Governor Rick Scott today applauded the work of the Trump Administration on the announcement of new sanctions against ten Maduro government officials. Earlier this year, the SBA unanimously approved Governor Scott’s proposed resolution to prohibit the State of Florida from investments to benefit the Maduro regime. Currently, the Governor’s proposal to further this state policy has been filed in the Florida Legislature.
Governor Scott said, “For far too long, Nicolas Maduro has put his desire to stay in power above the needs of his people. I am glad that the Trump Administration has taken further action to hold this dictator and his regime accountable. As Maduro continues to brutally oppress the people of Venezuela, I will continue to do everything I can to help bring freedom and democracy to the millions of Venezuelans suffering at the hands of this ruthless dictator.
“In Florida, we’ve been clear that we stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela who are struggling for their freedom. We have taken action to prohibit the state from making investments that benefit the Maduro regime, and we are working to make our recent action even stronger. We work relentlessly to shine a light on Maduro’s crimes against his people and the need for freedom and democracy in Venezuela. Today, we renew our call for Maduro to step down and completely release all political prisoners now.”
Board of Governors appoints university trustees
The Board of Governors today made the following appointments to boards of trustees across the State University System. Appointees were selected from a competitive field of applicants and are subject to attending a Board of Governors’ orientation, the Trustee Summit, and confirmation by the Florida Senate. All appointments are for five-year terms beginning Jan 6, 2018. The appointment term for Florida Polytechnic University begins November 9, 2017.
- Ms. Kimberly Moore was reappointed to the Florida A&M University Board of Trustees. She is the vice president for workforce innovation at Tallahassee Community College.
- Mr. Brent Burns was appointed to the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees. He is the president and chief operating officer of JM Family Enterprises, Inc.
- Mr. Richard Eide was appointed to the Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees. He is the owner of Princess Palm Sales, LLC.
- Mr. Roger Tovar was appointed to the Florida International University Board of Trustees. He is the owner and CEO of Palmetto57 Auto Group, AMS Group, Chicagoland Restaurants, and Albany Auto Group.
- Dr. Louis Saco was appointed to the Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees. He is the CEO of Watson Clinic, LLP, chair of Watson Clinic Foundation Board of Directors, and medical director and member of Lakeland CEO and diagnostic center.
- Mr. Jim Henderson was appointed to the Florida State University Board of Trustees. He is past president and chief operating officer of Brown & Brown Insurance.
- Mr. George Skestos was reappointed to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees. He is founder of Homewood Corporation, Trinity Home Builders, and Franklin Bank.
- Ms. Beverly Seay was reappointed to the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees. She is executive director of the Nebraska Applied Research Institute.
- Dr. Anne Egan was appointed to the University of North Florida Board of Trustees. She is a pediatrician and partner at the Carithers Pediatric Group and section chief of pediatrics at St. Vincent’s Hospital.
- Ms. Suzanne Lewis was reappointed to the University of West Florida Board of Trustees. She is a management and leadership consultant and former superintendent of Yellowstone National Park.
DCF successfully serves more than a million families through federal disaster food assistance program
The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) has administered the federal Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) in Florida for 45 consecutive days, serving more than a million families and distributing nearly $900 million in DSNAP benefits. As of November 7, DCF processed more than one million DSNAP applications, and DSNAP benefits were issued to 2.7 million individuals. Together with disaster food assistance provided through the regular SNAP program’s replacements and supplements, DCF has provided more than $1.35 billion in benefits that families can use right away.
“The federal DSNAP operation in Florida has been unprecedented in terms of the geographic scope, number of families served, and amount of benefits provided to help families recover from a devastating storm. This has by far been the largest DSNAP operation in the country. In 45 days, DCF has operated 50 different DSNAP sites for 213 operational days and served more than a million families. While an operation of this size has not been without challenges, we’re grateful that we have had the opportunity to help our neighbors and contribute to Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Irma,” said DCF Secretary Mike Carroll.
Public safety has been DCF’s first priority as we operated assistance sites throughout the state. DCF has partnered with and followed the direction of local law enforcement in every community to ensure the safety of those we are committed to serving. DCF defers to local law enforcement for all determinations related to traffic or public safety issues. DCF has aggressively pursued actions to ensure operations are as expeditious, safe, and efficient as possible. Following the conclusion of the Food for Florida program statewide, DCF will conduct a thorough after action review of all operations.
Important details are included below.
- On November 8, Secretary Carroll presented to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services regarding DSNAP operations. Full video of the presentation is available here.
- DCF submitted the first request for disaster food assistance to the federal government on September 13, just three days after Hurricane Irma’s first impact to Florida.
- DCF sent a letter to the USDA on October 17 to request additional flexibility and resources in administering the federal DSNAP program in Florida.
- Read the FNS response to DCF here.
- Read DCF’s letter to the USDA regarding a waiver for the elderly and disabled populations here. This request is still pending.
- Statewide data on DSNAP by county as of November 7 is available here.
- Final data on all DSNAP operations will be posted next week.
- Today is the final day of federal DSNAP operations in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. DSNAP sites opened at the BB&T Center in Sunrise and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Tuesday, November 7. Preliminary data on operations at both sites is included below.
- Miami:
- 22,000 applications were processed on Tuesday
- 20,800 applications were processed on Wednesday
- More than 121,000 bottles of water have been distributed
- On Tuesday, DCF began serving individuals early at 6:15 am, and today at 5:30 am.
- More than 1,800 DCF and temporary staff are on site processing applications and supporting operations
- Broward:
- 17,000 applications were processed on Tuesday
- 23,000 applications were processed on Wednesday
- DCF has distributed more than 51,000 bottles of water. The United Way has also distributed more than 32,000 bottles of water.
- Today, DCF began serving individuals at 6:30 a.m.
- More than 1,100 DCF and temporary staff are on site processing applications and supporting operations
- Miami:
- Following the conclusion of DSNAP operations, any individuals who may be in need of assistance can apply through the regular public assistance program online at http://www.myflorida.com/accessflorida/.
- Assigned 750 staff from headquarters to support processing of applications
- Initially deployed more than 6,000 staff statewide to assist in operations and administration of this federal program, including nearly 1,500 temporary workers, to Food for Florida sites to process applications
- Deployed staff from the panhandle to support operations in affected counties
- Hired traffic control companies to aid with parking and traffic control
- Special accommodations have been available for the elderly and disabled. Onsite staff are working to monitor the population of those in lines to assist elderly and disabled residents to the front of the line. Those who need these accommodations should find staff to inquire about expedited service.
- Shuttled staff from remote locations to allow for more onsite parking
- Every site has distributed bottled water to individuals waiting in line on foot.
- DCF takes the responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer money very seriously and investigates all instances of potential fraud. DCF’s Public Benefits Integrity (PBI) program has investigators on-site at each FFF location to review potentially fraudulent applicants and conduct investigations for profiles flagged as fraud-prone. PBI investigators are also monitoring social media sites for fraudulent sales of food assistance. Individuals who are found guilty of submitting false information on their application for D-SNAP benefits are subject to criminal prosecution and will be required to pay the money back. PBI on-site staff reviewed nearly 42,000 D-SNAP applications as of November 8 and have avoided issuing more than $13 million in fraudulent benefits.
In addition to DSNAP, DCF applied for federal food assistance program waivers for those receiving regular SNAP benefits and provided:
- Early release of food assistance benefits prior to Hurricane Irma making landfall to help families prepare
- Hot Foods Waiver, and a subsequent extension, to allow families to purchase prepared food with their EBT cards at participating retailers
- Extended the time frame to report food loss from 10 to 20 days
- Mass food assistance replacement benefits for September to SNAP recipients in 52 counties effected by Hurricane Irma
- Extended October SNAP recertification deadlines for three months
FDLE investigation leads to four arrests in scheme to sell property with sinkhole damage
An investigation led by the Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center, Brooksville Office, of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has led to the arrest of four suspects on a charge of organized scheme to defraud relating to the sale of a home with sinkhole property damage.
Those arrested are: Clarence Surrena and Mary Surrena of 230 E. Panama Rd., Winter Springs; Karen Sherwin of 5230 Miller Bayou Dr., Port Richey; and Shawn Poole of 17529 Monteverde Dr., Spring Hill.
During the investigation, agents found that Clarence and Mary Surrena sold their home at 18735 Bonnie Drive, Spring Hill, in Pasco County, to a couple for $275,000. Prior to the closing, the Surrenas completed a Seller’s Disclosure Form on which they denied any sinkhole damage to their property. The Surrenas did acknowledge filing a sinkhole claim; however, they did not reveal the claim was paid. Although the Surrenas received $155,000 in October 2013 to fix the sinkhole, the money was not used for that purpose.
Both Karen Sherwin, the Surrenas’ realtor, and Shawn Poole, the buyers’ agent, were aware of the insurance claim and the incomplete Seller’s Disclosure Form. The buyers only became aware of the sinkhole after moving into their home when a representative of a home insurance company called to say the home could not be insured. The buyers believed they were insured at closing.
Clarence and Mary Surrena were both taken to the Seminole County Jail on $15,000 bond each; Karen Sherwin and Shawn Poole were both taken to the Pasco County Jail on $5,000 bond each.
The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, 6th Judicial Circuit.
Highlights: Board of Governors Meeting, November 8-9
Joined by U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta and three
new Board members, the Board of Governors this week took up
several important initiatives to advance the State University System.
The Board of Governors held its annual Trustee Summit this week and moved forward on several important proposals to push the State University System to the next level.
The Summit, an annual gathering of trustees from all 12 universities, included keynote speaker U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, who spoke about student apprenticeships. Trustees and Board of Governors’ members also took part in discussions about improving student outcomes, enhancing engagement with the business community, and effective trusteeship.
The Board also selected Vice Chair Ned Lautenbach as its new chair and Governor Sydney Kitson as its vice chair for the term beginning January 1, 2018 and ending December 31, 2019. They will succeed Chair Thomas Kuntz, whose two-year tenure has resulted in great strides for the System, including in his key focus areas of aligning degrees with the state workforce, enhancing 2+2 articulation, and raising the State University System’s research profile. U.S. News & World Report also named Florida the 2017 Best State for Higher Education.
“The past two years have been extremely rewarding as we have seen many of our goals for the System come to fruition,” Chair Kuntz said. “Serving as chair has been a great honor, and I’m confident the Board’s new chair and vice chair will continue the System’s trajectory toward excellence.”
Additional meeting highlights include:
- The Board was joined by three new members. Governors Tim Cerio, Jay Patel, and Zach Zachariah were appointed recently by Governor Rick Scott.
- Board members appointed 10 new universities trustees, including Ms. Kimberly Moore, FAMU, Mr. Brent Burns, FAU, Mr. Richard Eide, FGCU, Mr. Roger Tovar, FIU, Dr. Louis Saco, Florida Poly, Mr. Jim Henderson, FSU, Mr. George Skestos, New College, Ms. Beverly Seay, UCF, Dr. Anne Egan, UNF, and Ms. Suzanne Lewis, UWF. Appointments are subject to attending Board of Governors’ orientation, the Trustee Summit, and confirmation by the Florida Senate.
- The Board approved a motion of support for FSU’s actions following last week’s student death, with the Board and universities reaffirming their commitment to work together and ensure that a campus culture of student safety and health is a top priority.
- Universities and colleges are successfully closing workforce gaps in high-demand areas through the Targeted Educational Grant Program, known as the TEAm Grant initiative. The four teams, made up of universities and colleges, have met their enrollment and graduation goals, demonstrating their commitment to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars and meeting the needs of the workforce. The program is funded through $15 million in competitive grants allocated by the Governor and Legislature to address the state’s job needs.
- The Board made updates to its performance funding model. The changes will take into account the cost for books when measuring average cost-to-the-student and changing the Board of Governors’ choice metric for UF, FSU and New College to the percentage of degrees awarded without excess credit hours.
- Universities shared their plans for increasing police officers and mental health services on campus as part of a systemwide effort to ensure student safety and make sure students have access to the resources they need.
- New College of Florida reported its progress on implementing its growth plan, which includes an enrollment increase to 1,200 students. The university received $5.4 million for the first installment of its plan during the 2016 legislative session.
- The Board heard a progress report on the implementation of the 2025 Strategic Plan for Online Education, which was initially approved in November of 2015.
- The Board approved its annual PECO list, with special priority on critical deferred maintenance.
- The Board confirmed the reappointment of Larry Robinson as Interim President of FAMU. Additionally, the Board granted FAMU’s request for a waiver from the Board of Governors’ guideline requiring a national presidential search.
For more information, consult the meeting’s official minutes at http://www.flbog.edu/. The Board’s next meeting is scheduled for January 24-25 at Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Statement by Commissioner Adam Putnam on Updated Citrus Crop Forecast
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season:
“Today’s lowered forecast shows that the damage to Florida citrus from Hurricane Irma is still unfolding, and it will continue to for some time. Florida’s growers need support and they need it fast. I will continue to work with Governor Scott and leaders in Washington to get Florida’s growers the support and relief they need to rebuild as quickly as possible.”
The USDA’s forecast today of 50 million boxes of oranges for the 2017-2018 season is down 4 million boxes from the October estimate.
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Commissioner Putnam announced that Florida citrus sustained more than $760 million in damages. Commissioner Putnam also joined Governor Rick Scott in Washington D.C to discuss the agricultural damage and to request federal assistance with Florida’s Congressional Delegation.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
Attorney General Bondi’s Veterans Day Statement
Attorney General Pam Bondi today released the following statement in recognition of Veterans Day:
“This weekend we honor some of the bravest of Americans, those who served in our Armed Forces, who risk their lives for our safety and freedom. In our busy day-to-day lives, it may be easy to forget just how blessed we are for the men and women who are willing to serve and fight so that we can live in a republic. Veterans Day is a reminder that we must never lose sight of these courageous heroes and their sacrifices. Thank you to all our veterans, active service members and the families who support them for everything that you have done and are still doing to protect us and our beautiful homeland.”
Office Approves a 9.5% Decrease to Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rates
Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier has issued a Final Order granting approval to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) for a statewide overall rate level decrease of 9.5% and premium level decrease of 9.8%. This applies to both new and renewal workers’ compensation insurance policies effective in Florida as of January 1, 2018.
“I am pleased that today’s approval of NCCI’s rate filing will translate into a decrease in workers’ compensation rates for many Florida employers,” stated Commissioner Altmaier. “The Office will continue to monitor the marketplace and support reforms that provide additional cost savings for Florida’s businesses.”
“Florida’s job creators will no doubt appreciate this significant cost savings, a step that will support our state’s growing economy,” said Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. “I’m pleased to see the cost of business going down, and as the Legislature looks at our workers’ compensation system, I will be working with them on proposals to lock in these lowering rates.”
NCCI received this approval after submitting an amended rate filing to the Office on November 7, 2017, which met the stipulations of an Order issued by the Commissioner on October 31, 2017.
For more information about the NCCI public hearing and rate filing, visit the Office’s “NCCI Public Rate Hearing” webpage.
FHCA to Lawmakers: Look Beyond Generators with Nursing Home Disaster Procedure Legislation
In testimony to the House Select Committee on Hurricane Preparedness, Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) chief lobbyist Bob Asztalos urged lawmakers to look beyond issues related to emergency generators as they consider legislation dealing with nursing home procedures in disasters.
Asztalos told legislators FHCA is committed to implementing the governor’s mandate that nursing homes and assisted living facilities have generator capacity to keep their residents cool and safe during a disaster. He offered a set of recommendations that would strengthen the emergency procedures in nursing centers and ALFs and help them meet the Governor’s goal in a careful, timely manner that ensures the work is done correctly and safely.
In his remarks to the committee, Asztalos vowed, “We stand ready to work together with the Legislature, agencies and the Governor’s office to get this right.” His other comments included:
Complex Needs
“The debate must extend beyond generators and fuel. Nursing homes care for residents whose medical needs are extremely complex – many depend on ventilators, oxygen, dialysis and other life sustaining mechanical support. … We don’t understand how power restoration is prioritized in the state. I ask that the Legislature formalize the system for determining power restoration, and that priority restoration be given to our centers. “
Evacuations
“We found a disconnect between the local emergency management personnel and the long term care providers. Nursing homes seek to harden in place, and evacuation is a very last resort. The local emergency managers want to evacuate people quickly because they have a much bigger scope than just our facilities. I believe we need to foster open dialogue between the two groups to better coordinate when nursing homes should be evacuated.”
Special Needs Shelters
“Nursing home residents cannot just be loaded on a bus and dropped off at a shelter. They are too frail, many are in wheelchairs and they must travel with their medications, records, staff, and other life-sustaining equipment. If a bus pulls up to a shelter and the seniors on it walk off, they are not from a nursing home. The reality is that, during storms, nursing homes are called upon to take occupants from special need shelters when they are full or when the county is trying to close them after the storm. I believe this process can be better formalized.”
Commissioner Putnam Highlights Services Available to Veterans and Military Members
Ahead of Veterans Day, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam is highlighting the services that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides to Florida’s more than 1.6 million veterans, as well as some services for active military members. The department works to support our nation’s heroes and their families through services, such as: waiving fees for professional licenses, expediting concealed weapon license applications and providing unique outdoor opportunities to wounded veterans.
“The men and women who selflessly serve our country and defend our liberty deserve all of the support we can give them,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
The department provides enhanced services to veterans and active members of the military by:
- Waiving the fees for honorably discharged veterans and their spouses to enter new professions or open a business that is licensed by the department so that these men and women can jumpstart their careers.
- Expediting nearly 90,000 applications for concealed weapon licenses for veterans and active duty military since the summer of 2015. Honorably discharged veterans should submit a copy of their DD 214 long form with their applications. More information on how honorably discharged veterans can apply for a concealed weapons license can be found here.
- Hosting wounded veterans at outdoor recreational events free of charge through Operation Outdoor Freedom. More than 3,000 wounded veterans have participated in more than 400 guided hunts, fishing trips, canoe trips and more in Florida’s state forests and designated outdoor spaces. Additional information about the program and upcoming events can be found here.
- Dedicating two of Florida’s state forests in honor of our veterans – Peace River State Forest and Prairie Tract State Forest – and reducing forest entrance and camping rates for veterans to enjoy these great places.
- Accepting relevant military training or education when veterans or active military members apply for private investigator and security officer licenses.
Visit FreshFromFlorida.com to learn more about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.