Capital Soup

Florida News Straight From the Source

You are here: Home / Archives for Contributor

Contributor

Florida Municipal Attorneys Association Presents Douglas J. Sale with Lifetime Distinguished Service Award

Posted on

Former Panama City Beach City Attorney Honored with
Claude L. Mullis Lifetime Distinguished Service Award

Douglas “Doug” J. Sale, former city attorney for the City of Panama City Beach, has been honored with the Claude L. Mullis Lifetime Distinguished Service Award by the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association (FMAA).
“Doug has devoted a lifetime to the practice of municipal law, spent untold hours providing legal counsel to city officials and his colleagues, lectured repeatedly, and written numerous articles on municipal law,” said Florida League of Cities General Counsel Chip Morrison. “He has given tirelessly and unselfishly to his community and to Florida’s municipal community. Doug exemplifies the reasons why this award was created.”
This award, which is given to an attorney whose achievements and dedication to the field of municipal law are extraordinary, recognizes a lifetime of significant achievements and distinguished service in this field. There have only been nine recipients of this award during the past 18 years, including its inaugural recipient, the late Claude L. Mullis in 1999.
This honor is only bestowed upon an outstanding municipal lawyer who has demonstrated integrity and honesty throughout his career, has achieved significant career success and has reflected the basic values of those who have excelled in the practice of municipal law.
“I worked side by side with Doug for 18 years while serving as mayor and we attended many local, regional, and state government meetings. Doug was always completely prepared. He was very involved and his guidance was instrumental in bringing Panama City Beach from a little sleepy village to a world class resort,” said Philip Griffitts, former mayor of Panama City Beach. “Many ordinances had to be redone or created and they were done by a man who cares. As our city attorney for over 35 years, Doug has been invaluable in shaping our coastal city into one that residents and tourists are proud of and love. He is well-liked and respected.”
Sale served as the city attorney for the City of Panama City Beach from 1981 until 2016 and is a founding partner of the Harrison Sale McCloy law firm. His primary areas of practice are local government, public finance, and land use law. Sale also serves as general counsel for the Panama City Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, the Bay County Tourist Development Council and the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. He was named FMAA Attorney of the Year in 1999 and is a past president of the association.
The Florida Municipal Attorneys Association (FMAA) was formally organized during late 1981, and adopted its constitution in May of 1982. Its membership consists of over 600 attorneys who specialize in the legal representation of municipalities. These members include full-time and part-time city attorneys and their assistant city attorneys as well as attorneys who engage in private practice and who render specialized legal representation to municipalities (e.g. labor lawyers, bond attorneys, civil rights attorneys, and environmental and land-use attorneys). For more information, visit www.fmaa.us.

Gov. Scott and Volunteer Florida Present Champion of Service Award

Posted on


During a meeting of the Florida Cabinet today, Governor Rick Scott and Volunteer Florida Chief Executive Officer Chester Spellman awarded Lynne Gassant with the Volunteer Florida Champion of Service Award, Florida’s official statewide volunteer recognition.
Governor Scott said, “I am proud to award Lynne with the Champion of Service Award today for her service to the Palm Beach County community and the State of Florida. I applaud her for her passion for helping others and investing her time educating students.”
Volunteer Florida CEO Chester W. Spellman said, “Volunteer Florida is proud to recognize Lynne for her continued leadership and service. We are grateful for the opportunity to recognize the countless hours she has spent helping at-risk students in the Palm Beach County area.”
About the Champion of Service
Lynne Gassant is the Founder and Executive Director of Scholar Career Coaching, a nonprofit organization that provides after school mentoring services to South Florida high school students, particularly those who speak English as a second language. Scholar Career Coaching provides career planning, financial literacy, life skills, and college readiness. Founded in 2012, Scholar Career Coaching’s mission is to coach, motivate, and support students through mentoring and scholarship. Since its creation, Scholar Career Coaching has mentored over 50 students from both Atlantic High School and Boynton Beach High School and awarded 15 scholarships totaling over $7,000 to local graduating seniors.
Volunteer Florida is the Governor’s lead agency for volunteerism and national service in Florida. For more information, visit www.volunteerflorida.org.

Senator Hukill to Tour Eastern Florida State College & Participate in the Great American Eclipse

Posted on

State Senator Dorothy L. Hukill (R-Port Orange) will tour the campus of Eastern Florida State College on Monday, August 21st at 10:00 AM at their Melbourne location.  Later that afternoon, Senator Hukill will visit the Observatory at the Eastern Florida State College Planetarium in celebration of the Great American Eclipse.
According to their site, the eclipse is scheduled to begin at approximately 1:21 PM and continue until 4:17 PM, and marks the first time since 1979 that observers anywhere on the United States mainland will get to witness at least a partial view of a total eclipse of the sun. Maximum eclipse in Brevard County occurs at 2:55 PM, when 88% of the sun will be obscured by the moon.
WHO: State Senator Dorothy L. Hukill
Eastern Florida State College
WHAT: Campus Tour/Meeting & The Great American Eclipse Event
WHERE/WHEN: Eastern Florida State College – Melbourne Campus
3865 N. Wickham Road
Melbourne, FL 32935
August 21st at 10:00 AM
Eastern Florida State College – Planetarium & Observatory
1519 Clearlake Rd, Bldg. 19
Cocoa, FL 32922
August 21st at 1:00 PM
Senator Hukill was elected to the Senate in 2012 and represents Senate District 14, which consists of parts of Brevard and Volusia Counties. Prior to the Senate, Hukill served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2004-2012.

Governor Rick Scott Recognizes Chris Allyn with Medal of Merit

Posted on


Governor Rick Scott recognized U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Allyn with the Governor’s Medal of Merit for his heroic actions to save the victims of a car accident.
Governor Rick Scott said, “I’m proud to honor Specialist Christopher Allyn with the Medal of Merit today and would like to thank him for his selfless response to save lives. His actions show the dedication of our brave service members, on and off the field, to ensure the safety of families across the state and nation.”
On April 10, 2016, SPC Allyn witnessed a car accident in Cape Coral where a vehicle had overturned and caught fire. He broke the car window to enter the vehicle and successfully pulled victims out before the vehicle became completely engulfed in flames and first responders arrived on scene. SPC Allyn was also recognized by the Cape Coral Fire Department and Cape Coral Police Department for his life-saving actions. He currently serves the state as a Correctional Officer in Charlotte County.

Attorney General Bondi Leads Nationwide Effort to Amend Sex Trafficking Law

Posted on

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and the District of Columbia Attorney General are leading a bi-partisan coalition of 50 attorneys general urging Congress to affirm that all law enforcement agencies retain their traditional authority to fight sex trafficking. In a letter to members of Congress sent today, Attorney General Bondi called for an amendment of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 to clarify that states, localities and territories retain authority to investigate and prosecute online facilitators of child sex trafficking. The simple addition this letter proposes will help to ensure that citizens and children are effectively protected throughout the entire country, in all courts. 
“Florida is a zero-tolerance state for human trafficking and we cannot let anything stop our pursuit of justice for victims of this horrific crime. That is why I am asking Congress to make this simple change to the Communications Decency Act and ensure local law enforcement and prosecutors have the tools they need to lock up human traffickers and save lives,” said Attorney General Bondi.  
The letter seeks to affirm the authority of state and local law enforcement—those on the front lines of the battle against the sexual exploitation of children—to investigate and prosecute facilitators of such crimes. The intention of the CDA is to protect children from indecent material online and the CDA was never intended to place online facilitators of child sex trafficking outside the reach of law enforcement; however, according to the bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, the CDA is often being used as a shield by those who profit from prostitution and crimes against children. In some cases, courts have interpreted certain provisions of the CDA to provide immunity from state prosecution to online classified ad sites, such as Backpage.com, that promote and profit from human trafficking. 
To view the letter, click here.
In addition to Florida and the District of Columbia the following states and territories signed onto the letter: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Gov. Scott Recognizes Small Business Lucky Goat Coffee with Business Ambassador Award

Posted on


During a meeting of the Florida Cabinet today, Governor Rick Scott recognized Lucky Goat Coffee with the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award. Lucky Goat Coffee is a specialty premium coffee roaster. The small business is located in Tallahassee and was founded in 2010.
Governor Scott said, “I’m proud to present Lucky Goat Coffee with the Business Ambassador Award today. By cutting taxes and reducing burdensome regulations, business like Lucky Goat Coffee have been able to grow and succeed in Florida. We will keep fighting to support Florida businesses so our state can be first in the nation for job creation.”
Lucky Goat Coffee Owner Ben Pautsch said, “I’m honored to be recognized by Governor Scott with the Business Ambassador Award today. On behalf of the team at Lucky Goat Coffee, we are very grateful for this opportunity and for the support of our customers. We have a passion for our specialty grade coffee and strive to provide our customers with a custom experience. I look forward to continuing our growth throughout Tallahassee and communities across the state.”
For more information about Lucky Goat Coffee, visit luckygoatcoffee.com.

UT Joins Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success

Posted on

UT only one of four Florida institutions to join
effort to make higher education more accessible

The University of Tampa has joined more than 100 colleges and universities as part of the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success.
The coalition was founded on principal values, beliefs and extensive research to improve the college application process for all students. Members of the coalition include a diverse group of public and private universities that provide substantial support to lower-resourced and under-represented students, offer responsible student financial aid support and demonstrate a commitment to student graduation.
UT was invited to join the coalition based upon numerous criteria demonstrating its affordability (low graduate loans rates and significant high-need population), access (high minority population) and success (high graduation rate, above 60 percent). The University of Florida, Stetson University and Florida State University are the only other Florida-based institutions that are members of the coalition.
“UT was founded to provide access to higher education for Tampa-area students, and our participation in the coalition continues that commitment to disadvantaged students,” said Dennis Nostrand, vice president for enrollment.
Approximately 92 percent of all UT students receive aid, and UT annually offers more than $60 million in institutional aid. UT will accept the coalition application for admission beginning this fall.
Annie Reznik, executive director of the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success, said that expanding membership creates the potential for outreach efforts to have a broader impact. “We are thrilled to be able to collaborate with UT to improve college access,” she said.
The mobile-friendly coalition application includes a suite of online college planning tools — completely free of charge for all high school students — which supports collaborative early engagement outreach efforts by member colleges.
More information about the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success, including a complete list of members, can be found at www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org.

SBA Trustees Unanimously Approve Gov. Scott’s Proposal Prohibiting Business with Maduro Regime

Posted on

The Trustees of the Florida State Board of Administration (SBA) today unanimously approved Governor Scott’s proposal to prohibit the State of Florida from doing business with any organization that supports the Maduro regime which continues to brutally oppress the people of Venezuela. Governor Scott has continually called for freedom and democracy in Venezuela, the liberation of all political prisoners and the end of the Maduro regime. Today’s decision by the Trustees occurred during a meeting of the Florida Cabinet following the Governor’s announcement of this proposal last month.
Governor Scott said, “I am proud today to have the unanimous support of the Trustees of the Florida State Board of Administration in prohibiting Florida from doing business with those who support the evil dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro. I have heard firsthand from so many whose families have been hurt by the brutalities perpetrated by Maduro and his gang of thugs. As Maduro continues to totally disregard the will of the people and empower his dictatorship through his assembly, Florida stands firmly with the Venezuelan people in demanding absolute freedom and democracy now. Let me be clear, the policy we enacted today is a huge step in the right direction and ensures that SBA investments won’t benefit the Maduro regime.
“We must continue to do everything we can to support freedom and democracy in Venezuela and Latin America and I look forward to working with the Florida Legislature during the next legislative session to strengthen Florida’s opposition to Maduro’s oppression.”
Governor Scott’s proposal that was today unanimously approved by the Trustees of the Florida State Board of Administration prohibits the SBA from doing business with Venezuela in the following ways:  

  • The SBA is prohibited from investing in any securities issued by the Government of Venezuela.
  • The SBA is prohibited from investing in any company that is majority owned by the Government of Venezuela.
  • The SBA is completely prohibited from participating in any vote or resolution that advocates or supports the Maduro regime.
  • The SBA is completely prohibited from doing business with any financial institution or U.S. company which directly, or through a subsidiary, and in violation of federal law, makes any loan, extends credit of any kind or character, advances funds in any manner, or purchases or trades any goods or services in or with the Government of Venezuela.

PIP Insurance Repeal Proposed by Senator Tom Lee

Posted on

Senator Tom Lee announced today the filing of Senate Bill 150, which repeals Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law and replaces it with mandatory bodily Injury and medical payment coverages.
“While well intentioned anecdotally, Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law has resulted in widespread fraud, abuse, and a complex litigation process,” Senator Lee said. “Since its enactment ‘70s, the value of the PIP benefit has eroded, while Florida’s auto insurance premiums continue to rise.”
The proposed legislation repeals Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law and establishes a mandate for bodily injury and medical payments coverages. Floridians will be required to purchase bodily injury liability coverage at limits of twenty thousand per person (forty thousand per incident), ten thousand dollars for property damage, and five thousand dollars in medical payments coverage.
“More than 92% of Florida drivers currently have some form of bodily injury coverage,” Senator Lee added. “For many, PIP is a duplicative coverage that burdens drivers with paying for accidents they didn’t cause. Good drivers are being punished by having to cover rate hikes, even if they never get in an accident, to pay for the negligence of other drivers and the general PIP costs in their region.”
Senate Bill 150 includes phase-in language that increases the bodily injury liability coverage requirements every two years until it reaches thirty thousand dollars for one person and sixty thousand dollars per incident.
“The legislature tried year after year to fix Florida’s overpriced, no-fault system,” Senator Lee said. “By switching to a tort-based system, we increase the simplicity of litigation, provide more adequate liability coverage at a reasonable price, and preserve some important protections for healthcare providers.”
For more information on Senate Bill 150, click here.