New material has been posted to the Supreme Court website in:
- Aramis D. Ayala v. Rick Scott (additional amicus filings processed over the weekend)
Follow the links at: http://www.floridasupremecourt.org.
Featured
Diocese of Venice Receives PSC’s Triple E Award
The Diocese of Venice (DOV) is a light to all who need its many services, but keeping the lights on costs money. By choosing to reduce their energy consumption, the DOV can put the savings toward important mission activities—earning them the Florida Public Service Commission’s (PSC) April Triple E Award for Energy Efficiency Efforts.
“The PSC recognizes the Diocese of Venice for exploring energy efficiency with its utility and implementing their suggestions,” said PSC Chairman Julie Brown. “By making a smart energy efficiency investment, the Diocese was able to reduce one of its highest expenses—its electric bill—and thereby expand services for parishioners.”
The Diocese contacted Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) to ensure its plans for more classrooms and a gymnasium at St. Martha Catholic School in Sarasota were energy efficient. Following FPL’s recommendations, the Diocese invested in a new high-efficiency Thermal Energy Storage system, allowing on-peak electricity use and lower energy bills. St. Martha is projected to reduce electric use by about 20 percent, saving an estimated $3,000 or more per month.
“Often when a Catholic School and/or Parish are considering energy efficient measures, the overriding concern can become economical,” said Susan Laielli, Director of Communication for the Diocese of Venice. “The Diocese worked together with the two schools and the Parish to figure out the most efficient use of energy to ensure that any decision would fully benefit parishioners. We hope the energy efficiency commitment is an example of how to be a good steward of our environmental and financial resources.”
“FPL applauds the Diocese of Venice for making a prudent investment that will help them reduce energy use and provide immediate and long-term savings,” said Brad Gunter, Manager of FPL DSM Energy Efficiency Programs. “All FPL customers—business and residential—have the opportunity to benefit from FPL’s free energy evaluations and its Demand Side Management programs to help reduce their energy use and monthly bills.”
About Diocese of Venice in Florida
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Venice in Florida was founded on June 16, 1984 by Pope John Paul II and consists of about 60 parishes and 14 schools in Charlotte, Collier, Desoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties. Call 941-484-9543, or email [email protected] for more information.
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.
Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.
FMEA Announces Annual Lineman Competition Winners
Florida Linemen Recognized at the Florida Municipal Electric
Association 17th Annual Florida Lineman Competition
Lineworkers from across the state competed for top honors this past weekend at the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) 17th annual Florida Lineman Competition. A crowd of more than a thousand looked on as lineworkers put their skills to the test performing tasks they encounter in real-world scenarios. Tasks range from replacing cross arm beams to relocating transformers to rescuing an injured lineman. Competitors earn points for completing the tasks as quickly as possible and lose points if safety standards and proper work practices are not met. This year’s event was hosted by Lakeland Electric and held at Tigertown Complex in Lakeland.
More than 150 lineworkers participated, including teams and apprentices from Lakeland Electric, Keys Energy (Key West), Tallahassee, JEA (Jacksonville), Alachua, Lake Worth, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU), Orlando Utilities Commission, Beaches Energy (Jacksonville Beach), Kissimmee Utility Authority and Ocala, as well competitors from Talquin Electric Cooperative, Clay Electric Cooperative and Scottsburg, IN.
Journeymen, those have been in the industry for at least five years, competed in teams of three. Apprentices, or lineworkers in training, competed individually.
This year, the Overall Journeymen Team Winners Cup went to Terry Cobb, Nick Ellis and Jason Smith from the City of Tallahassee electric utility. Taking home the Overall Apprentice award was Mike Morgan of GRU.
“The annual lineman competition showcases the work lineworkers do on a daily basis and provide people with an opportunity to see linework in action,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Interim Executive Director. “We extend our congratulations to the winners and our deepest appreciation to all the lineworkers across the state who literally put their lives on the line every day. Their impact on their communities is profound as we recently witnessed following Hurricanes Hermine and Matthew. We thank them for their service.”
Established in 2001 by the FMEA, the Florida Lineman Competition brings together public power lineworkers from across the state to demonstrate their skill and knowledge in the craft of line work. At the competition, journeyman and apprentices compete for professional recognition, attend training courses and practice essential skills in a safe environment. The competition encourages safety awareness, teamwork and networking with other utilities.
For more information on FMEA and the Florida Lineman Competition, please visit www.publicpower.com.
The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) represents the unified interests of 34 public power communities across the state, which provide electricity to more than 3 million of Florida’s residential and business consumers.
April 24-30 is World Immunization Week
Immunizations, or vaccines, are the safest, most effective way to protect you and your child from certain infectious diseases. They work by helping your body develop antibodies against specific diseases, so you are better able to fight off these infections when exposed. Most vaccines cause only minor side effects including fever, local redness and lymph node enlargement, symptoms which are far less serious than the disease itself. True contraindications are rare but include Guillen-Barre and high fevers.
Most schools require each student to follow the immunization schedules recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Examples of vaccines recommended for children include flu, polio, pneumonia, hepatitis, meningitis and HPV, along with the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
The CDC provides schedules for children from birth through age 18, as well as for those who missed immunizations during their early childhood. These schedules are reviewed and updated each year and can be found on Capital Health Plan’s Healthwise® Knowledgebase.
Immunizations can protect your child from dangerous diseases, while also helping to reduce the spread of diseases to others around you, especially those with compromised immune symptoms like the elderly and cancer patients. While a vaccine cannot completely guarantee a person won’t get sick, it will make the impact of the disease much less severe if it is contracted. The cost of an immunization is significantly lower than treating the disease.
It’s not just kids – adults should also stay up to date with their vaccinations as most vaccines require booster shots to stay active. The vaccines you need as an adult depend not only on your age, lifestyle, overall health, pregnancy status and travel plans, but also on who you are in close contact with and what vaccines you had as a child. Travel vaccine recommendations can be found on www.cdc.gov/travel. Vaccines often recommended for adults include flu, shingles and tetanus.
Vaccines save lives every day. In an effort to educate people about the preventive power of vaccines, April 24-30 has been designated as World Immunization Week. During the 2016-2017 influenza season, there have been 20 child fatalities in the United States. In Florida, there have been 185 deaths due to influenza and pneumonia across all ages.
This week, take the first step by checking out our Healthwise® Knowledgebase at www.capitalhealth.com, where you can find printable immunization schedules, in-depth articles, videos and interactive tools. Call your doctor to schedule any needed vaccines for your family to help them stay healthy.
Dr. Miller is a board-certified Family Medicine physician at Capital Health Plan.
Governor Scott Tours Wildfire Damage in Lee County
Governor Rick Scott toured wildfire damage in Lee County with fire and emergency management officials today.
March Monthly Actions from AHCA
March Monthly Actions: Agency Took Licensure Action against Five Providers,
Eight Additional Providers Suspended from the Medicaid Program
The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) issued final orders to four providers for failure to meet licensure requirements in March.
There were three final orders to deny a license renewal and one to revoke an existing license. Some of these providers were enrolled in the Medicaid program and the Agency has terminated or is in the process of terminating their participation in the program.
The Agency also issued an Immediate Moratorium on Admissions to Little Friends Learning Center, Inc. dba Alpine Adult Care Center, an assisted living facility in Escambia County.
In addition, the Agency suspended eight providers from participation in the Medicaid program, prohibiting the providers from being paid for claims to the Medicaid program for furnishing, supervising a person who is furnishing, or causing a person to furnish goods or services.
Agency Medicaid terminations and suspensions typically result from failure to return funds due to the Agency within required timeframes; a charge, indictment, or guilty plea to a health care related crime; suspension, termination, or exclusion from Medicare or Medicaid in another state; or a license denial, revocation, suspension or termination by the licensing agency.
The chart below displays the Agency’s March licensure actions:
The chart below displays the Agency’s March Medicaid final order actions:
Further information about the actions and final orders can be found on the public records search page. Emergency orders, including moratoriums on admissions and suspensions, can also be found on the public records search page by searching the name of the facility.
The Agency encourages anyone who may have a concern or observes a problem in any health care facility or with any provider regulated by the Agency, to file a complaint by calling our consumer complaint line at 1-888-419-3456 or by reporting online at http://ahca.myflorida.com/Contact/call_center.shtml.
Tips about suspected fraud can be reported by calling the Attorney General’s Fraud Hotline at 1-866-966-7226 or the Agency’s Consumer Call Center at 1-888-419-3456. Anyone can report fraud online by visiting the Agency’s website at https://apps.ahca.myflorida.com/InspectorGeneral/fraud_complaintform.aspx.
Democratic lawmakers intervene in Florida Supreme Court petition
Senate Democratic Leader Oscar Braynon on Friday joined fellow Democratic lawmakers in support of Orlando State Attorney Aramais Ayala’s ongoing legal battle with the governor over his meddling in prosecutorial authority.
In a “friend of the court” legal brief submitted to the Florida Supreme Court, Leader Braynon joined Senators Perry Thurston, Gary Farmer, and Jeff Clemens, as well as House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz and Representative Sean Shaw in arguing that Governor Rick Scott’s executive orders stripping first-degree murder cases from Ayala exceeded his authority granted under the state constitution.
Scott issued the executive orders not long after State Attorney Ayala announced that she would pursue life imprisonment without parole over the death penalty in capital cases because of its on-going flaws and protracted appeals process, among other reasons.
“There has been no failure to prosecute; no showing of lack of experience in the State Attorney’s Office to prosecute first degree murder cases; no speedy trial consideration; any other unwillingness or inability by State Attorney Ayala to prosecute any person for the crime of first degree murder in the 9th Judicial Circuit,” the lawmakers wrote.
Nor, they noted, is there any Florida statute mandating a state attorney to seek the death penalty.
Additionally, should the governor’s intervention be allowed to stand, “the Governor may claim the constitutional and statutory power to reassign any case or class of cases” from any state attorney with whom he disagrees in the future, they argued.
The filing of the motion came one week after the Republican leadership of the House was permitted by the Court to intervene in the emergency action on behalf of the governor to show “useful insight.”
In response, the Democrats wrote that they are likewise seeking to provide an “alternative perspective” in order to provide balance to the Court.
The petition for “Quo Warranto” currently pending before the Justices was filed earlier this month. Ayala, who represents the 9th Judicial Circuit, is asking the Court to order the governor to show by what constitutional authority he replaced her on 23 homicide cases pending in her district with a state attorney of his own choosing.
Time to Take Immediate Action on Everglades Says Florida TaxWatch
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Continued inaction on the Everglades problem will be a detriment to taxpayers and the future of the state, says the latest report from Florida TaxWatch, the state’s premier government watchdog group. The organization finds that if the state does not find a solution to the algae blooms and other problems from diversion of water from Lake Okeechobee, the state, tourism industry, and the overall economy would lose millions in revenues, not to mention the negative health and environmental impacts.
“Our environment is critical to our state, both as an economic driver and to keeping our flora and fauna thriving. If we continue to ignore the problem flowing from Lake Okeechobee, the state will suffer,” said Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro. “Local economies will suffer as algae spreads throughout the once-pristine waterways, property values will plummet and tourists will stop coming. These are all very real outcomes if we don’t find a solution.”
For decades, the Everglades have withstood expanding development, increased agricultural pressure and significant changes in natural systems. The intense development of Central and South Florida has increased the timing of water runoff and the levels of nutrients and pollution in its waters.
This major crisis affects both the natural systems and those who depend on them, as water is discharged from Lake Okeechobee away from the Everglades and diverted west into the Caloosahatchee River basin and east into the St. Lucie River basin. This results in the aforementioned algae blooms, leading to significant problems for the affected regions.
Read the full report: http://www.floridataxwatch.org/library/evergladesinaction
Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on Florida House Passing HB 477
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Pam Bondi today released the following statement regarding the Florida House of Representatives’ unanimous passing of HB 477—legislation that will add Fentanyl and other deadly synthetic drugs to Florida’s drug trafficking statute:
“Fentanyl is a deadly synthetic opioid 50 times more powerful than morphine that is being cut with other drugs and sold as heroin. Taking Fentanyl just one time can kill–and that is why I want to thank each member of the Florida House for voting to give prosecutors the tools to seek stronger sentences against traffickers selling Fentanyl and other deadly drugs in our state. We must continue to work together, and this legislation will help our continued efforts to combat this deadly crisis.”
Gov. Scott: Trump commits to funding upgrades to Herbert Hoover Dike
WASHINGTON — Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday that President Donald Trump has promised the federal government will provide the money to help the state fully upgrade the Herbert Hoover Dike by 2022, a project considered vital to stemming disruptive overflows from Lake Okeechobee.
At the White House for a veterans’ bill signing ceremony, Scott said he got a verbal commitment from the president that Florida would get enough money to finish the project within five years. “I asked the president if he would commit to put up the funding to fix the dike and he said he would,” the governor told reporters later in the day about his discussions with the president, a close political ally.
If the state legislature approves Scott’s request for $200 million in this year’s budget to upgrade the dike, the federal share would presumably be around $600 million to meet the 2022 target.
Scott believes the repairs will allow the lake to hold more water, thereby reducing the need for discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers, which have suffered from contaminated run-off and algae blooms in recent years.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio said: “I’m glad the president supports the rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike and plans to include $200 million towards this effort in his fiscal year 2018 budget. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will work closely with my colleagues to ensure Florida has the resources it needs to complete this important infrastructure project that is essential to protecting the environment and keeping area residents safe.”
