LABELLE — Thursday, Sept. 9, has been set as the date for the Hendry County State Legislative Delegation’s Public Hearing for local bills, funding issues and public comment. The Meeting will convene at 10 a.m. in the city town hall, located at 481 W. Hickpochee Ave. in LaBelle, and will conclude upon the completion of the agenda.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to address the delegation about issues not related to local bills upon completion of the presentation of local bills.

All proposals for local bills are expected to be presented at the hearing and must be drafted in bill form. Please submit a proposed local bill by email to Ryan Walker at Ryan.Walker@myfloridahouse.gov no later than Aug. 31. Unless there is an emergency, the delegation will consider for introduction only those bills that have been presented at the hearing. Decisions on whether to introduce local legislation will be made at the hearing.

If the local legislative delegation agrees to support the issue and introduce a local bill, a legal advertisement of the proposed bill must be placed by the requestor of the bill in a newspaper of general circulation at least 30 days prior to the introduction in the House or Senate unless the bill contains a referendum provision.

According to Florida Statute 11.02, 11.021, and 11.03, evidence that notice has been properly published must be submitted to the House sponsor before a local bill, not subject to referendum, can be introduced.

The notice must be broad enough to include all matters contained in the body of the proposed legislation, although the specific contents need not be listed in detailed form. The function of the notice requirement is to provided reasonable notice to any person whose interests may be directly affected by proposed legislation, so that he or she may inquire further into details of the local bill and, if he or she so desires, seek to prevent enactment or to persuade the Legislature to change the substance of the proposed bill.

If you have any questions or would like to be placed on the agenda for the Hendry County State Legislative Delegation Hearing, either to present a local bill or provide public input, please contact our office at 239-417-6270 or email Ryan.Walker@myfloridahouse.gov by Aug. 31. The public is encouraged to email their request to be placed on the agenda.