Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis today announced the arrest of Oscar M. Palma made by the Department of Financial Services’ Disaster Fraud Action Strike Team. Palma, a Fort Myers contractor, was reported to authorities after allegedly making subpar roof repairs to an area apartment complex following Hurricane Irma. Upon launching an investigation, fraud detectives quickly learned that while Palma advertised himself as a licensed and insured contractor, he in fact held no workers’ compensation coverage and was not licensed as a contractor.
When accidents occur on job sites, workers’ compensation coverage protects the property owner and hired employees from being held responsible for paying medical and lost wage costs tied to potential on-the-job injuries. Therefore, Palma put his entire staff as well as his customers at risk by failing to carry proper insurance coverage.
CFO Patronis said, “When contractors fail to secure workers’ compensation coverage, a myriad of risks are presented, and we are sending a message that taking short cuts will not be tolerated. If any of Palma’s workers were to get injured, the property owners, who are already going through high-stress and costly times dealing with Hurricane Irma damages, or the employee themselves are forced to pay out-of-pocket for medical expenses. Our efforts are focused on ensuring our residents, consumers and employees don’t fall victim to Irma twice, and these types of uninsured activities could cause just that.”
The Department’s Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Compliance received a tip October 12, 2017, alleging unlicensed, uninsured and careless roof work was being performed by Palma’s company. Investigators visited one of Palma’s current work sites and issued a stop work order upon confirming Palma failed to secure a workers’ compensation insurance and Palma’s confession to having no professional license.
He was arrested October 13, 2017, and transported to Lee County Jail. This case will be prosecuted by the Lee County Office of the State Attorney, 20th Judicial Circuit. If convicted, Palma could face up to five years in prison.
The Department’s anti-fraud strike team consists of three teams working in areas heavily impacted by Hurricane Irma including South Florida, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties; Southwest Florida, including Lee and Collier counties; and Central Florida, including Polk and Orange counties. To report suspected fraud, call the Department’s toll-free Fraud Tip Hotline at 1-800-378-0445.
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Nelson calls on feds to help students affected by storms
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) is leading a group of senators in calling on the U.S. Dept. of Education to use its discretion to help students displaced or otherwise unable to continue their education in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
“Nearly 250,000 college students have been displaced by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the middle of their academic year,” the senators wrote today in a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “We respectfully request you work closely with students and institutions in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to ensure students have the ability to continue their education without having to worry about the stress of how they will have to pay for it.”
According to the U.S. Department of Education, approximately two-thirds of the 246 schools in Puerto Rico and the USVI remain closed as the islands struggle to restore power after the storms.
“Nearly 10 percent of Puerto Rico’s population have federal student loans,” the lawmakers wrote. “Many of these students continue to be without power, telephone, or internet service needed to make payments on their loans or to request assistance from their student loan servicers. … we urge you to exercise your discretion to enroll borrowers impacted by Hurricane Maria in interest-free administrative forbearance for a minimum period of six months, or until Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are no longer considered to be in a disaster zone.”
In addition to Nelson, the letter was signed by Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Christopher Murphy (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Following is the text of the lawmakers’ letter, a PDF copy is available here.
October 20, 2017
The Honorable Betsy DeVos
Secretary
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-8510
Dear Secretary DeVos,
We write with great concern for students and borrowers who have been affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have suffered catastrophic damages due to these storms, knocking out Puerto Rico’s electric grid and leaving 3.4 million Americans with no power in the days following the storm. There are a number of concerns we must address as the island continues to recover and rebuild, including the fact that colleges and universities had to close their doors until they are able to restore functioning capacity. According to the most recent data we have received from the U.S. Department of Education (“Department”), approximately two thirds of the 246 campuses in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are closed or have an operational status of unconfirmed. Thousands of students and families in Puerto Rico do not have access to the educational opportunities as a result of schools shutting down and many of these students have invested personal resources to build their future.
Nearly 250,000 college students have been displaced by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the middle of their academic year and many of these students rely on federal grants and loans to pay for school. During a time of chaos and distress for colleges, universities, and the students they serve in the affected areas, we are concerned that both institutions and students will have a difficult time navigating through the complex student aid processes, such as rules governing the return of Title IV funding and subsidized loan eligibility. We urge the Department to offer critical assistance to students, as well as the colleges and universities, by expanding direct outreach to inform individuals of their options, particularly options for students and borrowers unable to complete their school year as a result of the hurricanes.
In addition, we urge you to use the statutory discretion available for you to expand the waiver of requirements for students to repay their balance of Pell Grant awards, particularly for those students who have had to temporarily discontinue their education due to the disaster affecting their institution or local community. This will bring further relief to students during this time of distress.
Nearly 10 percent of the Puerto Rico’s population have federal student loans. Many of these students continue to be without power, telephone, or internet service needed to make payments on their loans or to request assistance from their student loan servicers. Unfortunately, the Department has not yet published any robust instructions for these borrowers beyond instructing them to contact their servicers, which many cannot do. Your Department has unfettered authority during a national emergency to automatically enroll borrowers into administrative forbearance and to do so without charging borrowers interest that will capitalize on their loans. We urge you to exercise your discretion to enroll borrowers impacted by Hurricane Maria in interest-free administrative forbearance for a minimum period of six months, or until Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are no longer considered to be in a disaster zone.
We also urge you to direct federal student loan servicers to extend or suspend deadlines for providing student loan documentation, such as annual documentation of income for the income-driven repayment plans, for impacted borrowers for as long as the law allows and until Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are no longer considered to be in a disaster zone.
As the affected areas continue to rebuild after Hurricane Irma and Maria, we respectfully request you work closely with students and institutions in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to ensure students have the ability to continue their education without having to worry about the stress of how they will have to pay for it. We thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Florida Unemployment Rate Drops to 3.8 Percent
The Department of Economic Opportunity announced today that Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.8 percent in September, the lowest rate in more than a decade. As of September, Florida’s unemployment rate had dropped 6.9 percentage points since December 2010, faster than the national decline. Private-sector businesses were severely impacted last month by Hurricane Irma, which resulted in survey data showing a reduction of job numbers solely for the month of September. To help Florida families and business owners quickly recover from this massive storm, Governor Scott has activated multiple disaster-related resources, such as the Disaster Unemployment Program, the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program and the Florida Citrus Emergency Loan Program.
Governor Rick Scott said, “I am proud that Florida’s unemployment rate has reached a more than 10-year low of 3.8 percent. However, Hurricane Irma was the largest storm we have seen, which affected our entire state and led to the largest evacuation and power restoration effort. Obviously, our jobs numbers were affected because of this. Florida is a resilient state and we are working around the clock to rebuild and recover from this unprecedented storm. Florida’s economy remains strong and more than 1.3 million private-sector jobs have been created across our state since December 2010. We will continue to fight for jobs every day.”
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “It is great news that Florida’s unemployment rate is at 3.8 percent, the lowest in more than a decade. Florida also continued to have a labor force growing three times faster than the nation’s. Although the state as a whole was impacted by this storm, three large metro areas still had strong over-the-year job gains, showing the strength of our economy. As we restore businesses damaged from this natural disaster, it is more important than ever that we focus on getting Floridians back to work so families throughout the state can continue to flourish.”
Other positive economic indicators include:
- In the last year, 239,000 people entered Florida’s labor force, a growth of 2.4 percent. This rate is three times the national labor force growth rate of only 0.8 percent.
- Florida job postings showed 221,091 openings in September 2017.
- In September, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported 20,022 Floridians, including 1,130 veterans, were placed in jobs.
To view the September 2017 employment data, CLICK HERE.
Senator Gary Farmer issues statement on racist speaker at the University of Florida
“Every human being, regardless of age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or mental capabilities; deserves to be treated with respect. Guarantees of equality and basic human dignity for all people are essential components of a functioning democratic society. Today in Gainesville Richard Spencer will espouse an ideology that flies in the face of these basic American values.
“This hateful man has spewed despicable comments about people of color and our Jewish and Muslim communities, and has suggested that woman should not have the right to vote. This is the same racist individual that organized the violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville over the summer. This ignorant and spiteful man believes himself to be better than the rest of us. He attempts to pass off his shallow mindedness for righteousness, and in doing so has exposed America to the seedy underbelly of our politics. While this lowlife may have the right to promulgate his filthy ideology, we also have an obligation to affirm that he does not represent the vast majority of our society.
“In the days leading up to this closedminded coward’s appearance at the University of Florida, we have seen Gators as well as other Floridians make it clear that the hateful views of racists, sexists, and neo-Nazis are not a true reflection of both University of Florida community, and our State as a whole. We have seen sororities, fraternities, and other student groups openly express their disapproval of this hateful message. As a Seminole, you will not often catch me saying anything complimentary about the Gators, but this week Gators, you did the whole state proud. I also want to commend the various branches of law enforcement as well as school officials for making the safety and well-being of our students a top priority leading up to, during, and after this event.”
First Lady Ann Scott Celebrates H.I.V.E. Preparatory Academy Students’ Summer Reading Accomplishments
First Lady Ann Scott visited Highly Inquisitive and Versatile Education (HIVE) Preparatory School in Miami-Dade County to congratulate them on winning the 2017 First Lady’s Summer Literacy Adventure reading challenge. Each student and school employee received family passes to a Florida state park and the school received 100 books for its library. The school previously won the Summer Literacy Adventure in 2013.
The Summer Literacy Adventure is an annual partnership between the Florida Department of Education, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Lottery that is designed to encourage Florida students to strengthen their reading skills during the summer break.
“I am extremely proud of HIVE Preparatory Academy and their students for making literacy a priority,” said First Lady Ann Scott. “This is the second time HIVE Preparatory Academy has won the Summer Literacy Adventure, and they should be very proud of their accomplishments. HIVE Preparatory Academy sets a great example for the rest of the state, and I enjoyed visiting the students and educators to celebrate this outstanding accomplishment.”
“Congratulations to the students at HIVE Preparatory Academy for winning the Summer Literacy Adventure!” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “Reading during the summer is vital to lifelong learning and success. I am grateful to First Lady Ann Scott for her commitment to reading and literacy, and I applaud HIVE Preparatory Academy’s students, teachers and leaders their hard work.”
The First Lady’s Summer Literacy Adventure challenged students to read as many books as possible during the summer break. First Lady Ann Scott visited state parks and emphasized to students the value of reading. Statewide, more than 27,000 students participated and pledged to read books this summer.
“The Florida Literacy Adventure is a great event that DEP is proud to be a part of each year,” said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. “It’s an honor to partner with First Lady Ann Scott, DOE and the Florida Lottery to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards – congratulations to HIVE Preparatory School and all who participated in the adventure.”
Research shows that children who do not continue reading through the summer can lose a month or more of progress made during the school year. By reminding their children to read over breaks from school, parents play an important role in ensuring every child reads at or above grade level.
The Florida Lottery donated books to students throughout the summer as part of the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure.
“The Florida Lottery was proud to once again partner with First Lady Ann Scott by sponsoring and donating books to the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure,” said Secretary Jim Poppell. “Reading is the foundation of learning and success, and we congratulate this year’s winners for their commitment toward advancing their reading skills.”
For more information about the First Lady’s Summer Literacy Adventure, CLICK HERE.
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.
Sen. Daphne Campbell files bill to add new protections for Florida patients in medical facilities
Alarmed by a loophole in Florida law allowing nursing homes and other medical facilities housing patients for extensive stays to escape requirements for emergency power, state Senator Daphne Campbell (D-Miami) on Wednesday filed legislation designed to beef-up patient protections.
“As we saw first-hand with Hurricane Irma, ignoring the critical importance of maintaining power for air conditioning in Florida’s climate leads to tragic conclusions,” said Senator Campbell. “Blistering heat coupled with high humidity is a recipe for disaster, especially for those in weakened conditions such as the elderly. This bill ensures that no other vulnerable citizen undergoing medical care ever has to suffer a death that was wholly preventable.”
Senate Bill 558 would apply to all medical facilities housing patients overnight, including assisted living facilities and nursing homes. The measure would require these facilities, prior to January 1, 2019, to have an operational generator and fuel supply sufficient to sustain emergency power for a minimum of 4 days/96 hours. The generator must provide enough electricity to maintain day-to-day living conditions throughout the entire facility.
The legislation, which has been filed for the upcoming 2018 legislative session, would take effect immediately upon the governor’s signing of the bill.
Senator Campbell’s measure was filed in response to the recent tragedy in South Florida, where 14 elderly patients died following lengthy exposure to excessive heat after The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills lost power during Hurricane Irma. There was no operational generator to power the nursing home’s air conditioning during the prolonged power outage, nor was one required under current state law.
$120 Million Settlement Reached with General Motors for Defective Ignition Switch
Attorney General Pam Bondi, 48 other state attorneys general and the District of Columbia today announced a $120 million consumer protection settlement with General Motors Company regarding allegations that GM concealed safety issues related to ignition-switch-related defects in GM vehicles. The settlement concludes a multistate investigation into the auto manufacturer’s failure to timely disclose known safety defects in several models of GM vehicles.
In 2014, GM issued seven vehicle recalls in response to unintended key-rotation-related and ignition-switch-related issues that affected more than nine million vehicles in the United States. The recalls involved a defective ignition switch that, under certain conditions, could move out of the run position to the accessory or off position. If this occurred, the driver experienced a loss of electrical systems, including power steering and power brakes. If a collision occurred while the ignition switch was in the accessory or off position, the vehicle’s safety airbags may have also fail to deploy, increasing the risk of serious injury or death in certain types of crashes in which the airbag was otherwise designed to deploy.
Certain employees of GM and General Motors Corporation, which went through bankruptcy in 2009, allegedly knew as early as 2004 that the ignition switch posed a safety defect because it could cause airbag non-deployment. Despite this knowledge, GM personnel decided the defect was not a safety concern and delayed making recalls. GM continued to market the reliability and safety of motor vehicles equipped with this defective ignition switch.
As part of a consent judgment, GM will:
- Not represent that a motor vehicle is safe unless GM complied with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards applicable to the motor vehicles;
- Not represent that certified pre-owned vehicles are safe, repaired for safety issues or have been subject to rigorous inspection, unless such vehicles are not subject to any open recalls relating to safety or have been repaired pursuant to such a recall;
- Instruct dealers that all applicable recall repairs must be completed before any GM motor vehicle sold in the U.S. and included in a recall is eligible for certification; and
- If there is a recall on any certified pre-owned vehicle sold in the U.S., the required repair must be completed before the vehicle is delivered to a customer.
As part of the consumer protection settlement, GM also agreed to pay the participating attorneys general a total of $120 Million, of which Florida’s share is more than $6 million.The settlement is pending judicial approval.
To view a copy of the settlement, click here.
Governor Scott Highlights $1 Million Proposal for Jewish Day School Security
Governor Rick Scott today visited the Roth Family Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando to highlight his proposal for $1 million in security funding for Jewish Day Schools as part of his 2018-2019 recommended budget. Read more about the proposal HERE.
Caldwell Locks Another Key Endorsement Block in Bid for Commissioner of Agriculture
Announces Unanimous Support from Returning
Republican House Members from Northeast Florida
Representative Matt Caldwell today announced the unanimous endorsements of returning Republican House members from Northeast Florida, in the third wave of legislative endorsements announced by the campaign, which follows the unanimous support of House members from the Panhandle and Southwest Florida delegations. Since launching his bid for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Representative Caldwell continues to travel the Sunshine State talking to voters, sharing his conservative message and building support for his grassroots campaign.
Representative Caldwell said, “I am proud to have received endorsements from Republican House members in Northeast Florida. I will continue to work hard to earn the trust and support of voters across the Sunshine State, who deserve a Commissioner that has the leadership and policy experience to lead in Tallahassee on day one.”
The third wave of legislative endorsements includes:
- Rep. Cord Byrd (R- Neptune Beach)
- Rep. Travis Cummings (R- Fleming Island)
- Rep. Jason Fischer (R- Jacksonville)
- Rep. Bobby Payne (R- Palatka)
- Rep. Paul Renner (R- Palm Coast)
- Rep. Cyndi Stevenson (R- St. Johns)
- Rep. Clay Yarborough (R- Jacksonville)
Rep. Cord Byrd said, “I am excited to endorse Matt Caldwell in his campaign to be Florida’s next Commissioner of Agriculture. No one has been more effective in shaping policy and ensuring prosperity for the agriculture community in the Sunshine State.”
Rep. Travis Cummings said, “I am proud to endorse my friend Matt Caldwell for Commissioner of Agriculture. We have worked together on issues together throughout our time in the Florida House including pension reform, which was a big priority for the City of Jacksonville.”
Rep. Jason Fischer said, “I am excited to endorse Matt Caldwell in his campaign to be Florida’s next Commissioner of Agriculture. His leadership, work ethic, and policy expertise will result in the continued success of the department and the industries it oversees.”
Rep. Bobby Payne said, “In order to address the lessons learned from Hurricane Irma during the upcoming legislative session, Matt travelled to our region in the wake of the storm to see the flooding and infrastructure needs of our community firsthand. That is the mark of a true leader and I am proud to endorse his bid for Commissioner of Agriculture.”
Rep. Paul Renner said, “Matt Caldwell has proven himself to be a strong conservative leader for Northeast Florida in the Florida House and no one is more qualified to serve as our Florida’s next Commissioner of Agriculture. I am proud to give him my endorsement.”
Rep. Clay Yarborough said, “I am proud to support Matt Caldwell. He is a principled conservative with the policy and leadership credentials to successfully serve Floridians as our next Commissioner of Agriculture.”
Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Announces Office of Youth and Family Advocacy
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) today announced its plan to establish an Office of Youth and Family Advocacy within the Office of the DJJ Secretary.
The Office will serve as a firsthand resource working directly with youth and families to foster communication and amplify their voice in the ongoing improvement of the juvenile justice system. Youth and families will have an additional avenue to raise concerns and engage with the Department to ensure youth and family needs are addressed. This Office will help enhance robust improvement measures at DJJ and give youth and their families another layer of accountability.
“The Department is committed to the well-being and safety of youth and engaging with families to ensure we are meeting their needs,” said Secretary Christina K. Daly. “The Office of Youth and Family Advocacy will share our vision that all Florida’s children live in safe and nurturing communities that provide for their needs, recognize their strengths and support their success.”
DJJ continues to evaluate and identify new ways to build on the tremendous progress made with our aggressive and innovative reforms over the past six years. As part of system-wide reform, evidence-based services are provided throughout the delinquency continuum, with research-based services matched to youths’ assessed risks and needs. The transformation of our juvenile justice system in recent years is producing results:
- Florida has the lowest juvenile arrest rate in more than 40 years.
- DJJ has reduced the use of residential commitment for low-moderate risk youth by 60 percent.
- DJJ has the lowest recidivism for youth on probation that the agency has ever seen.
Over the next several weeks, the Department will begin setting the vision of this newly-created office including identifying the necessary resources to ensure effectiveness. More information will be released in the coming weeks.
