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Florida Stakeholders Attend First Annual “Solar Industry Day” at the Capitol

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Solar industry advocates and stakeholders will be at the Capitol for “Solar Industry Day” today, Wednesday, February 22, 2017 to tout the 1,700 new solar jobs created in 2016 in Florida and to raise awareness about Senate Bill 90 sponsored by Senator Jeff Brandes. This legislation will secure the implementation of Amendment 4, which voters supported by 73 percent during the primary last year.

WHO: Solar Energy Industries Association, FlaSEIA, Advanced Energy Economy, Vote Solar

WHAT: Solar Industry Day with solar displays and Tesla test drives in the capitol courtyard

WHEN: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Wednesday, February 22, 2017

WHERE: Capitol Courtyard

MEDIA CONTACT: Carrie Patrick, 850-222-3767

Editor’s Note: visuals provided

Floridians for Ridesharing Coalition to Launch in Support of Statewide Ridesharing Legislation

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Tomorrow, the Florida Chamber of Commerce will launch Floridians for Ridesharing, a coalition advocating for a consistent statewide framework for ridesharing services, for the 2017 legislative session. The statewide media conference call will feature advocates representing the business community, disability rights groups, and other stakeholders who would benefit from ridesharing in Florida.

What: Floridians for Ridesharing Coalition Launch
When: Wednesday, February 22, 2017
10:30 a.m.
Who: Frank Walker, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Florida Chamber of Commerce
Kim Galban-Countryman, Executive Director of Lighthouse of the Big Bend
Julio Fuentes, President/CEO of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Bob Rohrlack, President/CEO Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce
Call Info: Conference Line: (888) 392-4560
Access Code: 1005794

Senator Jeff Clemens & Rep. Berman file bills to create Energy Economic Zones

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State Senator Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) and Representative Lori Berman (D-Lantana) today filed legislation to create “Energy Economic Zones” within the state, expanding a pilot program designed to cultivate green economic development, encourage renewable electric energy generation, manufacture products that contribute to energy conservation and green jobs.
SB 1090 and HB 887 will allow cities to establish incentive programs that further promote economic development and job creation within the growing renewable energy industry.
“This is the perfect way to support innovation at our universities and provide entrepreneurs with an avenue to help secure our energy future,” said Clemens.
“Advances in solar, wind, and hydroelectricity have made the attracting and locating of companies investing in the future of renewable energy a highly competitive market amongst states throughout the country,” Berman said. “Having as many tools in the tool chest as possible that are available to Florida’s communities is what we are trying to achieve.”
Under the bill, cities would submit an application to the Department of Economic Opportunity to receive their certification as long as they meet all the requirements, including collaboration with a university or other research institution.
One application is likely to be the City of Lake Worth, in partnership with FAU’s Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (SNMREC). SNMREC is leading the country in ocean current energy due, in part, to its proximity to the Gulf Stream just a few miles off the coast of Palm Beach County.
Both Senator Clemens and Representative Berman sit on the energy committees of their respective chambers.

Attorney General Bondi to Present Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award

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Attorney General Pam Bondi will present the 2016 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award tomorrow, Feb. 22, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. in Tallahassee.
WHO: Attorney General Pam Bondi
WHAT: Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Ceremony
WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 22, 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Cabinet Meeting Room
The Capitol, LL-03
Tallahassee, Fla.

Senator Torres files legislation to aid First Responders suffering from PTSD

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Senator Victor Torres (D-Orlando) on Tuesday filed SB 1088 which amends Florida’s workers compensation law to allow first responders suffering from work related mental illnesses, like PTSD, to receive lost wages during their recovery and treatment.
“The least we can do for those who put their lives on the line every day to protect the citizens of this state is make sure they have the ability to get the treatment they need and provide for their families while they are recovering from any physical or mental illnesses,” said Senator Torres.
Under current law, in order for first responders to be eligible for lost wages while recovering from a mental disability, such as PTSD, it must also be accompanied by a physical injury.  This bill simply clarifies language under the workers compensation statue and separates the mental injury from the requirement of being related to a physical injury.
Jessica Realin, whose husband Gerry is currently suffering from PTSD after responding to the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, FL last summer, praised the legislation. “On behalf of the First Responders of Florida, the spouses and families of First Responders and my beloved husband, Officer Gerry Realin, I want to thank Senator Victor Torres for filing SB 1088. This measure truly has the first responders in mind, and recognizes that they, too, deserve our support.”
Organizations announcing their support of Senator Torres’ legislation include:

  1. Florida Police Chief Association (FPCA)
  2. Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
  3. Florida Sheriff Association (FSA)
  4. Police Benevolent Association (PBA)
  5. Florida Professional Firefighters (FPF)
  6. Florida State Firemen’s Association (FSFA)
  7. Florida Fire Chiefs Association (FFCA)

Final Settlement Reached in Massive Robocalling Case

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Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Federal Trade Commission and nine other state attorneys general today announced the entry of the last consent judgment shutting down an illegal robocalling scheme used to sell Florida cruise line vacations. The unlawful telemarketing campaign flooded consumers from across the country with billions of unwanted robocalls, averaging 12 to 15 million illegal calls a day, and generated millions of dollars for the companies. The fifth and final consent judgment announced today bars owner Fred Accuardi and his companies from assisting or participating in actions that violate telemarketing laws.
In 2015, Attorney General Bondi, in partnership with the FTC and other state attorneys general, filed a lawsuit against Caribbean Cruise Line, Inc., a marketing company, as well as seven other companies, for alleged involvement in a scheme that used political survey robocalls to illegally sell cruise vacations. The joint complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
The complaint alleged that the defendants’ robocalls violated both Florida and federal law by unlawfully using political surveys as a pretext to place sales calls pitching Bahamas cruises and related vacation packages to individuals on do-not-call lists and other individuals they were prohibited from calling.
Accuardi and his companies allegedly assisted and facilitated the illegal calls by providing robocallers with hundreds of telephone numbers. The defendants also allegedly made it possible for robocallers to change their caller identification information, funded a portion of the robocalling campaigns, and hid the robocallers’ identities from authorities.
In addition to barring Accuardi and his businesses from illegal telemarketing, the consent judgment announced today imposes a judgment of $1.35 million, which will be suspended after the defendants pay $2,500. If the court finds that the defendants misrepresented their financial condition, the entire judgment will become due.
Florida and the FTC led the joint action and were joined by attorneys general in nine other states: Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Washington.
This is just the latest action taken by Attorney General Bondi in partnership with the FTC to clamp down on illegal operations in Florida.
To view the consent judgment, click here.
To view the order approving the consent judgment, click here.
For more information about the actions, click here.
Consumers who receive robocall solicitations can report the calls to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by calling (866) 9-NO-SCAM or file a complaint by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.

Gov. Rick Scott Statement on House Appropriations Committee Vote

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If you are writing on the House Appropriations Committee’s job killing vote to pass HB 7005, please use the following statement from Governor Rick Scott:
“Today’s vote by politicians in the Florida House is a job killer. I know some politicians who have voted for this job killing bill say they don’t necessarily want to abolish these programs but instead want to advance a ‘conversation.’ This is completely hypocritical and the kind of games I came to Tallahassee to change. Perhaps if these politicians would listen to their constituents, instead of playing politics, they would understand how hurtful this legislation will be to Florida families.” – Governor Rick Scott

Commissioner Charlie Justice Elected Chairman of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program

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Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice was unanimously elected Chairman of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program at a meeting last Friday, February 17th held at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.
“I am honored to serve as the Chair of this board. We have great members who are committed to continuing the improvements made in the quality of Tampa Bay,” said Charlie Justice.
The Tampa Bay Estuary Program set a goal of a return of at least 38,000 acres of seagrass in the bay.  Strategies agreed to by the partner governments led to the current level of over 41,000 acres.  This is the highest level of seagrass since 1950.
The Tampa Bay National Estuary Program (TBNEP) was established in 1991 as a partnership of Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties; the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater; the Southwest Florida Water Management District; the Florida Department of Environmental Protection; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Pasco County became a member this past year.
In 1998, these and six other partners signed a formal Interlocal Agreement, and ancillary agreements, pledging to achieve the goals of the newly completed Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for Tampa Bay, called Charting The Course.  The Plan culminated nearly six years of scientific research into the Bay’s most pressing problems, and reflected broad-based input from citizens, groups and communities with a common interest in a healthy bay as the cornerstone of a prosperous economy.

Libertarian Party of Florida Opposes Kratom Ban

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The Libertarian Party of Florida vehemently opposes HB 183 & SB 424, which would ban Kratom in Florida.
Kratom is a plant-based substance commonly taken recreationally or medicinally as a pain killer and to alleviate the symptoms of opiate addiction. Kratom is one of the only known substances to be able to work in the brain similarly to opiates without the extreme negative effects and risks of actual opiates. According to the Florida Department of Health, “no pervasive health issues have been attributed to the ingestion of Kratom products in Florida.” Kratom has enjoyed a surge of use in the United States and is becoming increasingly popular as people ingest it as an alternative to alcohol, opiates, and pharmaceutical drugs, as it comes with far lesser side effects and a long history of safe human consumption.
“This is a move by the state to protect the big pharma monopoly at the cost of all Floridians,” said Chairman Braden.
The choice to consume drugs and other substances comes with its own inherent risks. The Libertarian Party of Florida holds that it is up to the individual to make a calculated decision when choosing what to put into one’s own body. We believe that it is ultimately up to the individual to take responsibility for their own actions and it is not the job of government to interfere with the lifestyle decisions of individuals. Neither is government intervention an effective means in protecting the individual from drugs or decisions that may be harmful. The Libertarian Party stands for the protection of the rights of consenting adults to participate in activities that may be harmful to the self as long as those activities do not violate the rights of others. A Kratom ban in Florida will only result in a black market for the substance while turning otherwise law abiding users into criminals and denying them possible medical relief.
The Libertarian Party of Florida is opposed to all vice laws, including the ability for consenting adults to purchase, manufacture, and consume drugs of their choice. Government prohibition always results in a violent black market that lacks quality control and legal protection for the consumer. We believe that by ending the war on drugs and treating drug addiction as a medical, rather than a criminal condition, it will lower the rate of drug abuse across society and increase the viability of treatment. An end to drug prohibition is cheaper for the tax payer and is compassionate to the addict and abuser. At the same time,  ending drug prohibitions allows individuals who suffer from ailments that diminish their quality of life to take drugs that may alleviate their symptoms without worry of criminal penalties that are often more dangerous. As such, the proposed Kratom ban is diametrically opposed to our platform. While we do not condone the use of Kratom or other substances, we oppose the government’s restriction on adults who wish to use them.