Florida State Wide
I would like to thank Governor Rick Scott and President Donald Trump for working tirelessly to make schools safe for students. This week I joined Governor Scott and President Trump in two separate roundtable discussions about protecting students in Florida and nationwide—but we are not just talking. Action is imminent.
We must keep weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill. Threats against students have to be aggressively investigated. Schools need more resource officers now. I am working closely with leaders in the House and Senate on all these issues and more to ensure action this legislative session.
We need to amend Florida’s Baker Act to allow law enforcement officers to take guns away from mentally ill people the courts have deemed a threat. Florida needs a Gun Violence Restraining Order to keep weapons out of the hands of people who might enact the type of terror we saw in Parkland last week. My office is working with law enforcement on developing a secure-reporting app to allow students to anonymously report concerning behavior. Continue reading
PARKLAND, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott made the following statement regarding the FBI’s admission that they failed to take action after receiving information on January 5, 2018, regarding “[Nikolas] Cruz’s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting.”
Governor Scott said, “The FBI’s failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable. The FBI has admitted that they were contacted last month by a person who called to inform them of Cruz’s ‘desire to kill people,’ and ‘the potential of him conducting a school shooting.’ Continue reading
Feb 16,2018
This week, I met with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and our great federal partners in Tampa to discuss strategies to combat the national opioid crisis claiming lives in Florida. We work constantly with the DOJ, FBI, DEA and our great state and local law enforcement agencies to capture and prosecute drug traffickers smuggling deadly heroin and fentanyl into our state.
My office is also aggressively investigating major manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioids, and will soon be selecting an outside counsel to advance our efforts. This national epidemic has casted its shadow on too many cities across America and far too many families have felt the devastating effect of addiction. That is why we must fight this crisis on multiple fronts. Continue reading
Feb. 16, 2018
Words cannot express the heartbreak and sorrow felt by students, teachers and parents in Parkland, Florida. This week a cowardly teenager, full of hate and bent on murder, entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and opened fire.
His actions killed 17 and wounded many more. Law enforcement and first responders arrived at the school quickly. Police escorted students to safety and arrested the shooter. I gathered my victim advocates and immediately headed to the scene.
As soon as we arrived, we began providing grief counseling to survivors. Through my Bureau of Victims Services we are also able to pay for certain funeral expenses, medical bills and provide further counseling. I will be in Broward again today with my victim advocates to provide further services. Continue reading
Feb 2, 2018
Tax season is here and so are IRS imposter scams. These crimes are devastating and result in victims facing years of financial hardships. In recognition of Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week, I launched a Twitter campaign highlighting important tips Floridians should take to prevent becoming victims of tax identity theft. I encourage everyone to educate themselves on tax-related scams.
To help prevent tax identity theft follow these steps:
- Shred all documents that contain private information before disposing of them;
- Mail returns directly from the post office;
- File tax returns as early as possible. Procrastinating may cause a greater risk of tax identity theft;
- Notify the IRS ID Theft Protection Specialized Unit at 1(800) 908-4490 if you suspect tax identity theft. Also report any identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov;
- Watch out for IRS imposters. The IRS will not initially contact you by email, text message or social media. If the IRS needs information they will ask by mail; and
- Get an IRS Identity Protection Pin at IRS.gov/getanIPPIN.
(NAPSI)—Recent research suggests drivers may be behind the wheel of more than 325,000 previously flooded vehicles. That’s a 20 percent increase from 2016 and a stark reminder to consumers to do due diligence when used-car shopping.
One Woman’s Story
“I bought a car last year and the seller never told us anything about it being a flood car,” said Charlene Geiger from Pennsylvania. “When we got home and ran a Carfax, there it was—a flood car from Hurricane Sandy. It showed that the seller bought it as a salvage car and the title was washed when he brought it to Pennsylvania. We lost $16,000 over all of it.”
Where To Be Most Wary
Vehicles reported as flood damaged by a state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), insurance companies and more have washed up in every state. These 10 have the most: Continue reading
By Florida Senator Baxley
Keeping Each Other Safe: This week in the Florida Senate, we will be presenting a bill called The Church Protection Bill. Every week across our great state small and large communities of faith, meet to share their faith walk. As they open their arms wide to receive the troubled souls and receive offerings for their mission, they also bear responsibility for each other’s safety. We have seen these safe havens become targets for violence. This bill will empower concealed permit holders to be part of a safety team in their community of faith to prevent acts of violence becoming massacres, as we have witnessed across the nation in incidents such as Sulphur Springs, Texas and Charleston, SC. What we have learned is that if we empower law-abiding citizens to stop violent acts, they can, they will, and they have. Let us strengthen this right of Self Defense for communities of faith across Florida.
Gov. Scott: Orlando Area Remains Leader in Job Creation
ORLANDO, Fla. — Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Orlando area had the highest job creation in the state for the fifth month in a row, adding 46,300 new private-sector jobs in the last year. The unemployment rate in Orlando was 3.3 percent, down 1.0 percentage point from one year ago. Statewide, Florida businesses created nearly 30,000 new jobs in December bringing the total number of new private-sector jobs created in Florida to 1,497,100 since December 2010. Continue reading
TAMPA, Fla. — Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Tampa area added 28,000 new private-sector jobs in the last year, creating the third-highest number of jobs among all Florida metro areas. Tampa’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.4 percent, down 1.1 percentage points from one year ago. Statewide, Florida businesses created nearly 30,000 new jobs in December bringing the total number of new private-sector jobs created in Florida to 1,497,100 since December 2010.
Governor Scott said, “Last year ended strong with 28,000 new jobs created in the Tampa Bay area. Statewide, nearly 1.5 million jobs have been created since December 2010, and it is clear that we are on track to making Florida the best place in the nation for families to find new opportunities.” Continue reading
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Weekly Briefing
January 19, 2018
Florida is a zero-tolerance state for human trafficking, stopping this horrific crime and saving lives is a top priority of my administration. That is why I presented a resolution recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. During National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, I am calling on all Floridians to join the fight in ending human trafficking. Continue reading
