Attorney General Pam Bondi joined 43 other attorneys general to send a National Association of Attorneys General policy letter to congressional leaders, urging the repeal of a 2016 federal law to restore the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to hold drug manufacturers and distributors of opioids accountable.
“The opioid crisis is affecting families across our country and we need every tool available to combat this epidemic and save lives. To ensure the Drug Enforcement Administration is able to stop the oversupply of dangerous prescription opioids, Congress must repeal the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2016,” said Attorney General Bondi.
The Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2016 severely limits the DEA’s response to the opioid crisis. In 2016, more than two million Americans had an addiction to prescription or illicit opioids. Since 2000, more than 300,000 Americans have died from overdoses involving opioids.
According to the NAAG letter, the Act effectively strips the DEA’s ability to issue an immediate suspension order against a drug manufacturer or distributor whose unlawful conduct poses an immediate danger to public health or safety.
Florida is one of the states leading a widespread multistate investigation into major manufacturers and distributors of opioids. As part of this effort, the bipartisan coalition of 41 state attorneys general recently sent subpoenas and demanded additional information about potentially unlawful practices in the distribution, marketing and sale of opioids.
To read the NAAG letter to congressional leaders, click here.
Appointments by Gov. Rick Scott for Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Gov. Scott Appoints Chief Melanie Bevan to Statewide Council on Human Trafficking
Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointment of Chief Melanie Bevan to the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking.
Bevan, 52, of Bradenton, is the Chief of Police at the Bradenton Police Department. Bevan is a 31-year veteran law enforcement officer who most previously served as Assistant Chief at the St. Petersburg Police Department. She received her bachelor’s degree from Saint Leo University, her master’s degree from Troy State University, and her doctor of education degree from Argosy University. Bevan fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning November 15, 2017, and ending June 30, 2018.
Gov. Scott Reappoints Representative Larry Metz to Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Council
Governor Rick Scott today announced the reappointment Representative Larry E. Metz to the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Council.
Metz, 62, of Yalaha, has served in the Florida House of Representatives since 2010 and has practiced with the Metz Law Firm P.A. since 2007. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1976 to 1982, including active duty until 1980. Metz received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a law degree from Florida State University. He is appointed for a term beginning November 15, 2017, and ending June 30, 2020.
Sen. Bill Nelson statement on GOP tax bill
Following is a statement from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, on the new GOP tax plan:
“Here we go again. The GOP has added a provision to their tax plan that will cause health care premiums to go up 10 percent and 13 million Americans to lose their health coverage. We should be working together to find ways to cut taxes for hardworking middle-class families, not taking health care away from millions of people just to give huge tax cuts to the largest corporations.”
Below is a video of Nelson’s remarks during today’s Finance Committee hearing on the tax bill.
ICYMI: WFTV: Governor Scott Proposes Investments in Education, Health, Environment and Public Safety
“Gov. Scott Proposes Investments in Education, Health, Environment and Public Safety”
WFTV-ORD (ABC) – Orlando, FL
November 14, 2017
To view the clip, click HERE.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Announces New Statewide Recycling Education Campaign
State, industry partnership works to reduce
contamination of curbside recycling through education
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, on Florida Recycles Day, will announce the launch of a statewide public education campaign, Rethink. Reset. Recycle. Designed in partnership with Waste Management, MARPAN, Waste Connections and Single Stream Recyclers, LLC., the campaign aims to educate Floridians about curbside recycling.
The campaign serves to remind Floridians of the basics of curbside recycling: clean and dry aluminum and steel cans, plastic bottles and jugs, and paper and cardboard. About 30 percent of all household materials recycled in Florida are actually not recyclable at curbside, according to estimates by Waste Management, leading to the shutdown of processing centers for hours at a time each day. Contamination costs an average of $125 per ton. By eliminating the 30 percent of contaminated materials in curbside recycling bins, Floridians could save up to $100 million in recycling costs in one year.
The centerpiece of the campaign is FloridaRecycles.org, a website that serves as the hub for the program, housing informational messaging and resources for recycling coordinators across Florida to use in their own counties. Resources include a robust social media kit with content; best practices and a response guide; fact sheet; infographic; rack card; mail insert; website banners; messaging and styleguide.
“With the increased popularity of curbside recycling across Florida’s 67 counties, we’ve seen a big increase in participation — but many items ending up in the bins aren’t actually recyclable at curbside,” said Joe Ullo, Division Director of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. “We are pleased to be a partner in the launch of this statewide campaign, which calls on Floridians to rethink what they knew and reset their recycling behavior to focus on the basics.”
“Waste Management is pleased to lead a group of industry colleagues as part of the recycling partnership’s recycling education campaign,” said Dawn McCormick, Communications Director for Waste Management, Inc. of Florida. “We all share the important goal of recycling more material that has an environmental benefit, and keeping non-recyclables out of curbside containers to remain environmentally and economically sustainable.”
As Floridians commit to improve their recycling efforts and reduce curbside contamination, the partnership seeks to help Florida reach its long-term goal of a 75 percent recycling rate by 2020. Since 2011, the statewide recycling rate has increased from 30 percent. In 2016, Florida recycled 16.4 million tons of municipal solid waste – increasing the statewide overall recycling rate from 54 to 56 percent from the year before.
For more information, visit FloridaRecycles.org.
Commissioner Adam Putnam’s Statement Regarding Annual Drugs Identified in Deceases Persons Report, Growing Opioid Epidemic
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam issued the following statement today after the release of the Florida Medical Examiners Commission’s Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons annual report, which showed a 22 percent increase in drug-related deaths and a 35 percent increase in opioid-related deaths in 2016 compared to 2015:
“Nearly every Floridian has been impacted by substance abuse in one way or another, and the opioid epidemic continues to claim and destroy lives at an exponential rate. Today’s report shows the grave reality of Florida’s opioid epidemic, and I applaud Governor Scott for declaring a state of emergency in response to this crisis and his leadership in proposing aggressive measures to combat opioid abuse.”
Medical Examiners Commission Releases Drugs in Deceased Persons Report
The Florida Medical Examiners Commission released its 2016 annual report, Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons by Florida Medical Examiners.
The report, covering Jan. through Dec. 2016, shows drugs either caused or were present in 11,910 deaths across Florida. Data is collected on 46 drugs including opioids, benzodiazepines, and cocaine.
The report can be found online HERE.
AIA, Harris Corporation Host Fla. Aerospace and Defense Workforce/STEM Summit
Organizations join government and academia in collaborating
to inspire and build the aerospace workforce of tomorrow
The Aerospace Industries Association and host company Harris Corporation convened a two-day summit Wednesday aimed at inspiring and building Florida’s aerospace workforce of tomorrow and promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education strategies.
“This forum provides a tremendous opportunity to address Florida’s aerospace and defense workforce needs,” said AIA President and CEO David F. Melcher. “We must do our utmost to inspire and recruit the next generation of scientists and engineers. Our industry has great potential to create new high-skill, high-wage jobs, but it takes the right kind of people to create the innovations and ideas that keep our industry vibrant long into the future.”
The two-day summit brings together key stakeholders from government, industry and academia to discuss issues, trends, ideas and best practices for recruiting the best available talent to the aerospace and defense industry. The summit will feature several panels with keynote speakers across all areas of interest. In addition, a number of AIA member companies will be offering local tours of facilities to showcase the exciting jobs in our industry.
“Aerospace and defense companies create exciting innovations and offer young scientists and engineers tremendous, high-paying career opportunities,” said Harris Chairman, President and CEO William M. Brown. “This summit provides industry, education and government organizations an opportunity to identify new ways to help foster innovative minds and attract them to this vibrant, growing sector.”
“We’d like to thank Harris Corporation for hosting this summit, and sponsor companies Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Rockwell Collins and Larsen Motorsports” Melcher said. “They are rightly proud of their role in helping ensure that aerospace and defense companies in Florida help make our country stronger, more secure and more prosperous.”
The aerospace and defense industry employs more than 70,000 people in Florida and accounts for approximately 10% of the State’s exports and 1.3% of its GDP. To continue to be the leading nation in space technology and capabilities – much of which is developed in Florida – America needs to inspire future talent to join our industry.
Information about the summit program, panels and speakers is at this link.
Mast Bill Sanctioning Hamas Support Unanimously Passes Foreign Affairs Committee
Floor Vote Next Step For Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act
The U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee today unanimously passed U.S. Congressman Brian Mast’s (FL-18) Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act. The bipartisan bill imposes sanctions on foreign persons, agencies and governments that assist Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad or their affiliates. Hamas is a foreign terrorist organization and specially designated by the United States government as a global terrorist. The organization is responsible for the death of more than 400 Israelis and at least 25 United States citizens.
“Following my time in the Army, I chose to volunteer alongside the Israeli Defense Forces because our countries share the common ideals of freedom, democracy and mutual respect for all people. Hamas preaches destruction to Israel and death to the values we hold dear in the United States. They have murdered more than 400 Israelis and at least 25 American citizens.” Rep. Mast said. “Passing this bipartisan bill is proof that confronting hate – and supporting our ally Israel – is not an issue of left versus right; it is and always will be an issue of right versus wrong.”
The Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act requires the President to submit to Congress an annual report for the next three years identifying foreign persons, agencies or instrumentalities of a foreign state who knowingly and materially assist Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or an affiliate or successor of one of those organizations. After identifying the organizations, the President must impose two or more sanctions, including denying a) Export-Import guarantees, b) defense support under the Arms Export Control Act, c) export of munitions to any agreement to which a person identified is a part, d) export of goods or technology controlled for national security reasons, e) loans more than $10 million, or f) seizure of property held within the United States.
The bill also requires the President to report to Congress on each government that provides support for acts of terrorism and provides material support to Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or any affiliate or successor organization, or the President determines to have engaged in a significant transaction to knowingly and materially provide support to Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad or any affiliate or successor organization. After identifying the governments, the President must suspend U.S. assistance to that government for one year, instruct the executive directors of each international finance institution to vote against any loan or technical assistance to that government and prohibit any munitions export to that government for one year. Additionally, the President must prohibit that government’s transactions in foreign exchanges that are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and prevent that government’s transfers of credits or payments between financial institutions subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
The next step for the bill will be a vote before the full U.S. House of Representatives. Watch the full committee markup here.
NW Florida Volunteer Firefighter Training Weekend Postponed by Hurricane Irma Back On
Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis today announced that the 12th annual Northwest Florida Volunteer Firefighter Weekend previously postponed due to Hurricane Irma will take place this weekend. More than 200 volunteer firefighters have registered for this rescheduled event, which offers free classroom and field training courses to volunteer firefighters. Hosted at the Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, the event is open to all volunteer firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, and military in Florida and all southeast states.
CFO Patronis said, “Volunteer fire departments offer lifesaving services to our communities, oftentimes operating on very low budgets. We must do everything we can to ensure that our firefighters have every bit of the training and expertise they need to safely perform their jobs, and I am proud to be part of this free training opportunity that will no doubt help first responders better serve their fellow Floridians.”
Originally set to take place in September, participants can now register to take active shooter response and animal first aid courses, as well as live burn classes and more. Courses will begin Friday, November 17 and continue through Sunday evening, November 19. Most live burn classes will take place on Saturday.
Firefighters can register online www.nwflvolunteerffweekend.com through Thursday afternoon. Individuals can register in person after online registration closes. Individuals with questions about the course offerings or registration process are encouraged to email staff at [email protected].
Members of the media are encouraged to contact Mike Cox at 727-639-3703 to arrange on-site interviews.
