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Crime Victims’ Rights Advocates Hold Press Conference in St. Petersburg to Announce Major Endorsement of Marsy’s Law for Florida

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MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: Advocates of crime victims’ rights are holding a press conference tomorrow to announce a major endorsement of Marsy’s Law for Florida, an effort to amend the state constitution to provide equal rights for crime victims. Marsy’s Law for Florida is currently under consideration by the Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) as Proposal 96. If approved by the CRC, a proposed constitutional amendment providing equal rights for crime victims will be placed on the 2018 General Election ballot.

WHO: Senator Lauren Book
Senator Darryl Rouson
CRC Commissioner and Proposal Sponsor Tim Cerio
CRC Commissioner Belinda Keiser
Justice Coalition Executive Director Michael Liles
Connie Rose, Tampa/St. Petersburg area survivor
Victims and Victim Advocates

WHEN: Tuesday, March 13
9 a.m.

The press conference can also be viewed via Facebook Live on the Marsy’s Law for Florida Facebook page.

WHERE: Grand Ballroom Salon 2
St. Petersburg Marriott Clearwater
12600 Roosevelt Blvd. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33716

Kayser Enneking Picks Up Key Local Endorsements in Race Against Keith Perry

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Kayser Enneking, M.D., candidate for Florida Senate District 8, today announced 15 endorsements of key local leaders. 

Just weeks after officially kicking off her campaign for State Senate, Dr. Kayser Enneking is announcing an impressive list of local endorsements. The list of supporters includes Alachua County Commissioners Hutch Hutchinson and Chuck Chestnut, Putnam County Commissioner Chip Laibl, Alachua County School Board members Gunnar Paulson, Eileen Roy, Rob Hyatt, and City Commissioners Helen Warren, Adrian Hayes-Santos, David Arreola, and former City Commissioners Susan Bottcher, Thomas Hawkins, and Warren Nielsen. Enneking also picked up the endorsements of two of Gainesville’s beloved former Mayors, Jean Chalmers and Paula Delaney.

“We deserve leadership in education, healthcare, and environmental protection,” said County Commissioner Hutchinson. “We need Kayser Enneking to represent our community and our values in Tallahassee.”

“I am proud to have the support of so many outstanding public servants here in our community. They work tirelessly to help make sure our children get a quality education and to keep our city and county growing in the right direction,” said Enneking. “It speaks to the growing momentum of our campaign that so many wonderful leaders are backing my campaign and vision for making life better for Florida families.”

Dr. Enneking is a leader at the national and local level advocating for improving quality and efficiency of our healthcare systems. Her work at UF Health as a practicing physician and healthcare leader have strengthened the quality of care provided to patients in this district.

State Senate District 8 is a top target for Democrats in 2018 and has a long history of voting for Democrats. President Barack Obama won the district twice as well as 2010 Gubernatorial candidate, Alex Sink. Hillary Clinton and Charlie Crist in 2014 both came within a point of victory in SD-8 as well.

Political advertisement paid for and approved by
Kayser Enneking, Democrat, for State Senate District 8.

Florida Legislature Calls for Study of High Speed Rail Operations in Florida

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In a victory for the citizens of the Treasure Coast region, and based on work by Citizens Against Rail Expansion in Florida (CARE FL) and Indian River and Martin Counties, the Florida Legislature has included language in the state budget directing the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to commission a study to examine existing and planned passenger rail operations, including high-speed passenger rail, in Florida. Currently, Florida has no laws or regulations addressing the safety of high speed trains such as the one proposed by All Aboard Florida (AAF).

The study language was proposed by Senator Debbie Mayfield and the Florida Senate following an unprecedented series of deaths and injuries in six separate incidents in which individuals were struck by AAF/Brightline high speed trains currently running between West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale. The language was included despite efforts and politicking by AAF to kill any measure related to rail safety this session.

The AAF/Brightline project proposes to send 32 new 80-110 mile per hour passenger trains, and more and longer FEC freight trains, along the same tracks between Miami and Orlando. The deaths and injuries, which occurred at rail crossings in South Florida, clearly demonstrated the urgent need for safety measures to protect pedestrians and motorists who cross the tracks multiple times a day every day.

“This study will require the hiring of experts to take a hard look at the impacts of high speed rail in Florida and in areas that never previously contemplated trains travelling at 110 miles per hour through densely populated areas,” said Dylan Reingold, Indian River County Attorney. “The study should confirm that pedestrians, children and vehicles are in danger at many of the at-grade crossings.”

“Citizens Against Rail Expansion in Florida is deeply grateful to Senator Debbie Mayfield and Representatives Erin Grall and Mary Lynn Magar for their unwavering commitment to protecting the residents of our community and all Floridians,” said Brent Hanlon, CARE FL Chairman. “This study is a necessary step so when our Legislature meets again, they will understand and act to address the deadly consequences of high speed trains in our communities.”

The AAF/Brightline high speed rail project will significantly increase the number and speed of trains passing through nearly 350 at-grade road crossings along the Florida East Coast Rail corridor, 28 of which are located in Martin County and 31 of which are located in Indian River County, posing more dangers and opportunities for accidents between trains and vehicles or people.

“If done responsibly, the rail study should compel state and federal governments’ to finally meet their regulatory obligations to ensure the safety of the public in and around railroads,” said Ruth Holmes, Martin County Senior Assistant County Attorney.

The study will include the following:

  • An overview of the Florida Rail System, including existing and planned passenger rail and high-speed passenger rail operations in the state, and identification of existing and planned passenger rail and high-speed passenger rail stations, corridors, and associated railroad-highway crossings.
  • An overview of the jurisdiction of federal, state, and local governments to regulate passenger rail and high-speed passenger rail operations.
  • A review of data relating to incidents, including resulting injuries and fatalities, involving passenger rail and high-speed passenger rail operations in this state.
  • Recommendations to further enhance passenger rail and high-speed passenger rail safety in this state, including a review of current crossing signalization, grade crossings and separations, corridor protection, public education and awareness, and coordination with local law enforcement and emergency management officials.
  • Recommendations to further improve passenger rail and high-speed passenger rail in this state.

According to the language, the final report will be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by November 1, 2018.

However, the language authorizing the study now heads to Governor Rick Scott’s desk for his approval.

“We urge the Governor to approve this much-needed study to ensure the public’s safety,” added Hanlon.

For more information please visit ircgov.com, martin.fl.us, or CARE FL on its Facebook page or saveourfl.com.

Jackpot fever sweeps nation as America’s dueling jackpots continue to soar

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Multi-state Jackpots offer a combined $738 Million

Players across the nation continue to join in on the excitement as the jackpots for America’s dueling jackpots, POWERBALL® and MEGA MILLIONS®, have continued to rise, reaching a combined total of $738 million. The POWERBALL jackpot rolled to $420 million after Saturday night’s draw, and the MEGA MILLIONS jackpot rolled to $318 million after Friday night’s draw.

POWERBALL jackpots start at $40 million and roll until the jackpot is won. Players win by matching the five white ball numbers (1-69) and the red POWERBALL (1-26). There are eight other ways to win non-jackpot prizes ranging from $4 to $1 million or up to $2 million if the ticket includes Power Play. The overall odds of winning a prize in the game are approximately one-in-24.87.

MEGA MILLIONS jackpots start at $40 million and roll until the jackpot is won. Players win by matching the five white ball numbers (1-70) and the golden Mega Ball number (1-25). There are eight other ways to win non-jackpot prizes ranging from $2 to $1 million or up to $5 million if the ticket includes Megaplier. The overall odds of winning a prize in the game are approximately one-in-24.

Even if players don’t win the jackpot, they can still claim cash prizes of up to $2 million with POWERBALL and up to $5 million with MEGA MILLIONS. Players are reminded to sign the back of their tickets at the time of purchase and keep them in a safe place. The integrity of all games is of utmost importance to the Florida Lottery.

Purchase your tickets at any of the more than 13,000 Lottery retailers for your chance to become Florida’s newest multi-millionaire. The Florida Lottery reminds all players to play responsibly, as it only takes one ticket to win. As with all Florida Lottery products, players must be 18 years or older to play.

ABOUT POWERBALL IN FLORIDA
Since joining POWERBALL in 2009, the game has generated $1.79 billion in contributions to education statewide. Florida is among the top-selling POWERBALL states in the country, with more than 81.3 million winning tickets totaling more than $2.3 billion in prizes, including 12 jackpot winners. Florida was also one of the three states nationally to have a winner share in the world record-setting $1.586 billion POWERBALL jackpot in January 2016.

The next POWERBALL drawing will be held Wednesday, March 14, at 10:59 p.m. ET, tickets must be purchased by 10:00 p.m. ET to be eligible for this drawing. National POWERBALL drawings are broadcast live, in high-definition, from the Florida Lottery’s state of the art draw studio in Tallahassee.

ABOUT MEGA MILLIONS IN FLORIDA
Since joining MEGA MILLIONS in 2013, the game has generated more than $343 million for education, and has awarded more than $583.2 million in prizes to 39.5 million players.

The next MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be held tomorrow, March 13, at 11:00 p.m. ET, tickets must be purchased by 10:00 p.m. ET to be eligible for this drawing. MEGA MILLIONS drawings are broadcast on 17 carrier stations throughout the state. Drawings are also available for viewing on the Florida Lottery website and our official YouTube channel. Winning numbers are available on the Lottery website, at retailers statewide and by phone at (850) 921-PLAY.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY
The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $32 billion to education and sending more than 775,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery reinvests 98 percent of its revenue back into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Florida retailers and contributions to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $53.6 billion in prizes and made more than 2,000 people millionaires. For more information, please visit flalottery.com.

Florida Municipal Electric Association Announces Annual Florida Lineman Competition Winners

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Lineworkers from across the state competed for top honors at the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) 18th annual Florida Lineman Competition. A crowd of hundreds looked on as lineworkers put their skills to the test performing tasks they encounter in real-world scenarios. Tasks range from replacing cross arm beams to relocating transformers to a simulation of rescuing an injured lineman. Competitors earn points for completing the tasks as quickly as possible and lose points if safety standards and proper work practices are not met. This year’s event was hosted by Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) and was held at Osceola Heritage Park.

More than 130 lineworkers participated, including teams and apprentices from Tallahassee, JEA (Jacksonville), Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU), Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), Beaches Energy (Jacksonville Beach), KUA, City of Alachua, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority and Ocala, as well competitors from Talquin Electric Cooperative, Clay Electric Cooperative, City of Thomasville, GA, and as far away as Colorado Springs, CO.  Journeymen teams, which include at least one lineworker who has been in the industry for at least five years, are made up of three lineworkers. Apprentices, or lineworkers in training, competed individually.

This year, the Overall Journeymen Team Winners Cup went to Robert Hess, Brian Gregg and Greg Johnson from JEA. Taking home the Overall Apprentice award was Justin Johnson of the City of Tallahassee.

“The annual lineman competition showcases the work lineworkers do on a daily basis and provides people with an opportunity to see linework in action,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director. “We extend our congratulations to the winners and our deepest appreciation to all the lineworkers across the state who literally put their lives on the line every day. Their impact on their communities is profound as we recently witnessed following Hurricanes Irma and Maria. We thank them for their service.”

Established in 2001 by the FMEA, the Florida Lineman Competition brings together public power lineworkers from across the state to demonstrate their skill and knowledge in the craft of line work. At the competition, journeyman and apprentices compete for professional recognition, attend training courses and practice essential skills in a safe environment. The competition encourages safety awareness, teamwork and networking with other utilities.

For more information on FMEA and the Florida Lineman Competition, please visit publicpower.com.

Gov. Scott: Florida Businesses Created More Than 10,000 Private-Sector Jobs in January

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Governor Rick Scott today announced that Florida businesses created more than 10,000 private-sector jobs in January. Since December 2010, Florida businesses have created nearly 1.5 million jobs, which includes more than 144,000 in the last year. Florida’s annual job growth rate of 1.9 percent continues to exceed the national rate of 1.7 percent. Florida’s annual job growth rate has exceeded the nation for 69 of the past 70 months. The only month that Florida did not exceed the nation was a result of Hurricane Irma. Jobs numbers for February 2018 will be announced on March 23rd.

Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce that Florida businesses kicked off 2018 by creating more than 10,000 new jobs for families across the state in January. Each new job means a family is able to provide for themselves and continue to succeed in our state. That is why we have worked nonstop to make Florida more business friendly by reducing burdensome regulations and cutting taxes. This includes putting a constitutional amendment on the 2018 ballot that will make it harder for politicians to raise taxes on future generations so our progress cannot be undone. We look forward to seeing the many more opportunities that will be created throughout the year as more job creators choose to grow in Florida.”

As of January, Florida’s unemployment rate is at 3.9 percent, a drop of 6.9 percentage points since December 2010. This drop is faster than the national decline of 5.2 percentage points. In the last year, 137,000 people entered Florida’s labor force, a growth of 1.4 percent, nearly one and a half times the national labor force growth rate of only 0.9 percent, which means more Floridians are choosing to look for a job across the state.

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Florida businesses have created more than 10,000 jobs in January alone thanks to Governor Scott’s commitment to lowering taxes and business-friendly policies, which allow companies to grow and prosper in our state. I am proud of the Sunshine State’s flourishing economy, making our home the greatest place to live, work, play and raise a family.”

Other positive economic indicators include:

  • Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over-the-year were:
    • Professional and business services with 36,000 new jobs;
    • Leisure and hospitality with 32,400 new jobs;
    • Construction with 28,600 new jobs;
    • Education and health services with 17,100 new jobs;
    • Financial activities with 15,000 new jobs;
    • Florida job postings showed 261,619 openings in January 2018; and
    • Florida’s housing market also remains strong as median home prices rose $20,000 across the state in the last year. The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes in January 2018 was $240,000, up from the previous year’s median price of $220,000. The increase in home prices and the number of homes sold resulted in an additional $500 million in home sales, up 10.9 percent from January 2017.

To view the January 2018 employment data, click here.

‘Spring Aboard’ with FWC and take a boater education class

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World-class fishing, crystal blue waters, endless sunshine – there’s so much about Florida’s waterways to enjoy. During the week of March 18-24, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourage all boaters to take part in the national Spring Aboard – Take A Boating Education Course campaign by taking a boating safety course today.

“An educated boater is proven to be safer on the water. If boat operators have taken a boating safety education course, the likelihood of their time spent on the water being a safe and enjoyable experience is much greater for them as well as their passengers,” said Maj. Rob Rowe, leader of FWC’s Boating and Waterways section. “There’s no reason to head out on the water without knowing what you’re doing, and spring is the perfect time to take a course before the summer boating season begins.”

In 2018, all boaters 30 years of age or younger are required to have a Boating Safety Education ID Card to legally operate a boat of 10 hp or greater in Florida. Even if you were born before Jan. 1, 1988, getting educated is a great idea.

Many course providers will offer incentives or course discounts for students who enroll in or complete a course during the Spring Aboard campaign. For a summary of Florida’s regulations and available courses, visit MyFWC.com/Boating.

“Everyone interested in boating should take a course – it’s the smart thing to do,” said Rowe. “Boaters have many ways to get educated, from classroom courses offered by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons to online offerings available anytime, day or night. There’s no reason to head out on the water without this knowledge.”

2016 Florida boating accident statistics indicate that, when the level of operator education was known, 70 percent of boating deaths occurred on boats where the boat operator had never received boating education instruction.

About NASBLA
NASBLA is a national nonprofit organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. NASBLA represents the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories. The association offers a variety of resources, including training, model acts, education standards and publications. Through a national network of thousands of professional educators, law enforcement officers and volunteers, NASBLA affects the lives of over 73.5 million American boaters.

Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis: Unanimous Support for First Responders, Consumers, and Florida’s Military Community

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Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis today praised the Florida legislature for the unanimous support of his 2018 legislative priorities including fighting for first responders, protecting consumers from fraud, making Florida a more military friendly state, and streamlining and modernizing government.

CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis stated, “After hearing from our first responder community, we fought hard so that they can now have access to mental health benefits. When the Equifax data breach impacted millions, we made it easier for Floridians to protect themselves from fraud.  My mission is to make Florida an even better place to live, work, and raise a family. Laws on the books should work for our residents, not against them.”

Key reforms advocated by CFO Patronis included the following:

Fighting for Our First Responders
Senate Bill 376: CFO Patronis’ top priority was to increase access to mental health benefits for Florida’s first responders. This legislation allows first responders to file a workers’ compensation claim for a mental injury without an accompanying physical injury.

Protecting Florida Consumers from Fraud 
House Bill 953: CFO Patronis fought to make it easier for Floridians to protect themselves from fraud. This legislation eliminates the fee that credit reporting agencies were allowed to charge for Floridians to freeze their credit.

Making Florida More Military Friendly
House Bill 29: CFO Patronis worked to make it easier for members of the U.S. Armed Forces, their spouses and honorably discharged veterans to take charge of their economic futures by removing certain licensing and training fees for the Division of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services, the Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services, and the Division of State Fire Marshal.

Streamlining Government 
House Bill 1073: CFO Patronis worked to modernize the Department of Financial Services (DFS) and better protect Florida consumers. This legislation includes streamlining the appointment process for non-resident adjustors and providing a pathway for better communication between local governments and DFS. Additionally, the bill reduces regulatory costs for licensees.

Returning Every Cent of Unclaimed Property 
House Bill 1361: CFO Patronis’ mission is to return unclaimed property back to its rightful owners, but it can be difficult if account information submitted is incomplete. This legislation includes uniform standards for account information provided to CFO Patronis’ Division of Unclaimed Property from local Clerks of Court.

Gov. Rick Scott Signs Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act

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Invests More Than $400 Million in School Safety and Mental Health

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Representative Kristin Jacobs, Tony Montalto -father of Gina Montalto-, Ryan Petty -father of Alaina Petty-, Gena Hoyer -mother of Luke Hoyer-, House Speaker Richard Corcoran, Governor Rick Scott, Hunter Pollack -brother of Meadow Pollack-, Andy Pollack -father of Meadow Pollack-, Julie Phillips-Pollack, Senator Bill Galvano.

Following a meeting with the families of victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Governor Rick Scott yesterday signed SB 7026, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. This legislation makes significant reforms to make Florida schools safer, while keeping firearms out of the hands of mentally ill and dangerous individuals. For more information on the bill, click HERE.

Governor Scott’s full remarks as prepared for delivery upon the signing of SB 7026 are available HERE.

Gov. Scott Appoints Two to Board of Dentistry

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Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointment of two to the Board of Dentistry.

Dr. Matthew Freedman, 36, of Naples, is an orthodontist with Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics. He succeeds Dr. Robert Perdomo and is appointed for a term beginning March 9, 2018, and ending October 31, 2020.

Dr. Nicholas White, 40, of Longwood, is the owner of Lake Mary Pediatric Dentistry. He succeeds Dr. William Kochenour and is appointed for a term beginning March 9, 2018, and ending October 31, 2021.

These appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.