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New Florida Majority: PSC Decision on Dania Beach Plant Ignores the Will of the People

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The New Florida Majority released the following statement upon hearing that the state’s Public Service Commission had approved Florida Power & Light’s latest plans for a fracked gas-powered plant in Dania Beach:

“We are disappointed with the Public Service Commission’s decision to approve the FPL’s expansion of its current plant in Dania Beach without formal community input and approval.

Community residents have made it clear that they are worried that the current design fails to utilize solar energy and is dependent on fracked gas that will be pumped in from out of state. They have asked for a public meeting with elected leaders and FPL staff to answer the questions that still remain, including whether the rebuilt and expanded plant will rely on the fracked gas plants that they are heavily invested in other states.

Elected officials in Dania Beach and in the Florida Cabinet that continue to be part of the approval process should respect the will of the people. Residents deserve a meeting — in person and face to face.

We join with community residents in demanding that FPL and local government officials participate in a public meeting to answer these and any other outstanding questions. It’s a question of respect. Otherwise, this project risks becoming just another example of how low-income neighborhoods and communities of color disproportionately pay the high cost of electricity and unhealthy environmental impacts in the guise of economic development and efficiency.”

Petland Expands K9 Support

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Petland General Manager Heath Kesner standing with 6 K9 units supported by Petland. (PRNewsfoto/Petland)

Stores across the country provide assistance for more than 135 service and therapy dogs

In honor of National K9 Veterans Day on March 13, Petland and Petland Charities are proud and honored to announce their support of more than 135 service dogs across the country, up more than 35% from last year. Petland is grateful for the work these dogs do every day to help communities, children, veterans and those with special needs. In Florida alone, Petland stores support 24 K9 units across the state.

Petland’s national Community Service outreach includes offering support to local police, sheriff and fire departments as well as support for military veteran service dogs. The assistance for protective K9 units is most often a feeding program, supplies or fundraising for specific items, such as bite-suits or training gear. Support for veteran service dogs often goes towards the costs associated with raising, training and on-going care.

“Dogs play such an important role in our lives, as our pet and companion, but also as a partner or a valuable assistant. These K9 units have a tremendous impact in our local communities and seeing the unique bond between the partner and his canine officer is something special,” said Elizabeth Kunzelman, Director of Public Affairs. “Providing support for these units at a local level is just a small way to show our gratitude.”

This year, Petland became a supporter of the launch of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife Law Enforcement Program K-9 units. Five dogs are being trained and are part of the new program, with supplies and food provided by Petland.

Additionally, Petland supports service and therapy dogs for children and veterans through various programs and outreach. Petland and Petland franchisees sponsor service dogs for Heartland Canines for Veterans, is a 501c3 organization that provides companion, service and therapy dogs for disabled veterans. The average cost to raise and train each service dog is $7,200. Petland, Inc. has committed to supporting the cost of one dog per year for five years. This is in additional to the funds provided by individually-owned and operated stores.

Petland has worked with Heartland Canines for Veterans for almost three years. “The difference a therapy dog can make in the life of a veteran is truly astounding. It is a life-changing relationship and we are happy to be able to play a small part in helping make those relationships possible,” said Kunzelman.

Petland, Inc. is a franchise operation with quality, full service retail pet centers across the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil and El Salvador. For more than 49 years, Petland Pet Counselors have been dedicated to matching the right pet with the right person and meeting the needs of both. To its customers who already have pets, Petland is dedicated to enhancing their knowledge and enjoyment of the human-animal bond. Petland was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in south central Ohio. For more information on Petland, visit petland.com.

Coalition Response to Proposed Gun Legislation Packages

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The Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence and League of Women Voters of Florida appreciate that Gov. Rick Scott and state legislators are addressing gun reform in the wake of another massacre in our state.
However, we have serious concerns regarding their proposals and offer to meet with Gov. Scott and incoming Senate President Bill Galvano to discuss better ways to move toward meaningful gun safety measures.
  • We do not support a three-day waiting period before someone can purchase a semiautomatic assault rifle. 
  • We do not believe raising the age for buying a semiautomatic assault rifle from 18 to 21 years of age goes far enough.
These two courses of action do not address our goal — and students’ pleas — of banning the sale of semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in Florida. And it’s important to remember that in many mass shootings committed with these killing machines — Aurora, San Bernardino, Pulse, Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs — the murderers were well over the age of 21.
“While we applaud our lawmakers for addressing the need for policy changes in the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, we believe the proposals do not go far enough,” said Patricia Brigham, Co-Chair of the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence and 1st Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Florida. “Raising the age limit to 21 to purchase a rifle in Florida does not address the main problem: semiautomatic assault weapons. Many recent mass shooters were over the age of 21 when they wreaked havoc, death, and destruction. The Pulse shooter was 29. The Las Vegas shooter was 64. The list goes on. The fact is we need a ban on semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity magazines. Anything less is woefully inadequate.”
“We heard many proposals today from the Governor and legislative leaders that they strongly felt would address school safety in Florida,” said Andy Pelosi, Executive Director of the Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus and Co-Chair of the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. “However, the common denominator in mass shootings was noticeably absent — taking large-capacity magazines and assault weapons off our streets.”
Joe Saunders, Senior Political Director of Equality Florida, takes issue with the Governor’s assertion that gun safety advocates are calling for a mass takeaway of 2nd Amendment rights for all Americans. “That is a gross misrepresentation of the students from Parkland, survivors of Pulse, and this Coalition,” he said. “The vast majority of Americans believe if you’re purchasing a firearm you should be subject to a background check, without exception, and the vast majority believe assault rifles have no place in the hands of civilians. These packages are incomplete until those common sense policies are included.”
Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Julie Kessel added, “We need more mental health services available to those in distress, and I applaud that intervention. However, projecting blame onto those with mental illness will have no meaningful impact on mass shootings. People with serious mental illness are far more likely to be the victim of violence rather than the cause of it.”
In addition to calls for enacting a ban on semiautomatic assault weapons in Florida, the Coalition has the following reaction to proposals heard today:
  • We ask that our Legislature expand the scope of background checks to include private sales.
  • We support removing weapons from domestic violence abusers and banning those with restraining orders from purchasing a firearm.
  • We are strongly opposed to any arming of teachers. They do not have the tactical training to respond to an active shooter, nor should they be expected to undergo such training. We applaud Gov. Scott for taking this position as well.
“The Florida PTA believes the safest day-to-day school climate to be gun-free. Only actively trained law enforcement officers should be allowed to carry guns on our school campuses. Our sole purpose should be to educate our youth,” said Angie Gallo, Legislation Chair of the Florida PTA.
The Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence was created by the League of Women Voters of Florida after the Pulse shooting to promote smart gun legislation. It has grown to include more than 120 local, state, and national organizations and includes such diverse groups as the Hispanic Federation, Florida PTA, Equality Florida, the Interfaith Council of Central Florida, Anti-Defamation League, and Doctors for America.

College Democrats Mobilize to Support Parkland Students in Fight for Common-Sense Gun Reform

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College Democrats of America members are standing with the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School by organizing rallies, lobbying in Tallahassee, and demanding action. Florida College Democrats Political Director, Kathryn Casello, and College Democrats of America Communications Director, Sophia Ward, released the following statements:

“These rallies prove how powerful the voices of students, educators, and advocates are,” said Florida College Democrats Political Director Kathryn Casello. “The victims of the Parkland mass shooting deserve more than our thoughts and prayers; they deserve action and change. College students and youth are paying attention, and they will be voting in November.”

“As a born and bred Floridian, the Parkland shooting was already far too close to home, but having two younger brothers in Florida public schools right now made this even more of a nightmare,” said CDA Communications Director Sophia Ward. “I am committed to encouraging students across the nation to vote on election day and elect officials who will listen to voters and pass legislation that will make our schools safer.”   

Here’s a look at how College Democrats across Florida are joining the movement:

The Florida Atlantic University College Democrats organized a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Shooting.

  

Source: University Press

At the University of Miami, College Democrats collected signatures on campus to urge their elected officials to act on gun reform. 

 Florida State University College Democrats marched to the state capitol in Tallahassee to demand common-sense gun reform.

Source: Andrew Salinero via Twitter 

The University of Florida College Democrats are planning a rally in Gainesville on March 24th to urge action from elected officials on this issue.

Source: UF College Dems

The Barry University College Democrats organized an event on campus, where more than 100 students wrote to their representatives demanding change.

 

Source: Barry University College Dems Facebook

I Appreciate Assault Weapons. And I Support a Ban.

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By Brian Mast

The most important and unregrettable time of my life was the 12 years I spent in the Army. I became a bomb technician because I wanted to save lives. I nearly gave my own life for that — I lost both my legs and a finger when a roadside bomb detonated beneath me — and have known more heroes than I can count who died defending others.

When I was with others on the battlefield and we saw a chance to save a life, we didn’t have a meeting about it; we acted immediately. I never worried about becoming a casualty myself.

Now, as a Republican congressman from Florida, I don’t fear becoming a political casualty, either. If we act now by changing laws surrounding firearms and mental illness, we too can save lives.

Most nights in Afghanistan, I wielded an M4 carbine and a .40-caliber pistol. The total barrel length of my M4 was approximately 14 inches with Trijicon ACOG sights, as well as an infrared laser. I usually carried 10 magazines stacked with 20 rounds of 5.56-millimeter ammunition each.

My rifle was very similar to the AR-15-style semiautomatic weapon used to kill students, teachers and a coach I knew at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where I once lived.

I have fired tens of thousands of rounds through that rifle, many in combat. We used it because it was the most lethal — the best for killing our enemies. And I know that my community, our schools and public gathering places are not made safer by any person having access to the best killing tool the Army could put in my hands. I cannot support the primary weapon I used to defend our people being used to kill children I swore to defend.

The truth is, most gun owners are responsible sportsmen and collectors who enjoy shooting recreationally, like me, or want to protect their home in the way they see fit. I am a longtime member of the National Rifle Association. My grandfather bought me my first NRA membership when I was young, and I have the same pride he and many Americans feel at being responsible gun owners, becoming excellent marksmen and joining in the camaraderie of hunting.

We are Americans and we like to be the best; we should never lose this trait. The AR-15 is an excellent platform for recreational shooters to learn to be outstanding marksmen. Unfortunately, it is also an excellent platform for those who wish to kill the innocent.

I conceal and carry a 9-millimeter pistol most days because I know the threats, and I don’t want to die because I am unprepared to return fire.

I also know that I am made less safe by the threat of tactical rifles. I am confident I can eliminate an active shooter who is attacking with a pistol because the attacker would have to be close to me. But the defense my concealed 9-millimeter affords me is largely gone if the attacker is firing from beyond 40 yards, as he could easily do with the AR-15.

No firearm is evil. Guns are tools that fulfill the intent of their users, good or bad. But we’ve seen that the rifle of choice for many mass shooters is the AR-15.

The Second Amendment is unimpeachable. It guarantees the right of citizens to defend themselves. I accept, however, that it does not guarantee that every civilian can bear any and all arms.

For example, the purchase of fully automatic firearms is largely banned already, and I cannot purchase an AT-4 rocket, grenades, a Bradley fighting vehicle or an Abrams tank. I know that no single action can prevent a truly determined person from committing mass murder, and I am aware of other ways to commit mass murder, such as bombings and mass vehicular slaughter. Not being able to control everything, however, should not prevent us from doing something.

Therefore, I support the following:

Defining what constitutes an assault or tactical firearm and not allowing them for future purchase — just as we already prohibit the purchase of fully automatic firearms. The exact definition of assault weapon will need to be determined. But we should all be able to agree that the civilian version of the very deadly weapon that the Army issued to me should certainly qualify. I would not support any version of a ban that results in confiscating existing legally owned firearms.

Ensuring that every firearm purchaser has a background check. We also need to improve the background check system.

Banning the sale of accessories and add-ons that circumvent the ban on automatic firearms, and increasing the ages at which individuals can purchase various categories of firearms.

Ensuring that those who have been detained for mental illness, or have been ordered by courts to receive treatment for mental illness, cannot purchase firearms.

Ensuring that someone who is being looked at as a possible terrorist, through a system of due process, cannot purchase a firearm and that any person threatening to shoot or blow up a school, in word or on social media, is placed on an F.B.I. watch list for a long time.

Providing behavior detection training to anyone seeking a Federal Firearms License.

Making substantial resources available to schools, at their discretion, for security measures, including the opportunity to purchase enhanced security screening, install classroom panic buttons wired directly to law enforcement and hire additional school resource officers.

Holding the F.B.I. and state agencies accountable for their failures to identify a threat like Nikolas Cruz, as well as ensuring that schools enforce basic security protocols to prevent access by unauthorized personnel.

And finally, conducting further research into the nexus of gun violence, violence in mass media and mental illness.

The president, House of Representatives, Senate, every state legislature, sheriffs, police officers, school boards, students and parents must unite with one mission: that no one will ever be murdered in school again.

Florida National Guard Day in Tallahassee: Annual event at Capitol highlights Guard’s contribution to State and Nation

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WHAT: The Florida Department of Military Affairs and the Florida National Guard will host “Florida National Guard Day” at the Capitol.

WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 27, 8 a.m. until around 3 p.m.

WHERE: The State Capitol complex (courtyard), Tallahassee.

The Florida National Guard will begin bringing displays to the Florida’s Capitol, Monday afternoon, with Soldiers, Airmen and their representative equipment in support of its annual Florida National Guard Day, held Tuesday.

The Department of Military Affairs and the Florida National Guard sponsor the visit to Tallahassee as part of an annual program to educate the public and government personnel on various roles and missions of the Guard. The event also allows the Florida National Guard to thank the community for its continued support.

The day’s events include:

* The Florida National Guard’s 13th Army Band from Miami will present a program of military music during the lunch hour while Soldiers serve hotdogs and beverages.
* In the Capitol plaza, the Guard will display an assortment of military equipment used during emergency and combat operations.
* Information displays that describe the important community service programs run by the Guard will be located in the Capitol rotunda.

In preparation for the event, there may be increased traffic in the Capitol area Monday and Tuesday afternoon as equipment is transported to and from the Capitol complex.

Gov. Scott Appoints Five to Construction Industry Licensing Board

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Yesterday, Governor Rick Scott announced the reappointment of one and the appointment of four to the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

Robert Maphis, 48, of Windermere, is the vice president and chief operating officer of The Collage Companies. He is reappointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2021.

Scott Thomason, 48, of Fort White, is the owner of HomePro Plus. He succeeds Jacqueline Watts and is appointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2020.

Donald Cesarone, 58, of Sunrise, is the vice president of the commercial division for Van Kirk and Sons, Inc. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2019.

Edward McCullers, 57, of Estero, is the owner of McCullers Construction Services. He succeeds Albert Korelishn and is appointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2021.

Brian Donovan, 50, of Crystal River, is a teacher for Citrus County Schools. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2020.

These appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

Gov. Scott Appoints Five to Construction Industry Licensing Board

Posted on

Yesterday, Governor Rick Scott announced the reappointment of one and the appointment of four to the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

Robert Maphis, 48, of Windermere, is the vice president and chief operating officer of The Collage Companies. He is reappointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2021.

Scott Thomason, 48, of Fort White, is the owner of HomePro Plus. He succeeds Jacqueline Watts and is appointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2020.

Donald Cesarone, 58, of Sunrise, is the vice president of the commercial division for Van Kirk and Sons, Inc. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2019.

Edward McCullers, 57, of Estero, is the owner of McCullers Construction Services. He succeeds Albert Korelishn and is appointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2021.

Brian Donovan, 50, of Crystal River, is a teacher for Citrus County Schools. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 22, 2018, and ending October 31, 2020.

These appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

Senate Fracking Ban Bill on Life Support

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Yesterday, Sen. Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island) posted the agenda for the February 27 Senate Appropriations Committee hearing. The agenda for this meeting does not include Sen. Dana Young’s (R-Tampa) fracking ban bill (SB 462). 

Floridians Against Fracking, a statewide network of over 60 groups and 200 businesses, strongly disagrees with Senator Bradley’s decision to deny this bipartisan bill from moving to a full Senate floor vote. 

Brian Lee, Floridians Against Fracking’s Legislative Director, stated “The fracking ban has broad, bipartisan support in both chambers because the people of Florida have been demanding it to protect our water, our tourism economy, and our natural resources. If a fracking ban does not end up on the governor’s desk to sign this session, the people of Florida will see that as a failure of leadership.”

The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources have already unanimously approved Sen. Young’s fracking ban bill. Sen. Bradley voted yes on this legislation as the chair of the Environmental Preservation and Conservation committee. 

While the House counterpart bill has not yet been heard in any committee, the House has indicated that it would take up the Senate version of the bill if it should pass.

Although the clock is ticking on the traditional committee process, Senate President Joe Negron (R-Palm City) has the power to bring this bill up for a vote directly on the Senate floor, or in a future, unscheduled Appropriations Committee. 

To date, 90 local communities in Florida have issues ordinances or resolutions against fracking in the state. Senate leadership would be wise to look to them for guidance on this important environmental, health, and quality of life issue. 

This wide-ranging support should guide Sen. Bradley towards recognizing the importance of this bill. Instead, his misguided decision is playing into the hands of Big Oil and Gas and their agenda, which values profits over Florida’s water.

Gov. Scott Announces Major Action Plan to Keep Florida Students Safe Following Tragic Parkland Shooting

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Alyssa Alhadeff, Scott Beigel, Martin Duque Anguiano, Nicholas Dworet, Aaron Feis, Jamie Guttenberg, Chris Hixon, Luke Hoyer, Cara Loughran, Gina Montalto, Joaquin Oliver, Alaina Petty, Meadow Pollack, Helena Ramsay, Alexander Schachter, Carmen Schentrup, Peter Wang.

Unfortunately, none of the plans I’m announcing today will bring any of them back, but it’s important to remember them. The seventeen lives that were cut short and all the hopes and dreams that were ruined have changed our state forever. Florida will never be the same. 

Today, I am announcing a major action plan. I will be working with the legislature aggressively over the next two weeks to get it done.

This week we asked law enforcement leaders, education leaders, and health leaders from all over the state to drop what they were doing, clear their schedules, and immediately get up to Tallahassee for urgent conversations about what we can – and must do – to make our schools and communities safer. We must take care of our kids.

I can tell you that everyone said yes, and they came, and they got to work.

I have also spent a lot of time in Parkland meeting with families and students. I’ve been there nearly every day since the shooting. I have listened to their ideas to make sure this never happens again. 

I also met with students who courageously came to Tallahassee to have their voices heard. What we saw in this building on Wednesday is what our democracy is about and why we live in the greatest nation on earth.

My message to them has been very simple – you are not alone. Change is coming… and it will come fast.

This is a time when I believe we must all come together, and even cross party lines. Of course, we won’t all agree on every issue, but I do believe this is a moment when our state can come together around a common sense set of actions.

I also want to encourage people to listen to each other and keep listening to each other. I’ve done a lot more listening than talking this week. Sometimes leading involves more listening than talking 

I’ve listened to things that I agree with, and to things I don’t agree with. It’s important to consider all viewpoints.

I’ve broken my action plan down into three sections. Gun laws, school safety, and mental health. We must get this done in the next two weeks.

First, on guns: 

I want to make it virtually impossible for anyone who has mental issues to use a gun. I want to make it virtually impossible for anyone who is a danger to themselves or others to use a gun. 

I want to create a new program in Florida – I call it the Violent Threat Restraining Order. This concept is very simple, and very common sense in my view.

This will allow a court to prohibit a violent or mentally ill person from purchasing or possessing a firearm or any other weapon when either a family member, community welfare expert or law enforcement officer files a sworn request, and presents evidence to the court of a threat of violence involving firearms or other weapons. There would be speedy due process for the accused and any fraudulent or false statements would face criminal penalties.

Let’s take a moment to look at the case of this killer. This person was not stopped from legally purchasing a weapon, was not arrested, was not detained, and was never forced to turn in his weapons. 

Let’s review the warning signs here… he had 39 visits from police, his mother called him in, DCF investigated, he was kicked out of school, he was known to students as a danger to shoot people, and he was reported to the FBI last month as a possible school shooter.

And yet, he was never put on the list to be denied the ability to buy a gun, and his guns were never removed from him. 

We will also strengthen gun purchase and possession restrictions for mentally ill individuals under the Baker Act. If a court involuntarily commits someone because they are a risk to themselves or others, they would be required to surrender all firearms and not regain their right to purchase or possess a firearm until a court hearing. We are also proposing a minimum 60-day period before individuals can ask a court to restore access to firearms. 

Also, we will require all individuals purchasing firearms to be 21 or older. Let me repeat – we will require all individuals purchasing firearms to be 21 or older.

There will be exceptions for active duty and reserve military and spouses, National Guard members, and law enforcement.

Next, we will prohibit a person from possessing or purchasing a firearm if they are subject to an injunction for protection against stalking, cyberstalking, dating violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, or domestic violence.

We will establish enhanced criminal penalties for threats to schools, like social media threats of shootings or bombings. We will also enhance penalties if any person possesses or purchases a gun after they have been deemed by state law to not have access to a gun.

And, we will completely ban the purchase or sale of bump stocks.

The second part of my action plan provides $450 million to keep students safe.

Today, I am calling for a mandatory law enforcement officer in every public school. These law enforcement officers must either be sworn sheriff’s deputies or police officers and be present during all hours students are on campus.

The size of the campus should be a factor in determining staffing levels by the county sheriff’s office, and I am proposing at least one law enforcement officer for every 1,000 students. This must be implemented by the start of the 2018 school year. 

We will also provide sheriff’s departments the authority to train additional school personnel or reserve law enforcement officers to protect students if requested by the local school board.

And, we will require mandatory active shooter training as outlined by the Department of Homeland Security. All training and code red drills must be completed during the first week of each semester in all public schools. Both faculty and students must participate in active shooter drills and local sheriff’s offices must approve and be involved in training.

We are also increasing funding in the Safe Schools Allocation to address specific school safety needs within each school district. This includes school hardening measures like metal detectors, bullet-proof glass, steel doors, and upgraded locks. The Florida Department of Education, with FDLE, will also provide minimum school safety and security standards by July 1st to all school districts.

All school safety plans must be submitted to their county sheriff’s office by July 1steach year for approval. Once all plans and requests for school hardening have been approved by the county sheriff’s office, in consultation with local police, plans will be forwarded to the Department of Education by the school district to receive any state funds.

School districts must also take all capital outlay funds received from taxpayers and use it for school hardening before it can be spent on any other capital outlay. All safe school allocations must be spent in accordance with the sheriff approved plans. 

We will also require each school district that receives a Safe Schools Allocation to enter into an agreement with the local sheriff’s office, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Law Enforcement and any community behavioral health provider for the purpose of sharing information. That will allow us to better coordinate services in order to provide prevention or intervention strategies.

We will also establish a new, anonymous K-12 “See Something, Say Something” statewide, dedicated hotline, website and mobile app.

Next, we will establish funding to require access to dedicated mental health counselors to provide direct counseling services to students at every school. These counselors cannot serve dual roles, like teaching or academic advising. Every student must have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a mental health professional, and receive ongoing counseling as needed.

Each school will be required to have a threat assessment team including a teacher, a local law enforcement officer, a human resource officer, a DCF employee, a DJJ employee, and the principal to meet monthly to review any potential threats to students and staff at the school.

Finally, we will require crisis intervention training for all school personnel. This training must be completed before the start of the 2018 school year.

The final part of my action plan includes $50 million in additional funding for mental health initiatives.

We must expand mental health service teams statewide to serve youth and young adults with early or serious mental illness by providing counseling, crisis management and other critical mental health services.

We are also requiring every sheriffs’ office to have a DCF case manager embedded in their department to solely work as a crisis welfare worker for repeat cases in the community. This will require 67 additional employees to be hired at DCF by July 15th.

Finally, we will provide law enforcement and mental health coordination matching grants to allow sheriffs to establish special law enforcement teams to coordinate with DCF case managers.

Before I take your questions, I want to close with this.

The goal of this plan of action is to make massive changes in protecting our schools, provide significantly more resources for mental health, and do everything we can to keep guns out of the hands of those dealing with mental problems or threating harm to themselves or others. 

I know there are some who are advocating a mass takeaway of 2nd amendment rights for all Americans. That is not the answer.

Keeping guns away from dangerous people and people with mental issues is what we need to do. 

I do know that some are going to accuse me of unfairly stigmatizing those who struggle with mental illness. I reject that. I am not asking them to wear a scarlet letter, nor am I unsympathetic to their plight. I have a family member who has dealt with these issues. It is hard on them and it is hard on the family.

But, what I am saying is no one with mental issues should have access to guns. 

It’s common sense, and it is in their own best interest, not to mention the interests of our communities.

And much of what I’m proposing involves giving law enforcement the ability to stop people from harming themselves and others, while giving them the tools to keep our schools safe.

We know for certain that we cannot simply rely on the current federal background check system. 

This killer should not have been able to purchase or even possess a weapon. 

And we know that the federal government can’t even be counted on to investigate or act on serious and credible threats as we saw with the FBI’s complete failure.  

It’s obvious we can’t trust the federal process which is why we have to make these changes here in Florida.

I’m an NRA member, a supporter of the 2nd amendment, and the 1st amendment, and the entire bill of rights for that matter. I’m also a father, and a grandfather, and a Governor.

We all have a difficult task in front of us… balancing our individual rights with our obvious need for public safety. 

But of course, some will say it’s too much, and some will say it is not enough. I respect everyone’s opinion, and I don’t ridicule those who disagree with me. An open dialogue is crucial.

But, I will not accept the old, tired political notion that we don’t have enough time to get anything done. Government does not have to be slow or lethargic. And when it comes to protecting our schools and our kids, we need to be swift and decisive. 

I also understand that I am proposing half a billion dollars for school safety and mental health initiatives.

But let me be clear – there is nothing more important than the safety of our children. Our kids deserve nothing less. Fortunately, our economy is booming, and we have the resources to protect our schools and our students.

And, if providing this funding means we won’t be able to cut taxes this year – so be it.

And, if we have to give up some of the projects we all hold near and dear – so be it.

We are all elected to come to Tallahassee to represent the best interests of Floridians. And, today, there is nothing more important than to do all we can to make sure a horrific and evil act like the Parkland shooting never happens again. 

To read the Governor’s full major action plan, click HERE.