Legislative Priorities

The City Manager’s Office is responsible for developing the City Commission's legislative priorities, coordinating approaches for advocacy, identifying appropriation requests, building relationships at the local, state, and federal levels, reviewing legislation that impacts Hollywood, and ensuring seamless communication between our elected officials and the City. 

Each year, the City Commission adopts the State Legislative Priorities and Federal Legislative Priorities of the City. While these priorities guide the City’s advocacy efforts in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., respectively, they are not exhaustive and new issues may arise or evolve that will require the City’s attention. Issues are not ranked in order of priority. The City Commission, City staff, and contract lobbyists will pursue all legislative policies approved by the City Commission and place appropriate priority on the issues according to opportunities that arise during the legislative process. Amongst the City’s legislative priorities, overarching emphasis is given to maintaining home rule authority and opposing cost shifts or unfunded mandates.

The Florida Legislature meets in session every year for sixty consecutive days. A regular session of the legislature shall convene on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each odd-numbered year and on the second Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each even-numbered year. There are other ways in which the Legislature may be convened as outlined in Article III, Section 3, of the Florida Constitution, including special sessions, which may be called either by the Governor; or by a joint proclamation issued by the Senate President and House Speaker. 

For additional information, please contact:
Adam Reichbach
Assistant City Manager for Finance and Administration 
954-921-3201
areichbach@hollywoodfl.org

2024 State Legislative Priorities

Priority Funding:

• FY2025 State Appropriation Request: Hollywood Hills/Memorial Regional Hospital Exfiltration Drainage Improvements ($490,000)
• FY2025 State Appropriation Request:  New Police Headquarters Emergency Backup Generator ($400,000)
• FY2025 Small Matching Grant (Division of Historical Resources): Hollywood Historic Property Survey ($50,000)
• FY2025 Specific Cultural Project Grant (Division of Cultural Affairs): Arts Park Live Concert Series ($25,000)
• FY2025 Department of Elder Affairs Appropriation: Fred Lippman Multi-Purpose Center Programming/Services Funding

Coordinated Funding: 

• Beach Renourishment and Sand-By-Pass Funding

Policy Topics to Monitor and Engage:

• Affordable Housing Programs and Funding 
• Building Code and Other Growth Management Policies
• Communications Services Tax – Maintenance of current rates for municipalities
• Condominium Assessments Resulting from Recertification Inspections – Explore financial assistance programs including low-interest loans to fund necessary structural and electrical repairs for economically vulnerable condominium owners 
• Cybersecurity Efforts – Expand through state resources
• Economic Development Opportunities Funding – Expand through state resources
• Home Rule Preservation and Defense Against Preemption Efforts 
• Historic Structures – Defense against preemption of regulation
• Live Local Act – Pursue legislative clarification pertaining to highest allowable height via local zoning regulations
• Local Business Tax Receipts (LBTRs) – Preservation of a municipality’s ability to levy
• Property Insurance - Mitigate rising homeowners’ and commercial insurance rates including reforms to Citizens Property Insurance
• Resiliency Measures – Including but not limited to sea level rise resilience, water quality, and other environmental issues
• Resilient Florida Trust Funds Preservation
• Seminole Gaming Compact
• Septic to Sewer Conversion Funding
• Sovereign Immunity and Claim Bill Reform
• Vacation Rentals Regulations – Authority restored to local governments
• Vessels and Waterways Issues – Including the protection and enhancement of anchoring limitation areas designated at the county-level

Important Dates:

2024 Federal Legislative Priorities

The City of Hollywood, Florida presents the following federal legislative priorities rooted in the importance and autonomy of home rule governance, an appreciation for the vital role played by our representatives in the United States Congress, and a desire to contribute to the public policy dialogue on behalf of the City’s residents and businesses.

Funding and Administration

• SUPPORT increased opportunities to apply for federal grants that leverage local investment in public infrastructure, environmental resiliency, and any other enhancement to the delivery of services and programs by the City of Hollywood.
• SUPPORT expedited federal relief funding to local government, businesses, and individuals affected by natural disasters, such as hurricanes.
• SUPPORT increased investment in mitigation programs such as the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and other partnerships between local and federal governments to complete mitigation projects and increase resiliency to disasters. 
• SUPPORT legislation that would designate a single, unique zip code, to the City of Hollywood.
• SUPPORT for the analysis of the United States Postal Service property located at 1801 Polk Street as part transit-oriented, mixed-use development inclusive of affordable housing.
• SUPPORT increased funding for the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program including New Starts, Small Starts and Core Capacity Improvements for funding major transit capital investments, including heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars, and bus rapid transit.
• SUPPORT for the Port Everglades Deepening and Widening Project including funding and approval of environmental permitting. 

Housing

• SUPPORT proposals, tax incentives, and funding which would increase home ownership and rental housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families and increase the supply of affordable housing.
• SUPPORT increased federal funding for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) programs.
• SUPPORT legislation to increase the present 4 percent and 9 percent cap on Low Income Housing Tax Credits. 

Resiliency and Infrastructure

• SUPPORT funding and incentives to help communities and individuals make investments in large-scale projects that reduce flood risks, improve resilience, and enhance water quality.
• SUPPORT reform of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to ensure affordable and transparent flood insurance for homeowners and businesses.
• SUPPORT funding and incentives to expand septic-to-sewer conversions.
• SUPPORT the FY 2024 Federal Appropriation Request for the Hollywood Beach Phase IV East/West Streets Resiliency and Flood Management project.
• SUPPORT continued federal funding allocations for shoreline beach renourishment.
• SUPPORT Broward County’s pursuit of federal discretionary grant funding (Small Starts) for Broward Commuter Rail South