Florida News Straight From the Source
Governor Rick Scott today visited Ponce Inlet to sign SB 1576, “Ponce’s Law” which creates harsher penalties for animal abusers. “Ponce’s Law” is named for a 9-month-old Labrador retriever puppy found beaten to death in Ponce Inlet last year. This legislation allows a judge to bar someone convicted of animal cruelty from owning a pet, and makes it more likely that an offender would to go prison.
Tomorrow, April 5th, Governor Rick Scott will visit Ponce Inlet to sign SB 1576, “Ponce’s Law” which strengthens criminal punishments for animal abusers.
WHAT: SB 1576 Bill Signing
WHEN: 8:45 AM
WHERE: The Town of Ponce Inlet Council Chamber
4300 South Atlantic Avenue
Ponce Inlet, Florida 32127
A new policy brief by The James Madison Institute and the Goldwater Institute finds three opportunities for Florida lawmakers to reduce the growth of the regulatory state.
Entitled, “Structural Reform for a More Prosperous Florida: Common Sense Solutions for Better Government,” the brief touts three main reforms including the Right to Earn a Living Act, a state-based REINS Act and the Congressional Review Act.
“Florida succeeds when we provide an environment for prosperity for all, and when we allow individuals to pursue their passions and create economic growth. While Florida does a tremendous job relative to other states, there is always more we can pursue. In many ways, the regulatory system of the 20th Century needs to adapt to the innovations present in the 21st. That requires ever-consistent vigilance on the part of our policy makers to remove barriers to prosperity,” said JMI Vice President of Policy and report co-author, Sal Nuzzo.
Examining just the past 20 years, the Sunshine State consistently has one of the best business climates in the United States and our state government has one of the most efficient and effective operations in the entire country.
Still, Florida has room for improvement.
“There has been a growing trend toward prohibiting people from working in the job of their choice or starting a business without first seeking government approval—even if they pose no health or safety threat to the public,” Goldwater Institute Director of National Litigation, and co-author of the report, Jon Riches said. “Today, about one in four jobs require government permission, and these unnecessarily high barriers to entry are keeping Floridians and Americans across the country from earning a living. That’s not how the Land of Opportunity should work.”
The policy brief, “Structural Reform for a More Prosperous Florida: Common Sense Solutions for Better Government,” is available here.
Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointment of Brad Piepenbrink as Chief of Staff of the Governor’s Office beginning today, March 26th. Jackie Schutz Zeckman resigned yesterday and will be pursuing other opportunities.
Governor Scott said, “Brad has done an incredible job in the many important positions he has held throughout my administration. He effectively ran our external affairs operation which has consisted of thousands of events across the state and has led the development of significant policy initiatives throughout my time in office. Brad also oversaw the appointments process of individuals to more than 600 boards and commissions. He was also a key component of my successful reelection efforts and has been critical to carrying out my agenda to make Florida the best state for families and job creators.
“Jackie has been on my team since my first year in office and has been a trusted and loyal advisor. During her time in the Governor’s Office, she led communications efforts and helped lead my legislative strategy during last year’s special legislative session and this year’s session where we secured many victories for Florida families. She also spent years as traveling press secretary where she has coordinated our communications efforts in every Florida media market, and in other states and nations during our economic development missions. She has been dedicated to implementing my agenda throughout my time as Governor and I know she will continue to do great things for our state.”
Brad Piepenbrink most recently served as deputy chief of staff in the Governor’s Office where he oversaw the Governor’s policy development over the environment, health care, transportation, law enforcement and emergency management and was also the director of the Office of External Affairs. Piepenbrink served in this role since the Governor’s reelection in 2014. Prior to this, he served as political director for Governor Scott’s reelection campaign.
During the Governor’s first term in office, Piepenbrink served as Governor Scott’s Director of External Affairs, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Department of Education, and travel-aide to the Governor. Earlier in his career, he also served Senate President Andy Gardiner in the Senate Majority Office and was the legislative aide to Senate President Pro Tempore Garrett Richter. He began his career working for John McCain’s Presidential Campaign in 2008. Piepenbrink holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Florida Gulf Coast University and MBA from the University of Florida.
Governor Rick Scott today signed the following bills into law:
SB 146 – Appointment of Attorneys for Dependent Children with Special Needs – This bill requires certain court costs be paid by the state when pro bono attorneys represent special needs children in dependency proceedings.
SB 220 – Bankruptcy Matters in Foreclosure Proceedings – This bill authorizes documents filed in a federal bankruptcy proceeding to be admitted as evidence in a foreclosure.
CS/CS/CS/SB 268 – Public Records/Public Guardians/Employees with Fiduciary Responsibility – This bill creates a public record exemption for former and current public guardians and employees with fiduciary responsibility.
CS/SB 386 – Consumer Finance – This bill provides additional repayment schedule options for consumer finance loans and sets a maximum delinquency charge of $15 per calendar month for each loan payment in default.
CS/SB 394 – Fire Safety – This bill requires the Division of State Fire Marshal to establish specified courses as a part of firefighter and volunteer firefighter training and certification.
SB 472 – National Statuary Hall – This bill directs the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress to replace the statue of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith in the National Statuary Hall Collection with a statue of Mary McLeod Bethune.
SB 498 – Office of Public and Professional Guardians Direct-Support Organization – This bill repeals the sunset date for the Foundation for Indigent Guardianship.
CS/CS/SB 510 – Reporting of Adverse Incidents in Planned Out-of-Hospital Births – This bill requires that adverse incidents of planned births that occur outside of hospitals be reported to the Florida Department of Health.
CS/SB 512 – Homestead Waivers – This bill provides language that can be included in a deed to waive spousal homestead rights.
CS/CS/SB 568 – Telephone Solicitation – This bill expands the ‘Do Not Call’ list to include direct to voicemail sales calls.
CS/CS/SB 622 – Health Care Facility Regulation – This bill amends numerous provisions related to the regulation of health care facilities.
SB 660 – Florida Insurance Code Exemption for Nonprofit Religious Organizations – This bill expands the nonprofit religious organizations’ insurance code exemption to include people sharing a common set of ethical or religious beliefs.
CS/CS/CS/SB 920 – Deferred Presentment Transactions – This bill creates a new type of small loan up to $1,000.
CS/SB 1132 – Vessel Safety Inspection Decals – This bill provides an expiration date for vessel safety inspection decals.
SB 1712 – Postsecondary Revenue Bonds and Debt – This bill allows Florida A&M University to participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program.
CS/CS/HB 21 – Controlled Substances – This bill takes significant steps to combat opioid abuse in Florida.
CS/HB 41 – Pregnancy Support and Wellness Services – This bill codifies the Pregnancy Support Services Program in Florida Statute.
HB 53 – Coral Reefs – This bill creates the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area.
HB 67 – Florida Slavery Memorial – This bill establishes the Florida Slavery Memorial to honor the nameless and forgotten men, women, and children for their contributions to the United States.
CS/HB 85 – Voter Registration List Maintenance – This bill enhances the Florida Department of State’s ability to prevent voter fraud by joining a nongovernmental organization with other states to verify voter registration information.
CS/HB 87 – Public Records/Statewide Voter Registration System – This bill creates a public records exemption for voter registration information received by the Florida Department of State from another state in which the information is confidential or exempt.
HB 405 – Linear Facilities – This bill provides legal certainty for decisions made under the Power Plan Siting Act and Transmission Line Siting Act.
HB 413 – Trusts – This bill updates and revises provisions of the Florida Trust Code relating to revising trust decanting procedures, electronic delivery of trust documents, and trust accounting.
CS/CS/HB 429 – Donation and Transfer of Human Tissue – This bill requires the Florida Department of Health to develop and publish on its website educational information relating to tissue transplants.
HB 623 – Out-of-Country Foreign Money Judgments – This bill increases protections from unjust foreign court judgments.
HB 6021 – The Guardian Ad Litem Direct-Support Organization – This bill continues the Direct Support Organization for the Guardian ad Litem Office.
CS/HB 6515 – The Relief of Cathleen Smiley by Brevard County – This bill directs Brevard County to provide $25,000 in relief to Ms. Cathleen Smiley for injuries caused by a county bus.
HB 7029 – A Review Under the Open Government Sunset Review Act/Human Trafficking Expunction – This bill continues the public record exemption of criminal history records relating to a victim of human trafficking.
HB 7031 – A Review Under the Open Government Sunset Review Act/Criminal Justice Commission – This bill continues the public meeting exemption of a criminal justice commission while members discuss active criminal intelligence or investigative information.
HB 7035 – Ratification of St. Johns River Water Management District Rules – This bill ratifies a St. Johns River Water Management District rule for Silver Springs.
To view the transmittal letters, click HERE.
Governor Rick Scott today signed the Securing Florida’s Future budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019. Click HERE and HERE for the transmittal letter and details on the budget. To view the veto list, click HERE.
The Securing Florida’s Future budget:
Cuts Taxes for Florida Families and Job Creators
The Securing Florida’s Future budget cuts taxes by nearly $550 million – bringing the total tax cut savings for Florida families since 2011 to more than $10 billion. This legislative session, Governor Scott proposed, and the legislature approved, Amendment 5 to be placed on the November ballot which will give Floridians the opportunity to vote to amend the Florida Constitution, making it harder for politicians to raise taxes.
Invests Record Funding for Education
For the sixth straight year, the Securing Florida’s Future budget invests record funding for K-12 and state universities. Since Governor Scott has been in office, state funding for K-12 public schools has increased by $3.2 billion, 37 percent. State funding for state colleges and universities has also significantly increased by nearly $200 million and $1.1 billion, respectively, since 2011. Additionally, the budget keeps higher education affordable with NO tuition increases for the fifth consecutive year.
Keeps Florida Schools and Communities Safe
The Securing Florida’s Future budget invests more than $400 million in funding to increase the safety and security of Florida’s schools and provide significantly more resources for mental health. Following the tragedy in Parkland where 17 died, Governor Scott also signed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act to keep students and communities safe. The budget also invests $34 million in pay raises for state law enforcement officers, firefighters and juvenile detention and juvenile probation officers.
Encourages Long-Term Economic Growth
The Securing Florida’s Future budget provides critical funding, including $85 million for the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, so Florida can keep aggressively fighting to be the best destination for businesses to succeed. Since December 2010, Florida businesses have created nearly 1.5 million new jobs. The budget also builds on Florida’s six-straight years of record breaking tourism and funds VISIT FLORIDA at $76 million to successfully market Florida to the world as the premier tourism destination and support the 1.4 million tourism-related jobs in our state.
Provides Record Funding for Florida Transportation
The Securing Florida’s Future budget invests a record $10.1 billion in transportation infrastructure to keep up with Florida’s continued growth and booming economy. Since Governor Scott took office in 2011, investments in transportation have increased by $3.3 billion, more than 48 percent.
Protects Florida’s Environment
The Securing Florida’s Future budget includes $4 billion to protect Florida’s environment and agriculture. Since 2011, investments to preserve Florida’s environment and protect the state’s iconic beaches, pristine springs and the Florida Everglades have increased by nearly $1 billion. The budget also provides $50 million of state funds to further expedite repairs to the federally-operated Herbert Hoover Dike – growing the state’s total investment to $100 million.
Combats the National Opioid Epidemic in Florida
The Securing Florida’s Future budget invests more than $65 million to combat opioid abuse in Florida. Governor Scott also proposed, and the legislature passed, significant policy changes to address the national opioid epidemic in Florida.
Supports Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery
The Securing Florida’s Future budget provides more than $1.7 billion in disaster assistance for state and local governments and federal funding to assist in meeting the educational needs of affected Florida students, as well as students displaced from Puerto Rico.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Division of Law Enforcement received recognition Feb. 21 at a ceremony in St. Augustine for completing the review process to maintain its accreditation status. The FWC was initially accredited in 2009. This was its fourth completion of the accreditation process.
“The FWC Division of Law Enforcement continues to maintain the highest standards of credibility, effectiveness and professionalism,” said Eric Sutton, FWC executive director. “Our staff work diligently to uphold these important standards each and every day. Reaccreditation by the Commission validates the hard work they do, and provides a strong vote of confidence in their ability to protect the public and conserve Florida’s natural resources.”
Florida law enforcement accreditation is certified by an independent reviewing authority, the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA). There are approximately 240 prescribed standards reflecting best management practices that a law enforcement agency must consistently meet or exceed over a three-year period in order to achieve this status.
“Accreditation is a voluntary but important process intended to hold an agency to a higher level of accountability by an external source,” said Col. Curtis Brown, director of the Division of Law Enforcement. “We are very pleased with the CFA’s determination that reaccreditation of the Division was earned.”
An accreditation assessment team composed of law enforcement representatives from other accredited Florida law enforcement agencies conducted on-site inspections of the division’s procedures, policies, practices and equipment to determine compliance. The team visited FWC headquarters in Tallahassee and several other offices around the state, interviewing individuals, reviewing written materials and observing activity.
“We sincerely support the accreditation process,” Brown said. “It has been an effective way to ensure that we are operating efficiently and providing the best service we possibly can.”
The Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida has a new poll that reveals Sen. Bill Nelson in the lead for the upcoming Senate election, with Gov. Rick Scott trailing close behind. The survey also shows that President Trump’s job approval rating has risen some since last fall.
The poll, comprised of Florida registered voters, shows that of likely voters in 2018, 48 percent plan to vote for Nelson, the Democratic candidate in the upcoming election for U.S. Senate, while 42 percent plan to vote for Scott, the Republican. Of those likely voters, 7 percent don’t know who their choice will be.
Regarding the U.S. House of Representatives, when asked who they would vote for if the election were held today, 42 percent of likely voters indicated they would vote for the Democratic candidate, 40 percent would plan to vote for the Republican candidate and 14 percent didn’t know.
“Even though it appears Nelson has a reasonable lead in the poll, the election results will ultimately get determined by who shows up in November,” said Michael Binder, faculty director of the Public Opinion Research Lab at UNF. “Historically, Republicans have enjoyed a turnout advantage in midterms, but with the current mood of the country, and a large number of Republican retirements, Democrats are optimistic about an impending blue wave.”
Of registered voters who were asked whether they approve or disapprove of the way Nelson is handling his job as senator, 52 percent of registered voters claim to somewhat or strongly approve, with only 20 percent somewhat or strongly disapproving. Notably, 26 percent of voters expressed they don’t know how Nelson is handling his job. When asked about the way Scott is handling his job as Florida governor, 63 percent reported to strongly or somewhat approve, with 31 percent disapproving either somewhat or strongly.
“Both senate candidates have net positive job approval ratings of 32 percentage points,” said Binder. “This high level of job approval is very unusual and is going to lead to a hotly contested election.”
When asked about how Sen. Marco Rubio is handling his job, 55 percent strongly or somewhat approve, compared to the 35 percent who reported to somewhat or strongly disapprove.
When asked about President Donald Trump’s job approval rating, 43 percent of the overall sample strongly or somewhat approve of how he’s handling his job, with 53 percent disapproving somewhat or strongly. A large amount of registered Democrats—87 percent—disapprove of Trump, while only 16 percent of registered Republicans disapprove. On the contrary, Trump held 81 percent job approval among registered Republicans, compared to 40 percent approval among nonpartisans and a dismal 10 percent job approval among registered Democrats.
“Most presidents would consider 43 percent approval and net negative 10 percentage points a troubling number, but Trump’s approval is up 6 percentage points from his approval level in October, and his net negatives have improved by 12 percentage points,” noted Binder.
In light of the recent investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election, when asked about the way Robert Mueller is handling his job as Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice, 40 percent of registered voters somewhat or strongly approve, 28 percent of voters somewhat or strongly disapprove and 29 percent of voters don’t know how he’s handling his job.
“Even though Mueller is acting in a legal capacity, and has a 12-percentage point net positive job approval, there are partisan divisions as Democrats are much more supportive than Republicans in their views on Mueller,” said Binder.
For details about the methodology of the survey and additional crosstabs by partisanship, sex, education, race and age, click here.
Governor Rick Scott today issued the following statement after the Florida House of Representatives unanimously voted in support of HB 359. This bill advances Governor Scott’s proposal to strictly prohibit the State of Florida, including all state agencies, from investing in any company that is doing business with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s oppressive government. See Governor Scott’s announcement of this proposal HERE.
“Florida is proud to be an incredible melting pot and home to a vibrant Venezuelan population. But sadly, in recent years, we’ve seen the conditions and situation in Venezuela deteriorate because of a brutal dictator. The Maduro regime is hurting and oppressing Venezuelan families more and more each day and I have been absolutely clear that the State of Florida will not stand for it. Last year, I proposed, and the entire Florida Cabinet supported, a ban on state investments benefitting the Maduro regime. Today, I am proud that the Florida House of Representatives voted unanimously in support of my proposal that prohibits all state agencies from investing in the oppressive Venezuelan government. I’d like to thank House Speaker Richard Corcoran, House Speaker pro tempore Jeanette Nuñez, Representative Manny Diaz and all the members who voted for this important legislation that recognizes the significant role Florida plays globally. I look forward to the Senate continuing to advance this bill and signing it into law soon.” – Governor Rick Scott
Governor Rick Scott issued the following statement after the Florida House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted 80-29 in bipartisan support of HB 7001. This bill advances Governor Scott’s proposal for a constitutional amendment requiring a 2/3 supermajority vote by future legislatures to raise any tax or fee. See Governor Scott’s announcement of this proposal HERE.
“I appreciate Speaker Corcoran for his commitment to fighting to make sure it is harder for politicians to raise taxes and fees on hardworking families. When I first announced this proposal, Speaker Corcoran joined me to ensure we do all we can to let families and job creators keep more of their hard-earned money. Today, the Florida House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed this proposal in a bipartisan vote to give Floridians the chance to go to the polls and vote to make it harder for politicians in Tallahassee to raise taxes and fees. I want to thank Speaker Corcoran, Representative Tom Leek and every member who voted on this critical proposal. I look forward to the Senate swiftly voting on the House’s bill.” – Governor Rick Scott
