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Attorney Ben Crump to Host Special Screening of New Film “Marshall” with Proceeds Funding Law School Scholarships for Minority Students

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Crump has a Cameo Role in the Film, which Showcases the
Influential Career of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall

Ben Crump, prominent civil rights attorney who gained national recognition representing the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, is sponsoring a special premiere screening of the new movie, “Marshall” Thursday to benefit law school scholarships for minority students.

The screening will be held at the Regal Governor’s Square Stadium 12 Movie Theatre on Thursday, October 12, 2017 at 6 p.m.

The black carpet event will begin at 6 p.m., with the movie beginning at 6:30 p.m. The film will be followed by a brief Q-and-A conducted by Attorney Crump.

The film features an all-star cast including Chadwick Boseman, Kate Hudson and Sterling K. Brown, and tells the story of the early career of the ambitious civil rights attorney, Thurgood Marshall, who went on to become the first African American Supreme Court Justice. Crump, who counts Marshall as a hero and early influence, has a cameo role in the movie.

A suggested donation of $25, or a VIP donation of $50, will fund scholarships for FAMU and FSU College of Law minority students. Checks can be made payable to 100 Black Men of Tallahassee Area, Inc. Re: Benefitting FAMU & FSU College of Law Minority Scholarship Fund.

Those who wish to attend should RSVP via email at [email protected] or call (850) 727-5101 to reserve tickets.

WHO: Attorney Ben Crump
WHAT: Screening of the new biographical drama “Marshall”
WHEN: Thursday, October 12, 2017
6 p.m.
WHERE: Regal Governor’s Square Stadium 12 Movie Theatre
1501 Governors Square Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32301

Tower Hill Honors Hispanic Heritage Month with Record-Setting Contribution to Step Up For Students

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More than 4,800 lower-income children in Hillsborough County on scholarship

Step Up For Students and Tower Hill Insurance Group joined together Tuesday at Florida College Academy to celebrate the insurance company’s record-setting contribution to the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship Program during National Hispanic Heritage month.

Since 2011, Tower Hill has contributed more than $3 million to Step Up For Students, providing scholarships to more than 600 of Florida’s underprivileged students who are given access to a private school or financial assistance to attend an out-of-district public school.

“During a time when we recognize the prominent role the Hispanic community has played in building this great nation, I am proud that Tower Hill is working to fund hundreds of scholarships in order to help serve more students,” said Don Matz, CEO of Tower Hill. “It has been a pleasure meeting with so many brilliant, caring students this morning.”

Step Up For Students, the nonprofit organization that helps administer the income-based FTC scholarship program, provides opportunities to nearly 105,000 students across Florida this school year. Roughly 38 percent of students statewide are Hispanic, and the typical scholarship student comes from a single-parent household where the average income is $25,353.

In Hillsborough County, 40 percent of the 4,850 students benefiting from the program are Hispanic. Step Up For Students praised Tower Hill’s generosity, which has been crucial to fueling the growth of the program.

“The impressive level of support from Florida’s insurance industry is critical to advancing our mission of providing educational options to underprivileged children across the state,” said Doug Tuthill, president of Step Up For Students. “Tower Hill’s contribution is an investment in students and allows them to access the education that best meets their individual learning needs.”

Families and students that have benefited from the FTC scholarship program spoke out in support, urging other leading companies to consider participation. Florida College Academy, located in Temple Terrace, has 258 students in pre-K through eighth grade, approximately 50 percent of whom are Step Up scholars.

“As both a teacher at Florida College Academy and a parent of two scholarship students, I have witnessed first-hand the overwhelming transformation this program has made in the lives of its recipients,” said Stephanie Meier, mother to third- and fourth-grade scholarship students. “I hope that all interested families who qualify for this program are granted the same opportunity that my family has been privileged to experience.”

A recent study of the program found that FTC scholarship students are significantly more likely to attend college and receive a degree. The study compared FTC students to a comparable set of Florida public school students, assessing college enrollment, persistence, and attainment rates. The widely reported study found that students who are on the FTC scholarship program for four or more years are 40 percent more likely than their public school counterparts to attend college and 29 percent more likely to earn an associate degree.

To learn more about Tower Hill, visit https://www.thig.com. More information on the impact of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program and how to support Step Up for Students is available at https://www.stepupforstudents.org.

Senator Dana Young Reintroduces Legislation to Ban Fracking in Florida

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Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) has filed legislation today that will ban fracking in Florida. SB462 bans fracking of all kinds including hydraulic fracking, acid fracking, and matrix-acidizing. Fracking is an oil extraction method that injects chemical-laden waters into oil wells for the purpose of breaking up rock to increase the amount of oil and gas extracted.
Senator Young said, “This is the second year I am introducing legislation to completely ban fracking in Florida. Last year we had tremendous bi-partisan support with 19 co-sponsors. I believe the Senate will support this important ban on fracking and I hope the House of Representatives will also come to the table to protect the environment.”
Representative Kathleen Peters (R-South Pasadena) who is sponsoring the legislation in the House of Representatives said, “Florida cannot afford to lose millions of gallons of water a day to perform the fracking process and we certainly cannot afford the risk fracking poses to our drinking water. Water is a key element to life and we must do everything we can to protect the quality of our water and the health of our citizens.”
Senator Young made a ban on fracking her legislative priority after citing several examples of fracking’s harmful effects on the environment, most notably ground water contamination. Young said, “Our state sits precariously atop fragile limestone formations. Physically fracturing and/or dissolving this geologic formation goes against all common sense. As a 6th generation Floridian and avid outdoorsman, I understand the importance of our environment and I believe we must join together and say ‘no’ to this harmful activity, before irreversible environmental damage is done.”

PSC Invites Utility Customer Comment about Hurricane Response

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) invites utility customers to provide comments on Florida electric utilities’ hurricane preparedness and restoration actions.  Beginning today, customers can click on a link easily located on the PSC’s homepage, www.floridapsc.com, and submit their comments.
“We want to hear from customers about their power restoration time and how utility information was provided to them before, during, and after the storm,” said PSC Chairman Julie Brown.  “Your comments will be extremely valuable as part of the Commission’s review of utility hurricane preparedness and restoration actions.”
The PSC recently set its action plan to review utilities hurricane preparedness and restoration actions.  The review will explore the potential to further minimize infrastructure damage that results in outages.  A generic docket was established to collect and analyze forensic data on the utilities’ transmission and distribution facilities to discern the type and cause of damage.
This extensive data collection and detailed analysis will include a workshop on hurricane preparedness with input from all electric utilities and stakeholders, including comments submitted by customers. Upon the conclusion of data collection and analysis, and consideration of public comment, the Commission will consider options for immediate action.
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.

Senator Aaron Bean Named 2017 Senator of the Year by The Able Trust

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Sen. Bean was recognized for supporting Floridians with disabilities

Senator Aaron Bean (R-Fernandina Beach) has been named the 2017 Senator of the Year by The Able Trust. The Able Trust recognized the senator for his steadfast support of policy and programs that support people with disabilities. This is the third year that he has received an award from The Able Trust. During the 2017 legislative session, Sen. Bean fought to keep Able Trust programs alive and available to Floridians with disabilities throughout the State of Florida.
“It is such an honor to be named The Able Trust’s 2017 Senator of the Year,” said Sen. Bean. “The Able Trust provides critical programs and services to Floridians with disabilities, and they are truly making a difference in people’s lives. I look forward to continuing to work with The Able Trust to ensure that Floridians with disabilities are never left behind and are given the opportunities they so rightly deserve.”
Sen. Bean represents Senate District 4, which includes parts of Nassau and Duval Counties. He can be contacted in Tallahassee at (850) 487-5004 or in his District Office at (904) 757-5039.

Nicole Stookey Albers Joins FMEA as New Public Affairs Manager

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The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) today announced Nicole Stookey Albers as the association’s new public affairs manager. In her role at FMEA, Albers will manage the association’s legislative affairs and social media.
“Having been a part of state government and the political process for nearly 15 years, Nicole brings a wealth of legislative and governmental affairs experience to FMEA,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director. “She will be a great asset to our members as we work to advance the legislative agenda of the association.”
Prior to joining FMEA, Albers was Deputy Director, Office of Legislative Planning at the Florida Department of Health. Previous roles include Deputy Director, Office of Legislative Affairs at the Florida Department of Children and Families and Executive Director of the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet. Additionally, she has held several positions within the Florida Department of Children and Families. Albers earned her Master of Science in Political Science, Applied American Politics and Policy, Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from Florida State University.
Originally called the Florida Municipal Utilities Association, FMEA was established in 1942 in response to World War II fuel shortages. Today, the association actively represents and advocates for member cities’ interests on a wide variety of state and federal issues, provides education and training for members and serves as a clearinghouse for industry news and information.
Municipal electric utilities provide affordable, reliable electric service, and have been doing so for more than a century. As community-owned and locally managed organizations, these utilities are focused on serving local needs and interests while reinvesting back into the community for services, such as police and fire protection.
For more information on FMEA and Florida’s public power communities, please visit www.publicpower.com.

Two More Arrested in Connection to Pharmacy Burglaries

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Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security today announced the arrests of two more members of a large drug-trafficking organization in Miami. The organization operated primarily in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
Nereida Milagros Ortiz Almonte, 50, and her daughter-in-law, Ashley Alexandra Laguna, 19, both from Miramar, continued the illicit activities of the drug ring, following the arrest of Raúl Ponce, Jr.,18, Ortiz Almonte’s son and Laguna’s husband. Investigators now believe Almonte and Laguna sought to collect drug debts and transport stolen narcotics and a firearm on behalf of Ponce and the larger organization.
These arrests are part of an ongoing investigation of more than 50 pharmacy burglaries committed since summer 2015. According to the investigation, masked and gloved suspects, carrying a large yellow crowbar, gym-bags and backpacks, broke into these drug stores after hours. The suspects then allegedly broke into pharmaceutical storage lockers and removed large quantities of controlled drugs, such as hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone, promethazine with codeine syrup and other narcotics. The suspects took no more than a few minutes to complete the crimes, fleeing before law enforcement could respond to alarms.
Other members of the organization previously arrested include:
· Harrison Garcia, 27, Hialeah;
· Alonzo Hinson, 26, Opa Locka;
· Jonluis Labadie, 19, Miami;
· Joanky Labadie, 19, Miami;
· Darrish Bernard Martin, 26, Miami;
· Bryan Pitter, 28, Miramar; and
· Chantelle Ponce, 23, Miramar.
The defendants connected to this case face charges ranging from racketeering and weapons charges to burglary and drug-trafficking. For more information about the previous arrests, click here.
Attorney General Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute the defendants in the Broward County Circuit Court.

Newly-Elected Senator Annette Taddeo (D-Miami-Dade) Sworn Into Office

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Newly-elected Democrat Annette Taddeo was sworn into office on Tuesday, becoming the 16th member of the Senate Democratic Caucus which now represents 40 percent of the Florida Senate.
“Senator Taddeo represents not only a boost in our Caucus numbers, but a signal that new changes are beginning in the state of Florida,” said Senate Democratic Leader Oscar Braynon, of Miami Gardens. “As the first Latina Democratic Senator, and the daughter of an immigrant, she is the embodiment of the American dream, and an inspiration to many in our state that have followed in her footsteps. We are proud to have her as our newest member.”
“This opportunity opens the door to everyone who still believes that together, we can move mountains,” said Senator Taddeo. “Whether it’s affordable healthcare, a quality public education, or clean water, these are the issues that matter to the people of my district and to all Floridians. My promises to change the way business is done in Tallahassee didn’t end on the campaign trail. They’re just getting started.”
Senator Taddeo is a newcomer to the legislative arena, but not to Florida politics. The Senator was the former running mate of Charlie Crist during his second run for governor in 2014. She is the former chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, Vice-Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, and chair of the Democratic National Committee Hispanic Caucus for Southern States, all from 2013-2016.
Born in Colombia, Senator Taddeo has been honored multiple times for her business savvy and as a Latina entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of LanguageSpeak in Miami, an award-winning language translation firm that has assisted financial, legal, and healthcare interests in multinational settings.
Married to Eric Goldstein, also of Miami, the couple has one daughter, Sofia.
Senator Taddeo has been appointed to serve on the following Senate committees for the remainder of the 2017-2018 legislative term: Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, Banking and Insurance, Environmental Preservation and Conservation, Military and Veterans Affairs, and Transportation.

Certification of State Senate District 44 and State House District 116 Special Election

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MEDIA ADVISORY

The Florida Department of State’s Division of Elections announces the following meeting of the Elections Canvassing Commission.
DATE AND TIME: Tuesday, October 10, 2017, 9:00 a.m.
LOCATION: Cabinet Meeting Room, LL03, The Capitol, Tallahassee, Florida
SUBJECT: Certification of State Senate District 44 and State House District 116 Special Election
PARTICIPANTS: Members of the State Elections Canvassing Commission will include Governor Rick Scott, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. All will be participating via phone.

Gov. Scott Issues Updates on State Action to Assist Puerto Rico

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Governor Rick Scott today provided an update on resources being deployed to Puerto Rico to assist with recovery and response efforts following Hurricane Maria. Governor Scott also directed Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Secretary Jonathan Zachem to issue an Emergency Order suspending all fees required for occupational license applications for residents of Puerto Rico who were impacted by Hurricane Maria and are now in Florida.
See below for more information on what the State of Florida is doing to support Puerto Rico:
MILITARY SUPPORT

  • The Florida National Guard (FLNG) continues to monitor and provide support, as needed, to coordinate Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) force flow into Puerto Rico.
  • Four senior leaders from the FLNG are in Puerto Rico providing support for air space operations and communications. These personnel assisted with movement of FDLE personnel and equipment into Puerto Rico over the past weekend.
  • The Florida Air National Guard’s 101st Air and Space Operations Group (AOG) continues to coordinate all military airflow in the Joint Operations Area through the execution of the AOC’s Regional Air Mobility Coordination Center (RAMCC). To date, they have coordinated over 1,000 flights, bringing over 6,000 personnel and 8,500 tons of cargo in support of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

  • The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) traveled to San Juan with Governor Scott and met with the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety to discuss security concerns and needs.
  • FDLE has coordinated a request for 160 law enforcement officers that are standing by to deploy to Puerto Rico to supplement Puerto Rican law enforcement. These assets will come from New Jersey and Michigan.
  • An eight-member FDLE incident management team is in Puerto Rico to distribute supplies and assist local law enforcement officers.
  • An eight-member multi-agency incident management team is in Puerto Rico this week to help assess law enforcement needs. Agencies with members on the team include FDLE, FWC, FHP and DFS.
  • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has identified volunteers from across the state that are part of the FWC Special Operations Group (SOG) to stand by for potential deployment. Many of these officers have recently deployed to assist with Hurricanes Harvey and Hurricane Irma response and recovery operations.
  • FWC has identified specialty equipment such as trucks, coastal and river patrol boats, ATVs and shallow draft boats to be considered for potential use as needed.
  • The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has deployed two Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) Mobiles to the relief center at the Orlando International Airport and the Miami International Airport to provide credentialing services to impacted customers.  One FLOW Mobile bus is outside the relief center and one FLOW mini unit is inside the relief center.

DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

  • Since October 3rd, 2017, approximately 20,000 individuals arrived in Florida from Puerto Rico through Miami International Airport, Orlando International Airport and Port Everglades.
  • At the direction of Governor Scott, three Disaster Relief Centers (DRCs) have opened at Orlando International Airport, Miami International Airport, and the Port of Miami for Puerto Rican families displaced by Hurricane Maria.
  • The following organizations will have staff on site: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Children and Families, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Department of Health, Department of Economic Opportunity, American Red Cross and Catholic Charities (Orlando International Airport).
  • These partners will offer services such as help with registering for FEMA Individual Assistance, crisis counseling, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) information, assistance with unaccompanied minors and agency social services, assistance with animal services, medical attention and health concerns, employment information and training services, food and water resources, language guidance and spiritual care.
  • The hours of operation for these centers are 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., including weekends.
  • The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is working closely with Puerto Rican officials to help identify, prioritize and affect Emergency Management Assistance Compact missions, allowing for the right resources and personnel from the continental U.S. to be appropriately leveraged in support of the response effort.
  • SERT has coordinated with private partners to secure three large transport vessels that have a combined passenger capacity of more than 7,500 individuals.
  • SERT is working with private cellular infrastructure repair and support companies to assist the Puerto Rico response effort and deploy personnel, repair equipment, trucks and fuel needed for critical communications infrastructure repairs.
  • SERT is identifying relief supplies for deployment. More than 2 million pounds of relief supplies are positioned in the Tampa Bay area for two large cargo aircraft transporting them to airports outside of San Juan. In addition, four hangars across the Tampa and Orlando areas are full of relief supplies are on standby for air transport.
  • Available relief supplies include 220 Florida Point of Distribution (POD) support packages which are used for the distribution of water, food, and supplies to the public, 50 6,000-gallon potable water tankers, 300 fork lifts, 10 kitchen support units, 10 shower/laundry facilities, 1,000 light towers, and 1,200 portable generators standing by for transport to Puerto Rico as needed. In addition, Lowe’s is currently transporting 30 trailers worth of portable generators to Homestead for transport to Puerto Rico.
  • SERT is working with utility partners at the State Emergency Operations Center to identify resources that may be offered to Puerto Rico. This includes personnel, repair equipment and expertise. Additionally, FPL has offered assessment teams that can quickly deploy and assist in determining critical infrastructure needs.
  • SERT is working with fuel industry partners to secure ships transporting fuel, fuel trucks and bilingual drivers to transport fuel to areas with the most critical need. Two fuel barges are on standby for deployment.
  • SERT, through the Florida Retail Federation, is coordinating with Florida’s major retailers in ensuring the availability and distribution of needed goods.
  • SERT coordinated with the Humane Society of the United States to support pet and animal shelters in San Juan. 

HEALTH AND MEDICAL

  • The state coordinated with Florida International University to host evacuees from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, 90 of which were dialysis patients, at Florida International University.
  • The state is currently on the list of Federal Coordinating Centers (FCCs) to accept patients if needed from Puerto Rico as recovery efforts continue. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) will stand ready to coordinate patient transport as needed.
  • DOH is providing education on available public health services at Disaster Relief Centers in South Florida and Orlando for Puerto Rican families displaced by Hurricane Maria.
  • The Agency for Health Care Administration will work with our federal partners to gather information on any waivers the Medicaid program would need to serve individuals from Puerto Rico. As always, the Medicaid program covers medically necessary services for children and families eligible for Medicaid.

TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC WORKS

  • The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is prepared to deploy a team to assess infrastructure status and needs and coordinate further related deployments.
  • FDOT is working to fulfill a request from Puerto Rico to assist in evaluating the current status of traffic signals and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) field devices.
  • FDOT has been in communication with Puerto Rico’s Secretary of Transportation and Public Works regarding transportation needs.
  • The Governor has called on Florida port directors to prioritize and expedite the shipment of goods from across the country quickly to Puerto Rico and many ports have committed to stand ready to help move supplies through their facilities as quickly as possible. 

VOLUNTEER FLORIDA

  • Volunteer Florida is providing information and resources to Floridians who want to make donations or volunteer at www.volunteerflorida.org.
  • Volunteer Florida is coordinating with Disaster Relief Centers in Orlando and Miami to serve displaced families from Puerto Rico.
  • Organizations and services at the Orlando Disaster Relief Center include:

The United Way – providing registration for food assistance, housing assistance, medical needs and referrals to case management for extended needs.

Latino Leadership, Inc. – providing registration for employment solutions, food banks, and clothing banks

Orange County Family Services – providing information about family services that are available in the county

The City of Orlando Hispanic Office for Local Assistance – connecting families with government and community organizations, food stamps and health insurance application assistance, access to computers and referrals for employment opportunities

Catholic Charities – managing referrals for schooling, medical, health clinics, food pantries, ESL services, and financial assistance

The Salvation Army – providing emotional and spiritual care along with hygiene kits and snacks and baby supplies

LYNX – providing information about transit services

Aspire Health Partners, Inc. – providing crisis counseling, support, outreach and referrals

Shepard’s Hope – providing assistance with health insurance and medical needs

Second Harvest Food Bank – providing food kits for distribution

 

  • Organizations and services at the Orlando Disaster Relief Centers include:

The United Way of Miami-Dade – coordinating services for displaced families

Red Cross – providing family Reunification and is staffing the comfort station, providing water, snacks, and comfort kits

Jewish Community Services – providing counseling

Citrus Health Network – providing counseling

Alliance for Aging – providing services for elderly individuals

Youth Co-op – providing information on job opportunities

Catalyst Miami – providing case management

Branches – providing case management

Connect Familias – providing case management

Salvation Army – providing emotional and spiritual care along with hygiene kits and snacks and baby supplies

Banyan – providing health services

Second Harvest Food Bank – providing food kits for distribution

 
BUSINESS AND REGULATION

  • Governor Rick Scott directed the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Secretary Jonathan Zachem to issue an Emergency Order suspending all fees required for occupational license applications for residents of Puerto Rico who were impacted by Hurricane Maria and are now in Florida. This includes over 50 different individual professional license types, such as barbers and realtors. By suspending fees, residents from Puerto Rico will be able to obtain a license from the state more quickly and continue their careers in Florida. To view the order, click HERE.
  • The Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and the local CareerSource boards deployed staff to meet evacuees at the Disaster Assistance Centers (DACs) opened at the Miami International Airport and Orlando International Airport last week.  Staff are on-site to provide information about resources available to assist them in Florida.
  • The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) is working with the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) and Florida’s major retailers to help Puerto Rico retailers’ operational status and requests for assistance.

EDUCATION

  • Florida school districts have processes in place to enroll K-12 students displaced by natural disasters, and all districts are prepared to enroll Puerto Rican evacuees. Families displaced by Hurricane Maria have begun arriving in Florida, and a number have already enrolled their students.
  • At Governor Scott’s direction, the Office of Early Learning (OEL) has temporarily waived rules and regulations that will allow Florida’s 30 early learning coalitions to enroll Puerto Rican children whose education records are unavailable due to the storm. This will make it easier for young children to continue their early learning education through Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) and School Readiness Programs. To view the order, click HERE.
  • At Governor Scott’s direction, the Florida Department of Education (DOE) has temporarily waived rules and regulations that will allow Florida public school districts to enroll Puerto Rican students whose education records are unavailable due to the storm. The Governor also directed DOE to waive the educator certificate application fee and other requirements to help Puerto Rican educators displaced by the storm more easily continue their teaching careers in Florida.Upon receiving a request from a district superintendent, DOE will waive the application fee for an initial educator certificate and will allow the acceptance of an unofficial transcript of teaching degrees or copies of a valid teaching certificate issued by another state or U.S. territory. To view the order, click HERE.
  • At the direction of Governor Scott, Commissioner Stewart also signed a supplemental order authorizing state colleges to waive existing rules and other requirements to help Puerto Rican students more quickly enroll in college. At the request of Governor Scott, all 28 Florida College System institutions have agreed to offer in-state tuition to Puerto Rican students who were impacted by Hurricane Maria. To view the order, click HERE.
  • Commissioner Stewart issued a summary of guidance to all districts and will continue to work with school districts on additional issues as they arise.
  • Florida Virtual School will accept 20,000 Puerto Rican students who were displaced by Hurricane Maria to ensure they are able to continue their education. To sign up, contact Liz Chico at (863) 606-8033.
  • The below Florida state colleges and universities are waiving out-of-state tuition and fees for students from Puerto Rico displaced by Hurricane Maria following a request by Governor Scott:
  • Broward College
  • Chipola College
  • College of Central Florida
  • Daytona State
  • Eastern Florida State College
  • Florida A&M University
  • Florida Atlantic University
  • Florida Gateway
  • Florida Gulf Coast University
  • Florida International University
  • Florida Keys Community College
  • Florida Southwestern State College
  • Florida State College at Jacksonville
  • Florida State University
  • Gulf Coast State College
  • Hillsborough Community College
  • Indian River State College
  • Lake Sumter
  • Miami Dade College
  • New College of Florida
  • North Florida Community College
  • Northwest Florida State College
  • Palm Beach State
  • Pasco-Hernando State College
  • Pensacola State College
  • Polk State College
  • Santa Fe College
  • Seminole State
  • South Florida State College
  • Johns River State College
  • Petersburg College
  • State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota
  • Tallahassee Community College
  • University of Central Florida
  • University of Florida
  • University of North Florida
  • University of South Florida
  • University of West Florida
  • Valencia College

Last month, at the request of Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló, Governor Scott visited San Juan, Puerto Rico to help coordinate response and recovery efforts. Governor Scott has also met with President Trump and Vice President Pence to discuss his trip to Puerto Rico and actions the State of Florida is taking to help with response and recovery. For more information on state response action for Hurricane Maria, visit www.floridadisaster.org/info/maria.