GAINESVILLE, FL —Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03), with the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA), hosted a tour of Central Florida’s agricultural facilities to gather feedback from growers and producers ahead of the 2023 Farm Bill.

Every five years, Congress passes legislation that sets national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policy, commonly referred to as the “Farm Bill.” With the 2023 Farm Bill on the docket this year, members of the House Agriculture Committee are gathering feedback from farmers, ranchers, producers, and foresters in their districts and states about the must-address issues in this year’s legislation.

In an effort to collect this critical feedback from producers in Florida, Congresswoman Cammack and stakeholders toured several farms and nurseries throughout Central Florida, speaking with representatives from each operation about their Farm Bill priorities. Continue reading →

GAINESVILLE, FL — Congresswoman Kat Cammack begins her Central Floria Agriculture Tour with stops in Umatilla and Mount Dora, Florida. With the 2023 Farm Bill in development during this first session of the 118th Congress, Rep. Cammack is speaking with farmers, ranchers, and producers across the state this spring to learn more about the issues most important to them and how she can continue to be a voice for Florida Agriculture in the U.S. House of Representatives.

On Tuesday, Rep. Cammack will visit Wild Goose Farm in Umatilla and H&A Farms in Mount Dora. While at each stop, the congresswoman will hear from stakeholders and discuss crop insurance, risk management for specialty crops, labor and immigration reform, trade, and more.

On Wednesday, Rep. Cammack will visit AgriStarts in Apopka, Jon’s Nursery in Eustis, and Dewar Nurseries in Mount Dora, FL.  Continue reading →

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) introduced the bipartisan Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced the Senate companion on Tuesday.

The bill prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the organ transplant system. It upholds, clarifies, and builds upon rights established in the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Sec. 504 of the Rehab Act, and Sec.1557 of the Affordable Care Act. Additionally, the bill prohibits covered entities from determining that an individual is ineligible to receive a transplant, deny an organ transplant or related service, refuse to refer the individual to an organ transplant center, refuse to place an individual on a waiting list, or decline insurance coverage for a transplant or related service based solely on the fact that the individual has a disability.  Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—As the 2023 Tax-Season Scams Series draws to an end, Attorney General Moody is issuing the final alert by highlighting a drastic increase in reports to the IRS on suspicious activity. The Internal Revenue Service reported a more than 300% increase in reports of suspicious activity from 2021 to 2022. Attorney General Moody launched the Tax-Season Scams Series to highlight common tax-related schemes and provide tips about how to avoid falling victim.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “IRS reports of suspicious activity skyrocketed last year—up more than 300%. To make sure Floridians are protected from common tax scams, I launched this series and hope that it continues to guide taxpayers as we move closer to the filing deadline.”

Here are some of the most common tax-related scams: Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is demanding information about whether a Biden administration program used taxpayer money to purchase crack pipes for drug addicts. Attorney General Moody is taking legal action against two federal agencies due to withheld information with respect to the program’s suspected practices. In February 2022, Florida sent Freedom of Information Act requests to the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seeking records regarding the alleged use of federal grant funds to promote drug use through safe smoking kits—in which some were reportedly found to include crack pipes and other drug-related paraphernalia. Now, more than a year later, with both agencies failing to reply to the state’s request, Attorney General Moody is taking DOJ and HHS to court to bring the information to light.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “If Biden is using your tax dollars to buy crackpipes for drug addicts, you have the right to know. Our country is in the grips of a drug overdose crisis, and the Biden administration is stonewalling our requests and keeping the public in the dark about so many misguided, reckless policies. We are taking them to court to get answers for the American people.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is activating Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline following reports of extreme flooding in Broward County. The following expansion comes as Gov. Ron DeSantis declares of a state of emergency due to areas of Broward County that are flooded after receiving heavy rainfall of more than 25 inches.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “With the declared state of emergency in Broward County for extreme flooding, I am activating Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline to protect Floridians from any unlawful increases.”

It is important for all residents of Broward County to begin preparations for any additional flooding. This includes having an emergency plan in place and staying informed through local news and weather reports. Attorney General Moody recommends citizens follow the guidance of local officials and take all necessary steps to ensure safety. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is calling on Congress to investigate the Biden administration subjecting unaccompanied minors to human trafficking. This call comes after a Florida Statewide Grand Jury released its third presentment documenting horrible conditions unaccompanied minors experience because of the Biden administration’s failed policies and lack of oversight. Attorney General Moody is imploring Congress to convene hearings and act to prevent children from being assaulted and exploited.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “A Florida Grand Jury found shocking and horrific evidence of the Biden administration facilitating human trafficking and child exploitation of unaccompanied minors. It should enrage everyone that any child is being exposed to such dangerous and terrible conditions. I’m calling on Congress to conduct hearings to further the investigation and uncover the evidence that HHS refused to provide to Florida’s Statewide Grand Jury.” Continue reading →

Dear Friends,

We are now at about the halfway point of the 60-day Legislative Session in Tallahassee. We are reminded of how blessed we are to be living in this great state and it is an honor to be able to serve you in the Florida Senate. Thanks to you, Florida continues to thrive economically and we are seeing hundreds of people moving here every day. While we are excited that they have chosen Florida to work and raise a family, it does present us with many challenges as we address the explosion of growth. Our leadership team in the Senate, along with Governor DeSantis and the Speaker of the House, is working tirelessly to address these needs and continue to make Florida’s future secure.

Senator Travis Hutson recently presented SB 240 in the Pre-K – 12 Education Committee. This bill revises current high school graduation requirements to place a specific emphasis on educational curriculum that is focused on technical education and career training. Additionally, this legislation establishes a program that allows local businesses to assess the job market for their specified region and collaborate with local schools to ensure that roles found to be of a greater need are greater emphasized in our educational system. As the entire nation attempts to address labor shortages in key fields such as nursing and logistics, Florida will lead through innovative educational policies that benefit individual students and the economy as a whole. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — First Lady Casey DeSantis welcomed female faith leaders from across Florida into the Governor’s Mansion to discuss her Hope Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity initiative spearheaded by First Lady Casey DeSantis. Hope Florida, created by First Lady DeSantis and implemented by the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, utilizes ‘Hope Navigators’ to guide Floridians on an individualized path to prosperity and economic self-sufficiency by focusing on community collaboration between the private sector, faith-based community, non-profits, and government entities to break down traditional community silos to maximize support and uncover opportunities. These ‘Hope Navigators’ are essential in helping individuals identify their unique and immediate barriers to prosperity, develop long-term goals, map out a strategic plan, and work to ensure all sectors of the community have a ‘seat at the table’ to be a key part of the solution. In addition, the Hope Navigators help identify and organize opportunities for Floridians who wish to help their neighbors by connecting community members, including Florida seniors, with volunteer and mentorship opportunities. Continue reading →