Dear President Trump,

On behalf of all Floridians, thank you for working with the U.S. Congress to develop the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act and for signing it into law.

While not the first appropriation successfully secured by your Administration to rebuild this critical base, the decision to spend over $2 billion for reconstruction efforts for Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB) sends a strong message to the personnel assigned to the base and to residents of Bay County that they are not alone in their efforts to rebuild from Hurricane Michael. Additionally, we appreciate your Administration’s recent decision to base a wing of F-35 Lightning II fighters at the redesigned Tyndall AFB, which will be the most modern, most completely networked and interconnected fighter in the military’s inventory.

Secondly, thank you on behalf of our military communities for supporting the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP). Florida’s military families benefit from the off-base community infrastructure projects that support mission readiness and resilience, including utilities, transportation, emergency response, schools, hospitals, and other off-base infrastructure. Continue reading →

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis applauded President Donald Trump for securing $200 million for Everglades restoration in the federal budget that the President signed into law yesterday. Since taking office, Governor DeSantis has championed historic investments in Everglades restoration and water quality to protect Florida’s precious natural resources. Earlier this year, Governor DeSantis joined Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Rick Scott in asking President Trump to include $200 million for Everglades restoration in his federal budget.

The $200 million federal appropriation secured by President Trump for South Florida Ecosystem Restoration is a $130 million increase in Everglades restoration funding from last year. This important funding advances critical Everglades restoration projects including the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir Project, which will help reduce harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries and send more water south.

“President Trump has followed through on his promise to deliver for Florida and America’s Everglades,” said Governor DeSantis. “This investment in Everglades restoration will build on our efforts at the state level for critical projects like the EAA Reservoir, the Caloosahatchee Reservoir and the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area. I look forward to continuing to work with the President and our local, state and federal partners on preserving and restoring Florida’s environment.” Continue reading →

Friends,

Happy New Year! I hope that all of you had a safe and wonderful holiday season. My family enjoyed all the time we shared together and I was especially grateful for the opportunity to spend some time in our mountain home in North Carolina that we don’t get to visit nearly enough. 2020 is already shaping up to be an exciting year in the world of government and politics and the Presidential Election is sure to capture the majority of the news over the next year. More on that later.

As we say hello to 2020 and goodbye to 2019, let us take a look at a couple of highlights from this last year and for all that we have to be thankful.

During 2019, crime rates in Florida continue to decrease. We just had a chance to look at FDLE’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR), which showed crime dropped 6.1 percent compared to the first half of 2018 with almost 17,100 fewer reported incidents. This can be attributed, firstly, to those men and women in law enforcement who are doing an excellent job holding the blue line. Secondly, we can thank some fantastic leadership, chosen by you, in our county sheriff’s departments across the state. In addition, our city police chiefs and state law enforcement directors are among the very best, anywhere in the world and we should be very proud of the work they do. Thirdly, because the people of this state have chosen solid, conservative leaders to send to Tallahassee that will protect the rights of individuals to take responsibility for themselves and others.      Continue reading →

By Blanca Taylor

Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

Each year, we announce the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). By law, federal benefits increase when the cost of living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Usually, there is an increase in the benefit amount people will receive each month, starting the following January.

Nearly 69 million Americans will see a 1.6 percent increase in their Social Security benefits and SSI payments in 2020. Continue reading →

Attorney General Ashley Moody announced Florida’s Senior Protection Team, an intra-agency group of experts working together to fight fraud and abuse. The team is comprised of leading members from the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, Consumer Protection Division and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Seniors v. Crime and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will also actively assist the team with investigations and outreach efforts.

The goal is to bring attorneys and investigators specialized in fighting civil, criminal and health care fraud together to develop strategies to protect Floridians 60 and older. The team is already meeting with experts and stakeholders across the state to develop aggressive ways to combat fraud against seniors. Continue reading →

On November 20, 2019, in News Releases, by Staff

Nearly $3 million in funding dedicated to career and technical education remains available

Tallahassee, Fla.– Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and Department of Education (DOE) Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran announced the school districts, universities, colleges and private institutions who have been awarded with the Florida Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant.

During the 2019 Legislative Session, Governor DeSantis worked with the Florida Legislature to secure historic funding for Florida’s students and families, including $10 million dedicated to career and technical education for the newly created Florida Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant Program. The program provides competitive grants to eligible institutions to create or expand apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. Of the $10 million in state funding, nearly $3 million still remains. Continue reading →

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced and applauded the efforts of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to remove more than 3,600 invasive Burmese pythons from South Florida’s Everglades System.

This month, FWC’s Python Action Team reached a major milestone of removing 1,000 Burmese pythons from the wild in Florida. The removal of these 1,000 snakes compliments the more than 2,600 pythons removed by the SFWMD’s Python Elimination Program.

“I’m proud that our recent efforts to expedite the removal of invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades are yielding results,” said Governor DeSantis. “The removal of more than 3,600 pythons by FWC and the South Florida Water Management District is an important milestone in this fight and demonstrates that our policies are working. Together, we will continue to build on this success and do all we can to preserve and restore our environment.”

On August 7^, Governor DeSantis joined FWC and the SFWMD to announce new efforts to remove pythons from the greater Everglades. The Governor directed FWC and the District to increase collaboration on a number of initiatives, including training programs, research, education campaigns and incentives for veterans to remove pythons.

The SFWMD’s Python Elimination Program and FWC’s Python Action Team were created in March and April of 2017, respectively. Both programs were designed to further engage qualified individuals with python control efforts. In recent months, FWC has doubled their number of Action Team contractors, significantly increasing the number of pythons that have been removed.

The FWC Python Action Team’s 1000^th python was captured by Tom Rahill and the Swamp Apes Team in the Chekika region of Everglades National Park. It measured in at 9 feet, 5 inches long and weighed 23 pounds. The Swamp Apes Team is a group dedicated to serving U.S. veterans through serving the wilderness.

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, in honor of Veteran’s Day, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the launch of a new military-friendly travel section on VISIT FLORIDA’s website, www.visitflorida.com/military.

The section is a consolidated source of Florida travel information for service members, veterans, and their families. The site includes information about discounts and experiences available to military members and their families, monuments and memorials, military-related events, museums and more.

“More than 1.5 million veterans call Florida home and the defense industry is one of the state’s top economic drivers,” said Governor DeSantis. “On Veteran’s Day, we recognize and observe the sacrifices of our men and women in the armed services who have dedicated their lives to preserving the principles upon which our great country was founded. Since taking office, I have made it a priority to enhance Florida’s reputation as the most veteran-friendly state in the nation. VISIT FLORIDA’s new military travel hub expands this initiative and further strengthens the bond between Florida and our nation’s heroes.”

“Florida is one of the world’s leading destinations and VISIT FLORIDA is dedicated to providing all our visitors with inspiring travel ideas,” said VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO Dana Young. “Through this new addition to our website, VISIT FLORIDA is showcasing the many military-friendly experiences available throughout the state. We are honored to provide our country’s servicemen and women with tailored visitor information, and will remain committed to ensuring military members, veterans, and their families feel welcome when creating lifelong memories in the Sunshine State.”

Florida is a diverse destination that last year attracted 127 million travelers from around the world. Tourism remains the state’s leading industry and, based on the latest economic impact study, visitors to Florida contributed $85.9 billion to the state’s economy and supported 1.5 million Florida jobs in 2017.

Friends,

This column comes to you from our desk in the Florida Capitol. That is right, our desk, not mine. This seat, this desk, belong to the people of Senate District 12 and it is very humbling for me to be here on your behalf today. It is never taken for granted the responsibility and trust that you have given to me to represent over 500,000 people in our great State. We get to work on some big issues, that will affect all of you, and it is very important for you to be engaged and informed in our legislative process. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is asking Floridians to help fight the opioid crisis and teen vaping epidemic by participating in the 18th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The biannual event is an opportunity for people to properly dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs or controlled substances. Disposing of unwanted or expired pharmaceuticals helps prevent drug abuse, addiction and overdose deaths. Additionally, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, for the first time ever, will accept vaping products on Drug Take-Back Day.

Attorney General Moody today joined DEA to preview a take-back location in the Tampa Bay area. Drug Take-Back Day will take place this Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at locations across Florida.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The excess supply of prescription medications is helping fuel the national opioid crisis and teen vaping is at an all-time high. Properly disposing of unused, expired drugs and vaping products helps prevent addiction and could save a life. I ask all Floridians to please participate in Drug Take-Back Day and help keep addictive opioids and vaping products from falling into the wrong hands.” Continue reading →