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Nelson files bill to protect workers threatened by automation

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U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) filed legislation today to help millions of American workers who could soon find themselves out of job as our economy continues to shift towards more automation thanks to continuous advances in new technology.

According to McKinsey Global Institute, up to one third of the American workforce could be replaced by automation by 2030. As more and more businesses choose to employ new technologies – such as driverless cars, warehouse robotics and self-checkout kiosks – instead of traditional American workers, tens of millions of jobs could soon be obsolete.

To help ensure American workers are not left behind, Nelson’s legislation would create a tax incentive for companies that hire workers from fields most impacted by the shift to automation. It would also provide additional tax savings to help lower the cost of education for workers who choose to learn new skills and pursue jobs in fields with a short supply of skilled labor.

“The world is changing and we need to change with it,” Nelson said. “We need to do everything we can to create additional jobs and opportunities for the millions of hardworking people who could wake up one day and suddenly find their job obsolete.”

A copy of the bill (S.2648) is available here. It now heads to the Senate Finance committee for consideration.

A section-by-section breakdown of the legislation can be found here.

Commissioner Adam Putnam Provides Update on Florida Wildfire Activity

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Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today announced that there are currently 17 active wildfires in Florida burning 27,199 acres.

Significant Wildfires in Florida:

  • DeSoto Highlands Line, DeSoto County: 200 acres and 100 percent contained.
  • Old Blade Line, Polk County: 450 acres and 100 percent contained.

The Florida Forest Service is urging residents to be cautious with fire and heat sources and to remember the following:

  • Develop and implement a family wildfire action plan;
  • Call 911 or a local Florida Forest Service field unit office immediately in the event of a wildfire;
  • Obey Florida’s outdoor burning laws;
  • Never burn on windy days;
  • Always keep a water source and suppression tools on hand when burning yard debris;
  • Never leave an outdoor fire or hot grill unattended; and
  • Avoid parking vehicles on dry grass.

The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres.

ICYMI: News Service of Florida: Rick Scott urges quick action on agriculture aid

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Rick Scott urges quick action on agriculture aid
News Service of Florida
April 11, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott is asking U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to move quickly to get disaster-relief funding into the hands of Florida citrus growers, as it may be another three months before farmers can start to apply for the money.

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“Many growers, both large and small, in Florida are awaiting details on the USDA’s (U.S. Department of Agriculture’s) plan to distribute funding,” Scott wrote.

On Friday, Perdue announced that a program to distribute $2.36 billion to farmers in Florida and other areas would be running by July 16.

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Florida’s agriculture industry suffered an estimated $2.5 billion in losses from Irma, with the citrus industry accounting for at least $761 million of those damages.

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Attorney General Bondi Honors Victim Advocates

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Attorney General Pam Bondi today awarded victim advocates and law enforcement for exceptional efforts in protecting and counseling victims. Attorney General Bondi presented the awards at her annual ceremony commemorating National Crime Victims’ Rights Week at the state Capitol. This year’s theme, Expand the Circle Reach All Victims, highlights the importance of reaching all victims and emphasizing the importance of inclusion in victim services.

“I am thankful for all who dedicate their lives to serving victims of crime, including those who rushed to the scene of tragedy following recent mass casualty events,” said Attorney General Bondi. “All our award recipients are exceptional and play a vital role in helping victims heal and I am eternally grateful for their service.”

The Florida Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights states, “Victims of crime or their lawful representatives, including the next of kin of homicide victims, are entitled to the right to be informed, to be present, and to be heard when relevant, at all crucial stages of criminal proceedings, to the extent that these rights do not interfere with the constitutional rights of the accused.”

The award recipients honored today are the following:

  • Dr. Wade Barnes, Women’s Center of Jacksonville;
  • Carl Harms with the State Attorney’s Office, Fourth Judicial Circuit;
  • Julie Weintraub, Hands Across the Bay;
  • Detective Suzanne Clouchete with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office;
  • Detective Greg Farless with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office; and
  • Chief John Mina, City of Orlando Police Department.

To watch the full ceremony on The Florida Channel, click here.

For more information on crime victim services offered by the Florida Attorney General’s Office, click here.

For more information on National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, click here.

Annisa Karim launches November 2018 campaign for Florida’s Congressional District 25

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Raised in south Florida, Annisa Karim is a member of the first graduating class of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. She received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Florida in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. Karim works as a manager within the Lee County Department of Parks & Recreation, managing 35 staff and overseeing the operations and land management of 25 parks and preserves.

She chose a career in conservation to ensure our magnificent wildlife and their habitats are preserved for future generations. Furthermore, she understands that in Florida the environment is the economy. She has served extensively in the Democratic Party in Collier County; as the Chairwoman of the Party, President of the Democratic Club, and Vice President of the Democratic Women’s Club. She also served as the Vice President of the Muslim Democratic Caucus of Florida. Karim first ran for office in 2016 for the Collier County Commission.

Karim said at a fund-raising event this week, “If elected politicians do not represent their constituents—do not heed their voices—it is a betrayal of their office. We need to restore decency and civil discourse into our national political debate. In Congress, we need to work across partisan lines to implement the will of the people.”

Karim made these remarks as she launched her campaign. A progressive Democrat, she will not accept corporate or special interest money. Her campaign is first and foremost a grass root operation driven by donations from grass root donors and non-profit sources. She added, “Please go to my website to donate, to volunteer, to help in any way you can. This campaign is by and for the people.”

She is running on a platform where her primary issue is that of climate change, ecological concerns, conservation and acknowledgment of scientific data. Other platform issues include sensible gun reform, universal health care, ridding elections of corporate money and Super PACS, fair elections with no gerrymandering, and immigration reform with a path to citizenship for DACA.

A longtime Democratic official and colleague who has worked extensively with Karim and asked to remain anonymous, said of her candidacy, “Annisa is the perfect candidate to run for this position, in this District, in this election. Her smarts, work ethic, and commitment to the environment for all who live here will serve her well in Congress.”

In her speech, Karim shared further that her message is a steadfast commitment to being a voice for the people. She believes in government by and for the people. Once elected she will serve her constituents as their voice, and as their conduit to the corridors of power in Washington D.C. Her unshakeable belief that representatives are elected to serve the people who elect them was founded when in 2008 she volunteered in a campaign for Maria Jimenez for the Florida State House. Karim was inspired by Jimenez’s work ethic and political stand that “real people serve in this position” and that “politics is everybody’s issue.”

Karim is eager to meet as many of her constituents as possible and during this campaign will be a constant presence on the east and west coasts.

Annisa Karim
Congressional Candidate
District 25
2018

Florida Realtors® Commemorates Fair Housing Act’s 50th Anniversary

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On this day, 50 years ago, fair housing became law when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968. At that time, the president said the bill “proclaims that fair housing for all, all human beings who live in this country, is now part of the American way of life.”

Realtors® have long advocated for a free, open market that embraces fairness and equal opportunity for all buyers and sellers. Members of Florida Realtors strongly support the Fair Housing Act, which now prohibits discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, handicap and family status.

“Realtors in Florida and across the country recognize the importance of the Fair Housing Act,” says 2018 Florida Realtors President Christine Hansen, broker-owner with Century 21 Hansen Realty in Fort Lauderdale. “On its 50th anniversary, it’s a great time to reconfirm our commitment to upholding fair housing law, as well as our dedication to offering our professional services to all in their search for a home or property. Realtors work hard to help build strong communities and neighborhoods where all can live and prosper.”

To show Realtors’ support, Florida Realtors Diversity Committee created a Fair Housing Act 50th Anniversary button that will be given out to members at various Florida Realtors events throughout the year, including the 2018 Florida Realtors Convention & Trade Expo in August.

Over the years, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has developed educational information on diversity and fair housing laws, programs and resources that have helped educate Realtors on the importance of inclusive housing practices and the promotion of diverse homeownership.

To help raise awareness of fair housing issues, NAR launched a yearlong commemoration of the Fair Housing Act’s 50th anniversary in 2018, encouraging members to advocate for housing opportunities in their communities and offering a variety of resources to support the effort. To find out more, go to NAR’s website at FairHousing.realtor.

NAR’s efforts will coordinate with multicultural real estate organizations featuring pioneers and leaders throughout the real estate industry. Some of these activities will be highlighted at the upcoming 2018 Realtors Legislative Meetings, May 14-19, 2018, in Washington, D.C., as well as a special event at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture that week.

And for more information about the Fair Housing Act and its 50th anniversary, go to the National Fair Housing Alliance website, fhact50.org.

Florida Realtors® serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 180,000 members in 54 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Media Center website is available at media.floridarealtors.org.

Florida dominates national affordability rankings, including for online education

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Recognizing Florida’s commitment to higher education affordability, recent rankings by AffordableColleges.com place several Florida universities among the top in the country for both traditional and online degrees.

Seven State University System institutions were ranked in the “50 Most Affordable In-State Public Universities,” with the University of Florida, New College of Florida and the University of South Florida earning the top three slots. Further, the University of Florida earned the No. 1 ranking in the “50 Most Affordable Online Colleges” category, with the University of Central Florida, Florida International University, University of South Florida, and University of West Florida all garnering spots in the top 20.

[Read more…] about Florida dominates national affordability rankings, including for online education

Man Sentenced for Role in $6 Million Tax Fraud Scheme

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The Florida Office of Financial Regulation today announced that Weguel Legentus was sentenced to 33 months in prison to be followed by three years of probation. Legentus pled guilty in December 2017, to charges of conspiring to defraud the government and filing fraudulent claims.

Commissioner Drew J. Breakspear said, “The Florida Office of Financial Regulation will continue to work tirelessly with our state and federal partners to bring financial criminals to justice. I thank our investigative team, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation team, the Margate Police Department and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work in this case.”

Legentus, along with co-conspirator Chantale Baptiste, operated a tax preparation business, CMB Financial Group, Inc., with offices in Broward and Palm Beach counties. They provided clients with copies of their prepared tax returns, while falsely submitting an altered copy of the return, with inflated figures, to the Internal Revenue Service. The resulting tax refund was cashed, and transferred into bank accounts controlled by Legentus and Baptiste. The duo would either retain the full amount for their personal use, or provide clients with a portion of the refund and pocket the remainder. Approximately $6 million was stolen by Legentus and Baptiste in this fraud scheme.

Certificate of Need Oversight Results in Healthy Growth in Number of Hospice Providers

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Florida’s elderly population continues to grow at a rapid rate, and so does the number of Hospice enrollees. Hospice is the primary model for end of life care in the United States, and is currently regulated in Florida by a process known as “Certificate of Need.” When the Constitutionally-mandated Constitution Revision Commission considered a measure to lift the Certificate of Need (CON) regulation, Florida TaxWatch saw it as both appropriate and timely to conduct an in-depth study of hospice facilities in Florida.

While the majority of the country has experienced explosive growth in the number of hospice providers, a new report from the state’s independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy research institute, Florida TaxWatch, shows that CON oversight has actually resulted in a modest and steady growth for Florida. This process has helped reduce the likelihood of oversaturation of providers and ensure that more rural areas are covered so Floridians all over the state have access to hospice, according to the research. Because CON averts over-saturation of markets, it contributes to hospice programs being able to build state-of-the-art in-patient units funded by local community philanthropy.

“Patients with terminal diagnoses are faced with difficult decisions and an overwhelming amount of stress. Hospice providers can relieve much of the pain and stress, but that is if you have access to one,” said Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro. “Florida has the second most hospice patients in the nation but ranks 37th in the number of hospice providers. The Sunshine State should retain the CON process to ensure that ALL Floridians have the access to the quality care they need and at the level of care they require.”

The Constitutionally-mandated Constitution Revision Commission measure to remove the Certificate of Need requirement was withdrawn from consideration by the Commission. If Florida were to repeal Certificate of Need for hospice, the demand for geriatric specialists could outpace the supply, Medicaid and Medicare fraud could increase, and rural patients could have limited access to hospice providers. Florida TaxWatch recommends retaining the CON process and continuing to identify ways to better control hospice costs, improve the quality of hospice care, and direct investments into medically-underserved areas.

Read the full report on Evaluating the Need for CON in Hospice here.

President signs bill to combat online sex trafficking

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The president today signed a bipartisan bill aimed at curbing online sex trafficking by cracking down on websites that knowingly host ads posted by sex traffickers.

The legislation, cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), increases penalties for traffickers and gives law enforcement new tools to prosecute the websites that knowingly facilitate sex trafficking online.

“This should serve as a wake-up call for anyone operating one of these websites,” Nelson said after today’s bill signing. “We’re coming for you.”

The bill signing comes just days after federal authorities shut down a website known as Backpage.com and charged its executives with facilitating prostitution.

According to the human trafficking hotline, Florida ranked third in the country for the highest number of sex trafficking cases reported in 2016 and 2017.