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Shikar-Safari honors 2018 Wildlife Officer of the Year

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The Shikar-Safari Club International today named Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Officer Michael Bibeau its 2018 Wildlife Officer of the Year during the Commission meeting near Tallahassee.

Shikar-Safari Club International is a conservation-based organization that presents awards annually to wildlife law enforcement officers in all states, provinces and territories in the United States and Canada.

The annual award honors a state officer whose efforts show outstanding performance and achievement among sworn conservation law enforcement personnel.

“Officer Bibeau is a fine example of our dedicated law enforcement officers who are out there every day protecting the public and conserving Florida’s natural resources,” said Commission Chairman Bo Rivard. “We are pleased to recognize his accomplishments and are honored to have him representing the FWC.”

Originally from Pinellas County, where he now patrols, Bibeau makes a positive impact both on- and off-duty, and his actions set an example that reaches statewide. He serves as a field training officer and has experience serving on the FWC’s elite Special Operations Group.

Bibeau was recently selected to be a member of the inaugural Advanced Conservation Academy where he traveled and trained in every region of the state. This year-long professional development program is offered to select sworn members, giving them the opportunity to travel to each region in the state to develop and hone their skills.

This past year, Officer Bibeau rescued four occupants of an overturned personal water craft who had fallen off and were being swept out to sea by strong currents, logged 27 search-and-rescue hours, removed two impaired vessel operators from the water, addressed numerous resource misdemeanors, issued three major resource violations and promoted conservation stewardship and education by issuing multiple warnings. He logged more than 1,300 water patrol hours and more than 133 shellfish patrol days, and maintains a strong working relationship with other local agencies.

In addition to other outreach events, Officer Bibeau participates in the Great American Teach-In program, taking time to provide elementary and middle school students real life insights into the world of a conservation law enforcement officer, while reinforcing the importance of education for success in any occupation. He is a steadfast ambassador for conservation and a positive influence on visitors and residents of Florida.

He was also awarded the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association 2017 Lifesaving Award for saving the life of a drowning man who jumped off the Tierra Verde Bridge.

“This is a great honor and I’m blessed to be asked to represent the FWC throughout the year. I want to offer my thanks to my lieutenant and my squad, who motivate me to work hard every day,” said Bibeau.

To learn more about becoming an FWC officer, visit JoinFWC.com.

Commissioner Adam H. Putnam to Kick-off Florida State Fair on Thursday

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam will kick-off the annual Florida State Fair on Thursday, Feb. 8. The Fair runs from Feb. 8 through Feb. 19.

Media is welcome to attend the following opening day events; however, please note that these events are not open to the general public:

6:15 a.m.
“Flip the Switch” Media Event
Midway Sky Eye, Across from the Florida Welcome Center
Commissioner Putnam, along with Governor Scott, Attorney General Bondi and CFO Patronis, will open the 2018 Florida State Fair with first responders by “flipping the switch” to turn on the lights of the midway. *Please arrive by 6:15 a.m., the actual flipping of the switch will be at 6:35 a.m.

7 a.m.
“Fresh From Florida” Breakfast
Agriculture Hall of Fame Building
Commissioner Putnam, along with Governor Scott, Attorney General Bondi, and CFO Patronis will join local farmers, ranchers and representatives from Florida’s agriculture community for a casual breakfast, featuring “Fresh From Florida” products.

12 p.m.
Governor’s Day Luncheon  
Charles M. Davis Special Events Center
The Governor will provide the keynote address at this annual Florida State Fair luncheon.

Please enter the Florida State Fairgrounds at the Orient Road Security Gate, located at the intersection of Interstate 4 at Orient Road. Parking is behind the Special Events Center. Media must RSVP by Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 5 p.m. to [email protected] to attend the events. Directions are available at floridastatefair.com/directions.aspx.

To view a map of the Florida State Fairgrounds, click here.

For more information about the Florida State Fair, visit FloridaStateFair.com.

700 Floridians Attend CRC Public Hearing in Fort Lauderdale

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Approximately 700 Floridians attended a public hearing held by the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) on Tuesday, February 6 at Nova Southeastern University’s Rick Case Arena as part of its, “Road to the Ballot” public hearing tour. At the public hearing, more than 330 individual Floridians requested to speak before the CRC and approximately 700 attended the hearing. The public hearing lasted nearly eight hours and extended past the noticed end time of 7:00 PM. All Floridians who attended the public hearing and wanted to speak were given an opportunity to be heard by the CRC.

To watch the public hearing held in Fort Lauderdale, visit the Florida Channel’s website which has a page dedicated to all CRC public hearings and meetings. A complete transcript of the public hearing and appearance forms will be available online at flcrc.gov as soon as possible. The next public hearings held by the CRC will be on Monday, February 19 in Melbourne and Tuesday, February 20 in Jacksonville. Both public hearings are noticed from 1:00-7:00 PM local time. Visit flcrc.gov/Meetings/PublicHearings for additional details on the upcoming public hearing schedule.

The goal of upcoming public hearings is to give Floridians an opportunity to provide feedback on the 37 proposals under active consideration by the CRC. Public hearings are free events open to all Floridians who would like to attend. No tickets or RSVPs are required. Free public parking will be provided.

New UNF Poll Shows Sen. Bill Nelson Leading Gov. Rick Scott in 2018 Senate Election

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The Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida has a new poll that reveals Sen. Bill Nelson in the lead for the upcoming Senate election, with Gov. Rick Scott trailing close behind. The survey also shows that President Trump’s job approval rating has risen some since last fall.

The poll, comprised of Florida registered voters, shows that of likely voters in 2018, 48 percent plan to vote for Nelson, the Democratic candidate in the upcoming election for U.S. Senate, while 42 percent plan to vote for Scott, the Republican. Of those likely voters, 7 percent don’t know who their choice will be.

Regarding the U.S. House of Representatives, when asked who they would vote for if the election were held today, 42 percent of likely voters indicated they would vote for the Democratic candidate, 40 percent would plan to vote for the Republican candidate and 14 percent didn’t know.

“Even though it appears Nelson has a reasonable lead in the poll, the election results will ultimately get determined by who shows up in November,” said Michael Binder, faculty director of the Public Opinion Research Lab at UNF. “Historically, Republicans have enjoyed a turnout advantage in midterms, but with the current mood of the country, and a large number of Republican retirements, Democrats are optimistic about an impending blue wave.”

Of registered voters who were asked whether they approve or disapprove of the way Nelson is handling his job as senator, 52 percent of registered voters claim to somewhat or strongly approve, with only 20 percent somewhat or strongly disapproving. Notably, 26 percent of voters expressed they don’t know how Nelson is handling his job. When asked about the way Scott is handling his job as Florida governor, 63 percent reported to strongly or somewhat approve, with 31 percent disapproving either somewhat or strongly.

“Both senate candidates have net positive job approval ratings of 32 percentage points,” said Binder. “This high level of job approval is very unusual and is going to lead to a hotly contested election.”

When asked about how Sen. Marco Rubio is handling his job, 55 percent strongly or somewhat approve, compared to the 35 percent who reported to somewhat or strongly disapprove.

When asked about President Donald Trump’s job approval rating, 43 percent of the overall sample strongly or somewhat approve of how he’s handling his job, with 53 percent disapproving somewhat or strongly. A large amount of registered Democrats—87 percent—disapprove of Trump, while only 16 percent of registered Republicans disapprove. On the contrary, Trump held 81 percent job approval among registered Republicans, compared to 40 percent approval among nonpartisans and a dismal 10 percent job approval among registered Democrats.

“Most presidents would consider 43 percent approval and net negative 10 percentage points a troubling number, but Trump’s approval is up 6 percentage points from his approval level in October, and his net negatives have improved by 12 percentage points,” noted Binder.

In light of the recent investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election, when asked about the way Robert Mueller is handling his job as Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice, 40 percent of registered voters somewhat or strongly approve, 28 percent of voters somewhat or strongly disapprove and 29 percent of voters don’t know how he’s handling his job.

“Even though Mueller is acting in a legal capacity, and has a 12-percentage point net positive job approval, there are partisan divisions as Democrats are much more supportive than Republicans in their views on Mueller,” said Binder.

For details about the methodology of the survey and additional crosstabs by partisanship, sex, education, race and age, click here.

Sen. Rodriguez holds press conference with Equality Florida on SB 696 Conversion Therapy Ban

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MEDIA ADVISORY

State Senator José Javier Rodríguez (D-Miami) and State Representative Evan Jenne (D- Dania Beach) will hold a press conference on Thursday to discuss their legislation which would outlaw highly controversial methods still used by licensed professionals in Florida to force a minor’s sexual orientation. SB 696 and HB 717 would ban the use of “conversion therapy,” a largely discredited practice opposed by the American Psychiatric Association and already illegal in at least nine states throughout the country.

The lawmakers will be joined by Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich, Jon Harris Maurer of Equality Florida, and conversion therapy survivor Jose Vega.

Who: Senator José Javier Rodríguez, Representative Evan Jenne, Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich, Jon Harris Maurer of Equality Florida, and Jose Vega.

What: Press conference on SB 696- Conversion Therapy Ban

When: Thursday, February 8th, 12:00 pm

Where: Outside the Senate Chamber
4th Floor Rotunda
The Capitol

FWC recognizes landowner George C. Owens for outstanding stewardship efforts

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Washington County landowner George C. Owens is the 2017 Florida Land Steward of the Year. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at its February meeting recognized Owens for managing his property with exemplary land stewardship through his innovative use of silvopasture practices.

Silvopasture is the practice of combining forestry and cattle grazing in a way that increases productivity for both. This practice has made the Owens Farm in northwest Florida more productive while also creating important environmental benefits.

“Conservation of private lands is so important as the state continues to grow and we’re approaching 21 million people,” said FWC Chairman Bo Rivard. “Without the cooperative efforts of private landowners, the conservation efforts we are trying to achieve would be impossible. Thank you to Mr. Owens and his family for being leaders in this effort.”

The Owens Farm, maintained by the family for over 100 years, is known as one of the most renowned silvipastures in the southeastern United States. Owens created his silvipasture in an open field, where he planted several rows of pine trees separated by alleys of bahiagrass. The silvipasture increased the farm’s cash flow with income from timber, hunting leases, beef production and forage crops while also benefitting wildlife and the environment. The practice improves soil and water quality and provides food, cover and nesting habitat for wildlife.

Learn more about the FWC’s Landowner Assistance Program and how the FWC partners with private landowners at MyFWC.com/LAP.

Nelson: Closing Medicare ‘donut hole’ a ‘win-win’ for seniors and taxpayers

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U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) today urged Senate leaders to close the gap in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage, commonly known as the “donut hole” by 2019, as a way to not only lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors, but also to help pay for additional disaster assistance needed in places like Florida and Puerto Rico.

Nelson says closing the so-called Medicare “donut hole” early would save taxpayers approximately $9 billion over ten years and help offset some of the additional spending being proposed in a budget deal the Senate is expected to take up later this week.

“Closing this gap in coverage will save seniors thousands of dollars every year on the cost of their prescription drugs,” Nelson said. “It also saves taxpayers more than $9 billion over ten years. To me, that’s a win-win for everyone.”

Under the nation’s current health care law, the Medicare “donut hole” is expected to close by 2020. Nelson says closing this gap in coverage by 2019, instead of 2020, and shifting more of the cost to drug makers, instead of Medicare, will help provide additional savings for both seniors and taxpayers.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, previous provisions to close the “donut hole” have saved Florida’s 355,000 Medicare-covered seniors more than $350 million in 2015 alone. That’s an average annual savings of $987 per senior.

Senate Committee Advances Legislation to Protect Privacy and Guard Against Unconstitutional Searches

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SB 1256 updates Florida law regarding the search of household communication devices

The Florida Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, chaired by Senator Randolph Bracy (D-Ocoee), today passed Senate Bill 1256, Search of the Content, Information, and Communications of Cellular Phones, Portable Electronic Communication Devices, and Microphone-enabled Household Devices, by Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg). The legislation protects the constitutional rights of Floridians by addressing privacy issues related to the use of new communications technology.

“We need to make sure Florida laws keep pace with changes in technology,” said Senator Brandes. “With more and more families utilizing microphone-enabled communications tools to aid in daily household activities, this legislation makes sure our laws are clear with regard to when and how these devices can be subject to search.”

“Advancements in technology offer law enforcement new techniques for investigation and surveillance as they work to keep criminals off our streets. Likewise, the courts are facing new questions about the Fourth Amendment implications of this technology,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). “This legislation addresses current ambiguities and protects Floridians from unconstitutional searches of their property.”

Senate Bill 1256 prohibits the intentional, unlawful access, without authorization, to a cellular phone, portable electronic communication device, or microphone-enabled household device when a person obtains wire, oral, or electronic communications stored within the device.

The bill amends Florida law to add the term “electronic communications” to the current terminology of “wire and oral” communications in the legislative findings. Additionally, to provide clarity with regard to the application of this law, the bill also creates new legislative findings:

  • Recognizing a subjective and objectively reasonable expectation of privacy in precise location data. Finding that a warrant should be issued by a court for law enforcement to obtain the precise location of a person, a cellular phone, or a portable electronic communication device without the consent of the device owner.
  • Recognizing that portable electronic devices can store, and encourage the storage of, an almost limitless amount of personal and private information. Further recognizing that these devices are commonly used to access personal and business information, and other data stored in computers and servers that can be located anywhere in the world. Finding that a person who uses a portable electronic device has a reasonable and justifiable expectation of privacy in the information contained in the portable electronic device.
  • Recognizing that microphone-enabled household devices often contain microphones that listen for and respond to environmental triggers. Further recognizing that these devices are generally connected to and communicate through the Internet, resulting in the storage of and accessibility of daily household information in a device itself, or in a remote computing service. Finding that an individual should not have to choose between using household technological enhancements and conveniences, or preserving the right to privacy in one’s home.

Background

The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated. Further, the Fourth Amendment guarantees no warrants shall issue without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Under Fourth Amendment jurisprudence, a search occurs whenever the government intrudes upon an area in which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. A warrantless search is generally unreasonable, unless an exception to the warrant requirement applies. The Florida Constitution similarly protects the people against unreasonable searches and seizures, and that right is construed in conformity with the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Both the Florida and federal constitutions require a warrant to be supported by probable cause, as established by oath or affirmation, and to particularly describe the place to be searched, and items or people to be seized.

PSC Asserts Jurisdiction to Recover Tax Savings for Customers

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) today declared immediate jurisdiction to determine whether the federal tax savings Florida utilities are reaping as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (Act) must be returned to customers.

The Act took effect January 1, 2018 and reduces the federal corporate income tax rate from 35 to 21 percent.

The PSC action preserves its authority to flow back any savings to customers, and applies to all investor-owned utilities (IOUs)—electric, water/wastewater, and natural gas—that do not already have rate case settlements giving tax reform benefits to ratepayers. Actual amounts will be determined after a hearing.

Today’s vote came in response to a January 9 petition by Office of Public Counsel, and is effective immediately.

“Today we drove a stake in the ground,” said PSC Chairman Art Graham. “The urgent need was to assert our jurisdiction to determine who should rightly benefit from any tax savings. Now we can embark on a deliberative process to make sure customers are treated fairly.”

Previous rate case settlements for Duke Energy Florida, LLC; Tampa Electric Company; Gulf Power Company; and Florida Public Utilities Company contain provisions for flowing tax cut benefits back to customers, and that process will go forward in accordance with each settlement’s terms.

Constitutional Amendment Requiring Three-Fifths Vote for Tax Increases Passes First Senate Committee

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SJR 1742 would require three-fifths vote of both the House and Senate to raise taxes

The Florida Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance and Tax, chaired by Senator Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland), today passed SJR 1742, Supermajority Vote Required to Increase State Tax Revenues by Increasing State Taxes. The legislation proposes an amendment to Florida’s Constitution to require a law that imposes a new tax, increases the rate or amount of a tax, or expands a tax base, and that results in a net increase in state revenues, be approved by three-fifths of the membership of each house of the Legislature.

“Every dollar spent on taxes is one less that a family has to pay the mortgage, invest in a child’s college education, or save for the future. Families across our state plan their budgets carefully to make every dollar count, and this legislation ensures lawmakers do the same by giving voters a chance to make it harder for future legislatures to raise their taxes,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart).

“Families across Florida understand the sacrifice it takes to increase family revenue by working extra hours, or taking on a second job, and they do not make those difficult decisions lightly,” said Senator Stargel. “Likewise, raising state revenues by taking more money from the pockets of hardworking Floridians should be difficult. This amendment gives voters a chance to make it harder for the Legislature to raise state taxes, and I am pleased to see it pass our committee today.”

The amendment proposed in SJR 1742 will take effect on January 8, 2019, if approved by sixty percent of the voters.