Statement from Senator Dockery: Federal Court Ruling on Arizona’s Immigration Law

“The federal court ruling today shows that the federal judiciary, like the rest of the federal government, just doesn’t get it. They are failing to secure our borders and forcing the states to pick up the tab caused by their inaction. These efforts, like the legislation I recently sponsored in Florida, are not anti-immigrant nor are they in support of racial profiling. These common-sense efforts are about empowering law enforcement to help in the fight against criminals who threaten our nation’s security.” … Continue Reading

Governor Crist Names Jimmy Buffett of Palm Beach as Governor’s Point of Light

TALLAHASSEE — Governor Charlie Crist today recognized Jimmy Buffett of Palm Beach as a Point of Light for his work to help families and businesses of the Gulf Coast recover from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The recognition also honors Buffett for his long-standing commitment to promoting and protecting Florida’s unique coastal environments and wildlife. … Continue Reading

CFO Alex Sink Stands With Small Businesses And Florida Realtors During Lost-Income Claims Process

TALLAHASSEE – Florida CFO Alex Sink today issued the following statement after meeting with Kenneth Feinberg, the independent administrator of the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster Victim Compensation Fund, about the lost-income claims process for small businesses and real estate professionals. … Continue Reading

Education Commissioner Smith Concludes Informative Visit With Panhandle School Districts

~ Bay, Escambia and Gulf school districts provide insight into the unique challenges they face ~

TALLAHASSEE – Florida Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith, leading a team of Department of Education (DOE) senior staff members, concluded a series of visits with Florida panhandle school districts today to learn about the unique challenges they are facing due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. As a part of the visits, Commissioner Smith and his team were able to hear first-hand from superintendents and other district officials about the impacts the spill is having on their local communities and how they are addressing those impacts in preparation for the upcoming school year. … Continue Reading

Jeb Bush Speaks to NCSL on Education Reform

Tallahassee — Yesterday, Jeb Bush spoke to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) to share Florida’s education success story, how it went from being at the bottom of the nation in education, to a model for the nation today. A copy of Governor Bush’s prepared remarks is provided below. … Continue Reading

Attorney General McCollum issues statement on preliminary injunction in Arizona immigration lawsuit

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued the
following statement on the preliminary injunction issued today by a
federal judge in the lawsuit challenging the Arizona immigration law: … Continue Reading

Florida Higher Education Group Meets With Taiwan President And Signs Memorandum Of Understanding To Promote Student Exchange Programs

TALLAHASSEE – Last week, President and CEO of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF), Dr. Ed Moore, met with President Ma Ying-jeou of the Republic of China at the second annual Taiwan-Florida Education Conference in Taipei to discuss higher education and student exchange programs. During the visit, Dr. Moore and Dr. Anthony Catanese, President of the Florida Institute of Technology and Chairman of the ICUF Council of Presidents, met with leaders of the major universities in Taiwan to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Taiwanese government to increase foreign student exchange programs, scholarships, study abroad programs and research opportunities between Florida and Taiwan. … Continue Reading

AIFPAC Endorses McCollum & Scott for Governor

TALLAHASSEE – Associated Industries of Florida Political Action Committee (AIFPAC) today announced its endorsement of both Attorney General Bill McCollum (R) and Rick Scott (R) for Governor.

“AIF endorsements are always based on the simple premise that the candidates endorsed are the ones whose philosophy, like ours, is for a strong and vibrant free-enterprise system.  It has little to do with politics or a particular candidate’s likelihood of winning.  Ultimately, the board chose to endorse both candidates because we believe that either one would be generally supportive of our positions.  This has happened in past legislative races and now has happened again in this race for the GOP nomination for Governor.  Thus, AIF is sending a message to our members and to the business community-at-large that either of these two men would be good Governors for the State of Florida,” said Barney Bishop III, President and CEO of Associated Industries of Florida (AIF). … Continue Reading

Florida Deepwater Horizon Response July 28, 2010

TALLAHASSEE – Under the leadership of Governor Charlie Crist, the State Emergency Response Team and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are actively coordinating and responding to the Deepwater Horizon incident.

Message of the day: Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs
The Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation and its workforce system partners, Workforce Florida and the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards, continue to connect Florida’s job seekers with employment opportunities via Governor Crist’s Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs website. Since Governor Crist announced the website, more than 14,600 positions related to response and recovery efforts have been posted and more than 44,600 people have registered and applied for these and other positions. The average wage for positions filled to date is nearly $20/hour. … Continue Reading

UF News: UF study: BP oil spill adds to uncertainty about Florida’s real estate market

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The BP oil spill threatens to swamp a shaky Florida real estate industry that had been bottoming out because of repeated economic blows, the latest University of Florida survey finds.

“The devastating effect of the spill on the Panhandle’s economy has created a giant cloud of uncertainty that is affecting all markets across the state,” said Timothy Becker, director of UF’s Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies, which issued its quarterly survey Wednesday (7/28). “Our respondents indicate that the effect of the oil spill is being felt across Florida despite the fact that oil is currently only showing up on beaches in the Panhandle.” … Continue Reading

The Florida Department Of Health Promotes Awareness During World Breastfeeding Week

TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Department of Health (DOH) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) celebrate August 1-7 as World Breastfeeding Week 2010.  This year’s theme—Breastfeeding: Just 10 Steps! The Baby-Friendly Way—focuses on simple steps that hospitals, health care providers, workplaces, the community, and families can take to help mothers achieve their breastfeeding goals. … Continue Reading

Florida Shares Success Stories in Nation’s Capital

Florida Shares Success Stories in Nation’s Capital
Department of Children and Families’ Adoption and Food Stamp Programs
Serve as National Models

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – National leaders will learn more this week about
Florida’s efficient, compassionate and successful efforts to protect the
state’s most vulnerable. … Continue Reading

Governor Crist Signs Legislation Hindering Meth Labs

~ Applauds Florida Sheriffs for 39-year low in state’s crime rate ~

FORT LAUDERDALE – While addressing the Florida Sheriffs Association in Fort Lauderdale, Governor Charlie Crist today signed legislation that makes it more difficult for individuals to buy over-the-counter medicines used to make methamphetamine. The law establishes a database that enables the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to monitor the sale of the medicines and block purchases that exceed the maximum legal amount. Currently, there is no effective and efficient way to track the sale of the products, enabling individuals to exceed the legal limits by buying the maximum amount at multiple pharmacies. … Continue Reading

Governor Crist Appoints Two To The Tobacco Education And Use Prevention Advisory Council

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today announced the following reappointment and appointment:

TOBACCO EDUCATION AND USE PREVENTION ADVISORY COUNCIL

·       Fonda McGowan, 69, of Orlando, retired, reappointed for a term beginning July 28, 2010, and ending June 30, 2013.

·       Senta Goudy, 53, of Tallahassee, chief of prevention with the Governor’s Office of Drug Control, succeeding Jeffrey Cece, appointed for a term beginning July 28, 2010, and ending June 30, 2013. … Continue Reading

Foundation for Florida’s Future Applauds Adoption of Common Core State Standards

~ More rigorous standards will better prepare students for the 21st century economy ~
Tallahassee, Florida – The Foundation for Florida’s Future applauds the Florida Board of Education for unanimously adopting the Common Core State Standards for Language Arts and Math.  Florida is the 26th state in the country to adopt the Common Core State Standards. … Continue Reading

Foundation for Florida’s Future Congratulates the Sunshine State on Success in Round 2 of Race to the Top

Tallahassee, Florida – The Foundation for Florida’s Future congratulates the Sunshine State for becoming a finalist in Round 2 of Race to the Top, a federal competitive grant program designed to improve the quality of education in states across the country. … Continue Reading

Governor Crist Appoints Two To The Board Of Commissioners Of Halifax Hospital Medical Center

TALLAHASSEE — Governor Charlie Crist today announced the following appointments:

Board of Commissioners of Halifax Hospital Medical Center

·        Karen L. Jans, 52, of Daytona Beach, assistant vice president of Community Relations with the University of Central Florida, succeeding Vivianne Cloar, appointed for a term beginning July 27, 2010, and ending May 23, 2014.

·        John P. Johnson, 64, of Ormond Beach, president of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, succeeding Betty Holness, appointed for a term beginning July 27, 2010, and ending May 23, 2014. … Continue Reading

Governor Crist Applauds AirTran Airways for Job-creating Expansion in Orlando

~ Orlando airline announces new pilot base at unveiling of state-of-the-art operations center~

ORLANDO – As part of his ongoing focus on growing Florida’s economy, Governor Charlie Crist today applauded AirTran Airways during an unveiling of the Orlando company’s new System Operations Control (SOC) Center. During the event, AirTran Airways Chairman, President and CEO Bob Fornaro also announced plans to open a pilot base in Orlando this fall. … Continue Reading

Putnam joins effort to help disabled save for expenses

WASHINGTON – Congressman Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) today announced he is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation (HR 1205) to allow tax-free savings accounts for people with disabilities. The accounts would be similar to those already in use for retirement savings and college funds for children. … Continue Reading

Governor Crist Announces Delegation for Race to the Top Phase 2 Competition

~ Florida one of 19 finalists invited to present Phase 2 application in Washington D.C. ~

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today announced Florida as one of 19 finalists qualifying in the federal Race to the Top Phase 2 competition. Governor Crist will lead a delegation to Washington, D.C., in August to present Florida’s Race to the Top proposal. Education Commissioner Dr. Eric Smith and Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association, will also participate in the presentation. If Florida’s proposal is selected, Florida could receive up to $700 million in federal funds to implement locally developed, comprehensive education reform plans.

Other delegation members include Public Schools Chancellor Dr. Frances Haithcock and Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Carvalho was appointed by Governor Crist to chair Florida’s Race to the Top Working Group in May. At the Governor’s direction, the working group built consensus to develop the Phase 2 Memorandum of Understanding that was later signed by 54 local teacher unions – as well as 65 of Florida’s 67 school districts, three of the state’s four lab schools and the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. … Continue Reading