Governor Rick Scott today signed the following bills into law:
CS/HB 259 – Martin County – This bill creates the Village of Indiantown in Martin County if approved by a referendum of local voters.
HB 531 – Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County – This bill increases the maximum time frame for contracts for waste hauler franchises from five years to seven years.
HB 533 – City of Tampa, Hillsborough County – This bill allows the City of Tampa to offer a defined contribution component within the pension plan provided to police officers and firefighters.
HB 647 – Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission – This bill dissolves the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission.
CS/HB 737 – Port of Palm Beach District, Palm Beach County – This bill codifies the Port of Palm Beach District’s charter and authorizes commissioners to designate foreign trade zones within the district.
CS/HB 759 – City of Gainesville, Alachua County – This bill creates the Gainesville Regional Utilities Commission to oversee city- owned utilities if approved by a referendum of local voters.
HB 891 – Carrabelle Port and Airport Authority, Franklin County – This bill abolishes the Carrabelle Port and Airport Authority, an inactive Special District.
HB 905 – Barefoot Bay Recreation District, Brevard County – This bill authorizes the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners to amend the Barefoot Bay Recreation District’s charter to limit board members to two year terms if approved by a referendum of local voters.
CS/HB 921 – Fellsmere Drainage District, Indian River County – This bill renames the Indian River County’s Fellsmere Drainage District to Fellsmere Water Control District, removes the District’s 99-year limitation and amends boundaries.
CS/HB 951 – City of Key West, Monroe County – This bill expands the eligibility of residents who can serve on Key West’s Utility Board.
CS/HB 1025 – Firefighters’ Relief and Pension Fund of the City of Pensacola, Escambia County – This bill standardizes the use of overtime hours in retirement benefit calculation, suspends cost of living benefits for Deferred Retirement Option Plan participants, and revises the treatment of partial years in calculating years of service.
CS/CS/HB 1075 – Nassau County – This bill creates the East Nassau Stewardship District to install, operate and maintain community infrastructure for 24,000 acres of residential units currently in development.
CS/HB 1135 – West Palm Beach Police Pension Fund of the City of West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County – This bill makes various changes to the pension fund as agreed upon between the City of West Palm Beach and the union representing West Palm Beach police officers.
HB 1147 – Central Broward Water Control District, Broward County – This bill removes the requirement for the Central Broward Water Control District board to take action by resolution in addition to a majority vote.
HB 1149 – North Springs Improvement District, Broward County – This bill expands the boundaries of the North Springs Improvement District to include the 42-acre area known as “Watercrest.”
CS/HB 1151 – Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District and the Alva Fire Protection and Rescue Service District, Lee County – This bill transfers land from the Lehigh Acres Fire District to the Alva Fire Protection and Rescue Service District to better serve nearby residents.
HB 1153 – Broward County – This bill allows signs along the interstate highways in Broward County to be exempt from general law height restrictions.
CS/HB 1291 – City of Jacksonville, Duval County – This bill provides an exemption for special event venues within the A. Philip Randolph Entertainment District to obtain a license to sell alcoholic beverages.
HB 1293 – City of Jacksonville, Duval County – This bill lowers the square footage and seating requirements for restaurants within special zones in the City of Jacksonville to obtain alcoholic beverage licenses.
HB 1295 – Monroe County – This bill authorizes the Monroe County School Board or the Board of County Commissioners to conduct public meetings by technological means.
HB 1297 – Palm Beach County – This bill revises the nomination process for local appointees to Building Code Advisory Board of Palm Beach County and expands list of industry associations to include any recognized regional trade association.
HB 1311 – Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District, Lee and Hendry Counties – This bill expands the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement district to preserve and protect water reserves through drainage, conservation, mitigation, navigational and water management practices.
HB 1313 – Cold Springs Improvement District, Marion County – This bill amends the Cold Springs Improvement District’s boundaries to remove a section of property currently in foreclosure.
CS/HB 1315 – Lake County Water Authority, Lake County – This bill removes the power of the Lake County Water Authority to obtain land through eminent domain and develop active parks. It also authorizes the Water Authority to remove hazards from public waterways in Lake County.
HB 1317 – North Lake County Hospital District, Lake County – This bill extends the expiration date of the North Lake County Hospital District’s charter from 2017 to 2027 as approved by local voters in 2016.
CS/CS/HB 1333 – Sunbridge Stewardship District, Osceola County – This bill creates the Sunbridge Stewardship District for the purpose of installing, operating and maintaining community infrastructure.
CS/HB 1363 – Santa Rosa County – This bill creates a charter for the Pace Fire Rescue District within Santa Rosa County.
HB 1437 – Alachua County – This bill authorizes the Chief Judge of the 8th Judicial Circuit and the Alachua County clerk of courts to appoint designees to the county law library board and authorizes the board to relocate the library.
HB 1439 – Charlotte County – This bill authorizes event centers with certain seating and square footage requirements in Charlotte County to obtain special alcoholic beverage licenses.
To view the transmittal letter, click HERE.
Governor Scott vetoed the following bills:
HB 1089 – Ocean Highway and Port Authority, Nassau County – Click HERE to view the veto letter.
HB 1401 – East Mulloch Drainage District, Lee County – Click HERE to view the veto letter.
Governor Scott Highlights Security Funding for Jewish Day Schools
Governor Rick Scott visited the Brauser Maimonides Academy and the Orlando Torah Academy to highlight the more than $654,000 in security funding for Jewish Day Schools included in the Fighting for Florida’s Future budget. This investment follows recent threats against Jewish schools and communities across the country. Funding will be used to help provide security and counter-terrorism upgrades such as video cameras, fences, bullet-proof glass, alarm systems and other safety equipment.
Governor Scott said, “The State of Florida has absolutely zero tolerance for the recent hateful and anti-Semitic threats against our Jewish communities. I am proud that the Fighting for Florida’s Future budget I signed last week includes more than $654,000 in security funding for Jewish Day Schools. We want to make sure our students stay safe and focused on what is most important- getting a great education, and I appreciate the Florida Legislature for taking quick action to come together and fight for this important funding. We will continue to work closely with the members of Florida’s Jewish community and our partners in the state and federal government to do all we can to help keep all of our students and families safe.”
Senate President Joe Negron said, “We will not accept the recent threats against our Jewish community or any attempt to make our hardworking teachers and students fearful in their own schools. This investment in security funding for our Jewish Day Schools shows that we remain fully dedicated to protecting the free exercise of religion in our communities. The right of a free people to practice any religion, or no religion, must be protected in our state. I am incredibly grateful to the Senators and Representatives who supported this funding, and I thank Governor Scott for his partnership.”
House Speaker Richard Corcoran said, “Florida has a history of standing with the Jewish people against acts of violence, hatred, and intolerance. I am proud that we are continuing to build on this commitment by making an important investment in security funding for Jewish Day Schools. I appreciate Governor Scott and my colleagues for supporting this funding as we continue to work together to keep our students safe and focused on achieving their dreams.”
Representative Randy Fine said, “There has recently been a dramatic rise in the threats against Jewish Day Schools and I was proud to join Governor Scott and my fellow Legislative members in taking immediate action to help protect our Jewish communities. This funding will help provide Jewish Day Schools with important security resources and ensure our students, teachers and parents feel safe. I was honored to join Governor Scott today in recognizing this crucial investment today.”
Senate passes VA reform bill
The Senate today approved legislation to reform the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and make it easier for the Secretary of the VA to fire poorly-performing employees.
The legislation – sponsored by U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) – is aimed at improving the quality of care veterans receive at the VA by holding VA employees more accountable. The bill also creates new protections for VA whistleblowers and ensures that employees who are terminated have an adequate opportunity to appeal their dismissal.
“The brave men and women who have served our country deserve the very best care our nation can give them,” Nelson said on the Senate floor prior to the vote. “This bipartisan bill will help improve the quality of care our veterans receive by reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
For years, the VA has been plagued by reports of inefficiency and long wait times. The legislation approved today would, among other things:
- Authorize the secretary to fire, suspend, reassign or demote senior executives if the secretary determines that their misconduct or performance warrants such an action.
- Authorize the secretary to fire, demote or suspend non-senior executives without pay.
- Ensure employees have an adequate opportunity to appeal their termination.
- Protect whistleblowers from retaliation by not allowing the secretary to use this authority to fire employees who have filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel.
- Establish an Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection for employees to bring to light major problems at the VA without losing their job or facing retaliation.
- Allow the secretary to rescind an employee’s bonus if the secretary deems it appropriate.
- Allow the secretary to reduce a senior executive’s retirement pension if they are convicted of a felony related to their work at the VA.
The legislation, approved today by a voice vote in the Senate, now heads to the House for consideration.
Following is a rush transcript and here’s a link to watch video of Nelson’s remarks on the Senate floor prior to the vote.
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson
Remarks on the Senate Floor
June 6, 2017
Sen. Nelson: Mr. President, it’s fitting today, June the 6th, the anniversaries of D-Day in Europe and the Battle of Midway in the Pacific that this is a time we are talking about our country’s veterans in the debate that’s going on in the Senate.
The brave men and women who have served our country deserve the very best care our nation can give them. That’s why I rise today in support of the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act which I am given to believe later this afternoon will pass by a voice vote here in the Senate.
This bipartisan bill will help improve the quality of care our veterans receive by reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs and making it easier for the secretary of the VA to fire poorly performing employees. The legislation will allow the VA to hold its employees more accountable. It also creates new protections for whistleblowers, those who report wrongdoing, and it would ensure that any employee who is terminated has an adequate opportunity to appeal their dismissal. For years the VA has been plagued by reports of inefficiency and long wait times.
And I might say that those reports, often we find are true, but that is completely separate from the quality of medical care that is given through the VA health care system. You talk to almost any veteran and they are very pleased at the quality of that medical care. It’s the administrative stuff getting in the way, and that’s what there’s been such an outrage about.
Well, this VA bill is going to help the VA get rid of the bad actors while protecting the good ones. I want to make it clear that the vast majority of VA employees perform their work admirably in an often thankless environment.
These dedicated public servants work hard to provide the day-to-day care that our veterans deserve and they should be protected.
And that’s why I — while I believe that it’s important to hold poorly performing employees accountable, I also believe that it’s important to protect the rights of the employees who may have been wrongly terminated, especially at the lower levels, by giving them the opportunity to appeal a supervisor’s decision to fire them. And this bill that we’re going to pass does that. It is supported by dozens of veteran service organizations, the office of special counsel, and the secretary himself. And so I urge our colleagues to join me and join so many of us in voting in favor of the bill.
And I would also say that on this very famous day, this anniversary, June the 6th, where I have been to the beaches of Normandy, I’ve been to Omaha beach.
As a matter of fact, while there it’s impossible to walk into that cemetery on the cliff overlooking the beach. It’s impossible to walk into that beautiful, beautiful American cemetery and not become very, very emotional realizing what happened in 1944.
I felt so strongly about this that at one point I wanted to get on my jogging shoes and run the four miles of that Omaha beach. It was something that I just wanted to reach back into time of having been there where so many sacrificed so much. And then, of course, the Battle of Midway, the time at which it turned the battle in the Pacific where a young admiral showed his courage and his superiority in planning, and as a result of that battle, turned around the course of the war in the Pacific with Japan.
So what a day to remember, June the 6th.
Mr. President, thank you and I yield the floor.
AHCA releases statement on conclusion of Bayou Shores case
The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) today announced that on June 5, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court ended a Florida nursing facility’s three-year quest to avoid the jurisdiction of federal and state healthcare authorities. In 2014, Bayou Shores, a St. Petersburg nursing facility with a history of serious health and safety violations, attempted to avoid the termination of its Medicare and Medicaid provider agreements by seeking the protection of the bankruptcy court. The bankruptcy court obliged, forbidding the Agency and the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from taking action against the Medicaid and Medicare payments. The Agency and CMS appealed the injunction, prevailing first in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and again in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The court of appeals issued an important page opinion last year supporting each of the Agency’s arguments regarding the federal government’s exclusive jurisdiction over this issue. The Supreme Court’s decision not to take up the case preserves this critical victory and ensures that the Agency and CMS can continue to cooperatively administer Medicaid and Medicare in Florida.
Agency Secretary Justin M. Senior said, “This is positive news for our Agency, and a vindication of all of the efforts our staff have invested to ensure that this facility was held responsible for the deplorable level of care provided. We have worked for over three years with our federal partners at CMS to defend this case. While bankruptcy courts tried to guarantee that this facility could continue receiving Medicaid payments, our Agency fought to have them removed from the Medicaid program, and all residents relocated because of the dire situation at the facility. Our Agency will continue to ensure that the facilities we regulate and participate in Medicaid are maintaining proper standards and providing the best care possible to patients.”
The Agency for Health Care Administration is committed to better health care for all Floridians. The Agency administers Florida’s Medicaid program, licenses and regulates more than 49,000 health care facilities and 43 health plans, and publishes health care data and statistics at www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov. Additional information about Agency initiatives is available via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
FWC Commission to discuss changes to Gulf red snapper season during special meeting Friday June 9
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will have a special meeting at 2 p.m. EDT Friday, June 9, to discuss the Gulf red snapper season for private recreational anglers in state and federal waters. Recent discussion between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Gulf states indicate that there may be a way to add a substantial number of additional red snapper fishing days in federal waters this summer of 2017, but Florida would have to give days to get days.
Discussions are focused on aligning a possible expanded federal water season on weekends and holidays through the summer with existing seasons for state waters across all five Gulf states, including Florida. Staff will be requesting Commission direction and guidance regarding this season alignment, which would require giving up some state waters fishing days (during the week) through the summer and possibly in the fall. These changes would apply only to private recreational anglers. No changes to the commercial or recreational for-hire seasons are being considered.
This special meeting is being held by electronic media technology, such as online and via phone, and the Commissioners will be participating remotely via conference call. There will be opportunities for the public to comment during the meeting. Information about how to participate remotely is being finalized and, when posted, will be found at MyFWC.com/About by clicking on “The Commission” and “Commission Meetings.”
“Red snapper is a popular and economically-important species in Florida, and the FWC is committed to providing as much sustainable recreational fishing opportunity as possible,” said Nick Wiley, FWC executive director. “This meeting will give our Commissioners the opportunity to discuss expanding recreational red snapper fishing opportunities in federal waters, to hear from the public and stakeholders, and provide direction to staff.”
The 2017 red snapper season for private recreational anglers in Florida federal waters was June 1-3. In state waters, the 2017 season is currently 78-days total. The season opened for Saturdays and Sundays starting May 6, and has been open daily since May 27. The season is scheduled to continue being open each day through July 9, then reopen Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in September and October, including Labor Day.
Comments on red snapper seasons can also be sent to FWC staff today through noon Thursday, June 8, at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments or at [email protected].
Learn more about red snapper at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Snappers.”
Senators file bill to help hospitals train more doctors
To help alleviate a growing doctor shortage here in the U.S., a bipartisan group of senators today introduced legislation to make it easier for more hospitals to start full-time residency programs needed to train new physicians.
The legislation filed by U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) would fix a glitch in Medicare’s Graduate Medical Education rule that prevents hospitals that have previously accepted part-time medical residents from establishing their own full-time, Medicare-supported residency programs.
The rule has led some hospitals to refuse part-time residents altogether out of concern that accepting them would prevent that hospital from establishing its own full-time program in the future.
“The U.S. needs more doctors,” Nelson said. “This bill makes it easier for hospitals to offer full-time residency programs to train the next generation of physicians needed to meet our country’s growing demand.”
“We need to help our hospitals in Wisconsin provide better residency opportunities to train our future physicians well,” Johnson said. “These men and women will be the next generation of doctors – many of whom will hopefully remain in Wisconsin to serve our families and communities.”
The United States will have a shortage of 34,600 to 88,000 physicians by 2025, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, and up to 104,900 physicians by 2030.
If approved, the lawmakers’ bill would allow at least 11 hospitals in the U.S. to begin taking steps to open new medical residency programs, including one in Florida: Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland.
The bill now heads to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.
Here’s a link to the text of the bill.
Four Florida universities rank in the top 25 public universities granted U.S. patents
University of South Florida, University of Florida, University of Central Florida
and Florida State University are part of the State University System of Florida
Four State University System of Florida institutions are ranked among the top 25 public universities granted U.S. utility patents in 2016, according to a new report by the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association.
University of South Florida ranked 5th among public universities in the U.S. with 114 patents, University of Florida Research Foundation ranked 8th with 91 patents, University of Central Florida ranked 21st with 56 patents, and Florida State University ranked 23rd with 48 patents. Florida is a top producing state for U.S. patents.
“We are proud of the excellent work by Florida’s public research universities in turning their innovative research into new products and companies,” said Marshall Criser III, chancellor of the State University System of Florida. “Academic research and its subsequent translation into inventions benefits the health and welfare of our citizens and acts as a powerful driver for our state’s growing economic success.”
The report uses data acquired from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to highlight the important role patents play in university research and innovation.
“The patents our universities produce represent important processes, products and treatments which provide significant societal benefit as well as generate job creation that sustains and helps grow our local, regional and global economy,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the National Academy of Inventors. “It is an honor to highlight the top patent holders through this report in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Owners Association for the fifth consecutive year.”
The four universities are Member Institutions of the National Academy of Inventors, as are all 12 universities in the State University System of Florida.
The National Academy of Inventors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and fellows spanning more than 250 institutions. The headquarters are located in the University of South Florida Research Park in Tampa. The Intellectual Property Owners Association, established in 1972, is a trade association for owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.
“The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents ranking continues to be an excellent tool in highlighting the outstanding work in patents being conducted in academia,” said Intellectual Property Owners Association Executive Director, Mark W. Lauroesch. “We are pleased to release this report alongside the National Academy of Inventors to bring a greater emphasis on the dynamic role universities play in patents, licensing and commercialization, while at the same time educating the next generation of inventors.”
The National Academy of Inventors and Intellectual Property Owners have published the report annually since 2013. The rankings are compiled by calculating the number of utility patents granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which lists a university as the first assignee on the issued patent. The full report of the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted Patents in 2016 can be found here.
The State University System of Florida has 12 universities and more than 341,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. The System’s New Florida Initiative was launched in 2010 as a collaborative effort with businesses and government to deliver the economy, talent, and innovations that Florida must have to be globally competitive and to ensure that Florida’s knowledge and innovation economy is sustained by high-technology, high-wage jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). For more, visit www.flbog.edu or Think-Florida.org.
Aspirin use has modest or no benefit for patients with hardened arteries, UF Health researchers find
For decades, aspirin has been widely used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems. Now, a team led by a University of Florida Health researcher has found that aspirin may provide little or no benefit for certain patients who have plaque buildup in their arteries.
Aspirin is effective in treating strokes and heart attacks by reducing blood clots. The researchers tracked the health histories of over 33,000 patients with atherosclerosis — narrowed, hardened arteries — and determined that aspirin is marginally beneficial for those who have had a previous heart attack, stroke or other blood-flow issues involving arteries. However, among atherosclerosis patients with no prior heart attack or stroke, aspirin had no apparent benefit. The findings were published May 18 in the journal Clinical Cardiology.
Because the findings are observational, further study that includes clinical trials are needed before definitively declaring that aspirin has little or no effect on certain atherosclerosis patients, said Anthony Bavry, M.D., an associate professor in the UF College of Medicine’s department of medicine and a cardiologist at the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville.
“Aspirin therapy is widely used and embraced by cardiologists and general practitioners around the world. This takes a bit of the luster off the use of aspirin,” Bavry said.
Bavry said the findings do not undercut aspirin’s vital role in more immediate situations: If a heart attack or stroke is underway or suspected, patients should still take aspirin as a treatment measure.
“The benefit of aspirin is still maintained in acute events like a heart attack or a stroke,” he said.
Among more than 21,000 patients who had a previous heart attack or stroke, researchers found that the risk of subsequent cardiovascular death, heart attack or stroke was marginally lower among aspirin users.
For those atherosclerosis patients who had not experienced a heart attack or stroke, aspirin appeared to have no effect. The risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke was 10.7 percent among aspirin users and 10.5 percent for non-users.
Patients who enrolled in the nationwide study were at least 45 years old with coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral vascular disease. Their medical data were collected between late 2003 and mid-2009.
The researchers did identify one group that got some benefit from aspirin — people who had a coronary bypass or stent but no history of stroke, heart attack or arterial blood-flow condition. Those patients should clearly stay on an aspirin regimen, Bavry said. Bavry said discerning aspirin’s effectiveness for various patients is also important because the medicine can create complications, including gastrointestinal bleeding and, less frequently, bleeding in the brain. Because of insufficient data, the current study wasn’t able to address the extent of aspirin’s role in bleeding cases.
“The cardiology community needs to appreciate that aspirin deserves ongoing study. There are many individuals who may not be deriving a benefit from aspirin. If we can identify those patients and spare them from aspirin, we’re doing a good thing,” he said.
The current findings are the second time this year that Bavry and his collaborators have published research about the apparent ineffectiveness of aspirin therapy. In April, the group showed that the drug may not provide cardiovascular benefits for people with peripheral vascular disease, which causes narrowed arteries and reduced blood flow to the limbs.
Bavry also cautioned patients with atherosclerosis or peripheral vascular disease not to quit aspirin therapy on their own. Instead, they should discuss the matter with their physician, he said.
Scientists from France, England and Harvard Medical School collaborated on the research. Patient data were derived from The Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health registry, which was sponsored by the Waksman Foundation and pharmaceutical companies Sanofi and Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on the Anniversary of D-Day
Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement regarding the anniversary of the Battle of Normandy:
“Seventy-three years ago today, courageous members of our Armed Forces stormed the beaches of Normandy. My Uncle Raymond, an Army private, was among their ranks. Just days after the Invasion of Normandy, he suffered an injury that claimed his life. Although I never knew him, I am immensely proud to be the niece of Raymond Hammer and I am eternally gratefully for his sacrifice and the sacrifices of all our veterans and service members.”
ICYMI: WJHG: Gov. Scott Signs ‘Gulf Coast Triumph Bill’
“Gov. Scott Signs ‘Gulf Coast Triumph Bill’”
WJHG (NBC) – Panama City, FL
June 5, 2017
To view the clip, click HERE.
