinciana Parkway, first to Osceola-Polk Line Road (CR 532) and then to State Road 429. They, along with Interstate 4 improvements from southwest of Orlando to Lakeland, are part of Moving Florida Forward, a $2 billion package of projects the Governor’s office has fast tracked.

He noted the impact of the County’s record growth and its impact on transportation needs — many of which outpace the available funding.

“We have $200 billion in unfunded ‘wish’ projects,” he said, noting they include road, rail and public transit projects. “We are focused now on the Moving Florida Forward projects.”