Gavel and go: Fla. House quickly adjourns oil drilling session; local delegates to spearhead future House efforts

TALLAHASSEE — A special session to address oil drilling went up in flames Tuesday after lawmakers convened and quickly called it quits on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban drilling in Florida’ gulf waters.

Called in by Gov Charlie Crist following the explosion and spill from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig, the Republican-led House adjourned before taking any action or holding hearings on proposals to amendmend the state constitution to ban drilling within 10 miles of Florida’s Gulf shore. The Senate quickly followed suit.

Saying politics was the driving force for calling them back, House Speaker Larry Cretul said the chamber had fulfilled its obligation to convene but would not address the drilling ban, saying it will focus its attention on other spill-related issues during an upcoming session later this year.

“We were called here today because of politics,” Cretul told members after opening the session, which lasted less than an hour. “But we are leaving today with a concrete workplan to provide real aid for those who are most in need.”

The House voted 67-44 to end the session.

The Senate, which had scheduled to meet until Friday to address the ban, adjourned an hour later after an 18-16 vote, saying further debate on the ban was pointless given the House’s earlier vote. In practical terms, the votes Tuesday will prevent any amendment to reach Florida voters in November as a proposed amendment would have to be approved by Aug. 4.

“The governor and the House have simply provided no latitude to expand our business beyond the stated purpose of the call,” Atwater said.

Local delegates were largely in agreement that the special session was not needed because laws are already on the books and the governor had not gotten consensus from legislative leaders going in.

“I don’t think it was a good idea,” said Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres who supports a drilling ban.  “This didn’t accomplish anything.”

Rep. Trudi Williams, R-Fort Myers, said the cost of the session far outweighed the results, which were a foregone conclusion given the evolving nature of the crisis.

“These aren’t the types of things you tackle in a special session with only a few weeks’ notice,” Williams said. “These are pretty complicated issues that need thought out responses.”

Crist called the Legislature’s inaction “embarrassing,” blasting the chambers for sandbagging the will of voters, who polls show want a chance to vote.

“I call this the do-nothing Legislature,” Crist told reporters after the legislature adjourned. “And I’m going to give them hell for it.”

Despite his frustration, Crist said he would not call lawmakers back again to address the issue, saying they missed their chance.

“Will I call them back? Why?” Crist said. “This was their day. This week was their week. They had the chance to do the right thing right now. They've proven that they've failed. Why call back to watch them fail and fail and fail again.”

Southwest Florida lawmakers will play critical roles in developing House proposals in response to the gulf spill. Williams and Rep. Matt Hudson, R-Naples, will lead separate committees dealing with specific aspects of post-spill legislation. Williams’ working group will look at how the BP disaster has played out and how the state can better respond in the future to man made disasters.

Hudson’s group will look at how local governments go about getting paid for protective measures and cleanup. He said he hopes to have an outline of recommendations within the next few weeks.

Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, will oversee the work of six House working groups set up to prepare legislation in anticipation of a special session to be held in September.