Dear Friends,
The 2021 Legislative Session will be underway as of March 2 and already the picture is becoming a little clearer about what the priorities of the Florida Legislature will be. The eight weeks of committee hearings leading up to this have had numerous state agency and local government presentations, along with citizen input, about the challenges our state faces and the needs we will be asked to meet. I will share a few of those highlights with you today.
The state budget is always the top concern, as the only constitutionally mandated duty of the Florida Senate is to pass a balanced budget. We do not have to do anything else or pass a single bill, except that one. Which we have done, faithfully, each year. This year, with the COVID crises, the forecasting is predicting a budget shortfall, which means that cuts will be made and many good projects will go unfunded. This will be an exercise in frugality and efficiency and will not be all together bad for our state. A budget event like this can be a good reset for Florida as it brings in to focus those things, which are actually a priority. We are in a good place with Senator Kelli Stargel leading our efforts in this area and she has my full confidence.
SB 498, sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters is a bill that your Senator is particularly excited about seeing pass this year as this is something that we have been working on for a long time. This bill fixes an issue for many churchgoers and others that attend religious institutions that are connected to a school. Currently, state law prohibits a person from carrying a firearm to defend themselves in these places. SB 498 will remove this prohibition and let these churches and other religious institutions decide for themselves. This is a great pro-second amendment and pro-property rights bill.
SB 744 is another bill that your Senator is co-sponsoring this year and could be a huge win for the pro-life movement if passed. This bill is called the “Florida Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act”, which you probably have heard of already as other states have passed in some form or another. This bill would prohibit doctors from performing an abortion procedure on an unborn child more than 20 weeks old. This is the age that most physicians agree that an unborn child can feel pain. This bill is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction and will save many lives.
Unfortunately, because of the issues with COVID, the Senate President is not allowing visitors to our offices in the Capitol, but we are holding virtual meetings and phone calls with any constituents who have concerns or ideas. So, please do not let that stop you from reaching out to our office. We need your input in this process. I work for you.
Onward & Upward,
Senator Dennis Baxley
