As results of the State Senate District 37 election continue to be updated, Christian Ulvert shared: [Read more…] about Update from Christian Ulvert on Election Results in Senate District 37
Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez
Sen. Rodriguez: Recovery plan fails to protect workers, small businesses and local communities
On day one of Phase One of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “reopening” plan for Florida, Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez (D-Miami) stated: [Read more…] about Sen. Rodriguez: Recovery plan fails to protect workers, small businesses and local communities
Florida Senate Passes Climate Bill by Sen. José Javier Rodríguez and Sends SB 178 to the House for vote
Sen. Rodriguez called it the most transformative climate legislation voted on so far
The Florida Senate today passed SB 178, a significant bill related to the impacts of climate change, by a unanimous vote. [Read more…] about Florida Senate Passes Climate Bill by Sen. José Javier Rodríguez and Sends SB 178 to the House for vote
Sen. Rodríguez & Rep. Smith file legislation to repeal Florida’s local minimum wage and earned sick time preemption law
SB 1520/HB 6065 would restore local governments’
power to set worker wages and protections
Sen. José Javier Rodríguez (D-Miami) and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) have introduced legislation to restore local governments’ power to set worker wages, benefits, and earned sick time. [Read more…] about Sen. Rodríguez & Rep. Smith file legislation to repeal Florida’s local minimum wage and earned sick time preemption law
Sen. Rodriguez holds press conference with Equality Florida on SB 696 Conversion Therapy Ban
MEDIA ADVISORY
State Senator José Javier Rodríguez (D-Miami) and State Representative Evan Jenne (D- Dania Beach) will hold a press conference on Thursday to discuss their legislation which would outlaw highly controversial methods still used by licensed professionals in Florida to force a minor’s sexual orientation. SB 696 and HB 717 would ban the use of “conversion therapy,” a largely discredited practice opposed by the American Psychiatric Association and already illegal in at least nine states throughout the country.
The lawmakers will be joined by Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich, Jon Harris Maurer of Equality Florida, and conversion therapy survivor Jose Vega.
Who: Senator José Javier Rodríguez, Representative Evan Jenne, Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich, Jon Harris Maurer of Equality Florida, and Jose Vega.
What: Press conference on SB 696- Conversion Therapy Ban
When: Thursday, February 8th, 12:00 pm
Where: Outside the Senate Chamber
4th Floor Rotunda
The Capitol
Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez Proposes to Block FPL From Passing Turkey Point Clean-Up Costs onto Consumers
Following evidence of water contamination emanating from Turkey Point potentially impacting our drinking water and Biscayne Bay, that Florida Power & Light was aware of for years, Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez (D-Miami) has filed legislation that would prevent FPL from asking customer to pay more to remediate the contamination. The bill would block utilities from recovering costs to remediate environmental damage they knowingly caused.
FPL has already made such a request. Yesterday, the Public Service Commission heard expert testimony on FPL’s request to charge customers $200 million in clean-up costs for the contamination coming from Turkey Point’s cooling canals. The Commission will vote in November on the request.
Sen. Rodriguez said:
“If FPL makes the mess, FPL shareholders should clean that mess up not consumers. FPL has known about water contamination coming from Turkey Point’s cooling canals for at least five years and potentially for decades and has done nothing while the problem worsened. It is outrageous that FPL would even think to ask consumers rather than their shareholders to shoulder the costs of an environmental mess they caused, tried to hide and could have resolved a long time ago at a fraction of the cost.”
Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez files series of pro-environment and pro-consumer energy bills
This week, Senator José Javier Rodríguez filed a series of energy-related bills aimed at protecting the environment and protecting consumers’ pocket books.
- SB 456, allowing property owners to generate and distribute solar energy to residents and tenants on their own property. The bill is supported by a broad range of groups including business groups, agricultural interests, and consumer advocates.
- SB 974, if passed, would create a mechanism to prevent utilities from passing on to customers the cost of remediating environmental damage the utility caused, offered in response to the water contamination issues at the Turkey Point nuclear power plant in Miami-Dade County.
- SB 976, if passed, would create a progressive rate schedule for utilities customers by requiring utilities to charge residential customers a 25% lower rate for the first 500 kWh consumed, benefitting low-income and fixed-income residents.
- SB 1100, if passed, would repeal advanced nuclear cost recovery in Florida, dubbed the “nuclear tax” since it allow utilities to charge for nuclear power plants that may never be built.
Senator Rodriguez said:
“Consumers in Florida continue to subsidize an outdated energy system in Florida that stifles innovation, shuts out competition and hurts our environment — the bills I have filed will address those issues while giving consumers a much-needed break.”
