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Florida lawmakers call on FEMA to expedite reimbursement of disaster-related expenses owed to local governments

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U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL-26) today sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Brock Long urging the agency to expedite the reimbursement of disaster-related expenses owed to local governments in Florida and elsewhere.

“Local governments are cash-strapped with little to no funding in their budgets to repair damaged communities,” the lawmakers wrote. “It is critical that FEMA responsibly provide local governments with the assistance Congress appropriated to address current damages and the ability to prepare communities for the upcoming hurricane season.”

Nelson, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, addressed the issue at hearing the panel held earlier today on hurricane preparedness. “There are some areas where we can and must do better,” Nelson said. “Puerto Rico is an example, Florida is an example. That local governments are still not being compensated for the debris pickup that they have advanced – that is unacceptable.”

Here is a link to video of Nelson’s comments at today’s Commerce committee hearing:

A .pdf copy of the lawmakers’ letter is available here.

New Laser Technique May Help Detect Chemical Warfare in Atmosphere

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The Department of Homeland Security could benefit from a reliable, real-time instrument that could scan the atmosphere for toxic agents in order to alert communities to a biological or chemical attack. UCF optics and photonics Professor Konstantin Vodopyanov is developing just such a technology to accomplish that.

He has found a new way to use infrared lasers to detect even trace amounts of chemicals in the air. Every chemical is made up of individual molecules that vibrate at their own unique frequency. Vodopyanov has found a way to use lasers to detect these vibrations.

The technique is so accurate and sensitive that he can determine if there is a molecule of any chemical present even at concentrations as low as one part per billion. So even if someone tried to hide the toxic chemicals, his technique would be able to detect them.

His findings are published today in Nature Photonics.

“We still have much work ahead,” he said. “We are now working on broadening the range of the laser frequencies that can get the job done. If costs can be reduced and the tech made mobile, the applications could be endless.”

A similar principle is used in the medical field to detect biomarkers for different kinds of health conditions, including cancer, by taking breath samples.

It’s possible, Vodopyanov said, because of the rules of physics.

“The frequencies of molecules are very distinct, but they are invariant – here, on a different continent, on a different planet, anywhere,” Vodopyanov said. “It is universal. Think of it as a molecular fingerprint. So when we use the laser we can detect these fingerprints with great precision.”

The novel approach could open the door for developing non-invasive technology, including sensors, that could be used to detect:

  • airborne agents that could be encountered in a biological or chemical attack at home or on the battlefield
  • traces of life by space explorers on missions to other planets or asteroids

Other collaborators on the Nature Photonics paper include Andrey Muraviev at UCF’s the College of Optics & Photonics, Viktor Smolski of IPG Photonics -– Mid-Infrared Lasers in Birmingham, AL, and Zachary Loparo from UCF’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Vodopyanov obtained his doctorate from the Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow. He’s spent years teaching and conducting research in Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom and Stanford University in California before joining UCF in 2013. He’s also worked in industry, including the Silicon Valley start-up Picarro, which was developing a laser-based breath analyzer for early detection of ulcers. He’s written more than 300 papers and is funded by various organizations including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Office of Naval Research, Air Force and NASA.

Massive Organized Skimming and Fuel Theft Ring Busted

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“This is not just a one-off prosecution, but it is a RICO charge. And this should send a very clear signal to the bad guys that the cost of doing business just went up when it comes to stealing from Floridians and from families who are visiting our state,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam during a joint announcement with Sheriff Grady Judd at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.

Gov. Scott Highlights More Than $10 Billion in Tax Cuts Across Florida

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Governor Rick Scott today visited Cox Fire Protection, a small business in Tampa, to highlight the more than $10 billion in taxes cut for Florida families and job creators during the governor’s time in office. This includes cutting taxes nearly 100 times, including nearly $550 million in tax cuts during the most recent legislative session. Governor Scott also recognized the overwhelming, bipartisan passage of HJR 7001, which will place an amendment to the Florida Constitution on the November 2018 ballot that will give Floridians the opportunity to vote on making it harder for politicians to raise taxes and fees. The Governor will continue to highlight these tax cuts in Doral, Ft. Myers, West Palm Beach, and Orlando this today and tomorrow.

The nearly $550 million in tax cuts passed during the 2018 legislative session include:

  • Sales Tax Holidays to Save Families $38.5 Million – The tax cut package includes funding for two sales tax holidays which will save Floridians an estimated $38.5 million in the upcoming fiscal year. These sales tax holidays include:
    • $32.7 million from a 3-day back-to-school sales tax holiday; and
    • $5.8 million from a one-week disaster preparedness sales tax.
  • Sales Tax Exemptions in Agricultural Materials to Save Farmers $11.6 Million – The tax cut package includes tax relief for Florida’s farmers to help in their continued recovery Hurricane Irma.
    • $8.8 million from a sales tax exemption on nonresidential farm building materials; and
    • $2.8 million from a sales tax exemption on agricultural fencing.
  • Property Tax Hurricane Relief of $10.5 Million for Florida´s Farmers – The bill reduces the 2018 property tax assessment on citrus processing and packing plants, and processing equipment slowed due to citrus greening or Hurricane Irma.
  • Sales Tax on Commercial Rent to Save Florida Small Businesses $31 Million – The tax cut package reduces the rate on business rent tax by 0.1%, from 5.8% to 5.7%.
  • Increase in Corporate Income Tax Credits to Save Businesses $13.5 Million
    • $8.5 million for voluntary brownfields clean-up; and
    • $5 million for community contribution credits.
  • Reduction in Traffic Citation Fines to Save Floridians $1.8 Million – The bill reduces many traffic citation fines for individuals who attend a driver improvement school.
  • Reduction in Local Business Taxes of $19.1 Million – The bill creates an exemption from applicable local business taxes for businesses owned by veterans and their spouses, non-remarried surviving spouses of such veterans, spouses of certain active duty military servicemembers, and low-income persons who engage in or manage a business, profession, or occupation.
  • Reduction in Property Taxes to Save Florida Families $377 Million – The budget cuts the required local effort property tax rate to save Florida homeowners and business property owners more than $377 million in property taxes.

Amendment to the Florida Constitution:
This year, the Florida Legislature overwhelmingly passed a resolution proposed by Governor Scott that will make it harder for politicians to raise taxes and fees. Amendment 5, if approved by 60 percent of Florida voters this year, will require a 2/3 majority of future legislatures to raise any tax or fee.

Nelson calls on Congress to act on gun reform

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As students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglass returned to school today for the first time since the shooting, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) took to the Senate floor this evening to urge his colleagues to act on common sense gun reform measures.

“We’ve seen an entire community turn its grief and outrage into a massive call for change – and we’ve done nothing,” Nelson said. “If these brave young students who lost their fellow students and faculty aren’t enough to break through the gridlock here in Congress, what is it going to take?”

Nelson cosponsored legislation in the Senate that would, among other things, ban the sale, transfer or manufacture of semi-automatic assault rifles, such as the AR-15. It would also ban so-called “bump stocks” and high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. Nelson, who has called on Congress to expand universal background checks, has also cosponsored legislation that would close the so-called “gun show loophole” by requiring a background check for the sale or transfer of any firearm, regardless of where it is purchased.

“Let’s not let what happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High fade into memory like so many other tragedies that have happened,” Nelson said. “Let’s do what so many before us have been unable to do – let’s take action. Let this massacre be the last massacre.”

Nelson calls on Congress to enact common sense gun reforms in wake of Parkland shooting

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U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) today called on Congress to enact common sense gun-control measures in the wake of the Feb. 14 Parkland school shooting.

In a speech on the Senate floor late Monday, Nelson urged his colleagues to take up and pass legislation to ban semi-automatic assault rifles, like the AR-15 , and expand the use of comprehensive background checks for anyone acquiring a firearm.

“What happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas shouldn’t happen anywhere in this country,” Nelson said. “And now it is up to us to make sure it never happens again.”

Nelson cosponsored legislation that would, among other things, ban the sale, transfer or manufacture of semi-automatic assault rifles, such as the AR-15. The legislation would also ban so-called “bump stocks” and high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

Nelson is also a cosponsor of a separate piece of legislation that would close the so-called “gun-show loophole” by requiring a background check for the sale or transfer of any firearm, regardless of where it is purchased.

“It’s time for us to come together and enact common sense gun measures to keep our communities safe,” Nelson said. “It’s time to for us to come together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but to come together as human beings.”

“Let’s use this tragedy as the catalyst to enact real change in our society,” Nelson said. “Let’s make what happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School a significant moment in our country’s history – not because it was one of the largest mass shootings – but because it was the last.”

ICYMI: CNN: Caldwell Defends 2nd Amendment Rights

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Representative Matt Caldwell, candidate for Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, today joined CNN to defend the Second Amendment and discuss real solutions to the devastating tragedy in Parkland.

Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture oversees the concealed-weapon license system and safeguards the Second Amendment. As a candidate for Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Caldwell is the principled conservative in the race and the only candidate who has consistently received an A rating from the NRA.