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Senator Annette Taddeo

Senator Annette Taddeo on Corcoran ad: “It saddens me that a man who wants to be governor is choosing to campaign on hate and fear”

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State Senator Annette Taddeo (D-Miami) on Tuesday released the following statement on Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran’s campaign ad:

“The atrociously misleading ad released by Speaker Corcoran should be retitled: ‘Predictable.’ Predictable because it relies on racist stereotypes and fears to jumpstart a latent campaign for his next political promotion.

“Unfortunately, his brand of conservatism taps into the darker side of politics, demonizing immigrants as the bogeymen responsible for the ills of society in a shameless act of self-promotion, Willie Horton-style.

“Mimicking the divisiveness of his friend, Donald Trump, may endear him to the embattled president, but it saddens me that a man who wants to be governor is choosing to campaign on hate and fear.

“I know that the people of Florida will see through this, and reject these tactics. They know that Florida exemplifies the true meaning of diversity, and has been a beacon to all those who have sought her refuge and her opportunities, no matter where they came from.”

Senator Annette Taddeo on Corcoran ad: "It saddens me that a man who wants to be governor is choosing to campaign on hate and fear"

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State Senator Annette Taddeo (D-Miami) on Tuesday released the following statement on Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran’s campaign ad:
“The atrociously misleading ad released by Speaker Corcoran should be retitled: ‘Predictable.’ Predictable because it relies on racist stereotypes and fears to jumpstart a latent campaign for his next political promotion.
“Unfortunately, his brand of conservatism taps into the darker side of politics, demonizing immigrants as the bogeymen responsible for the ills of society in a shameless act of self-promotion, Willie Horton-style.
“Mimicking the divisiveness of his friend, Donald Trump, may endear him to the embattled president, but it saddens me that a man who wants to be governor is choosing to campaign on hate and fear.
“I know that the people of Florida will see through this, and reject these tactics. They know that Florida exemplifies the true meaning of diversity, and has been a beacon to all those who have sought her refuge and her opportunities, no matter where they came from.”

Senator Annette Taddeo, Representative Robert Asencio File Legislation to Improve Florida’s Teacher Recruitment, Certification, and Retention Processes

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Senator Annette Taddeo (D-Miami) and Representative Robert Asencio (D-Miami) have filed SB 1704 and HB 1269 to establish the Blue-Ribbon Panel Task Force on Teacher Recruitment, Certification, and Retention within the Department of Education to investigate and provide recommendations to improve K-12 teacher recruitment, certification, and retention. The bill also makes changes to teacher certification, allowing certain scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test and a Graduate Record Examination Subject Area Test to meet particular needs for certification.
“Florida has a serious problem of teacher shortages and high turnover rates that directly affects our children – I have noticed it in my daughter’s and her friends’ schools across Miami-Dade. We must take action to remedy the situation effectively and swiftly,” stressed Senator Annette Taddeo.
“Waiving certification fees for prospective teachers and allowing standardized tests scores to be used for specific certification requirements can only serve to cut down on teacher turnover and shortages,” stated Representative Robert Asencio. “With the arrival of our Puerto Rican and Virgin Islander neighbors fleeing the destruction of Hurricane Maria, it’s crucial that we do everything we can to ensure our schools have the teachers they need to serve their students.”
The task force will submit a report of their findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which will also be published on their websites. Membership will be composed of thirteen various public education officials and others appointed by education stakeholders
If enacted, SB 1704 and HB 1269 will also make certification less expensive for teachers and prospective teachers by waiving fees for first time applicants and licensed educators seeking renewal. But, if an applicant doesn’t pass the exam on their first attempt they are responsible for all fees.
The bill also attempts to bring transparency to the state examination process for teacher certification by changing the public records exemption on testing materials from indefinitely to three years. Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, and every three years after, the Commissioner of Education must publish a previously administered general knowledge examination and a Florida subject area examination for each subject area.

Senator Annette Taddeo rejects hate: 'We stand for Immigrant Rights across the state'

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In a sharp rebuke to legislation currently poised for the 2018 legislative session that would wrest control from local governments on immigration policies, state Senator Annette Taddeo on Tuesday announced her intentions to rally support against HB9/SB308: Federal Immigration Enforcement.
“I have always believed in treating our immigrant community with dignity and respect,” said Senator Taddeo. “Immigrants are what make our country great. This bill would only terrorize our communities and put unwarranted responsibilities on our local law enforcement professionals. I condemn this bill and stand with our immigrant communities.”
The proposed bills would force local governments to cooperate with federal immigration authorities in ways that are not required by federal law. The measures would also force outrageous penalties on non-compliant municipalities and would grant the state government authority to strip an elected official from office. Bills remarkably similar to this one have been successfully challenged in court and would only cost taxpayers and embarrass the State of Florida if passed, Senator Taddeo added.
Promising to work with her colleagues in the Florida Legislature to call attention to the egregious nature of these bills, Senator Taddeo noted that Florida’s history has been defined by people migrating to our state and achieving greatness. “It is going to take all of our leaders on both sides of the aisle to be an example to the rest of the country on what it means to champion our immigrant communities,” she said.

Newly-Elected Senator Annette Taddeo (D-Miami-Dade) Sworn Into Office

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Newly-elected Democrat Annette Taddeo was sworn into office on Tuesday, becoming the 16th member of the Senate Democratic Caucus which now represents 40 percent of the Florida Senate.
“Senator Taddeo represents not only a boost in our Caucus numbers, but a signal that new changes are beginning in the state of Florida,” said Senate Democratic Leader Oscar Braynon, of Miami Gardens. “As the first Latina Democratic Senator, and the daughter of an immigrant, she is the embodiment of the American dream, and an inspiration to many in our state that have followed in her footsteps. We are proud to have her as our newest member.”
“This opportunity opens the door to everyone who still believes that together, we can move mountains,” said Senator Taddeo. “Whether it’s affordable healthcare, a quality public education, or clean water, these are the issues that matter to the people of my district and to all Floridians. My promises to change the way business is done in Tallahassee didn’t end on the campaign trail. They’re just getting started.”
Senator Taddeo is a newcomer to the legislative arena, but not to Florida politics. The Senator was the former running mate of Charlie Crist during his second run for governor in 2014. She is the former chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, Vice-Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, and chair of the Democratic National Committee Hispanic Caucus for Southern States, all from 2013-2016.
Born in Colombia, Senator Taddeo has been honored multiple times for her business savvy and as a Latina entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of LanguageSpeak in Miami, an award-winning language translation firm that has assisted financial, legal, and healthcare interests in multinational settings.
Married to Eric Goldstein, also of Miami, the couple has one daughter, Sofia.
Senator Taddeo has been appointed to serve on the following Senate committees for the remainder of the 2017-2018 legislative term: Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, Banking and Insurance, Environmental Preservation and Conservation, Military and Veterans Affairs, and Transportation.