TAMPA, Fla. – Tomorrow, April 20th, Governor Rick Scott will attend the groundbreaking of NewSouth Window Solutions’ new manufacturing and distribution facility.
WHAT: Groundbreaking Ceremony
WHEN: 2:00 PM
WHERE:
Crossroads Commerce Center
4330 Williams Road
Tampa, FL 33610
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Governor Rick Scott to Present Cuban Dissidents with the Governor’s Freedom Award
MIAMI, Fla. – Tomorrow, April 20, Governor Rick Scott will present the Freedom Award to Jorge Luis Garcia Perez “Antunez”, Cary Roque and Angel de Fana for their efforts to fight for freedom and democracy in Cuba.
WHAT: Governor’s Freedom Award Presentation
WHEN: 9:30 AM
WHERE:
The American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora
1200 Coral Way
Miami, FL 33145
Gov. Scott: President Trump is Committed to Fixing the Herbert Hoover Dike
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Governor Rick Scott spoke with President Donald Trump regarding the importance of fixing the federally operated Herbert Hoover Dike. Following their conversation, President Trump committed to fixing the dike. Earlier this week, Governor Scott urged the Florida Senate and Florida House to allocate $200 million in state funds to help fix the federally operated dike.
WATCH: Remarks by Governor Scott
Floridians to deliver “Official Complaints” to Gov. Scott in protest of his efforts to undermine Florida’s first African American woman State Attorney Aramis Ayala
WHAT: PRESS CONFERENCE: Citizen lobbyists in Tallahassee with Organize Florida will issue “Official Complaints” to Gov. Rick Scott, House Speaker Richard Corcoran, State Reps. Bob Cortes and Scott Plakon, opposing the removal of Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala from 23 first-degree murder cases.
WHO: Organize Florida members in Tallahassee for Lobby Day
WHEN: 2 p.m., Thursday April 20th
WHERE: Outside the Office of Gov. Rick Scott, 400 S. Monroe St. First floor rotunda area.
CONTACT: Yulissa Arce, 407-607-0703
BACKGROUND:
Organize Florida members will line up to deliver complaints to the Governor at 2p.m. and will deliver complaints to Corcoran, Cortes and Plakon throughout the day.
“As a member of the African American community in Central Florida, Aramis Ayala knows that criminal justice reform is central to the survival of women and families in Orange and Osceola counties,” said Organize Florida Chair Debbie Soto. “Rick Scott’s removal of an elected prosecutor shows contempt for voters, and threatens the democratic process.”
The Governor’s actions also give political cover and comfort to those who have issued lynching threats to Ayala’s office, including one from the assistant finance director for the Seminole County Clerk of the Court’s office who posted on Facebook that Ayala should be “tarred and feathered if not hung from a tree.” The employee resigned after being suspended for the posting.
DCF’s Fraud Prevention Initiatives Result in Extraordinary Recoveries
TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Department of Children and Families’ Office of Public Benefits Integrity (OPBI) recovered more than $15 million dollars in public benefit overpayments in just the first three months of 2017, a record quarter for benefit recovery. Created six years ago, OPBI has been essential to ensuring benefits go to qualified Floridians in need, recovering more than $134 million dollars since the programs’ inception.
“We are committed to making sure that public benefits get to the individuals and families who need them quickly and accurately,” DCF Secretary Mike Carroll said. “So many families count on our services and the public can be assured that the integrity of the public benefits system is sound through the processes and diligence of those in the department, especially within the Office of Public Benefits Integrity.”
Within OPBI, the Benefit Recovery Program focuses on maintaining the integrity of public assistance programs through accurate identification of overpaid benefits; acting as stewards for state and federal taxpayer dollars. Overpayments can be due to administrative error, client error, or fraud. Collection options to recover the public assistance funds include cash payments, online payments, intercepting Lottery winnings, the Treasury Offset Program and future benefit garnishment.
DCF continues to lead the country in recovering overpayments and as a result, Florida is eligible to retain a portion of the funds recovered in the Federal Grants Trust Fund. Over the last three years, OPBI has retained more in recoveries than the state spends to fund the program, netting a positive return on investment.
DCF’s Office of Public Benefits Integrity is responsible for investigating public assistance fraud or misuse regarding the SNAP (Food Assistance), TANF (cash assistance), and Medicaid programs by individuals or merchants. OPBI is dedicated to preventing, detecting, and recovering waste, fraud, and abuse within the public assistance programs.
Floridians are encouraged to report suspected fraud. Public assistance fraud is not a victim-less crime. Real people, real families are hurt when public benefits are provided to unqualified individuals who use fraudulent information or references. For more information about DCF’s public assistance fraud prevention initiatives,or to report suspected fraud, visit www.MyFLFamilies.com/ReportFraud.
BLACK BEAR ACT THAT PROTECTS WILDLIFE, PRESERVES HABITATS ADVANCES IN FLORIDA SENATE
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – State Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando) on Wednesday succeeded in passing Senate Bill 1304 in the Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation to protect Florida black bears and preserve their habitat and food sources.
“At a time when Florida’s native black bears are facing increased pressure on their habitat their food sources, it is our obligation to ensure the preservation of this iconic species as well as the safety of our neighborhoods,” said Stewart.
Senate Bill 1304, also referred to as the Florida Black Bear Habitat Restoration Act, prohibits the hunting of bears mothering young cubs under 100 pounds, prevents the unlawful harvesting on state lands of berries that supply bear diets, and prevents controlled burns from being conducted on lands identified as habitats during the February month of denning.
“This is a great success for everybody who has been championing the preservation of Florida’s only native bear species,” said Stewart. “I am committed to continuing the progress we’ve made on this issue.”
Senate Bill 1304 is a companion bill to House Bill 491, which has been introduced in the Florida House of Representatives by Rep. Amy Mercado (D-Orlando).
CLEARWATER MAN CLAIMS $1 MILLION PRIZE IN THE $10,000,000 WORLD CLASS CASH SCRATCH-OFF GAME
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Lottery announces that Randy Johnson, 61, of Clearwater, claimed a $1 million prize in the $10,000,000 WORLD CLASS CASH Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $748,000.00.
Johnson said he wants his prize winnings to benefit others. “I really just want to use this money to pay it forward,” he explained.
Johnson purchased his winning ticket from Publix, located at 525 South Belcher Road in Clearwater. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The new $25 game, $10,000,000 WORLD CLASS CASH, launched in February and features more than $549 million in total cash prizes, including two top prizes of $10 million and 46 prizes of $1 million! Overall odds of winning are one-in-2.89.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 65 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $734 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2015-16.
MERONNEE BROTHERS REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST CLAIMS $750,000 LUCKY MONEY™ JACKPOT
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Lottery announces that Lionel Meronnee, trustee of the Meronnee Brothers Revocable Living Trust, of West Palm Beach, claimed the $750,000 LUCKY MONEY™ jackpot from the April 7, 2017, drawing at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee.
Meronnee Brothers Revocable Living Trust chose to receive the winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $553,875.28. The winning LUCKY MONEY Quick Pick ticket was purchased from Publix, located at 4075 North Haverhill Road in West Palm Beach.
Total ticket sales for this LUCKY MONEY jackpot generated more than $814,000 for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF).
The next LUCKY MONEY drawing will be Friday, April 21, 2017, at 11:15 p.m. ET, with a $950,000 jackpot. The LUCKY MONEY drawings are broadcast on 17 carrier stations throughout the state. Winning numbers are available on the Lottery website, at retailers statewide and by phone at (850) 921-PLAY.
CFO Atwater’s Office Teams Up with Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) to Protect Foster Youth from Financial Mistakes
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Office of Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater today hosted a webinar in partnership with the Florida Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) to help protect current and former foster youth from ending up in financial trouble. The live webinar, entitled “Your Future, Your Finances,” included topics about budgeting, saving, credit scores and credit safety that are tailored to the experience of aging out of foster care.
“Florida’s foster youth deserve the same opportunities for success as every other child in our state, and we must work together to make sure that happens,” said CFO Atwater. “Financial literacy is one way to set youth up for success from the start.”
Foster youth and alumni are at increased risk for financial hardship once they reach adulthood. According to the Florida Department of Children and Families’ 2015 survey of youth ages 18-22 who have been in foster care:
- 21% do not have money for living expenses after they pay for housing;
- 72% have been homeless;
- 26% have children;
- 56% of those not enrolled in school or educational programs say they do not do so for financially-related reasons;
- 72% are not employed in full or part-time positions.
Webinar attendees first analyzed how needs and wants differ from person to person, and then determined their own needs and wants and how those items are prioritized in their lives. Later, they viewed a completed, sample spending plan and were challenged to create one of their own using the downloadable blank spending-plan worksheet. Attendees learned what a credit score is and how to create a good credit score or improve a poor one. Finally, there was a discussion of credit and identity safety as it pertains to youth in foster care, whose personal information is more vulnerable to theft and misuse.
QPI Florida is a web-based service that supports the foster care community and provides resources and training webinars to foster youth and their caregivers. The live aspect of this webinar provided an opportunity for real-time interactions with a question and answer period after the presentation. The webinar will also be accessible in video form on QPI’s website for future viewing in both English and Spanish. Caregivers who take a quiz after watching the video may be able to receive hours for relicensing credit.
CFO Atwater and the Florida Department of Financial Services are committed to helping citizens achieve financial literacy. It is important that foster youth and caregivers understand how personal finances help shape a responsible life.
For more information and resources related to financial literacy, visit the Department’s Your Money Matter$ website.
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Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater, a statewide elected official, oversees the Department of Financial Services, serves as Florida’s State Fire Marshal, and is a member of the Florida Cabinet. CFO Atwater’s priorities include fighting financial fraud, abuse and waste in government; reducing government spending and regulatory burdens that chase away businesses; and providing transparency and accountability in spending.
Nursing Homes Warn State Lawmakers that Approving Senate PPS Proposal will Cost Pinellas County Homes $13 Million; Threaten High-Quality Care
WHO: Kip Corriveau, Director of Mission at Bon Secours St. Petersburg Health System
Peter Crosa, Bon Secours Board Member
Monsignor Robert C. Gibbons, St. Paul Catholic Church
Rob Goldstein, Chief Executive Officer, Menorah Manor
Kent L. McRae, President/CEO, Mease Manor
WHAT: Nursing Homes Warn State Lawmakers that Approving Senate PPS Proposal will Cost Pinellas County Homes more than $13 Million; Threaten High Quality Care
WHERE: Bon Secours Maria Manor
10300 4th Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
WHEN: Thursday, April 20, 2017
10 a.m. EDT
WHY: Bon Secours Maria Manor, with other nursing homes from around Pinellas County, will gather to warn lawmakers against approving the Prospective Payment System (PPS) model that is currently included in the Florida Senate budget.
In Pinellas County, there are 69 nursing homes and 39 of them will lose money under the proposed PPS model, collectively costing those homes roughly $13 million, including:
· Bon Secours loses $1,738,412 or 8.97 percent;
· Bernard L Samson Nursing Center loses $999,155 or 9.87 percent; and,
· Mease Manor loses $218,751 or 7.31 percent;
These losses would negatively affect high-quality nursing homes, threatening the quality of care that is currently delivered by Pinellas County’s nursing homes and devastating many of the state’s four- and five-star providers. Under the plan 152 four- and five-star nursing homes will lose critical funding, while 97 one- and two-star facilities receive additional funding. In addition, this proposal would shift $44 million from direct resident care to property.
