Legislative Issues Teams.

CHILDREN'S ISSUES

Team Leader:

Howard Talenfeld, Esq., Colodny, Fats & Talenfeld, P.A.

Members:

Howard Bakalar, Family Central

M. Leon Banks, Codina Realty Services, Inc.

David Bazerman, Fsq., Nova Civil Law Clinic

Kathleen Fear, Estate of the Heart, Inc.

Wendy Hyla, Family Central

Vicki Katz, Jewish Adoption & Foster Care Options

Dixie Knoebel, Broward County Court Administration

Philip J. Procacci, Procacci Commercial Realty, Inc.

Alan Kvares, Estate of the Heart, Inc.

John Ratliff, Children First Project

Joseph Sclafani, Family Central, Inc.

Sarah Stewart, Akerman Senterfitt Eidson, P.A.

Norma Threadgil, Neighbor to Family

Patty Walker, Guardian Ad Litem Program

Jeanette Wagner, Guardian Ad Litem Program

Chris Zawisza, Children First, Nova Southeastern University

The Children's Issues Team is addressing the many critical issues affecting the thousands of at-risk children in our community. Team members are examining the need for reform of our county's foster care system as well as the many unmet needs in juvenile justice, mental health, education and preventive family services.

Issues under consideration include implementing the Broward Child Welfare Initiative (privatization of foster care), the Model Dependency Project, legal representation of children, Guardian Ad Litem program, the Kinship relative-caregiver program, school readiness, funding of programs for children and families in need, and the Foster Care Bill of Rights.

ENERGY RESOURCES

Team Leader: Larry Deetjen, City of Deerfield Beach

Members: Debbie M. Orshefsky, Greenberg Traurig

Reliable, abundant and economical sources of energy are critical to meeting the demands of Florida's continued economic development and population growth. The Governor's 2020 Energy Commission is charged with evaluating this issue and making legislative recommendations to enable Florida to meet this challenge. This discussion includes fundamental decisions such as whether Florida should implement energy deregulation, and if so, what groundwork must be set to allow a smooth transition to a deregulated state. The Energy Team will be monitoring this issue and address legislative proposals as they evolve.

FILM & TELEVISION

Team Leader: Elizabeth Wentworth, Broward Film Commission, Broward Alliance

Members: Judy Altman, Altman-Procko Productions Sherri Lone, The Lone Group Jill K. Miller, Visual Interactive Solutions Rob Mitchell, All Star Production Group Steve Picha, Madsen, Sapp, Mena, Rodriguez & Co., PA

The team partners with Film Florida and the State Film Commission to review and follow legislation that will offer economic incentives or other means of stimulating the growth of Florida's film and television industry.

Concerns include: a budget implementation bill to maintain current budgetary needs, amending the Qualified Target Industry (QTI) list to include the designation of eEntertainment as a high impact, target industry sector; obtaining funding for the development of joint-use…