Florida Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) today announced she has filed Senate Bill 720, relating to children’s programs in economically challenged areas. SB720 will amend Florida statute to create the Tampa Sulphur Springs Neighborhood of Promise (SSNOP) Success Zone in Hillsborough County and the Overtown Children and Youth Coalition in Miami-Dade County as part of the statewide Florida’s Children’s Initiatives, which was established in 2008.
“I am proud to sponsor legislation that will designate two new areas as Florida Children’s Initiatives – in Tampa and Miami – to focus on sustainable solutions relating to safety, health and education for our children,” said Senator Young. “The expansion of these community improvement areas to include SSNOP in Tampa and Overtown in Miami will immensely benefit those children that are socioeconomically disadvantaged in these areas.”
In detail, this legislation will add SSNOP and the Overtown Children and Youth Coalition to the current program initiatives to address the academic needs of lower economic community by providing after-school and summer programs and scholarships for early learning, transitioning youth from high school to post-secondary education, and structuring student-family support systems.
“This initiative has shown positive impacts statewide where community improvement areas have already been established, such as declining juvenile arrests and decreases in crime, coupled with increases in GPA and test scores, among others,” said Senator Young. “I look forward to working with my fellow lawmakers this upcoming Legislative Session to ensure this important bill is passed.”
To read the bills Senator Young has filed in full, please visit FLSenate.gov/Senators/S18.
Senator Dana Young
Florida Senator Dana Young Re-introduces Bipartisan Legislation Banning Steroids in Dog Racing
Republican and democrat lawmakers are joining forces to protect racing greyhounds from the use of harmful anabolic steroids. Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) and Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) announced the filing of SB 674 and HB 463 which bans the use of the drugs. The legislation also enacts penalties against dog trainers who continue using them. An identical measure, also sponsored by Rep. Smith, overwhelmingly passed the full Florida House of Representatives during the 2017 session.
Senator Young said, “Greyhounds are gentle dogs, and deserve to be protected. I’m proud to fight for this good bill, and am confident we can pass it this year.” Rep. Smith added, “I will not give up on our bipartisan work to protect racing greyhounds from harmful anabolic steroids. We passed the bill in the House last session and are ready to do it again in 2018. These beautiful dogs are depending on us!”
Female racing greyhounds are routinely administered anabolic steroids to disrupt the process of estrus. This abusive practice prevents the loss of race days and increases profitability for the industry by ensuring females can continue to race alongside male greyhounds. Anabolic steroids push greyhounds beyond their natural limits, cause severe bodily harm, and can also have the effect of improperly doping greyhounds before races.
Currently, twelve of the eighteen greyhound tracks still operating in the United States are located in Florida. Our state’s dog racing industry faced renewed scrutiny in July, after twenty-two greyhounds tested positive for cocaine in Florida. The use of anabolic steroids in dog racing has been outlawed in many other jurisdictions, including Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand.
To read the bills Senator Young has filed in full, please visit FLSenate.gov/Senators/S18.
Florida Senator Dana Young Files Key Legislation to Address Citizen Concerns for the 2018 Legislative Session
In direct response to specific issues brought to light by her constituents, Florida Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) today announced a list of three bills she has filed for the 2018 Legislative Session. These priorities include Senate Bill 564, relating to John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities; Senate Bill 566, relating to Unlawful Detention by a Transient Occupant; and Senate Bill 568, relating to Telephone Solicitation.
“I am proud of the bills I have filed for the upcoming legislative session, and know the positive impact they will have on the Tampa Bay area and Florida in its entirety,” said Senator Young. “Many of these bills came to fruition after Floridians came to me seeking justice, fairness or answers for issues they’ve encountered. While all bills I file are important the ones specifically addressing issues raised by my constituents are particularly meaningful.”
“From improving landlord tenant laws, to updating Florida’s ‘Do Not Call’ list and guaranteeing our Florida students with special needs receive the best education possible, I am proud to do my part in ensuring we continue to better our great state,” said Senator Young.
SB 564, relating to John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities: In Florida, students with severe physical or psychological disabilities that may be confined to hospital or homebound living requirements are provided an Individual Education Plan (IEP), with varying level of services. Such IEPs impact the matrix of services provided, which in turn impact the scholarship funding students are eligible for under the McKay and Gardiner Scholarship Programs. Often, hospital or homebound education is a much lower level of service than they would receive in a traditional school setting; and therefore, much less expensive. The “McKay Scholarship Fix” would allow parents to request their child’s IEP be evaluated and updated prior to applying for a scholarship, as the Gardiner Scholarship Program does, to reflect a full-time education plan when they transition back to a school setting.
SB 566, relating to Unlawful Detention by a Transient Occupant: Currently, Florida Statute 82.045 does not specify when a transient occupancy terminates and what rights a transient occupant has to retrieve property. This bill seeks to resolve a legal ambiguity that arises when a homeowner provides another adult with a temporary place to stay and then they refuse to leave when they are no longer welcome. This lack of clarification makes it difficult for law enforcement to determine whether someone is a tenant or a transient. SB 566 aims to eradicate the ambiguity regarding transient occupants and their belongings, which often arises when adult children move in with their parents for a period of time.
SB 568, relating to Telephone Solicitation: As solicitors have developed new technology that allows them to directly leave messages on a consumer’s mobile phone voicemail, this bill will modernize the “Do Not Call” list so these tactics can no longer be used against Florida consumers.
To read the bills Senator Young has filed in full, please visit FLSenate.gov/Senators/S18.
Senator Dana Young Reintroduces Legislation to Ban Fracking in Florida
Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) has filed legislation today that will ban fracking in Florida. SB462 bans fracking of all kinds including hydraulic fracking, acid fracking, and matrix-acidizing. Fracking is an oil extraction method that injects chemical-laden waters into oil wells for the purpose of breaking up rock to increase the amount of oil and gas extracted.
Senator Young said, “This is the second year I am introducing legislation to completely ban fracking in Florida. Last year we had tremendous bi-partisan support with 19 co-sponsors. I believe the Senate will support this important ban on fracking and I hope the House of Representatives will also come to the table to protect the environment.”
Representative Kathleen Peters (R-South Pasadena) who is sponsoring the legislation in the House of Representatives said, “Florida cannot afford to lose millions of gallons of water a day to perform the fracking process and we certainly cannot afford the risk fracking poses to our drinking water. Water is a key element to life and we must do everything we can to protect the quality of our water and the health of our citizens.”
Senator Young made a ban on fracking her legislative priority after citing several examples of fracking’s harmful effects on the environment, most notably ground water contamination. Young said, “Our state sits precariously atop fragile limestone formations. Physically fracturing and/or dissolving this geologic formation goes against all common sense. As a 6th generation Floridian and avid outdoorsman, I understand the importance of our environment and I believe we must join together and say ‘no’ to this harmful activity, before irreversible environmental damage is done.”
Senator Dana Young statement on SB 442 passing Senate Environmental Preservation & Conservation Committee
State Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) today released the following statement regarding the passage of her bill, Senate Bill 442, an act relating to advanced well stimulation treatments, out of the Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee. SB 442 bans fracking of all types in Florida, including hydraulic fracking, acid fracking and matrix acidizing.
“I’m proud that my colleagues on the Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee joined me in supporting a statewide fracking ban in Florida by voting favorably on SB 442.
“Florida has such a unique geological make up and one-of-a-kind environment that we should not be putting it at risk by allowing fracking in the State of Florida. This is the same sentiment that I’ve heard echoed from concerned Floridians from the panhandle all the way to the Florida Keys – we should not be jeopardizing our drinking water supply or our beautiful natural environment.
“On behalf of all Floridians and future generations yet to come, I look forward to continuing to working with my fellow members of the Senate and the members of the Florida House to pass this legislation.”
SB 442 is slated to be heard next in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources.
Florida Senator Dana Young files craft breweries legislation
Senate Bill 554 Aims to Help Craft Breweries Grow & Enter
the Marketplace by Allowing Self-distribution
Florida Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) today announced that she has filed Senate Bill 554, relating to “Craft Breweries.” This bill provides the smallest of craft brewers with the opportunity to grow their business by permitting self-distribution up until a 7,000 keg production limit is met. Once this limit is met, the craft brewer will need to contract with a distributor, which is the current practice today.
“I am proud to sponsor SB 554 and continue to be an advocate for our state’s craft brewers,” said Senator Young. “We want to see the craft beer industry continue their trend of record growth and this bill will help new brewers get their beer to market faster.” She continued, “I look forward to working with the bill’s co-sponsor, Senator Jack Latvala, my colleagues in the Senate, and members of the Florida House to provide a regulatory structure that encourages craft brewers to grow.”
Senator Dana Young files legislation to make clear fantasy sports are legal in Florida
Bill Establishes Meaningful Regulations to Protect Consumers
State Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) today announced that she has filed Senate Bill 592, which clarifies the law to make clear that fantasy sports are legal in the State of Florida, while also establishing commonsense regulations and consumer protection measures for the industry. Ten states have recently passed laws regulating fantasy sports and these regulations have proven to be successful. SB 592 is based on the best components of fantasy sports laws from across the county, with the appropriate Florida-specific adjustments to serve the Sunshine State.
“Today, more than 3 million Floridians participate in fantasy sports. This bill ensures the games they love will continue to be legal in the State of Florida, while adding several consumer protection measures,” said Senator Young. “The relevant laws on the books were written a long, long time ago in a different era, and they need to be updated to reflect current technology and to ensure that our friends and neighbors who enjoy fantasy sports can do so without any legal ambiguity.”
Key consumer protection measures in the legislation include:
- Instituting restrictions on who may compete in fantasy games, including barring the operator, employees of the operator, and family members of the operator from play, as well as preventing employees of the game operator from sharing confidential information that could affect fantasy game play;
- Verifying fantasy contest participants are 18 years of age or older;
- Restricting any individual who is a player, game official, or other participant in a real-world competition from participating in any related fantasy contest;
- Disclosing the number of fantasy contests a single participant may enter and prevent contest participants from entering more than the allowable number of fantasy games;
- Segregating contest participants’ funds from operational funds and maintaining a reserve to ensure fantasy players will have access to their funds at all times;
- Requiring all fantasy sports companies offering fantasy games in the State of Florida to annually contract with a third party to perform an independent audit, consistent with the standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, to ensure compliance with all of the requirements of the new law; and,
- Clarification that NCAA sports will not be included in fantasy contests.
“On behalf of the millions of Floridians for whom fantasy sports is a fun and engaging pastime, I look forward to working with my colleagues during the 2017 Legislative Session to pass this needed law clarifying the legality of fantasy sports,” concluded Senator Young.
