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Beginning With A Bang: House Set To Vote On Enterprise Florida, Death Penalty On First Full Session

News Service of Florida

The House's first full floor session Thursday is expected to include taking up bills that would abolish Enterprise Florida, overhaul Visit Florida and make a key change in the state's death-penalty sentencing laws.

Read More: Florida's Death Penalty Has Been On Limbo For More Than A Year

The 2017 legislative session will start Tuesday with a largely ceremonial session, and the House is slated to meet Thursday afternoon to begin taking up bills.

The issues on what is known as a "special order calendar" for the Thursday session include a controversial measure (HB 7005) that would abolish Enterprise Florida and other economic-development programs.

Read More: House Sends Measure Killing Enterprise Florida, Cutting Visit Florida To Floor

Also, it includes a proposal (HB 9) that would require changes in the operations of the tourism-marketing agency Visit Florida and a bill (HB 527) that would require unanimous jury recommendations before defendants can be sentenced to death.

House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O' Lakes, and Gov. Rick Scott have battled about the Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida issues. The Florida Supreme Court in October rejected a law that required only 10 of 12 jurors to recommend death in capital cases.

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