Scott Suspends Agency Rule-Making

In one of his first major actions since his inauguration last week, Florida Governor Rick Scott has issued an Executive Order that freezes all new regulations and establishes the Office of Fiscal Accountability and Regulatory Reform, which will review all rules prior to promulgation as well as agency practices and contracts. The order immediately suspends rulemaking for all agencies under the direction of the Governor; imposes 90-day suspension on execution of any contracts with a value in excess of $1 million, without prior approval from the Office; and prohibits agencies from promulgating rules unless they obtain prior approval from the Office. The order is part of Scott’s overall plan to reduce government regulation, remove regulatory burdens on small businesses, and enhance Florida’s economic development opportunities.

Buzzett Named New DCA Secretary

Florida Governor Rick Scott has named former St. Joe Co. executive Billy Buzzett to lead the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Buzzett is a civil engineer and land-use attorney who served as a vice president of strategic planning for St. Joe up until 2009. In making the appointment, Scott said Buzzett was “well-positioned to manage the consolidation of DCA into other state agencies.” Buzzett is no stranger to government having served on the 1998 Constitutional Revision Commission and as an administrative law judge and associate general counsel for former Gov. Bob Martinez. Buzzett succeeds another land-use attorney, Tom Pelham, as DCA secretary.

FHBA Newsletter January 10, 2011