WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week Rep. Kat Cammack and her colleagues reintroduced the bipartisan Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act, aimed at removing barriers to agriculture disaster assistance for producers. This bill would provide farmers, ranchers, and other agriculture producers with improved access to federal disaster assistance following natural disasters, ensuring that basic safety net programs are available when they are needed most.  Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), and Austin Scott (GA-08) co-led this legislation. A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).

The Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act would address outdated adjusted gross income (AGI) limitations that prevent many full-time farmers from accessing crucial USDA disaster programs. These limitations have not kept pace with inflation, and specialty crop producers, particularly those affected by disasters like flooding in California, have faced significant barriers to receiving aid. Continue reading →

Exciting news! We officially launched the Republican Women’s Caucus at the White House on Wednesday alongside President Trump. This new group, made up of female GOP members in the House and Senate, will ensure American issues are women’s issues as we fight to secure the border, restore our energy dominance, and strengthen our economy during the Golden Age of America. I’m thrilled to be the founder and co-chair of the caucus alongside Senator Katie Britt in its inaugural year.

You can watch the news and video from the White House announcement below, and see a bit more of my own personal news—my husband Matt and I are expecting our first baby later this year! I was thrilled to share this news alongside dozens of my fellow female conservative lawmakers who know just how important women and girls are to the future of our nation.  Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution secured a guilty conviction of the owner of Olympus Pools who defrauded Floridians. James Ivan Staten, Jr., owner and operator of Olympus Pools, stole more than $1.5 million from Floridians and failed to complete customer pools. Staten was found guilty of 35 counts, including aggravated white-collar crime, organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, and contractor fraud. Staten accepted large down payments and left many customers in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Polk counties with no pools and destroyed yards.

“I’m proud to announce that Prosecutors Stephanie Bergen and Panagiota Papakos secured a guilty conviction for this fraudster who turned many Floridians’ dreams of a backyard paradise into a nightmare, taking their money and digging holes to nowhere,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Little did this fraudster know, he’d be digging himself into a 20-year minimum prison sentence.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Attorney General James Uthmeier directed an investigation into proxy advisors Glass Lewis & Co. and Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) for potential misrepresentations related to their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) investing policies in violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and possible unlawful collusion in adopting and enforcing these policies in violation of the Florida Antitrust Act of 1980. Civil Investigative Demands will be forthcoming.

“We won’t allow ESG goals to handcuff Florida businesses and threaten Floridians investments,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “If these proxy advisors use their overwhelming market power to advance partisan political agendas rather than maximizing shareholder value, we will hold them accountable.”

Glass Lewis and ISS provide vote recommendations to institutional investors and control a large share of the proxy-advisory market, with some estimates as high as 97%. Institutional investors, such as those who manage the portfolios of many Americans’ retirement accounts, rely on proxy advisors to direct them on how to vote their shares. Thus, the decisions of proxy advisors have a substantial influence over how major American companies are run. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the Consumer Protection Division secured a lifetime ban and final judgments totaling more than $4 million settling ongoing litigation related to a Florida-based moving brokerage scheme. Charles Abrams, Rudolph Rice, and Daniel Metz operated a common enterprise of moving brokerage companies, including Gold Standard Moving and Storage and others.

“We will not tolerate shady moving operators scamming hardworking Floridians,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Thanks to the work of Senior Assistant Attorney General Josie Warren, Deputy Director Sasha Funk Granai, and Assistant Attorney General Pooneh Charkhian-Martinez of the Consumer Protection Division, these operators and entities are permanently banned from the moving business in Florida and will be paying millions of dollars in monetary judgments.” Continue reading →

Governor Ron DeSantis Welcomes SpaceX’s Starship Operations to Florida

TALLAHASSEE Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis welcomed SpaceX’s decision to bring Starship launch capacities and processing operations to Florida. Starship will be the first rapidly and fully reusable launch vehicle in history, designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

In support of these missions, SpaceX will construct new launch and landing infrastructure for Starship at multiple pads within NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, pending environmental approval, as well as a new integration facility, called Gigabay, which will have more than 40 million cubic feet of vehicle processing space. The project includes at least $1.8 billion of SpaceX capital investment and will bring an estimated 600 new full-time jobs in the Space Coast by 2030. Continue reading →

Dear Neighbor,

This week was the last of three busy weeks in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday evening, the House voted to pass a bill to keep the government open and funded. The Senate plans to vote on the legislation this morning to support President Trump’s agenda and keep the government open.

I introduced two pieces of legislation this week, one aimed at supporting our producers with necessary disaster assistance following hurricanes, and the second supporting maternal health. You can read more about each bill below and stay tuned for more legislative updates with more bills dropping in the next several weeks. Continue reading →

State Affairs:

by Briggitte Smith

Chairman, Marion County Republican Executive Committee

The Marion County Republican Executive Committee Legislative Affairs committee traveled to Tallahassee for the special session. We have been sending prior emails regarding the immigration legislation, but below is a new rule to vehicle registration that we learned about during our trip.

New Rule 15C-1.015, FAC – Vehicle Registration Information, rule was established to define a “valid passport” when filing an application to register a motor vehicle; when filing an application for vehicle registration, an individual applicant must provide a valid driver license or identification card issued by this state or another state or a valid passport. For purposes of s. 320.02(2)(a), Florida Statutes, new Rule 15C-1.015, FAC, defines a “valid passport” as: (1) An unexpired passport or passport card issued by the United States government; or (2) An unexpired passport issued by the government of another country with: (a) A stamp or mark affixed by the United States Department of Homeland Security onto the passport to evidence and authorize lawful presence in the United States; or (b) An unexpired I-94, or current permanent resident card, or unexpired immigrant visa, issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Continue reading →

(Ensuring Government Efficiency)

WHEREAS, state and local governments should be efficient, effective, transparent, and responsive and should be held accountable for achieving these goals; and

WHEREAS, fiscal accountability is necessary to ensure good government and to minimize financial burdens on the taxpayer; and

WHEREAS, all levels of government should continue to work to eliminate unnecessary and inappropriate spending; and

WHEREAS, the State of Florida has a strong record of responsible fiscal management and stewardship; and

WHEREAS, in addition to balancing the budget each year, my Administration has consistently strived toward streamlining government; and

WHEREAS, for example, the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 “Focus on Florida’s Future” Budget saved Florida taxpayers $3.5 billion; and

WHEREAS, Florida has paid down 41% of the State’s total historic tax-supported debt since 2019; and

WHEREAS, Florida’s debt per capita is estimated to have decreased by 54% from $1,457 in Fiscal Year 2010-2011 to $664 in Fiscal Year 2023-2024; and Continue reading →

LADY LAKE — In celebration of National Arbor Day on April 25, the Town of Lady Lake is announcing its annual Tree Raffle, reinforcing its commitment to conservation and community beautification.

This year, the Town Commission doubled the award to $10,000, allowing 50 residents to win $200 in gift certificates to Fairfield Farms Nurseries in Oxford, where they may choose from a variety of trees and plants. Winners must arrange for pickup and planting

How to Enter:

Open to Lady Lake residents only (addresses will be verified).

One entry per household (previous winners from the last two years are not eligible).

Submit raffle tickets to the Town Clerk’s Office at 409 Fennell Blvd. no later than 6

p.m. on April 14, 2025.

The drawing will take place on April 21, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Hall

Commission Chambers (409 Fennell Blvd., Lady Lake). Winners will be notified and do not

need to be present.

Entry forms can be found online at www.ladylakefl.gov and at Town Hall.

For the 20th consecutive year, Lady Lake has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, highlighting its dedication to urban forestry, tree preservation, and responsible development. The Town’s tree bank, funded by developer contributions, supports initiatives like the annual tree raffle to ensure a greener future for Lady Lake.

“Being named a Tree City USA for 20 years solidifies our ongoing commitment to protecting our environment,” said Parks and Recreation Director Mike Burske. “This raffle is a wonderful way to engage residents in beautification efforts.”

Elisha Pappacoda