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Senator Keith Perry Announces Project Leo Expansion

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Senator Perry (R- Gainesville) today announced that Governor Scott signed into law a bill earlier this week that expands Project Leo, a state-funded program that provides locating technology to aid search-and-rescue efforts for persons on the Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In 2016, the Florida Legislature created a pilot program known as Project Leo, which was named after 9-Year-old Leo Walker of Live Oak, FL who wandered away from home in 2014. Project Leo works to provide devices to aid search and rescue efforts for persons with special needs in the case of elopement.

“All too often we hear of tragic stories coming from our communities about persons who have gone missing,” Senator Perry said. “This legislation will provide a vital resource and peace of mind for so many families dealing with this issue.”

Senate Bill 1156 expands this voluntary program statewide for autistic children and others with a history of elopement. The program is administered through a partnership between the state university Center for Autism Related Diseases (CARD) program and local law enforcement.

“The signing of this legislation is a giant step forward in protecting some of Florida’s vulnerable citizens,” Senator Perry concluded. “I commend my colleagues in the House and the Senate for passing this common sense legislation, and working together to improve public safety for all Floridians.”

UF research spending reaches record $801.4 million in 2017

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University of Florida research spending reached a record $801.4 million in fiscal year 2017, according to a new report to the National Science Foundation.

UF’s response to NSF’s Higher Education Research and Development, or HERD, Survey showed a $10.1 million increase, or 1.3 percent, in total expenditures over 2016’s total of $791.3 million.

Research spending is fueled primarily through individual grants and contracts that are secured by UF faculty in a very competitive funding landscape. This increase reflects progress in the university’s efforts to enhance its impact and reputation.

Expenditures on projects supported with federal agency funding increased $20 million, or 6.6 percent, to $327.3 million while state projects increased $7.3 million, or 5.4 percent, to $142.5 million. Funding from non-profit organizations and foundations rose 15 percent to $42.3 million.

Life sciences research, including health and agricultural research, accounted for $589.8 million, or about 74 percent of the total. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the National Institutes of Health, is UF’s largest funding agency.

Engineering accounted for $97.8 million, while physical sciences – like astronomy, chemistry and physics – accounted for $28 million.

“UF’s research enterprise has been on a steady upward trend for many years,” said David Norton, UF’s vice president for research. “Surpassing this milestone of $800 million in research expenditures is testament to the thousands of faculty members who are helping to change the world with their science, and to the staff who guide these projects from proposal to completion.”

NSF collects expenditure data from universities around the country and compiles it into a report that will be released later this year. Last year, based on fiscal year 2016 data, UF ranked 24thamong all universities and 14th among public universities in research expenditures.

Among the largest projects under way in 2017 were a U.S. Department of Agriculture project to refine an inedible seed called Brassica carinata into a renewable jet fuel; a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention project to keep Zika and other vector-borne diseases from gaining a foothold in the United States; and a U.S. Department of Defense project to study a type of heart disease that primarily effects women.

Source: David Norton, [email protected]
Writer: Joseph Kays, [email protected]

Gov. Scott: Florida Businesses Created More Than 25,000 Private-Sector Jobs in February

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Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida businesses created more than 25,000 private-sector jobs in February. Since December 2010, Florida businesses have created nearly 1.5 million jobs. Florida’s annual job growth rate of 2.2 percent continues to exceed the nation’s rate of 1.8 percent. Florida’s annual job growth rate has exceeded the nation’s rate for 70 of the past 71 months. The only month that Florida did not exceed the nation was a result of Hurricane Irma. Governor Scott made the announcement at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new development project in downtown Ocala, which will include a new Hilton Garden Inn, apartment complex and restaurants. This project will also create more than 280 jobs for Ocala families and help bring more visitors to Central Florida.

Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce that Florida businesses created more than 25,000 new jobs last month, which means thousands of more opportunities are available for Floridians. Earlier this month, we concluded the 2018 legislative session by securing major initiatives that will help ensure this economic growth continues in Florida for years to come. This includes cutting taxes by nearly $550 million and ensuring Floridians have the opportunity to make it harder for politicians to raise taxes with a constitutional amendment on the November ballot. I am proud of the work we have done to encourage job growth, and we will not stop working until Florida is the best place in the nation to succeed.”

As of February, Florida’s unemployment rate remains low at 3.9 percent, a drop of 6.9 percentage points since December 2010. This drop is faster than the national decline of 5.2 percentage points. In the last year, 136,000 people entered Florida’s labor force, a growth of 1.4 percent, which is greater than the national labor force growth rate of 1.2 percent, and shows more Floridians are looking for and finding jobs across the state.

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “We are proud that businesses are continuing to create jobs in Florida, and that our state’s unemployment rate remains low at 3.9 percent. The nearly 1.5 million jobs created under Governor Scott’s leadership demonstrate that the Sunshine State is the best place to live the American Dream.”

Other positive economic indicators include:

  • Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over-the-year were:
    • Professional and business services with 46,900 new jobs;
    • Construction with 31,700 new jobs;
    • Leisure and hospitality with 25,600 new jobs;
    • Education and health services with 18,500 new jobs; and
    • Financial activities with 15,300 new jobs.
  • Florida job postings showed 250,145 openings in February 2018.

To view the February 2018 employment data, click here.

PSC Hearings for Gulf Power Settlement and Florida City Gas Settlement Begin Monday

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold two hearings on Monday, March 26. At 1:30 p.m., the Commission will consider a Settlement Agreement (Settlement) on Gulf Power Company’s (Gulf) treatment of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Office of Public Counsel (OPC), the Florida Industrial Power Users Group, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy are signatories to Gulf’s Settlement.

Following the conclusion of Gulf’s hearing, the Commission will begin a hearing on Florida City Gas’ (FCG) Settlement Agreement (Settlement) for its rate increase request. OPC and Federal Executive Agencies are signatories to FCG’s Settlement. FCG filed its rate request with the PSC on August 23, 2017. The PSC held customer service hearings on January 23 in Coral Gables and on January 24 in Port St. Lucie and Melbourne. FCG currently provides natural gas service to approximately 108,000 retail customers across South Florida.

The hearings are set for the following times and location:

Monday, March 26, 2018
1:30 p.m., Gulf Power Company Settlement
Betty Easley Conference Center
Joseph P. Cresse Hearing Room (Room 148)
4075 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, Florida

and

Following the conclusion of Gulf’s hearing
Florida City Gas Settlement
Hearing will be held at the same location

In addition, March 27-30 are reserved to continue the hearing on FCG’s Settlement, if needed.  The starting time of the next day’s session will be announced at the conclusion of each day.

The hearings will be available online at floridapsc.com. Access the “Watch Live Broadcasts” camera icon on the left side of the homepage.

Nelson secures federal funding for Florida defense projects

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The $1.3 trillion spending package Congress unveiled last night includes funding for projects important to national security and Florida’s defense industry.

The bill includes a number of projects that U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), a senior member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, pushed for:

  • B-21 Long Range Strike – Bomber. Senator Nelson fought for full funding of the B-21 Raider Long Range Strike-Bomber, a dual-purpose, long-range, stealthy, penetrating bomber capable of delivering conventional or nuclear weapons.  Designed and engineered at Northrop Grumman facilities in Melbourne, the B-21 is key to modernizing the strategic bomber capability and full funding in FY18 is important to ensure the program remains on track to deliver capability in the mid-2020s
  • Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Program.  Nelson advocated for an additional $100 million for the program over the President’s Budget which will support vital commercial and military space operations at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral.
  • Israeli Defense Cooperative Missile Defense and Anti-Tunnel Defense cooperation. Senator Nelson was proud to continue his support for Israel by fighting for $558 million for U.S.-Israel cooperative missile defense programs and additional funds to develop anti-tunneling technology.
  • MQ-4 Triton. Senator Nelson fought for full funding for research and development for the Triton.  The Triton is critical to national security and helps meet maritime information, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting needs as well as for homeland security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and other missions.  Mission crews for the Triton are based out of Mayport and the vehicles and maintenance crews are out of NAS Jacksonville.
  • Eglin Test and Training Range. Senator Nelson fought for a $62.4M increase for DODs Eastern Training Range in the Gulf of Mexico. As test and training of 5th Generation aircraft continues to ramp up, there is a growing need for a modern, large training area, and the Eastern Range is critical to our Air Force and Navy.
  • Littoral Combat Ship. Senator Nelson fought for the purchase of two additional Littoral Combat Ships—three total—in FY2019. A number of Littoral Combat Ships are based out of Mayport.
  • DOD Partnerships for Cancer Research. Senator Nelson fought for language encouraging DOD to expand partnerships with private cancer research centers for sharing data, information and treatment responses.

Sarasota Man Sentenced for Role in Advance Fee Loan Scheme

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The Office of Financial Regulation today announced that Stephen Hummell was sentenced to three months in jail to be followed by 15 years of probation, after a guilty plea for his role in an advance fee loan scam. He is barred from the lending industry for life.

Commissioner Drew J. Breakspear said, “Collecting an advance fee for the promise of a loan is illegal in Florida, and our investigators will continue to work tirelessly to ensure Floridians are protected from these scams. I thank the Sarasota County State Attorney’s Office and the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia for their assistance in this case.”

Hummell used a website, capitalfirstinvestorsgroup.com, to offer online loans to prospective borrowers. He purportedly assessed and collected more than $1.2 million in advance fees from more than 40 victims in exchange for promising them business loans. However, no loans or refunds ever materialized. The investigation revealed that the victims’ money was used for personal expenses.

To report investment fraud or suspicious activity, please file a complaint with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation online, flofr.com, or call (850) 487-9687.

Florida Attorney General Bondi and Utah Attorney General Reyes Joint Statement on Passage of H.R. 1865

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Attorney General Pam Bondi and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, both leaders in the fight against human trafficking, today issued the following joint statement commending the U.S. Senate passage of H.R. 1865:

“Today, we applaud the U.S. Senate for making the right decision and overwhelmingly passing H.R. 1865, the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, in a 97 to 2 vote. This legislation will significantly support all state attorneys general and state prosecutors in their effort to hold online sites accountable for supporting the sale of sex trafficking victims.

“We thank President Trump and his Administration for working closely and proactively with Members of Congress, including our dedicated Florida and Utah federal delegations, industry experts and human trafficking survivors in the fight to eradicate sex trafficking across the country and around the world.”

Senator Taddeo’s Homeowners’ Protection Legislation Signed Into Law

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Pro-consumer legislation sponsored by Senator Annette Taddeo (D-Miami) that will ensure that no homeowner is duped into believing that flood insurance is included under their hurricane policy was signed into law yesterday by the governor.

“When Hurricane Andrew hit, my parent’s neighborhood was flooded and I saw the immense difference between those who had flood insurance and those who didn’t,” said Senator Taddeo. “Twenty-five years later when Hurricane Irma made landfall, this discrepancy had not changed. I met many constituents who had no idea that their hurricane coverage did not include protections when their homes flooded. This is especially problematic in South Florida as we face sea level rise and stronger storm surges from climate change.”

Sponsored in the House by Democratic Leader Janet Cruz (D-Tampa), SB 1282/HB 1011 An Act Related To Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Disclosures, requires that policyholders are notified in writing and made to initial a statement informing them that purchasing hurricane insurance does not provide them with flood coverage and does not enroll them in the National Flood Insurance Program. This is to encourage policyholders to discuss the full range of options with their insurance agents.

The bill will take effect July of 2019.

Gov. Scott Highlights Funding for Florida Military, Veterans and Families at K9s for Warriors

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Governor Rick Scott visited K9s for Warriors in Ponte Vedra to highlight $180 million in total funding to support Florida’s active military, veterans and their families in his Securing Florida’s Future Budget. K9s for Warriors is a nonprofit organization that works to help military members and veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other traumas transition to civilian life with the support of professionally-trained service dogs.

Governor Scott said, “I’m honored to meet some of our nation’s heroes and the great team at K9s for Warriors who work incredibly hard to support those who serve. As a Navy veteran and Governor of the most military-friendly state in the nation, I can appreciate the service of members of our Armed Forces and their families. We will never stop working to support them.”

Last week, Governor Scott signed the Securing Florida’s Future budget which invests $180 million in total funding to support active military, veterans and their families. This includes:

  • More than $17 million for Florida’s military presence and families, which funds the state’s support of military research and development;
  • Nearly $2.5 million to support veterans looking to obtain employment, start their own businesses and make Florida their home;
  • $1 million for Building Homes for Heroes to build and modify homes for veterans who were severely injured while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan; and
  • $250,000 for K9s for Warriors to support the training of additional service dogs to continue its great work helping our nation’s heroes.