Florida State Wide
On Friday, June 23, 2017, former State Representative Elizabeth “Betty” Metcalf passed away. Metcalf represented District 114, parts of Miami, Coral Gables, unincorporated Miami-Dade County and South Miami, serving in the Florida House of Representatives from 1982 until 1988. Her three-term legislative legacy includes support for children, senior citizens, and resources for a mental health center. She also helped pass legislation to protect children at day-care centers.
As a symbol of respect for the memory of former State Representative Elizabeth “Betty” Metcalf, and her service to our State, I hereby direct the flags of the United States and the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff at the County Courthouse of Miami-Dade County, Florida, the City Hall of Palmetto Bay, Florida, and at the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, from sunrise to sunset on Friday, July 7, 2017.
Florida lawmakers filed more than 3,000 bills in 2017 and fewer than 250 passed both chambers of the Legislature before it adjourned its annual session. I filed 39 bills this session. Of those, 8 passed both chambers in their entirety, a few others were passed with language in other larger bills.
We passed SB 312 this year which will require state, county, municipal, or other law enforcement agencies that conduct lineups to follow specified procedures. This provision will minimize cases of misidentification and strengthen cases that have used best practices. The Governor signed this into law on June 14th.
I was able to pass SB 436 this year, which will protect all students and school personnel in their choice of religious expression. This legislation makes it clear that the Legislature supports the constitutional rights of Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion for everyone associated with our public school system. This bill protects the expression of all religious beliefs, and protects a student’s decision not to express any religion. The Governor signed this bill into law on June 9th. Continue reading
Tallahassee, FL- With the conclusion of the 2017 Legislative Session, Representative McClain is proud of the unified approach House members took with their fellow House members to solve important issues that affect every day Floridians. He helped to pass meaningful tax cuts including an increase in the Homestead Tax Exemption, which is projected to save Floridians about $644.7 million, because Floridians are better stewards of their dollar than the government. Representative McClain also stood against corporate welfare and supported Florida’s future by voting to increase K-12 spending.
“At the end of Session it was good to see Tax Exemptions and a budget passed that we can work from without causing unnecessary debt, as a fiscal conservative, I can stand behind that.” Continue reading
The International Association of Chiefs of Police, this week, hosted its Southern Region Conference in Orlando. Police chiefs and state troopers from across the South attended the conference and shared strategies to fight drug trafficking, rescue human trafficking victims and prevent terrorism.
I was excited to meet with these dedicated public servants, and on my way to the conference I was reminded of just how vital they are to our nation’s security. As we headed to Orlando, news broke of a shooting in Orange County—claiming the lives of five victims. Continue reading
On Monday, June 5, 2017 10:21 AM, Governor’s Press Office <Governor’sPressOffice@eog.myflorida.com> wrote:
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott released the following statement regarding the shooting incident in Orlando.
Governor Scott said, “Over the past year, the Orlando community has been challenged like never before. I have been briefed by our law enforcement officials on this tragic incident and Ann and I are praying for the families who lost loved ones today. I ask all Floridians to pray for the families impacted by this senseless act of violence. I will remain in contact with the Orlando law enforcement community throughout the day as more information is made available.”
MIAMI, Fla. – Tomorrow, June 1, Governor Rick Scott and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly will kick off the 2017 hurricane season at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: 11:00 AM
WHERE: National Hurricane Center
11691 SW 17th Street
Miami, FL 33165
NOTE: Credentialed media planning to attend must RSVP dennis.feltgen@noaa.gov before 8:00 AM EDT on June 1. On the day of the event, media must arrive no later than 10:15 AM EDT for security purposes. Parking is located on the east side of the building with signage “NOAA Conference Parking”. After you are cleared by security, proceed to the main (south) entrance.
OCALA, Fla. (May 19, 2017) – The unemployment rate for the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region was 4.8 percent in April, down half a percentage point over the month and 0.8 percent lower than the same time last year.
It is also the first time since the slow slog of economic recovery began that joblessness dropped below 5 percent for the area.
Out of a labor force of 200,630, which tightened by 914 over the month, there were 9,730 unemployed, a drop of 917 since March and 1,278 fewer than April 2016. While the number of employed remained virtually unchanged in the region – inching up by three over the month to 190,900 – that represents 5,684 more employed than a year ago when the unemployment rate was 5.6 percent. Continue reading
Tallahassee, Fla.—This year’s hurricane season is quickly approaching, and the Florida Department of Health encourages you to make preparations that can help ensure your safety should severe weather occur. In 2016 our state saw the first large-scale hurricane event in a decade. Every hurricane season should be treated as a serious threat, and taking simple precautions can help you stay healthy and safe when weather-related hazards impact the state.
“Last year’s active hurricane season served as a reminder about the importance of planning ahead for emergencies,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. Celeste Philip. “I strongly encourage everyone to have an updated emergency plan and an emergency supply kit that is specific to your needs and the needs of your loved ones.”
Here’s how you can prepare for the 2017 Hurricane Season: Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott signed the following bills into law:
| CS/CS/SB 18 | Relief of ‘Survivor’ and the Estate of ‘Victim’ – This bill directs the Florida Department of Children and Families to provide a total of $3.75 million in compensation relief to Victor Barahona and the estate of Nubia Barahona.
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| CS/CS/SB 80 | Public Records – This bill specifies the conditions under which a court may award attorney fees in public record disputes.
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| CS/SB 818 | Timeshares – This bill revises definitions and requirements for termination of timeshare plans and creates a new section related to the extension of the terms of timeshares. |
MIAMI, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced Secretary Tom Delacenserie’s resignation from the Florida Lottery, which will be effective on June 2, 2017. He has served in this role since 2015. Further announcements on agency leadership will be made at a later date.
Governor Scott said, “For 17 years, Tom Delacenserie has served our state at the Florida Lottery. Tom has done a great job and under his leadership, the Lottery has seen record sales and made historic contributions to Florida’s education system. Tom has been a valued member of my team since the start of my administration and I am proud of the great work he has done for Florida’s students. I wish Tom and his family the very best in their future endeavors.”
Prior to his appointment as Secretary, Tom Delacenserie served as the Interim Secretary for the Florida Lottery. Beginning his career at the Florida Lottery in 2000 as District Manager in Fort Myers, Delacenserie was promoted in 2005 to Lottery’s Director of Sales. In 2013, Delacenserie transitioned to Lottery’s Deputy Secretary of Sales and Marketing.
