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Lawmakers Unveil Gun-Safety Legislation That Targets Assault-Style Weapons

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fl-coalition-to-prevent-gun-violence-fcpgvProposed legislation to ban assault-style weapons in Florida will be unveiled this afternoon at a news conference held by the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence.
Sen. Linda Stewart and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith are introducing the bills, which also include banning large ammunition feeding devices.
“Assault weapons are the gold standard for mass murder. They are weapons of war, designed for war and have no place on our streets or in civilian hands,” said Smith. “We all have the right to defend ourselves and our families with a firearm, but nobody needs military-style assault weapons to do it.”
Pointing a finger at the gun lobby and what he called its “stranglehold on Tallahassee and their extreme agenda,” he added, “It’s time we take back the conversation with a bold, comprehensive and common-sense approach to gun safety. This legislation is just the beginning.”
“If not now, when?” asks Stewart. “We don’t need any more tragedies like Pulse.”
The bills target the type of weapon used in June’s Pulse Nightclub shooting, which killed 49 people in the deadliest U.S. shooting in modern history.
The Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, initiated by the League of Women Voters of Florida, was created after the Pulse massacre to promote smart, common-sense gun legislation and helped set the course for the legislation being unveiled today.
The Coalition quickly gained momentum and has grown to include more than 100 local, state and national organizations. It includes such diverse groups as the Hispanic Federation, Interfaith Council of Central Florida, Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, Florida PTA, and Doctors for America.
In addition to pushing for a ban on assault-style weapons, the Coalition also calls for comprehensive universal background checks.
“We are no longer going to allow the NRA to dictate gun laws in Florida,” said Patti Brigham, Co-chair of the Coalition and 1st Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
“Florida cannot wait nor do we have to wait for our federal government to take action. We can and should follow the lead of seven other states that already have in effect what we are proposing today,” Brigham said, adding that ordinary citizens do not need weapons such as the Sig Sauer MCX, brandished by the shooter at Pulse, to hunt, defend ourselves, or to show them off because we can.
Strong, outspoken support for the Coalition and the proposed legislation comes from a number of diverse groups, demonstrating the far-reaching passion for the assault-weapons ban and the safety of our community.
Not mincing words, Andy Pelosi, executive director of Campaign To Keep Guns Off Campus, said, “Assault rifles, like the one used in the Pulse shooting, where 49 people were killed and another 53 injured, are weapons of war, designed to kill and injure large numbers of people in a short period of time.” He added that the state legislature should immediately act on the proposals unveiled today.
Also strongly supporting the proposed legislation is Equality Florida, an organization dedicated to securing equality and justice for the LGBTQ community. It was an early member of the Coalition.
“The Pulse massacre compelled us to confront two realities: the systematic dehumanization of LGBTQ people and the far too-easy access to weapons of mass slaughter,” said Hannah Willard, Public Policy Director for Equality Florida.
The Rev. Bryan G. Fulwider, CEO of Building US and a member of Friends Talking Faith With The Three Wise Guys on WMFE, says faith “leads us in the way of peace.”
“We recognize that people of faith may differ on the way we feel about guns, individually. Nevertheless, honest faith leads us to foster and build a more peaceful community and society,” he continued. “Military-style assault weapons are not part of creating a more peaceful and safe community. They have only one purpose, mass casualty shooting. These weapons may be a tool of war, sadly, but they have no place in a society and community committed to creating peace and safety for all people,” he said.
The Florida PTA, also a Coalition member, likewise applauds the efforts of Stewart and Smith.
“Given the history and tradition of strong support for the safety and protection of our children and youth, and with the desire to encourage common-sense legislation that can potentially prevent future tragic scenarios involving our most precious resource, Florida PTA offers unwavering support banning the sale and possession of military-style semi-automatic assault weapons,” said Angie Gallo.

Nelson files legislation to prevent repeal of Medicare “donut hole” provisions

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U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson filed legislation today to prevent Congress from repealing key provisions of the Affordable Care Act that have, on average, saved many of Florida’s Medicare-covered seniors nearly $1,000 per year on the cost of their prescription drugs.
The measure, which Nelson filed as an amendment to a broader budget bill currently under debate, would prevent the Senate from considering any legislation that repeals the Affordable Care Act’s provisions aimed at closing the gap in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage, commonly known as the “donut hole.”
Under current law, when a Medicare beneficiary and their plan spends $3,700 on prescription drugs in a single year, that beneficiary becomes responsible for a larger share of the cost of their prescription drugs until the beneficiary’s total out-of-pocket costs for the year reach $4,950, at which time Medicare will resume paying for the cost of the drugs.
Prior to the 2010 healthcare law taking effect, the gap in coverage started at $2,700 and ended at $6,100. The provisions included in the ACA have shrunk that gap and aims to completely close it by 2020.
Nelson’s measure would protect those provisions, ensuring that seniors continue to save on the cost of their prescription drugs even if Congress repeals the rest of the law.
“Closing this gap in coverage, known as the donut hole, has helped seniors in Florida save nearly $1,000 a year,” Nelson said. “Why would you want to get rid of that? We should be looking for ways to lower – not increase – the cost of prescription drugs, especially for our seniors.”
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the provisions Nelson wants to keep in place saved Florida’s 355,000 Medicare-covered seniors more than $350 million in 2015 alone. That’s an average annual savings of $987 per senior.
The text of Nelson’s legislation is available here.

Attorney General Bondi to Hold News Conference Regarding Human Trafficking

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Attorney General Pam Bondi will be hosting a news conference at the Tampa International Airport announcing a new human trafficking awareness effort on Friday, Jan. 6, 2017, in Tampa.
WHO: Attorney General Pam Bondi, Representative Ross Spano and Chief Paul Sireci, Director of Public Safety and Security for the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority
WHAT: News Conference
WHEN: Friday, Jan. 6, 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Tampa International Airport
4100 George J Bean Pkwy
Aviation Authority Boardroom, Level 3
Tampa, Fla. 33607
Park in the Short Term Parking Garage; if possible, park near the Earhart elevators, which are closest to the Aviation Authority board room. Bring parking ticket for validation.
Live trucks: If bringing a live broadcast media truck to the airport and need higher clearance than 7’10”, please contact Emily Nipps at (813) 520-7793 or [email protected] no later than Thursday, Jan. 5 at 5 p.m. to make special arrangements.

Coconut Creek man wins $2 million POWERBALL prize

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The Florida Lottery announces that Hely Fernandez, 62, of Coconut Creek, claimed a $2 million prize from the POWERBALL® drawing held on December 28, 2016. The winning ticket matched all five of the white ball numbers, but did not match the Powerball.
Fernandez purchased his winning ticket at Flamingo Chevron, located at 4351 South Flamingo Road in Davie. The retailer will receive a $5,000 bonus commission for selling the winning POWERBALL ticket. Total ticket sales for the December 28, 2016, POWERBALL drawing generated more than $939,000 for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.
The next POWERBALL drawing will be held Saturday, January 7, at 10:59 p.m. ET with an estimated $94 million jackpot. National POWERBALL drawings are broadcast live, in high-definition, from the Florida Lottery’s state of the art draw studio in Tallahassee. Florida Lottery game drawings are broadcast on 17 carrier stations throughout the state. Drawings are also available for viewing on the Florida Lottery website.Winning numbers are available on the Lottery website, at retailers statewide and by phone at (850) 921-PLAY.
ABOUT POWERBALL IN FLORIDA
Florida is among the top-selling POWERBALL states in the country, exceeding more than $3.8 billion in sales, yielding $1.6 billion in education funding to date. Since POWERBALL launched in Florida in January 2009, the Florida Lottery has had the most winners in the nation with more than 70 million winning tickets totaling more than $2.1 billion in prizes, including 12 jackpot winners.

Customer Advisory Committee Meeting January 25, 2017

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sunrail fdot double logo
The Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission’s Customer Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at 5 p.m. in the multipurpose room on the second floor at LYNX Central Station, 455 N. Garland Ave., Orlando, FL  32801.
This meeting site is conveniently located near the SunRail LYNX Central Station platforms. Please check SunRail arrival and departure times at www.sunrail.com.
Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Ms. Jennifer Smith, FDOT District Five Title VI Coordinator, 719 S. Woodland Boulevard, DeLand, FL 32720, or by phone at 386-943-5367, or by email at [email protected].
Questions? Please contact Steve Olson of the Florida Department of Transportation at [email protected] /386-943-5479 or Jim Harrison at Orange County [email protected].
Please be careful around trains, railroad crossings, and while at station platforms. Be smart. Be safe. For more information about SunRail, including fares, schedule and station locations, please visit www.sunrail.com.

Florida League of Cities, Police Chiefs Association Hail Governor’s Proposal for Counterterrorism Unit

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Leaders for the Florida League of Cities and Florida Police Chiefs Association today embraced Governor Rick Scott’s call for $5.8 million to create a special unit dedicated to fighting terrorism in Florida. League of Cities President Susan Haynie, who is mayor of Boca Raton, and Florida Police Chiefs Association President Albert “Butch” Arenal, police chief of Coconut Creek, said the counterterrorism squad would help protect Floridians by effectively coordinating law enforcement resources across Florida.

Mayor Haynie and Chief Arenal issued the following statement:

“The majority of Florida’s 20 million residents live in our cities, towns, and villages, and our municipalities face the constant threat of being targeted by terrorist acts. Governor Scott’s plan will institute a dedicated team of highly skilled, well-trained, and resolute experts whose sole mission will be to address the modern scourge of terrorism. This smart, forward-thinking, and unfortunately necessary proposal represents a cost-effective way to provide Floridians with a measure of assurance that their public servants are doing everything possible to protect them. We applaud the Governor’s leadership in advocating for these 46 agents and analysts, and we urge the Legislature to help protect the people of our state, not on the basis of what this costs but because of what it likely will save: lives.”

January 9-15: Latino Week of Action Offering Free Affordable Care Act Enrollment Help

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During the week of January 9-15, the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida (EFOF), a leading provider of free Health Insurance Marketplace enrollment assistance, will focus on Latino community outreach in North Florida with a Latino Week of Action.EFOF Nav 2016
Open Enrollment is ongoing through January 31 under the Affordable Care Act. Anyone seeking help with learning about health plans, determining eligibility for subsidies, and enrolling in health coverage before the deadline can receive free assistance by contacting one of EFOF’s Navigators, state-licensed and federally-certified enrollment experts.
EFOF has been an assistance provider in every Affordable Care Act enrollment period, and specializes in outreach to minority communities and those for whom English is a second language. Enrollment assistance is funded by federal grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“The January 31 deadline is fast approaching, and people need to know there is free assistance available to learn about their health plans, subsidies, and eligibility,” said Karen Basha Egozi, CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida. “We are encouraging people who are non-native English speakers or who have complicated immigration situations to take advantage of this free help, especially during this upcoming Latino Week of Action.”
Bilingual Navigators and appointments are available throughout the week at several North Florida locations. Consumers can call 1-877-553-7453 or visit www.efof.org and click on Enroll ACA.

Enero 9-15: Semana de Acción Latina, Ofreciendo
asistencia gratis para inscribirse al Mercado de Seguros

Durante la semana de Enero 9-15, la Fundación de Epilepsia de la Florida (EFOF), un proveedor líder de asistencia gratuita para la inscripción en el Mercado de Seguros de Salud, Se enfocará en el alcance de la comunidad latina en la Florida del Norte con una Semana de Acción Latina.
La inscripción abierta está en curso hasta el 31 de enero bajo la Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio. Cualquier persona que busque ayuda para conocer los planes de salud, determinar la elegibilidad para subsidios y inscribirse en la cobertura de salud antes de la fecha límite puede recibir asistencia gratuita contactando uno de los navegadores de EFOF, expertos en inscripción con licencia estatal y con certificación federal.
EFOF ha sido un proveedor de asistencia en cada período de inscripción de la Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio, y se especializa en el alcance de las comunidades minoritarias y aquellos para quienes el inglés es una segunda lengua. La asistencia para la inscripción es financiada por subvenciones federales del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos.
“La fecha límite del 31 de enero se aproxima rápidamente, y la gente necesita saber que hay asistencia gratuita disponible para aprender sobre sus planes de salud, subsidios y elegibilidad”, dijo Karen Basha Egozi, directora general de la Fundación de Epilepsia de la Florida. “Estamos alentando a personas que no son nativos de habla inglesa o que tienen situaciones de inmigración complicadas para aprovechar esta ayuda gratuita, especialmente durante la próxima Semana de Acción Latina”.
Los navegantes y las citas bilingües están disponibles a lo largo de la semana en varios lugares de la Florida del Norte. Los consumidores pueden llamar al 1-877-553-7453 o visitar www.efof.org y hacer clic en Registrar ACA.
 

UT Names David Gudelunas as Dean of the College of Arts and Letters

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David Gudelunas, currently professor of communication at Fairfield University, has been named by The University of Tampa as the dean of the College of Arts and Letters (CAL).

As dean, Gudelunas will oversee the departments of art; communication, English and writing; languages and linguistics; music; philosophy and religion; and speech, theatre and dance.

Gudelunas said he is excited to promote the exceptional scholarship, creative activity and pedagogy that are happening across the disciplines and departments.

“The value of the arts, humanities and communication in contributing to cultural and information literacy, media competency, critical thinking and the full expression of human potential is increasingly self-apparent, and I think the UT College of Arts and Letters is well positioned to be a leader at this particular cultural moment,” Gudelunas said. “I look forward to getting to know the UT community and working with the greater Tampa Bay community to demonstrate what the value of a quality liberal arts education is.”

Gudelunas has been a member of the faculty at Fairfield University since 2004, serving in various roles, including professor of communication, chair of the communication department, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and director of women, gender and sexuality studies. Additionally he is the founding director of the Fairfield’s School of Communication, Arts and Media.

Gudelunas’ research is focused on the areas of emerging media, critical and cultural studies, gender, sexuality and communication, media history and communication industries. He is the author of “Confidential to America: Newspaper Advice Columns and Sexual Education” and is widely published in the areas of popular and consumer culture as well as the intersections of sexuality and communication.

David Stern, UT provost and vice president for academic affairs, said Gudelunas’ academic and leadership experience position him perfectly to lead UT’s programs in CAL.

“David will be a prominent public advocate for the value of the arts and humanities, and I anticipate that he will collaborate with faculty and with community partners to enhance the contributions of CAL to our students’ educations and to the cultural life of the Tampa Bay region,” Stern said.

Gudelunas received his bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco and his master’s and doctorate degrees from the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.

He will begin his post at UT on June 1.

The University of Tampa is a private, residential university located on 110 acres on the riverfront in downtown Tampa. Known for academic excellence, personal attention and real-world experience in its undergraduate and graduate programs, the University serves 8,310 students from 50 states and 140 countries. Approximately 65 percent of full-time students live on campus, and more than half of UT students are from Florida.

Long-time Policy Advisor and Legislative Affairs Director Rob Johnson Joins The Mayernick Group

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The Mayernick Group, one of Florida’s leading boutique government relations firms today announced the expansion of its team with the addition of Rob Johnson, long-time policy advisor and legislative and Cabinet affairs director to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Johnson brings more than 16 years of experience in Florida’s executive and legislative branches as well as the Florida Cabinet.

Rob Johnson

Rob Johnson

“The Mayernick Group is excited that Rob is joining as a partner in our firm,” said Frank Mayernick. “We have experienced significant growth and know that as a well-respected professional, Rob has strong relationships and knowledge of the process that will help us continue to serve our current and future clients.”
Since 2007, Johnson served as director of legislative and Cabinet affairs for Florida Attorney General Bondi.  Prior to that, he served as Cabinet affairs director to Attorney General Bill McCollum. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Johnson served as Gov. Jeb Bush’s deputy director of Cabinet affairs and clemency issues.
Johnson has expertise in navigating complex policy issues including property insurance, bond finance, and environmental and State Board of Trustees issues. Rob was extensively involved in the 2003 Workers’ Compensation overhaul while serving as legislative advisor to Florida’s first CFO. He also worked closely with members of the Florida Legislature and House and Senate Leadership on several of General Bondi’s priorities, including passage of synthetic drug legislation, human trafficking measures and bills providing much needed resources to victims of violent crimes.

“I want to thank Rob for his 16 years of service to the State of Florida as a policy advisor, Cabinet aide and legislative affairs director,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi in a statement. “Rob had a great opportunity in the private sector that he couldn’t pass up and he will be greatly missed.”
 The Mayernick Group has been recognized and ranked among the Top 20 firms earning more than $250,000 in the state and saw steady growth in the first three quarters of 2016. According to an analysis by LobbyTools, the firm brought in an estimated $430,000 in the third quarter of 2016.
“I look forward to working with professionals like Frank and Tracy and am committed to providing the firm’s clients with sound strategic counsel as we move into the 2017 Legislative Session,” said Johnson.
Johnson, an avid golfer, grew up in Ft. Myers, Florida, and earned a Bachelor of Science from Florida State University.  He and his wife, Alia Faraj-Johnson, senior vice president and Florida Public Affairs leader for Hill+Knowlton Strategies, live in Tallahassee with their 8-year old daughter, who is also a golfer.
The Mayernick Group is a full-service government relations firm located in the heart of Tallahassee, Florida. Founded by Frank and Tracy Mayernick, The Mayernick Group helps clients navigate through the Legislative process and policy issues before the Executive branch of Florida government. Its team of experts collectively has more than 50 years of government relations experience with an emphasis on public policy, appropriations, and insurance and health issues.