Following today’s 6-1 vote by county commissioners, Palm Beach County is poised to become the first county in Florida to enact an ordinance to prohibit conversion therapy for minors. Commissioner Hal Valeche cast the sole vote against moving forward with the ordinance. A final vote is required later this month before the ban may take effect.
Conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy or sexual orientation change efforts, encompasses a range of discredited counseling practices by which health care providers or counselors seek to change a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression through aversion treatment.
The ban, which covers the county’s 39 municipalities and unincorporated areas, applies to doctors, osteopaths, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, marriage or family therapists and counselors licensed by the State of Florida. It also extends to people who perform counseling as part of the person’s professional training.
The ban does not apply to members of the clergy unless they are also licensed — or in training to become — mental health professionals.
Last year, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC), the county’s most effective civil rights organization, asked county commissioners to enact the ban. Over the past 29 years, the independent non-profit organization has succeeded in having public officials enact more than 120 laws and policies providing equal rights, benefits and protections for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) community.
Retired judge Rand Hoch, PBCHRC President and Founder, recognized the need to protect children from practitioners of conversion therapy.
“Children are almost always forced into conversion therapy by parents who find it impossible to accept the fact that their children identify as gay or lesbian,” said Hoch. “Instilling self-hatred in children through psychological torture is not therapy.”
PBCHRC is partnering with the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Both organizations have been successful in their efforts to protect minors from being subjected to the harms caused by conversion therapy.
Last May, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) published a comprehensive report entitled “Quacks: ‘Conversion Therapists,’ the Anti-LGBT Right, and the Demonization of Homosexuality.”
“Conversion therapy is an extremely dangerous and fraudulent practice that claims to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Scott McCoy, SPLC’s senior policy counsel. “This bogus practice is premised on the lie that LGBTQ individuals have a ‘condition’ that needs to be cured. Today, the Palm Beach County Commission took a step in the right direction by approving this ordinance to ban this harmful practice on minors. The county commission has sent a message to LGBTQ youth: ‘You are perfect the way you are and do not need to be ‘fixed.'”
Dr. Rachel Needle, a local psychologist, told county commissioners that the practice of conversion therapy is based on two false premises.
“First, it is based on the falsehood that being gay, lesbian or transgender is a mental disorder or defect that needs to be cured,” said Needle. “And second, it is based on the presumption that being LGBTQ is something that can actually be changed through therapy.”
Needle, who is also an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University, stated that the potential risks of conversion therapy on children include shame, guilt, depression, decreased self-esteem, increased self-hatred, feelings of anger and betrayal, loss of friends, social withdrawal, problems in sexual and emotional intimacy, hostility and blame towards parents, high risk behaviors, confusion, self-harm, substance abuse and suicidal ideation.
“Any ethical mental health practitioner should not attempt to cure or repair gender identity or sexual orientation through these scientifically invalid techniques,” said Needle. “Attempting to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity can have a devastating impact on a child or teen.”
“As a county commissioner, it is my duty to work to ensure the safety of our residents — especially our children,” said Mary Lou Berger, who brought the ordinance forward on behalf of PBCHRC. “Conversion therapy has been rejected by virtually every mainstream medical and mental health organization for decades. No child in Palm Beach County should be subjected to this so-called treatment.”
Leading the opposition to banning conversion therapy was Dr. Julie Harren Hamilton, a local psychologist who treats patients for what she refers to as “unwanted same-sex attraction.
Hamilton served as president of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), an organization that has advocated anti-LGBTQ therapy for children as young a three years old and has encouraged parents to have their children marginalize and ridicule their LGBTQ classmates.
Hamilton has repeatedly tried to persuade elected officials to allow therapists to continue to attempt to change children’s sexual orientation or gender identity through sexual orientation change efforts. However her campaign has failed in all eight of the cities cities in Palm Beach County which have considered — and have enacted — bans on conversion therapy for minors.
Local children’s rights advocates have long been in the forefront of the opposition to conversion therapy.
In November, 2009, more than 100 demonstrators turned out to protest Hamilton’s NARTH conference in West Palm Beach at which conference organizers held workshops to train therapists how to convert LGBTQ individuals to become heterosexuals.
Nearly every major medical and psychological association in the country has come out in opposition to conversion therapy. These include the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the American College of Physicians, the American Counseling Association, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychoanalytic Association, the American Psychoanalytic Association, the American School Health Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, the Pan American Health Organization, the Regional Office of the World Health Organization and the World Psychiatric Association.
“The American Psychological Association has linked conversion therapy to depression, substance abuse and even suicide, and these risks are particularly acute for youth,” said Carolyn Reyes, Youth Policy Counsel and Coordinator of NCLR’s BornPerfect Campaign to end conversion therapy “We applaud the efforts by the county commissioners to ensure that the children of Palm Beach County are protected from these harms, and that their families aren’t duped by trusted professionals to whom they turn for support during a vulnerable time.”
Conversion therapy has also been rejected by the American Association of School Administrators, the American Federation of Teachers, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Education Association and the School Social Work Association of America.
Across the nation, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, the District of Columbia, Pima County (AZ), Cincinnati (OH), Seattle (WA), Pittsburgh (PA), Toledo (OH), Columbus (OH), Allentown (PA), Dayton (OH) and Athens (OH) have enacted laws preventing licensed mental health providers from offering conversion therapy to minors. (New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has promulgated regulations which bar public and private healthcare insurers from covering conversion therapy.)
Last week, the New York City Council approved a bill that prohibits conversion therapy not only for minors, but also for adults. The bill must be signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio before it can go into effect.
Sixteen Florida municipalities — West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Riviera Beach, Miami, Wilton Manors, Miami Beach, Bay Harbor Islands, El Portal, Key West, Wellington, Tampa, Greenacres, Boca Raton and Oakland Park — have enacted conversion therapy bans for minors. Broward County is expected to enact a conversion therapy ban early in 2018.
According to an Orlando Political Observer-Gravis Marketing poll of 1,243 Florida voters conducted last April, 71% think conversion therapy should be illegal for minors in Florida, 18% were uncertain and only 11% thought conversion therapy should be legal. The poll has a margin of error of 2.8%.
Every court challenge to the constitutionality of banning conversion therapy has failed and U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly declined to consider cases which have been filed to overturn conversion therapy bans.
Legislation to ban conversion therapy has been introduced in Congress and in the Florida Legislature for several years; however, no action has been taken on any of the bills.
“While legislative leaders in Washington and Tallahassee refuse to act, we are going to do all we can do locally to protect the LGBTQ youth of Palm Beach County,” said Berger.
Florida Forest Service Offers Tips for Fire-Safe Outdoor Holiday Decorating
While celebrating the holiday season with festive lights, decorations and greenery, it is important to take extra care to prevent fires. To ensure the safety of Florida’s citizens, homes and natural resources, the Florida Forest Service provides the following tips to reduce fire hazards in and around the home:
- Keep natural and artificial indoor trees away from fireplaces, portable heaters and other heat sources.
- Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant decorations.
- Check the labels on lights to make sure they were tested at a facility, such as UL or ETL, and follow manufacturers’ instructions for use.
- Discard any lights with cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections.
- Always turn off holiday lights and extinguish candles when going to sleep or leaving the house.
The Florida Forest Service also encourages residents to clear dry debris from roofs and yards to eliminate the link that could carry a wildfire from the woods to homes. Residents should check with local county or city officials for information regarding yard waste and Christmas tree disposal or recycling.
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com
Gov. Rick Scott Recognizes Agreement Between Florida Atlantic University and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
As part of his ongoing trade mission in Israel, Governor Rick Scott recognized the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding yesterday between Florida Atlantic University and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. This agreement will expand scholarly partnerships, support collaborative research projects, and offer unique academic opportunities to medical students, medical residents, graduate students, and post-doctoral students in both Florida and Israel. To view the agreement, click HERE.
Governor Scott said, “Florida is proud to be home to world class education institutions and by continuing to build on relationships with our international education partners, we are ensuring that Florida’s students have even more opportunities to succeed in the classroom and beyond. I look forward to seeing the continued educational accomplishments between Florida Atlantic University and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.”
Governor Scott is currently leading a delegation of nearly 70 Florida business and education leaders on a trade mission in Israel to continue to build on Florida and Israel’s strong relationship. Florida’s economic development and trading partnership with Israel exceeds $286 million a year.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Recovers Nearly $179,000 for Consumers in November
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recovered nearly $179,000 for Florida consumers during the month of November. Last year, the department recovered nearly $3 million for Florida consumers from moving companies, vehicle repair shops, pawn shops, health studios, telemarketers, sellers of travel and more.
During November 2017, the department:
- Recovered $178,881 on behalf of Florida consumers;
- Received 3,464 complaints;
- Initiated 287 investigations;
- Arrested 21 individuals;
- Provided assistance to 19,550 consumers through the 1-800-HELP-FLA hotline, online chats and emails; and
- Added 12,675 telephone numbers to Florida’s Do Not Call List.
As the state’s clearinghouse for consumer complaints, the department educates the public, investigates complaints and provides mediation on behalf of consumers. The department’s call center is staffed with trained analysts who can respond to questions about programs and regulations under the department’s purview, provide information on a wide variety of topics or direct callers to the appropriate government agency.
Consumers who believe fraud has taken place can contact the department’s consumer protection and information hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or, for Spanish speakers, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832). For consumer protection information and resources, visit FloridaConsumerHelp.com.
Nelson files bill to expand solar industry in Florida
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) filed legislation today designed to drastically boost investment in renewable sources of energy, such as solar.
If approved, Nelson’s legislation would make it easier for banks to invest in renewable energy companies by allowing them to own a larger share of such companies. It would also make it easier for banks to provide financing to homeowners looking to install solar panels on residential rooftops.
Under current law, banks are prohibited from owning more than five percent of a non-financial company – including those that produce renewable energy. Nelson’s bill would encourage banks to invest more in renewable energy companies by allowing them to own up to 20 percent of a company that’s engaged solely in producing or storing renewable energy.
“Florida is the nation’s Sunshine State but ranks twelfth when it comes to solar production,” Nelson said. “That needs to change. This bill will make it easier for homeowners to invest in their own solar installations while, at the same time, making it easier for larger renewable energy companies to access the capital they need to expand and create more jobs in Florida.”
Proponents of the plan argue that by allowing banks to invest more in renewable energy companies, Nelson’s bill makes more capital available to renewable energy companies, which will make it easier for them to expand and create more jobs.
In addition to increasing investment in renewable energy companies, Nelson’s bill would also make it easier for banks to provide financing to homeowners looking to install solar panels on their own residential rooftops.
One of the greatest barriers currently preventing homeowners from installing solar panels on their own rooftops is the initial, upfront cost. A 2016 Pew Research Center study found that 40 percent of homeowners have given serious thought to adding solar panels to their own roofs.
Despite the potential demand, very few banks offer financing to homeowners seeking to add solar panels to their own roofs because they either don’t know how to underwrite such a loan, or they are afraid of penalties if they get it wrong.
Nelson’s bill would make it easier for banks to offer consumers the financing they need for such projects by directing the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to create uniform underwriting standards that banks can use to offer such loans to consumers.
The renewable energy industry employs more American workers than both the coal and natural gas industries combined. According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, 547,000 Americans work in the renewable energy sector compared to 160,000 in the coal industry, and 362,000 in the natural gas industry.
Of the more than half a million people who work in the renewable energy industry, fewer than 15,000 work in Florida. In fact, Florida currently ranks twelfth in the nation for solar energy production – trailing behind states such as California, Texas and North Carolina.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average household in Florida spends $132.16 per month on electricity, almost 16 percent more than the national average. By helping to make financing more available, Nelson’s legislation would make it easier for consumers to install their own solar rooftop installations to reduce their annual energy costs.
Pompano Beach man claims share of $550,000 LUCKY MONEY™ jackpot
The Florida Lottery announces that Antonio Llampay, 61, of Pompano Beach, claimed his $275,000 share of the $550,000 LUCKY MONEY™ jackpot from the November 21, 2017, drawing at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. The other jackpot-winning ticket, purchased in Pembroke Pines, has not yet been claimed.
Llampay chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $204,551. 71. He purchased his winning LUCKY MONEY Quick Pick ticket from First Coast Energy, located at 1400 North Federal Highway in Pompano Beach. The retailer received a bonus commission of $1,000 for selling the jackpot-winning ticket.
The next LUCKY MONEY drawing will be held tomorrow, December 5, 2017, at 11:15 p.m. ET, with a $600,000 jackpot. The LUCKY MONEY drawings are broadcast on 17 carrier stations throughout the state. Winning numbers are available on the Lottery website, at retailers statewide and by phone at (850) 921-PLAY.
Commissioner Adam Putnam to Address Clewiston Chamber of Commerce
MEDIA ADVISORY
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam tomorrow will address the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce.
Event: Commissioner Adam H. Putnam to address the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: 1200 S W C Owen Ave., Clewiston, Fla. 33440
Important Foraging Hotspots for Loggerhead Turtle Rookery Identified
UCF alumna Simona Ceriani today published a new study that finds sea turtles are what they eat – but where they eat may be even more important.
Ceriani, who is a tenured research scientist with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, collaborated with three UCF Department of Biology researchers on the study, published here in Scientific Reports.
“Where you eat and what you eat matters for humans and we found that it does, in fact, matter for turtles,” Ceriani said. “We found that females who eat in southern areas tend to have more offspring.”
During a nine-year period, the scientists examined chemical signatures of more than 700 loggerhead turtles, which nest at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge south of Melbourne. Coupled with GPS tracking, the team was able to map the signatures across the western Atlantic Ocean from the waters off Nova Scotia to the Yucatán.
Florida is one of the major nesting grounds for loggerhead turtles in the United States. The Carr refuge accounts for 14 percent of the loggerhead nests in the northwest Atlantic, which is the largest subpopulation in the world.
The study showed that most Carr female loggerheads do not leave the coastal waters that fall under the U.S. jurisdiction. However, the foraging areas where the refuge nesters migrate from vary from year to year. Turtles spend 99 percent of their time in the water, so tracking their whereabouts can prove difficult. The chemical analysis costs $10 per turtle compared to $2,000 to $5,000 required for individual GPS tracking.
“We need to know where they go so that we can protect them, if they need to be protected,” Ceriani said.
As a result of the study, conservation biologists such as Ceriani, will look at two key locations to protect sea turtles: the waters off eastern Central Florida and the waters of Andros Island in the Great Bahama Bank. The turtles that forage in the Bahamas produce more hatchlings than those who forage in the waters near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
“This is a cool new tool that could help focus conservation and manage efforts,” she said. “Since most turtles remain in the United States, what we can do can have a really positive or a detrimental impact. We are the steward for this species.”
For Ceriani, this research had special meaning. She graduated in 2014 with her Ph.D. in conservation biology from UCF, and now three years later she has significantly extended her doctoral research as the coordinator for Florida’s sea turtle nesting program. A position she took just two months after graduating.
It was also an opportunity to work once again with researchers from UCF. The study was a result of a collaboration with biologists John Weishampel and Kate Mansfield and retired biologist Llewellyn Ehrhart. Michael Wunder of the University of Colorado, a specialist in the analysis of stable isotopes, was also a key member of the team.
“It was amazing working with John and Llew who were both of my committee co-chairs and I owe a lot to them both professionally and personally,” Ceriani said.
Next on her to-do list: a trip to the Great Bahama Bank to investigate the results in the field. She will apply the techniques used in this study to her next one, to continue to unravel the complexity of Florida sea turtle migratory patterns.
Gov. Rick Scott Recognizes EL AL Airlines for Investments in State of Florida
As part of his ongoing trade mission in Israel, Governor Rick Scott today recognized EL AL Airlines, the national air carrier of Israel, with a Governor’s Business Ambassador Award for their investments in the State of Florida. EL AL recently relaunched the only nonstop flights from Miami to Tel Aviv, which halted flights from Florida in 2008, however, due to the increased economic activity in Florida, the nonstop flight was relaunched. The nonstop flight from Miami International Airport is now one of only six nonstop routes offered by the airline to North America from Israel. The Governor presented the award during an event with the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Israel Chambers of Commerce.
Governor Scott said, “I was proud to recognize EL AL with a Governor’s Business Ambassador Award today and share Florida’s success story with business and economic development leaders in Israel. EL AL’s decision to invest in our state is proof that our work to turn around Florida’s economy over the past seven years has sent a clear message across the globe – the State of Florida is the best place for businesses to succeed. We will continue to work with international partners and job creators to help bring more important investments and opportunities to our state.”
EL AL President David Maimon said, “It was an honor to accept the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award and celebrate EL AL’s commitment to the State of Florida with Governor Scott today. Florida has proven to be an excellent partner and direct flight location. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership with Florida as we ensure EL AL remains the leading airline.”
Miami International Airport Director Emilio T. González said, “We greatly appreciate EL AL Israel Airlines choosing to invest in Florida. We have been working to bring EL AL back to Miami-Dade County for many years, and this accomplishment would not have been possible without Florida’s strong economy and appeal as a world-class destination for travel and business. We look forward to seeing continued growth and success with EL AL at Miami International Airport.”
Governor Scott is currently leading a delegation of nearly 70 Florida business and education leaders on a trade mission in Israel to continue to build on Florida and Israel’s strong relationship. Florida’s economic development and trading partnership with Israel exceeds $286 million a year.
Consumer Alert: Financial Abuse by Guardians
If no designated beneficiary or advance directive exists or either is contested, a guardian may be assigned by the court to oversee financial matters in cases where an individual is no longer able to do so for themselves. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous guardians looking to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. The Florida Office of Financial Regulation encourages Floridians to be aware of the red flags indicating potential guardian financial abuse.
The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) recently unveiled a new publication, “Guarding the Guardians,” aimed at helping consumers identify signs of guardian financial abuse. Signs of potential financial abuse by a guardian may include:
- Using guardianship authority to transfer property for the guardian’s benefit.
- Receiving personal payments from a protected individual without court permission.
- Authorizing frequent cash withdrawals from the protected individual’s accounts without explanation.
- Using or borrowing property for personal benefit without court authorization.
- Making unexplained decisions that are not in the protected individual’s best interest.
Even though a family member may not want to take on the role and responsibilities associated with guardianship, it’s still important for a family member or trusted contact to monitor the activities of the guardian. If you suspect abuse, contact appropriate authorities, such as law enforcement, Adult Protective Services, or your legal representative. “Guarding the Guardians” can be downloaded from NASAA’s Serve Our Seniors website here.
The Florida Office of Financial Regulation offers Floridians a robust online Consumer Knowledge Center, where you can find more information on several financial topics.
To report suspected guardian financial abuse, please contact Adult Protective Services and local law enforcement.
