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League Condemns Lack of Background Check Oversight

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For more than a year, the state of Florida failed to conduct national background checks on tens of thousands of applications for concealed weapons permits because an employee could not log into the FBI crime database, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

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Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, LWV to Hold Rally To Ban Assault Weapons

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In the wake of yet another horrific massacre in our state and as students’ outraged voices join the growing cry demanding action, the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence and the League of Women Voters of Florida are holding a Rally to Support Gun Safety Reform at noon today on the steps of the Historic Florida Capitol.
Since planning the rally, the actions of many of our state legislators have dramatically demonstrated why voices must be raised. As the country – and in fact, the world – watched, the Florida House of Representatives defeated a move to debate a ban on assault weapons on Tuesday, just days after the shooting. Also watching in person from the gallery: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students.
“First, they were witnesses to the murders of their friends and then they were witnesses to a shocking vote by their elected officials,” said Patricia Brigham, Coalition co-chair and 1st vice president of the state League. “You could hear them sobbing as a contingency of legislators proved they care more about the gun lobby than the lives of our children.”
For the past two legislative sessions, the Coalition and League have supported a ban on the sale of military-style assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.
Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Sen. Linda Stewart have introduced bills calling for these bans, but neither have been placed on their legislative committees’ agenda to be heard.
At today’s rally, dozens of students, many who have spoken passionately and eloquently in recent days, will lead the charge for meaningful change. Afterward, petitions that contain thousands of signatures calling for the assault weapon and large-capacity magazine bans will be delivered to Gov. Rick Scott.
 “We demand these bills be heard – and passed,” said Brigham. “What possible argument can be made that legislation designed to loosen gun laws get a full airing year after year, while smart gun safety bills languish? Our legislators are literally allowing our residents – our children – to be slaughtered.”
The fact that the 19-year-old who killed 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last week legally bought the AR-15 rifle he used for the premeditated murders should be catalyst enough to move our legislators to action.
“After the latest horrific tragedy in Parkland, Gov. Scott and the Florida Legislature must act now to ban military-style assault weapons and large-capacity magazines,” said Andy Pelosi, co-chair of the Coalition and director of The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus. “Our students and staff need to know that they are safe. The time for action is now.”
The rally will include a number of speakers, including students, Sen. Gary Farmer, Rep. Smith, Angie Gallo of Florida PTA, Brigham, and the Rev. Joe Parramore.
The Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence was created by the League of Women Voters of Florida after the Pulse shooting to promote smart gun legislation. It has grown to include more than 120 local, state, and national organizations and includes such diverse groups as the Hispanic Federation, the Florida PTA, Equality Florida, the Interfaith Council of Central Florida, and Doctors for America.

League of Women Voters Florida, coalition partners highlight worst of the worst proposed amendments before the CRC

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The League of Women Voters Florida (LWVFL) today joined with allied organizations in Tallahassee to alert Floridians to a host of bad ideas that could be on the ballot when they go to the polls this fall.
“There are a handful of good proposals still alive before the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), but they are overshadowed by numerous proposals seeking to strip away constitutional protections,” said Pamela Goodman, President of the League of Women Voters of Florida. “As commissioners travel the state for a second round of public hearings, Floridians need to make their voices heard in opposition to these harmful proposals.”
The CRC is convened once every 20 years to conduct a thorough review and propose amendments to the Florida Constitution. The amendments that the commission approves will go directly on the ballot next November for voters to decide.
“The League of Women Voters has not submitted or endorsed any proposals. We’ve joined with a broad coalition of organizations working to promote transparency and hold the commission accountable to the citizens of Florida,” Goodman explained. “The commission’s failure to adopt rules in a timely manner and a continuing tendency to ignore their own rules of procedure are a serious concern. But even more concerning at this point is a very clear agenda unfolding for the CRC that mirrors the legislature.”
Flanked by representatives of coalition partner organizations including American Civil Liberties Union Florida, Anti-Defamation League, Common Cause Florida, Florida Policy Institute, Florida Education Association, SEIU Florida, Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, Progress Florida, Florida NOW, For Our Future, Florida PTA, Florida AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, Southern Poverty Law Center, Florida Public Defender Association, Equality Florida and Florida First Amendment Foundation during a press conference on the capitol steps, Goodman questioned whether the appointed commission was acting independently or under the control of their appointing authorities.
“With so many bills mirroring CRC proposals moving through the legislature, it begs the question of who is really in control,” Goodman said.
Coalition partners highlighted what they consider to be the “worst of the worst” proposals under consideration by the CRC. Most of the measures making the “Terrible Ten” list have the common goal of restricting or eliminating protections currently provided by the Florida Constitution.
“We are calling upon the members of the CRC to use the public tour that launched yesterday to really listen and act on what Floridians want in their constitution,” Goodman urged. “If they don’t, Florida voters will have no trouble saying NO in November.”

League Supports HB 367 to Enact National Popular Vote Interstate Compact in Florida

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The LWVFL applauds Rep. Joseph Geller (D-Adventura) for filing HB 367 which, if passed, would allow Florida to join the states that have already enacted the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The Compact is designed to ensure election of the President and Vice President of the United States by popular vote.
States signing onto the Compact agree to instruct their electors to vote for the candidate who wins the national popular vote. If enacted by Florida, the Compact would have 194 of the 270 electoral votes needed to activate the Compact.
“Passage of this act by the Florida Legislature would ensure that Floridians’ votes for President count as much as residents in all other states, which is not the case today,” declared Pamela Goodman, president of the Florida League. “Floridians’ votes are worth only a third of residents of less populous states because of the Electoral College formula.” She added that the “winner-take-all” rule further diminishes the value of a resident’s vote for President, since all electoral votes currently go to the person winning in that state, even if by a bare majority.
The League’s effort to gain passage is being led by the LWV Palm Beach County, which is working with other Leagues around the state to educate legislators in their districts about the benefits of NPVIC for their constituents.
“We applaud Representative Geller’s leadership on this issue, and are working with him and others to secure additional sponsors in the House, as well as the Senate, for this critically needed legislation,” said Karen Wilkerson, president of the LWVPBC. “This bipartisan issue affects every resident of our state, and we hope that Florida legislators support the democratic principle that all votes should count the same, regardless of where you live.”
Observing that all other public officials are elected by popular vote across the country, Goodman added: “Why shouldn’t the President and Vice President be subject to the same standard that applies to how we choose governors, senators, congressmen, state legislators and all other elected public officials? It is time we addressed this imbalance.”
She noted that the Compact would also help reverse voter disenfranchisement and thus likely increase turnout in state and local elections as well.
The Compact complies with Article II of the Constitution that specifies states have sole authority to elect the president; thus, activation does not require any change or amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The League has supported the National Popular Vote for over 40 years.

With 110% Increase, Sunshine State Leads the Nation in Growth of Rooftop Solar

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A new report* from PV Magazine finds Florida now leads the nation in solar growth. The state saw a 110% increase in new residential solar permits over the previous year. A state-wide partnership between the League of Women Voters and Solar United Neighbors of Florida, have spurred this growth. Solar United Neighbors of Florida was formerly known as FL SUN. It rolled out this new name this week to better reflect the unified actions of the organization’s nine state-based programs.
Funded by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the Barancik Foundation, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and now several cities and counties, Florida homeowners and businesses are now able to take advantage of some of the lowest prices for solar in the nation using a grassroots program called Solar United Neighbors of Florida, which announced a national re-branding this week.
Pamela Goodman, President of the League of Women Voters of Florida said, “With standing room only at many of our solar education forums, it is thrilling for our grassroots volunteers to help main street Florida keep millions of dollars in Florida by saving money and harnessing the sun.”
“We envision a clean, equitable energy future, with solar on every roof and money in every pocket,” said Angela DeMonbreun, Solar United Neighbors of Florida Program Director.
Solar United Neighbors of Florida began working in the state in 2016 in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Florida. Modeled off of similar programs in Maryland, Virginia, and elsewhere, the program has already launched 14 co-ops and will have launched 21 by the end of this calendar year, with several counties and cities angling to repeat their co-ops in 2018.
In an unusual bipartisan show of support, elected officials, both Republicans and Democrats have become strong solar supporters. Senator Jeff Brandes (R-Pinellas) last year was a leader in achieving passage of a pro-solar amendment that will help reduce the costs for both businesses and residents. This will be in addition to the extended 30% federal income tax credit that consumers all across the country are eligible for through 2019, and at a diminished rate through 2021. The new commercial tax exemptions will launch in January of 2018 following quicker than usual action by the Florida Legislature.
Now several mayors have jumped on board with Mayor Rick Kriseman (D-St. Petersburg) launching the first FLSUN.org co-op in his city last year, followed by Mayor Teresa Jacobs (R-Orange County), and several Miami-Dade mayors. Co-ops have launched in Alachua, Seminole, Volusia, Brevard, Sarasota, and many more.
Recently the city of St. Petersburg committed $75,000 to hiring a full time Solar United Neighbors coordinator to organize community cooperatives to further lower the cost of solar and utility bills for its citizens. Miami-Dade, Orange, Broward, and Hillsborough have all committed funds and support to provide neighborhood cooperatives for their citizens, promoting the use of rooftop solar to harness the sun and help residents lower their utility bills.
Dr. James Fenton, Director of the Florida Solar Energy Center exhorts Florida citizens: “Solar on your roof and a plug in vehicle in your garage is the best place Florida consumers can put their money. It offers a better return than the stock market…and the jobs stay in Florida.”
Florida installer president and FLASEIA (Florida Solar Energy and Installers Association) board member Remo Eyal said, “Grassroots movements across the state have helped tear down barriers to solar installations. And today we have grid parity, which means for the solar customer, that the financed cost of electricity from solar is less than buying electricity from the power companies.”
Stephen Smith, Executive Director of Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said, “The market in Florida is going gangbusters in all market segments, from utilities to rooftop solar for both businesses and residential.”
League President Pamela Goodman is thrilled with the progress: “We’re well on our way to making Florida #1 in solar with these exciting growth rates in new solar permits – Go to www.SolarUnitedNeighbors.org and let’s go solar, Florida!”
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Statement from LWVFL and Coalition on Las Vegas Shooting

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Once again, Americans awoke this morning to the news of another horrific mass shooting, this time in Las Vegas. At this writing, at least 58 were killed by a lone gunman. In addition, over 500 people were injured. Just a little more than a year after the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, the mass shooting in Las Vegas is now the deadliest in modern U.S. history.
While we are still learning the facts of what happened, the League of Women Voters of Florida and the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence mourn the loss of life of so many innocent people in Las Vegas. However, the response of our elected officials with messages of “thoughts and prayers” is insufficient. We do not elect our government officials for thoughts and prayers. We elect them to make law. We cannot continue to allow easy access to assault weapons in our country. We have seen the consequences of such access too many times. We honor the lives lost today with our unwavering commitment to protect all communities from gun violence.

Pamela S. Goodman
President
LWV Florida
Patricia Brigham
Co-Chair
Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence
Andy Pelosi
Co-Chair
Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence

LWV Florida Welcomes Kelly Quintero as Legislative Liaison

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The League of Women Voters of Florida announces Kelly Quintero as their registered lobbyist for the 2017 legislative session. Pamela Goodman, President said, “Kelly brings a fresh voice and excellent communication skills to our LWV Florida strong advocacy team. I am pleased to have her in Tallahassee amplifying the voices of our thousands of members throughout the state.”
Kelly Quintero is a native Floridian and is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a degree in Political Science. Upon graduation, she accepted a position at the Orange County Tax Collector’s office, most recently serving as the Deputy Communications Director. While there, she spearheaded bilingual media relations, digital media and community relations. Quintero served as the Central Florida Political Director during the 2016 Presidential campaign coordinating activities throughout 11 Central Florida counties. She has also volunteered her time in leadership capacities in both political and social issues. Kelly resides in Orlando, Florida with her fiancé.
The League of Women Voters of Florida, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, please visit the League’s website at: www.TheFloridaVoter.org.