TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Governor Rick Scott and Volunteer Florida today thanked the following businesses for their generous donations to the Florida Disaster Fund, which was activated by Governor Scott to aid those impacted by Hurricane Michael. The Florida Disaster Fund, administered by the Volunteer Florida Foundation, is the State of Florida’s official private fund established to assist Florida’s communities in times of disaster. To make a contribution, visit www.FloridaDisasterFund.org or text DISASTER to 20222 to make a donation of $10.

• Wells Fargo ($250,00)
• Aetna ($100,000)
• Duke Energy ($50,000)
• Uber ($25,000)

Governor Scott said, “As we recover from Hurricane Michael, we have seen so much support for families impacted by this devastating storm and we are grateful for the generosity of so many Floridians and Americans who donated. Donations to the Florida Disaster Fund go directly to support families in their recovery and help them get back on their feet. We cannot thank these businesses enough for helping our state during this difficult time.” Continue reading →

The recovery efforts continue in areas hardest hit by Hurricane Michael, and this week, I joined first responders, recovery crews and volunteers helping people in the aftermath of this deadly storm. I cannot thank our utility companies enough for their tireless efforts to restore power in areas filled with total devastation.

Cell service continues to provide challenges for first response and people affected by Michael. A major issue was that most of the cell service in the area was powered by Verizon. Governor Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis have championed this issue to help these citizens regain the cell service they desperately need. AT&T stepped up and brought in many mobile cell towers, as well as mobile phones.

I want to thank Tracfone, a national company based in Miami, for donating 200 phones fully charged with 60 days of AT&T service to help our first responders. These are just a few example of organizations stepping up to help those in need. In Franklin County with Sheriff A.J. Smith, we met a group of St. Petersburg pilots flying donated chainsaws, gas cans and other necessities directly to disaster sites. Continue reading →

October 16, 2018

This week, I joined President Donald J. Trump and my fellow members on the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis at the White House for an important bill signing ceremony. Our country is in the midst of a national opioid crisis claiming thousands of lives, and as we continue to combat this crisis, I am encouraged by the President’s leadership and support.

During the ceremony, President Trump signed the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act that expands access to drug treatment and recovery services.

The SUPPORT Act is the single largest legislative package addressing a single drug crisis in history. This bipartisan legislation will bolster ongoing efforts, both in Florida and nationwide, to stop addiction and save lives. Continue reading →

Gov. Scott: FLOW Mobile Deployed to Gulf County

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) will deploy a Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) vehicle tomorrow, October 23^rd, in Gulf County. These vehicles provide driver license and other motor vehicle services to families impacted by Hurricane Michael. Additional FLOW mobiles are in Bay, Franklin, Jackson and Liberty counties.

The FLOW Mobile in Gulf County will be located at:

Gulf County Tax Collector Office

151 North 3^rd Street

Wewahitchka, FL 32465
Hours of operation: 9am – 4pm, CDT 

FLOW mobiles provide customers the following services:

• Renew or obtain a Florida driver license and/or ID card;
• Replace a driver license and/or ID card;
• Change a name or address on a driver license and/or ID card;
• Renew a vehicle registration;
• Obtain or renew a disabled person parking permit; and
• Purchase a specialty license plate.

Continue reading →

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Governor Rick Scott would not be able to pick the next three Supreme Court justices. Despite the fact that this seems like a blatant violation of the separation of powers, we still have a chance. Despite the absurdity of a clearly partisan court ruling in their own favor (fox guarding the henhouse?), we still have a chance. Despite the democrats, nominating a man (who is under FBI investigation for corruption, by the way) who hates our constitution, despises our country and her laws, we still have a chance! We still have a chance to elect a Governor, who will stand up to the Supreme Court and end the practice of legislating from the bench. We still have a chance to elect a Governor will pick justices and judges who know the constitution, love the constitution, and will interpret the law, as it is, not by how they think it should be. We still have a chance, to tell our friends and neighbors, that the policies and decisions of a far left socialist like Andrew Gillum, may be what California wants, but that is not what Florida wants. California and Gillum want judges who protect sanctuary cities, and turn loose criminal, illegal aliens back on to our streets. California and Gillum want judges who tell private businesses that they must offer a service, even if it violates their conscience, or face heavy fines and jail time. California and Gillum want judges who will take away your 2^nd amendment rights, and strip your ability to take responsibility for yourself and others. That is not what Florida wants, and that is not what a Governor DeSantis will want. Continue reading →

A friend sent me this picture off the internet. It is a picture of the massive group of people walking toward our southern border. Some say it is 7,000 immigrants. I say it’s an Invasion because if you notice they are carrying the flag of their country, not the flag of the United States.

Reporters have infiltrated the group and they say there are plenty of bad guys mixed in with them: gang members, ISIS members, Taliban fighters. Mostly, they are immigrants, but we must figure out a way to stop the group coming.

Florida Fish and Wildlife

FWC and DEP have provided an additional nearly $2.2 million to Mote Marine Laboratory for the initiation of its field testing of a specialized clay focused on quelling red tide and expansion of its Ozone Treatment System which takes water containing the algae that causes red tide and filters it, returning clean water back to areas impacted by this naturally-occurring algae.

Governor Scott sent a letter to FWC urging the Commission to take the following action on red tide:

Create the Florida Center for Red Tide Research, a new resource for local communities impacted by red tide;

Re-establish the Florida Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force; and

Request an increase of funding for red tide research during the upcoming 2019 Florida Legislative Session.

At Governor Scott’s direction, FWC has partnered with world-renowned experts and scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Mote Marine Laboratory, the University of South Florida and DEP to focus on using a form of specialized clay to quell the effects of red tide. See the announcement https://www.flgov.com/2018/09/19/gov-scott-fwc-launches-innovative-partnership-with-world-renowned-scientists-to-combat-red-tide/ Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the State of Florida will direct a $2,178,000 investment to test innovative technologies to mitigate the effects of red tide utilizing specialized clay field experiments and other innovative approaches for controlling and mitigating the impacts of red tide including expansion of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Ozone Treatment System. Mote Marine Laboratory has continuously and successfully tested the Ozone systems in both their tanks at the Mote Marine Laboratory aquarium in Sarasota and most recently in canals in Boca Grande. These systems have proven to successfully clean water, ridding it of the algae that causes red tide. Three additional mitigation technologies are also in development at Mote Marine Laboratory. Last week, Governor Scott announced a partnership between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and world-renowned experts and scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Mote Marine Laboratory, the University of South Florida (USF) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to focus on using a form of specialized clay to quell the effects of red tide. Red tide is naturally-occurring algae that has been documented along Florida’s Gulf Coast since the 1840’s and occurs nearly every year. For more information on red tide in Florida, go to http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/faq/. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced the reappointment of two to the Department of Elderly Affairs Advisory Council.

Kerry Marsalek, of Clearwater, is the manager for the Clearwater Office on Aging. She is reappointed for a term beginning September 27, 2018, and ending September 30, 2020.

Dr. Mohammad Choudhry, 52, of Leesburg, is a Neurophysician. He is reappointed for a term beginning September 27, 2018, and ending September 30, 2019.