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Orlando man claims first $1 million prize in FLORIDA 100X THE CASH Scratch-Off game

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Franklin Aguilar (right) poses with his friend (left), and oversized check after
claiming a $1 million prize in the FLORIDA 100X THE CASH Scratch-Off game.

The Florida Lottery announces that Franklin Aguilar, 41, of Orlando, claimed the first $1 million prize in the new FLORIDA 100X THE CASH Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $770,000.00.

Aguilar bought the winning ticket with his friend. “We like to buy tickets together and share our winnings” Franklin explained. “When we saw the new Scratch-Off game we thought we’d give it a chance. We were shocked when we scratched the ticket to reveal our big win!”

Aguilar purchased his winning ticket from 7-Eleven, located at 6758 Conroy Road in Orlando. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.

The new $30 game, FLORIDA 100X THE CASH, launched on February 26, and features eight top prizes of $15 million (the largest Scratch-Off top prize ever offered by the Florida Lottery)! The game also offers 20 prizes of $1 million. Overall odds of winning are one-in-2.59.

Scratch-Offs are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in FY 2016-17, and comprising approximately 68 percent of ticket sales.

Small Business Applauds Passage of Business Identity Theft Protections

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Below is a statement from Bill Herrle, National Federation of Independent Business/Florida Executive Director, on the passage of HB 661 on Business Filings:

“NFIB applauds the passage of HB 661, which will protect small business owners from becoming the victims of fraud.

“This bill requires the Division of Corporations to notify business owners when changes have been made to their corporate filings without their knowledge or approval. This will provide significant protections for small business owners against fraudulent activities and will go a long way toward thwarting the rising problem of business identify theft.”

Senate Passes Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act

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Critical public safety legislation establishes
safeguards designed to enhance safety in schools

The Florida Senate today passed Senate Bill 7026, The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. The legislation represents a comprehensive approach to addressing the issues presented by the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, including firearm and school safety, and community mental health resources.

“The opportunity to meet with and listen to survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting as well as the families of the victims has had a tremendous impact on each and every Senator and has significantly influenced the development of this important legislation,” said Senator Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton) who presented Senate Bill 7026 today. “We are listening. The Senate hears you and we are taking the appropriate steps to help ensure that a senseless tragedy like this never happens again.”

“We can never replace the 17 lives that were lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and we can never erase the traumatic experience that lives on in the memories of those who survived this horrific attack. However, we will do everything we can to address the failure of government to effectively address the numerous warning signs that should have identified the perpetrator as a danger to others. We can and we will increase the resources available to identify and treat those suffering from mental illness, improve the safety and security of our schools, and ensure those suffering from mental illness do not have access to firearms,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart).

A summary of The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act is below.

Mental Health

In the area of mental health the legislation makes significant changes to keep firearms out of the hands of those suffering from mental illness:

  • Authorizes a law enforcement officer who is taking a person into custody for an involuntary examination under the Baker Act to seize and hold a firearm or ammunition from the person for 24 hours after the person is released and does not have a risk protection order against them or is the subject of a firearm disability.
  • Prohibits a person who has been adjudicated mentally defective or who has been committed to a mental institution from owning or possessing a firearm until a court orders otherwise.
  • Creates a process for a law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency to petition a court for a risk protection order to temporarily prevent persons who are at high risk of harming themselves or others from accessing firearms when a person poses a significant danger to himself or herself or others, including significant danger as a result of a mental health crisis or violent behavior. The bill also:
    • Allows a court to issue a risk protection order for up to 12 months.
    • Requires the surrender of all firearms and ammunition if a risk protection order is issued.
    • Provides a process for a risk protection order to be vacated or extended.

 

Firearm Safety

The legislation also provides new provisions to ensure full and complete background checks when a firearm is purchased:

  • Requires a three-day waiting period for all firearms, not just handguns or until the background check is completed, whichever is later. Provides exceptions for:
  • Concealed weapons permit holders, and
  • For the purchase of firearms other than handguns, an exception for:
    • Individuals who have completed a 16 hour hunter safety course;
    • Individuals holding a valid Florida hunting license; or
    • Law enforcement officers, correctional officers and service members (military and national guard)

The bill addresses two of the most frequent requests Senators heard from the families of victims simply to raise the age for purchasing a firearm and ban devices that turn a legal firearm into an illegal weapon.

  • Prohibits a person under 21 years of age from purchasing a firearm, and prohibits licensed firearm dealers, importers, and manufacturers, from selling a firearm, except in the case of a member of the military, or a law enforcement or correctional officer when purchasing a rifle or shotgun. (Persons under 21 years of age are already prohibited from purchasing a handgun under federal law.)
  • Prohibits a bump-fire stock from being imported, transferred, distributed, sold, keeping for sale, offering for sale, possessing, or giving away within the state.

 

School Safety

The bill improves school safety through the following provisions:

  • Establishes the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission to investigate system failures in the Parkland school shooting and prior mass violence incidents, and develop recommendations for system improvements.
  • Codifies the Office of Safe Schools within the Florida Department of Education (DOE) and which will service as a central repository for the best practices, training standards, and compliance regarding school safety and security.
  • Permits a sheriff to establish a Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program.
    • The legislation allows school districts to decide whether to participate in the guardian program if it is available in their county.
    • A guardian must complete 132 hours of comprehensive firearm safety and proficiency training, pass psychological evaluation, submit to and pass drug tests; and complete certified diversity training. The guardian program is named after Coach Aaron Feis, who lost his life protecting students during the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The guardian program is completely voluntary for a sheriff to establish, for a school district to participate, and for an individual to volunteer.
    • Individuals who exclusively perform classroom duties as classroom teachers are excluded from participating in a Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program. However, this limitation does not apply to classroom teachers of a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program; a current service member; and a current or former law enforcement officer.
  • Requires each district school board and school district superintendent to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to assign one or more safe-school officers at each school facility.  The safe-school officer requirement can be satisfied by appointing any combination of a school resource officer, a school safety officer, or a school guardian.
  • Requires each district school board to designate a district school safety specialist to serve as the district’s primary point of public contact for public school safety functions.
  • Requires each school district to designate school safety specialists and a threat assessment team at each school, and requires the team to operate under the district school safety specialist’s direction.
  • Requires the DOE to contract for the development of a Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool which will assist school districts in conducting security assessments to identify threats and vulnerabilities.
  • Creates the mental health assistance allocation to assist school districts in establishing or expanding school-based mental health care.

The legislation also:

  • Prohibits a person from making, posting, or transmitting a threat to conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.
  • Requires DCF to contract for community action treatment teams to provider behavioral health and support services.
  • Requires FDLE to procure a mobile app that would allow students and the community to relay information anonymously concerning unsafe, dangerous threats. The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglass recommended that the program be named “FortifyFL”

 

Funding

The legislation appropriates $400 million to implement the bill provisions, including the following:

  • Over $69 million to the DOE to fund the mental health assistance allocation.
  • $1 million for the design and construction of a memorial honoring those who lost their lives on February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
  • Over $25 million for replacing building 12 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
  • Over $67 million for sheriff’s offices who decide to establish a school guardian program.
  • Over $97 million to aid for the safe schools allocation.
  • Over $98 million to implement a grant program for improving and hardening the physical security of school buildings.
  • $18.3 million to DCF for additional mobile crisis teams to ensure reasonable access among all counties.

CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis: Florida Shows Up for First Responders Struggling with PTSD

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Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis issued the following statement regarding the final unanimous passage of his top legislative priority, Senate Bill 376. The bill will now be ready to head to Gov. Rick Scott for signature.

“From day one this has been a life or death issue. Our firefighters are attempting suicide at a rate FIVE TIMES HIGHER than the general population, and they are thinking about suicide at a rate NINE TIMES HIGHER than the general population. We’ve heard horrific stories about loss of life, and the impact tragedy has on our first responders and their families.

“First responders show up for us every day, without hesitation or questioning our politics, and today Florida showed up for them. Last year four states, including Texas, increased mental health benefits for first responders. I’m proud we can now add Florida to that list.

“To those who refused to support this measure from the beginning: we got it done without you.

“Thank you to Senate President Joe Negron, Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran, Sen. Lauren Book, Rep. Matt Willhite, and all of the co-sponsors in both chambers.”

Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence Statement on Senate Bill 7026

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As the Senate is poised to vote on SB 7026 (School Safety Bill), we remain opposed to any policy that will arm administrators, teachers, or staff as a way to defend against a mass shooting. While SB 7026 does contain certain important provisions, arming people in our schools that are not School Resource Officers (SROs), whose ONLY job is to protect the school, will not properly protect our schools and will ultimately cost more money in the long run.
We call on the Senate to strip any plan that will arm administrators, teachers, or staff before sending a bill to the House. If the Senate fails to act as we have outlined, we call on the House to fully debate SB 7026 and fully remove provisions arming teachers, administrators, or staff.
The issues are too grave and the stakes too high not to fully debate all issues related to school safety in Florida.

Florida Lottery shatters all records nationwide to achieve best Scratch-Off sales week in history

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Contributes $23 Million to Education in One Week

The Florida Lottery announces that last week it shattered all previous single-week Scratch-Off sales records nationally, with $123,841,686 in Scratch sales. It also had its best overall sales week of the fiscal year, with $167,620,057 in total sales.

The Florida Lottery’s new $30 100 X THE CASH Scratch-Off game alone recorded $34,279,230 in sales for the week; resulting in total Scratch-Off sales exceeding the Lottery’s previous weekly sales record, set in 2017, by more than $18 million or 17 percent. More than $23.5 million in prizes for the game were also claimed last week. This ranks as the 2nd highest sales week by any Lottery for a Scratch game. Massachusetts holds the current record at $34,378,500, set in 2002.

With higher sales, come higher prize payouts for Lottery winners, increased retailer commissions and most importantly more funding to enhance education. Last week’s total sales generated approximately $40 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF).

“Breaking sales records like this is a significant achievement,” said Florida Lottery Secretary Jim Poppell. “The Florida Lottery is proud to be able to create millions of winners, partner with thousands of retailers statewide, many of whom are small business owners, and provide a reliable source of funding for Florida’s students and schools.”

Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 68 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2016-17.

Fish “Super Power” May Offer Clues About Biodiversity Evolution

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A group of international scientists, including a University of Central Florida biologist, recently discovered that a species of fish living in the north Atlantic Ocean has an ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions that are linked to the depth of its watery habitat.

The unknown mechanism, which gives the roundnose grenadier its “super power,” appears to be coded into the species’ genetics.

Findings of the team’s study are published this week in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. The work was conducted at Durham University in the United Kingdom in collaboration with a team of scientists and students from UCF, the University of Liverpool and Marine Scotland.

Often when people think of the ocean they think only of species living near the surface such as corals and reef fishes. Part of what makes this species so interesting to researchers is its vast vertical habitat, which can range from 590 to 8,500 feet (180 to 2,600 meters) below the surface.

“The ocean environment varies greatly between 200 and 2,600 meters including available food and light and water temperature,” said UCF Biologist Michelle Gaither. “What is really cool about this project is that we were able to use a new genetic tool to look at the differences between populations over just 1,000 meters of depth.”

Figuring out how fish evolve and adapt, especially in such vast environments, is important to understanding biodiversity and is important to conservation efforts.

In order to conserve species, scientists must understand how biodiversity originates and where we are most likely to find novel species and genotypes. Studying the genomes of this fish is just the beginning to unlocking the mystery of how biodiversity is arranged in the ocean.

“If you’re going to regulate a fishery, you can’t just say OK – let’s regulate it. Scientists need to consider where the species they’re trying to protect lives,” Gaither said. “For this species, you can’t just say no fishing below 1,200 meters because now we know that genetic diversity differs across the whole vertical range and you have to protect the whole slope.”

Once the team decoded the genome for the roundnose grenadier, they found that fish carried different genotypes depending upon at what depth they lived. For example, fish that lived at 1,800 meters were fixed for certain genes while those living closer to the surface had mixed genotypes, but they are all the same species.

“We can roughly predict the fish’s genotype based on where it lives, but the functions of these genes don’t tell the full story yet, it just shows us that there are some specializations involved at living in deeper depths,” Gaither said. “The individuals with those genes succeed living deeper in the ocean while other individuals with different genotypes do not.”

The researchers also know the fish don’t exclusively mate with individuals of their own genotype and when they do mate, it’s very likely they gather into groups called spawning aggregations where they release sperm and eggs into the water column. The fertilized eggs, and later the larvae, float around on the ocean currents for several weeks before all settling onto the ocean bottom. This furthers the mystery of how fish seek out and live at their perspective depths.

“All the fish larvae settle out around 1,200 meters, regardless of genotype and somehow they sort out by depth as they grow and mature,” Gaither said.

As it stands now, this fish is only one species, but if conditions change, it could evolve into more. That’s where Gaither’s appointment in UCF’s Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster is key. Her work with computer scientists is tapping into new scientific territory to better understand evolution.

“As biologists, this type of research helps us understand how biodiversity evolves and how it’s generated,” Gaither said. “Genomics has given us the tools to begin to truly understand how evolution works and to better protect life on Planet Earth.”

Gaither came to UCF in December 2017 from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and holds a Ph.D. in Zoology.

Statement on Passage of 2/3 Majority Vote to Raise Taxes & Fees

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Below is a statement from Bill Herrle, National Federation of Independent Business/Florida Executive Director, on the passage of HJR 7001:

“Small business owners applaud the Florida Legislature for passing HJR 7001 to increase the threshold required to raise taxes and fees.

“By overwhelming majority, small business owners support this resolution. If it’s harder to raise taxes and fees, small business owners will keep more of their hard-earned dollars and be able to make even greater contributions to the economy.

“We thank Governor Rick Scott, Senator Kelli Stargel and Representative Tom Leek for leading the charge to pass this good resolution for the future of Florida’s economy.”

Gov. Scott Applauds Florida Legislature for Passing Bill to Make It Harder to Raise Taxes

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Governor Rick Scott today made the following statement regarding the overwhelming, bipartisan passage of HJR 7001 in the Florida Senate. The Florida House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted 80-29 in bipartisan support of this bill on January 25th. This bill will place on the ballot an amendment to the Florida Constitution that will make it harder for politicians to raise taxes and fees by requiring a 2/3 majority vote by future legislatures to increase any taxes or fees. Florida voters will have the opportunity to add this measure to the Florida Constitution on the 2018 ballot.

Governor Scott said, “I want to thank Senate President Joe Negron, Speaker Richard Corcoran and the entire Florida Legislature for voting to approve HJR 7001 and put on the ballot a constitutional amendment that will make it harder for politicians to raise taxes for Florida families. We have cut taxes more than 80 times since I’ve been in office because we know that Florida families and businesses succeed when we put their tax dollars back in their pockets. I look forward to this important amendment being on the ballot to protect families from unfair tax increases.”

America has two chances to win big this week as dueling jackpots continue to climb

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Multi-state Jackpots offer a combined $613 Million

America’s dueling jackpots, POWERBALL® and MEGA MILLIONS®, have continued to steadily climb to a combined total of $613 million since January, offering players two chances to win big this week. The POWERBALL jackpot rolled to $348 million after Saturday night’s draw, and the MEGA MILLIONS jackpot rolled to $265 million after Friday night’s draw.

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.

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.

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.