Congresswoman Kat Cammack’s Legislation To Rename Middleburg VA Clinic “A.K. Baker VA Clinic” Passes U.S. House Of Representatives

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, S.2159, the bill to rename the VA Clinic in Middleburg, Florida after Andrew Kenneth Baker, unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill passed the Senate earlier this year, and the legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk for a signature before the clinic’s name will be formally changed.

“It is so special to see this bill across the finish line during the 117th Congress,” said Cammack. “I worked on this project during my time as Deputy Chief of Staff for the district, and to see it finally pass both chambers and head to the president’s desk is an honor. I’ve come to know Ms. Tina Baker, Andrew’s widow, over the last decade, and it’s surreal to soon see her husband’s name in huge letters on the front of the building in Middleburg. His distinguished legacy will live on in the community that was such a huge part of who he was. Thank you to Senators Rubio and Scott and all of my Florida colleagues for your support of this effort.” Continue reading →

Attorney General Moody Secures $390 Million Through Historic Multistate Action Against Google Over Location Tracking Practices

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today announced a historic multistate action against Google over the tech giant’s location tracking practices. The announcement follows a historic multistate investigation by Attorney General Moody and 39 other state attorneys general into the company’s location tracking practices and cybersecurity disclosures. As a result of the investigation, the business will pay the states $390 million—including $26 million to Florida. Google must also provide consumers more information and clearer options as it relates to tracking practices.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Big Tech is watching us, but Silicon Valley needs to know that we are watching them too, and if they violate our consumer protection laws, we will take strong action to protect our citizens. This is a historic case for the privacy of Americans and the protection of consumers nationwide, and I am proud our office helped lead this massive, nationwide investigation.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is recognizing Utility Scam Awareness Day by issuing tips for Floridians to avoid utility scams. Fraudsters aiming to swindle consumers may pose as representatives of utility companies, and claim immediate payment is needed or the customer’s service will be cut off—or scammers may attempt to obtain personal information from an unsuspecting consumer. Attorney General Moody wants to ensure Floridians don’t fall victim to these schemes.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Utility scammers will prey on the fear of losing an important service such as power or gas in order to elicit an immediate payment. Don’t fall for these imposter scams. If you receive a suspicious message or phone call, do not provide any personal or financial information. Instead, call the utility company directly and check on the status of your account.” Continue reading →

Attorney General Moody Leads Multistate Effort Urging DEA to Extend Telehealth Capabilities for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is leading a bipartisan coalition of 45 attorneys general urging the extension of emergency rules to aid those suffering with opioid use disorder. The attorneys general are calling on the Drug Enforcement Administration and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to permanently extend telehealth flexibilities for prescribing buprenorphine, an opioid use disorder treatment. Buprenorphine is one of three medications that is FDA-approved to treat patients suffering from addiction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration allowed telehealth services to prescribe the medication, but this rule is set to expire when the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.

The nation is in the grips of an opioid crisis, with more than 100,000 Americans dying due to overdose last year alone. State attorneys general are on the front lines fighting the crisis to protect Americans from deadly synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Attorney General Moody recognizes that interdiction efforts alone will not end the crisis. Continue reading →

Dear Friends,

The election season will officially conclude November 8 and we are very excited to bring this cycle to a close. We are grateful to live in America, where, even if we make a mistake about who we choose to lead us, we have the ability to choose differently in the next election. No one person can dominate the government for a lifetime. In Florida, we are grateful to have anti-incumbency laws in our constitution so that we are always ready to receive wisdom and fresh ideas from another who is willing to serve. We should not be afraid of those who do have experience serving in elected roles, they bring highly valuable insight and knowledge. We do recognize, however, that we cannot allow our state to operate as Washington D.C. does. There, men and women hold office for decades and become so entrenched that they lose all sense of what it means to be an average citizen. It is not true of all that serve in federal government, but it is a concern for many.

We are confident that we will have a smooth and fair election where voters can be assured that their ballot was counted accurately and that our elections are legitimate. The Florida Legislature has worked hard these last few years to ensure that it is incredibly difficult to cheat our elections. As the Chair of the Ethics and Elections Committee, your Senator had the opportunity to directly sponsor and/or oversee some of the largest elections changes this state has seen in decades. SB 90 (2021) and SB (524) fixed issues and loopholes surrounding drop boxes, ballot harvesting, and vote-by-mail ballots. In addition, we established an investigative unit on elections security within the Department of State that will weed out potential abusers of our elections. No system is perfect and our work is never finished. “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance”. In Florida, we will continue to make it easy to vote, but very, very hard to cheat.

Our prayers continue for our neighbors in the southern part of the state who, little by little, are piecing back together their lives after the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian. How Floridians have responded to such tragedy is truly amazing and it is a blessing to be serving some of the most hardworking and dedicated people in this entire country. Governor DeSantis did an amazing job coordinating the state’s response to this disaster and we are fortunate to have a leader like him for times such as this.

Thank you for your trust and confidence; it is an honor to serve you in the Florida Senate.

Onward & Upward,

Senator Dennis Baxley