Florida A&M University (FAMU) Athletics Director Milton Overton, Jr., announced Coach Alex Wood has resigned his position as head football coach and will step down today.
Overton said, “Wood has served FAMU Athletics with honor as he worked to help rebuild the Rattler football program during the past three seasons. We thank him for his dedication and service.”
Offensive Line Coach Edwin Pata, a two-time FAMU alumnus and former FSU football player, will serve as interim head football coach.
FAMU will work diligently to identify the next head football coach under the leadership of Interim Athletics Director John Eason.
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Senate Democratic Leader Designate Audrey Gibson's Statement on Bittel Resignation
Please find below Senator Audrey Gibson’s statement on Mr. Bittel’s resignation:
“I was shocked and disappointed to learn of Mr. Bittel’s behavior as reported by Politico, and I appreciate his decision to resign. His behavior is unacceptable and counter to our party’s values. Every individual should be treated with dignity and respect. Senate Democrats are committed to changing the culture in Tallahassee.”
Alachua Delegation Meeting Announced
The Alachua County Legislative Delegation Meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 29th, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The public hearing will take place at the Santa Fe College NW Campus Fine Arts Hall, located at 3000 NW 83rd St, Gainesville, Florida for the purpose of consideration of local bills.
To be placed on the agenda to address the Alachua County Legislative Delegation, please email Staz ([email protected]) in Senator Perry’s office by Monday November 27th for the proper form. All materials or handouts for this meeting must be sent to Staz in Senator Perry’s office no later than Monday, November 27th. The Alachua County Legislative Delegation meeting is open to the public.
Enterprise Florida and 30 Small Businesses Exhibit at Global Tradeshows
Florida Pavilions opened at MEDICA and the Dubai Airshow this week
This week, Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) and 30 small and medium-sized businesses are exhibiting at two of the largest tradeshows in the world. MEDICA, the world’s largest medical technology tradeshow, and the Dubai Airshow both started this week, and EFI is hosting Florida Pavilions at each show.
“Florida’s aerospace and life sciences small businesses are some of the most innovative and ambitious in the country, and these shows give them the opportunity to reach new global customers,” said Stan Connally, Chairman, President and CEO of Gulf Power Company and Vice-Chair of EFI. “These two industries represent thousands of companies in Florida, most of which are small and medium-sized businesses. Part of our mission is to help those businesses grow and shows like these help them find new opportunities in international markets.”
MEDICA 2017, the largest medical technology trade show worldwide is held annually in Düsseldorf, Germany. This is the 30th consecutive year Florida is attending the show. Twenty-three companies are exhibiting at the Enterprise Florida Pavilion this year, the largest presence of any U.S. state. The pavilion will allow companies to market their medical and healthcare products to an international audience, and demonstrates the innovation and expertise that makes Florida a leader in this sector.
The 2017 Dubai Airshow is one of the largest and most important aerospace events in the world. This year, seven Florida businesses are exhibiting in the Enterprise Florida Pavilion. The show is held every two years and attracts more than 65,000 visitors and 1,100 exhibitors worldwide.
EFI maintains an extensive schedule of overseas trade missions and exhibitions worldwide. In fiscal year 2016-17, more than 500 small and mid-sized businesses reported nearly $740 million in total actual and projected export sales following EFI sponsored international missions and trade shows.
FWC awards BearWise funding to 10 communities to reduce human-bear conflicts
Unsecured trash is the No. 1 reason that Florida black bears enter neighborhoods and come into conflict with people, so the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is awarding 10 communities with a total of $515,283 to address this critical issue.
BearWise funding will help communities purchase and provide bear-resistant trash cans, dumpsters and other equipment to their residents at a discounted cost. Funds are being distributed to each of the 10 communities that applied:
- Seminole County – $189,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in the western portion of Seminole County, which has an ordinance requiring trash be kept secure from bears.
- Lake County – $85,508 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in Lake County, which has an ordinance requiring trash be kept secure from bears.
- Volusia County – $75,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in the western portion of Volusia County.
- Holley by the Sea Improvement Association – $65,000 to purchase hardware to modify all 3,700 trash cans to make them bear-resistant in the Holley by the Sea Improvement Association, located in the southern portion of Santa Rosa County, which has an ordinance requiring trash be kept secure from bears.
- Highlands County – $48,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in the central portion of the Highlands County.
- Orange County – $20,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in the northwestern portion of Orange County, which has an ordinance requiring trash be kept secure from bears.
- Walton County – $18,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for Walton County parks and to modify dumpsters to make them bear-resistant.
- Air Force Enlisted Village – $7,700 to modify dumpsters to make them bear-resistant in this community in Okaloosa County.
- Collier County Parks and Recreation – $3,675 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for three Collier County parks.
- Franklin County – $3,400 to purchase hardware to modify regular trash cans to make them bear-resistant for residents in the southern portion of Franklin County.
This year the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott provided $415,283 to the FWC to cost-share with local governments in areas with high levels of human-bear conflicts. At least 60 percent of the funding must go to communities with ordinances requiring trash be kept secure from bears until the morning of pickup. The FWC also received funding from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, which provided an additional $100,000 in proceeds from the Conserve Wildlife license plate.
FWC staff evaluated BearWise funding applications based on several factors, including:
- Does the community have an ordinance requiring residents and businesses to keep trash and other attractants secure from bears?
- How many households within the community are in an area with significant human-bear conflicts and how many residences and businesses are expected to benefit?
- How much in matching funds or in-kind services can the community provide?
- What is the likelihood the project will result in a community-wide reduction of human-bear conflicts?
For more information on Florida black bears, including how to reduce conflicts with them, visit MyFWC.com/Bear and click on “Live BearWise,” watch the BearWise Communities video and read the A guide to living in bear country brochure.
Gov. Scott: Florida Unemployment Rate Drops to 3.6 Percent
More Than 127,000 Private-Sector Jobs Created in October
Governor Rick Scott today announced that the state’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.6 percent, the lowest in more than a decade. More than 127,000 private-sector jobs were created in October. Since December 2010, Florida businesses have created 1,448,300 jobs. Florida’s annual job growth rate of 2.6 percent also exceeds the nation’s rate of 1.6 percent.
Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce today that Florida’s unemployment rate has reached a more than 10-year low of 3.6 percent and that more than 127,000 private-sector jobs were created in October. While Hurricane Irma was a devastating storm, we have worked day after day to help communities recover and send a message across the world that Florida is open for business. Today’s announcement, and the creation of more than 1.44 million private-sector jobs since December 2010, shows the strength of our economy. We will continue to work to make our state more business-friendly, including fighting to cut taxes by more than $180 million during the upcoming legislation session, to help secure Florida’s future as the best place for families and job creators to succeed.”
As of October, Florida’s unemployment rate had dropped 7.1 percentage points since December 2010, faster than the national decline. In the last year, 216,000 people entered Florida’s labor force, a growth of 2.2 percent, which is more than four times the national labor force growth rate of only 0.5 percent.
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Recovering from Hurricane Irma has been our top priority. We are committed to ensuring Florida’s families and businesses continue to prosper. The unemployment rate has consistently declined while jobs are being added in diverse industries all across the Sunshine State, proving that we have the best economic climate in the nation.”
Other positive economic indicators include:
- Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over-the-year were:
- Professional and business services with 38,900 new jobs;
- Trade, transportation and utilities with 38,300 new jobs;
- Construction with 35,600 new jobs;
- Education and health services with 17,600 new jobs; and
- Other services with 17,600 new jobs.
- Florida job postings showed 240,297 openings in October 2017.
- In October, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported 23,082 Floridians, including 1,273 veterans, were placed in jobs.
To view the October 2017 employment data, click here.
CRC Chairman Beruff: Majority of CRC Proposals Represent Public Ideas
More than 50 percent of proposals filed by Commissioners
represent public proposal submissions received by the CRC
The Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) today announced that more than 50 percent of the 103 proposed constitutional revisions filed by CRC Commissioners represent public ideas. In addition to directly sponsoring public proposals without making language changes, CRC Commissioners represented hundreds of public proposals and ideas submitted by the public.
CRC Chairman Carlos Beruff, said, “Over the past seven months, CRC Commissioners have traveled the state listening to Floridians and reviewed thousands of public proposals and comments. As a result, more than 50 percent of proposals filed by Commissioners represent public ideas. Much like the previous CRC in 1997-1998 advanced ‘general concepts’ based on public input, we identified general themes and ideas that were submitted by Floridians and then crafted proposals in the appropriate legal language. Altogether, more than 740 public proposal submissions are represented by Commissioner proposals. If you also consider the Commissioner proposals inspired by ideas presented by Floridians at CRC public hearings, this representation is even higher. Proposals are now being referred to CRC Committees for further review and consideration. We encourage Floridians to stay engaged in the CRC process as we move forward.”
Of the 103 proposals filed by Commissioners, 56 address topics similar to approximately 746 public proposal submissions. A spreadsheet demonstrating the matches between public proposals received by the CRC and proposals filed by Commissioners is available at flcrc.gov/Reference. (Spreadsheets containing all 2,013 public proposal submissions are also available at flcrc.gov/Reference.)
In addition to public proposal submissions, Commissioner proposals also represent ideas shared by Floridians through other means including testimony at CRC public hearings. A spreadsheet organizing the topics discussed at CRC public hearings is available at flcrc.gov/Reference.
How to Review Proposals and Public Input
- All proposals filed by CRC Commissioners are available at flcrc.gov/Proposals/Commissioner.
- All public proposals received by the CRC are available on the CRC website at flcrc.gov/Proposals/Public.
- Public hearing transcripts are available at flcrc.gov/Meetings/Transcripts.
Chris Hart IV Named New CEO of Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers
Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers this week approved the hire of Chris Hart IV as the association’s new Chief Executive Officer. Beginning Dec. 4, Hart will lead the association as it enhances educational opportunities, raises its profile through amplified advocacy efforts, and seeks to deliver value-added services through innovation for Clerks and Comptrollers across the state.
Hart’s distinguished career includes serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives for District 57 (Hillsborough County) from 1998-2002. He has also served as an executive in multiple capacities, including president and CEO of CareerSource Florida, Inc. (2007-2017) and CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor of Science in political science from Florida State University.
“Mr. Hart will provide strong leadership to our association as we optimize the ability of our members to effectively and efficiently serve Floridians through education, legislative action and public awareness of the role and function of the office,” said Marcia M. Johnson, Franklin County Clerk and Comptroller and 2017-18 Board President. “He brings extensive knowledge of the legislative process, which will be critical as we work together with lawmakers to establish sustainable funding for our offices.”
Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers is a statewide nonprofit member association composed of the 67 elected Clerks of the Circuit Court and one independently elected County Comptroller. These leaders in cutting-edge technology have established Florida as a national model, particularly with their statewide Comprehensive Case Information System (CCIS) and the E-Filing Portal. Clerks are independently elected as their duties provide a system of checks and balances, ensuring transparency, access and accountability in local government. While the Constitution Revision Commission convenes this year, Hart and the association will support preserving the roles of constitutional officers as elected, not appointed, positions.
“Our association can achieve great things with a sharpened focus on our vision and mission,” Hart said. “This is a pivotal point in time for the Clerks and Comptrollers, and I look forward to supporting them in their shared commitment to excellence as they seek to effectively and efficiently serve the citizens of Florida.”
Senate approves $692 billion defense budget
The U.S. Senate today passed its annual defense budget for the next fiscal year.
In addition to authorizing $692.2 billion for the Department of Defense and other national security programs, the bill includes a number of projects important to Florida that U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), a senior member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, pushed for, including a provision that will make it easier for commercial space companies to launch more frequently from the Cape, possibly up to twice a day.
The bill, which was approved by the House yesterday, now heads to the president to be signed into law.
Here’s a list of provisions included in the bill that Nelson pushed for:
- Improving Cyber Defenses. As the top Democrat on the Armed Services’ cyber subcommittee, Nelson was instrumental in requiring the Department of Defense to establish new procedures to better detect, counter, and conduct cyber-enabled information operations, like the Russian attempt to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
- Combating Opioid Crisis. Nelson authored an amendment included in the final bill that directs DoD to study the effectiveness of training provided to DoD healthcare providers regarding opioid prescribing practices, initiatives in opioid safety and the use of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain.
- Upgrading launch infrastructure at Cape Canaveral. Nelson authored a provision that requires DoD to modernize the Air Force’s launch infrastructure and improve launch operations to make it easier for commercial space companies to launch more frequently from Cape Canaveral, possibly up to twice a day. Also included are provisions that provide funding to support automated launch safety systems and reusable launch vehicles that would allow the Air Force to support more commercial launches from the Cape, while reducing costs to the government.
- $300 million to upgrade Florida military bases. The bill authorizes $299.1 million for construction at Florida’s military bases, including a special operations simulator facility at Eglin Air Force Base, near Pensacola; a special operations simulator and fuselage training facility at Hurlburt Field, also near Pensacola; a fire station at Tyndall Air Force Base, near Panama City; a “Guardian Angel” facility at Patrick Air Force Base, at Cape Canaveral; and a wastewater treatment plant at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville.
- Upgrading testing and training ranges. Nelson secured an additional $35 million in funding to improve infrastructure at the military’s testing and training ranges, including the Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range off Eglin Air Force Base. The additional funding underscores how important these ranges are to our national security and the need to protect them from offshore oil drilling.
- Future ships to Mayport. Nelson authored a provision that would require the Navy to consider a port’s ability to mitigate risks associated with natural disasters and improve fleet response times when deciding where to homeport future ships. Those considerations, if taken into account, would help make Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville a natural choice for future homeporting of a nuclear aircraft carrier and additional amphibious ships.
- Apollo 1 Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Nelson authored language to authorize the construction and placement of a memorial marker at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the crewmembers of Apollo I who died during a launch rehearsal on January 27, 1967.
- Providing military dependents with the benefits they deserve. Nelson led efforts to include a provision that permanently extends Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) payments, which were set to expire in June 2018. Congress created SSIA to offset the mandatory reductions in payments to some surviving military spouses.
AHCA Begins Process to Impose Fines to Facilities in Non-compliance with Emergency Generator Rule
The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) today announced that the Agency will begin fining assisted living facilities and nursing homes that have failed to comply with the Governor’s Emergency Generator Rule. The Agency will issue orders of non-compliance and fines of $1,000 a day for each facility not in compliance with the life-saving rule. The penalty for non-compliance with the rule includes possible license revocation. AHCA has been clear in communicating the cost of non-compliance, and facilities choosing to not enact these life-saving measures must do so immediately.
Secretary Justin Senior said, “The deadline for compliance with the Emergency Power Rule has passed. From day one we have stressed the importance of compliance and we will hold those facilities who failed to come into compliance fully accountable. This rule was written with one goal in mind, and that is to ensure the safety of patients and residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It is a shame that some facilities have ignored these life-saving measures, and we will work with the local emergency management agencies and State Fire Marshal to ensure that nursing homes and assisted living facilities are in compliance.”
If a facility has submitted a statement of compliance to AHCA and the local emergency management agency, AHCA will confirm approval of the emergency power plan by the local emergency management officials and a confirmation of compliance by the State Fire Marshal whose review will be completed within 15 days after implementation.
If a facility has not responded to the Governor’s Emergency Rule in any form, AHCA will issue a notice of non-compliance informing the facility of the fines and possible license revocation. The notice of non-compliance will demand a certified response in 10 days. During this time, each facility not in compliance is being fined $1,000 per day.
The variance process is outlined in Florida law. If a facility has been granted a variance, or is awaiting approval of a variance, it is expected that these facilities will be in compliance by the date granted in the variance. All variances will be granted solely for construction and permitting timelines, and no facility will receive a variance due to cost. If at the end of the variance period a facility has not come into compliance, they will be subjected to fines and possible license revocation. If facilities meet the stringent threshold to obtain a variance, the state is required to grant the variance under Florida law, F.S. 120.542.
AHCA is the regulatory agency that will enforce the fines for both nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
