Florida News Straight From the Source
Tomorrow, May 16th, Governor Rick Scott will attend the Governor’s Hurricane Conference in Palm Beach, where he will join emergency management professionals as they discuss preparations for the upcoming hurricane season.
WHAT: Governor’s Hurricane Conference
WHEN: 9:00 AM
WHERE: Palm Beach Convention Center
650 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Following is a statement from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) on the nomination of Gina Haspel to be the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Nelson, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and former member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, met with Haspel Tuesday afternoon to discuss her nomination:
“Gina Haspel has dedicated her life to serving her country and the brave men and women who work at the CIA deserve a career professional, like her, to lead them. Gina Haspel has publicly acknowledged that the CIA’s enhanced interrogation program should not have been undertaken and has vowed to uphold our nation’s laws and values in leading the agency. She has earned the respect and backing of former intelligence chiefs from the Bush and Obama administrations. I will vote to support her nomination to be the next director of the CIA.”
New material has been posted to the Supreme Court website in:
Follow the links at: floridasupremecourt.org.
U.S. Representatives Brian Mast (FL-18) and Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), along with the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), will hold a press conference with supporters of the Burn Pits Accountability Act (H.R. 5671) on Thursday, May 17, 2018.
WHO:
Rep. Mast
Rep. Gabbard (HI-02)
Paul Rieckhoff, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
Supporting veterans, veteran service organizations (VSOs), and military service organizations (MSOs)
WHEN:
Thursday, May 17, 2018
10:00 a.m.
WHERE:
House Triangle
United States Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20004
*Rain location: Rayburn House Office Building, Room Number 2216
**A live stream will be available for Florida press on Rep. Mast’s Facebook page.
WHAT:
The bipartisan Burn Pits Accountability Act will evaluate servicemembers’ exposure to open burn pits and toxic airborne chemicals to begin the process of understanding, assessing, and treating these service-related ailments. Over 140,000 servicemembers and veterans have reported exposure to burn pits and toxic airborne chemicals over the past three decades. Exposure can produce serious and potentially life-threatening health effects, including neurological disorders, rare forms of cancer, lung diseases, and more—triggering some to call the crisis the ‘Agent Orange’ of the post-9/11 generation.
The IAVA recently announced that they are honoring Rep. Mast with their annual “Salutes Award for Leadership in Government.” Rep. Gabbard was the 2017 honoree.
Governor Rick Scott made the following statement this afternoon regarding today’s vehicle crash that took the life of Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Police Officer Lance C. Whitaker.
Governor Rick Scott said, “My wife, Ann, and I are heartbroken by the loss of Officer Lance C. Whitaker. I spoke with Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams this morning to express our condolences to him and everyone at the Sheriff’s Office. Everyday our brave men and women in law enforcement risk their lives to keep our communities safe and we must demonstrate our gratitude for their sacrifices. Tonight, I ask every Floridian to join us in praying for Officer Whitaker’s family during this incredibly difficult time.”
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced legislation today to help fight the nation’s opioid epidemic by increasing the number of doctors who treat those with an opioid addiction.
The legislation – known as the Opioid Workforce Act – would create 1,000 new Medicare-supported medical residency positions at hospitals throughout the country to train new doctors in addiction medicine, addiction psychiatry or pain management.
“Too many Floridians don’t have access to critical treatments for opioid addiction,” Nelson said. “We need to make sure we have the doctors and resources necessary to help fight this public health crisis.”
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States will have a shortage of between 40,800 and 104,900 physicians by 2030.
In 2016, there were over 5,200 opioid-related deaths reported in Florida – a 35 percent increase from the year before. Florida ranks 45th for the number of available behavioral health professionals to treat Floridians with an opioid addiction, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. There are about 20 behavioral health providers available for every 1,000 Florida adults with a substance use disorder.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, only about one in 10 people in the U.S. over the age of 12 who needed substance abuse treatment received treatment at a specialty facility. That same report found that 1.168 million Floridians over the age of 12 needed but did not receive treatment for substance abuse.
If approved, Nelson’s bill would allow eligible hospitals to add up to 25 full-time residency positions in their opioid-related medical residency programs, including three in Florida: the University of Florida School of Medicine in Gainesville, the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and the University of Miami in Miami.
The bipartisan bill (S. 2843) now heads to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.
The text of the bill can be found here.
Attorney General Pam Bondi will present the 2017 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, 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, May 16, 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Cabinet Meeting Room
The Capitol, LL-03
Tallahassee, Fla.
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis issued the following statement regarding Attorney General Pam Bondi’s announcment that her office has filed an action in state court against some of the nation’s largest opioid manufacturers and distributors for their role in the national opioid crisis:
“Attorney General Pam Bondi has been a fearless warrior against the opioid epidemic. She is the leader Florida families impacted by this crisis can count on. No matter how big the opponent is, she has taken on every facet of this epidemic.
“Opioids have taken lives, destroyed families, and threatened our first responders’ safety and resources. From investigating fraudulent drug treatment centers to the exponentially higher prescribing rates in the workers’ compensation system, my office has seen the impacts of the opioid epidemic first-hand as we continue working to protect Floridians. National data shows that in 2016 injured workers who were prescribed opioids received three times the US prescribing rate. The opioid crisis has seeped into the workers’ compensation system, and is the foundation for unscrupulous drug treatment centers who victimize individuals for their own personal gain.
“I’m honored to serve with Attorney General Bondi on the Florida Cabinet, and fully support her efforts to combat our state and nation’s opioid epidemic.”
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will be making repairs to the railroad crossing on SR 64 (Manatee Avenue West) at 5th Street West. The repairs require SR 64 (Manatee Avenue West) be closed to traffic at 5th Street West.
The closure begins at 11 p.m. Thursday, May 31 and will remain in effect for approximately four weeks.
Please follow the established detour routes and plan additional travel time.
US 41 southbound traffic to westbound SR 64: Use 3rd Avenue West.
US 41 northbound traffic to westbound SR 64: Use 9th Avenue West.
SR 64 westbound traffic: Use US 41 (S Tamiami Trail) and 9th Avenue West.
Temporary two-way traffic (east/westbound) on SR 64 (Manatee Avenue West) between 5th Street West and 7th Street West: Two-way traffic (east and westbound) will temporarily be implemented on SR 64 (Manatee Avenue West) between 5th Street West and 7th Street West for business access. Please use caution as this is a change from the current one-way traffic pattern.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today participated in Attorney General Pam Bondi’s announcement of a lawsuit against major opioid manufacturers and distributors. The following are excerpts from his remarks:
“I can’t tell you how proud I am to stand beside you as your partner on the Cabinet in fighting the scourge that is the opioid crisis and to be joined by so many men and women who are on the front lines, by the family members who have suffered and sacrificed so much because of the pain of the opioid crisis in our state.
“Our first responders, our EMTs, our fire rescue, our law enforcement officials, who not only are protecting the public, but are putting themselves at risk even with a simple traffic stop.
“As we have traveled the state and unpeeled all of the layers of this opioid crisis, the sad, recurring theme is this: in every community, they’ve had to add staff to the Medical Examiner’s Office and add space to the morgue. That is how serious the opioid crisis is.
“I know that Attorney General Bondi does not take this lightly, and when she brings a lawsuit of this magnitude on behalf of the residents of the third largest state in the country, you’re already in the crosshairs.
“This lawsuit will result in the resources for additional treatment, prevention, awareness, additional facilities, like this, additional tools and support for the men and women in law enforcement, so that we can break the hold that this opioid crisis has on our state and on our nation.
“Our legislative leaders have led the way, Speaker Corcoran, Senator Simpson, Representative Boyd, and Attorney General Bondi who has been a national leader in shutting down pill mills, a global leader in saving our children from human trafficking and now, yet again, serving and protecting Floridians in shutting down the opioid crisis that’s hollowing out our communities.”
