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Scott Kicks off 2018 Session on Memory Lane

January 10th, 2018 by Mike Vasilinda

Governor Rick Scott delivered his eighth and final State of the State speech today to open the annual legislative session. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, he is pushing for the largest budget in state history.

“Let the Governor be received.” Chimed the Senate President.

For Rick Scott, his final State of the State address was bittersweet…evoking rare bit of humor from the Governor.

“I know how disappointed you all must be that you won’t get to hear another great speech like this” Scott said to laughter.

The Governor shared credit for creating a million and a half jobs since taking office.

“The results speak for themselves.”

Scott is also proposing the smallest tax cuts in his 8 years. Just 180 million. He wants a a three week sales tax holiday for hurricane and back to school supplies.

“After the storms we experienced last year, we need to have a longer sales tax holiday so people have time to buy the supplies they need.”

He’s also proposing a cut in the cost to renew a drivers license. From 48 to 20 dollars.

“My dad was a truck driver and if he had  extra money back in his pocket, in my family that wold have been a big deal.”

The Governor is also calling for more protection for sexual harassment victims It comes as two married State Senators admitted to an affair captured on video.

“It’s very important that we all stand together and send a very strong message. Florida stands with victims.”

One of the first fights lawmakers are likely to face is over school funding.

Scott is pushing a nearly 3 percent increase in school funding. He finances it with the case from higher property tax values, but House Speaker Richard Corcoran is drawing a line in the sand.

“The Florida House will never support raising taxes.”

The school funding has the potential to be the most divisive issue of the coming 60 days.

Budget tensions are especially high this session after Hurricane Irma depleted most of the extra tax revenue the state was expecting this year. Economists will make a new estimate in mid February which will determine the final budget numbers.

State of the State Package Script:

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Trump Administration Takes Florida Out of Consideration for Off Shore Drilling

January 9th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
The Trump administration has announced it’s removing Florida coasts from consideration for off shore oil drilling.
The announcement comes after Governor Rick Scott met with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke this afternoon.
Last week, Zinke announced plans for 47 potential leases across the country, including one on Florida’s coast off the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Scott, who is expected to run for Senate came out in strong opposition to the plan.
Zinke says Scott was the deciding factor in taking Florida from consideration.
“Some of the Gulf areas, particularly Louisiana are working coasts, very much different than a recreation-centric coast that’s in Florida. I think the President has tasked me to make sure that we identify the differences and again work with the state to make sure that we have a right course,” said Zinke.
“I think it’s very important to continue our efforts to take care of our environment,” said Scott. “I want to also thank the Trump administration for their commitment to make sure that we have the funding for Lake Okeechobee so that we can finish repairing the dike so we can continue to make sure that this is the state that people want to continue to travel to, they want to live in because we have the most pristine environment in the world.”
Still on the books are plans for drilling off the Gulf Coast of Alabama, just roughly 20 miles from Pensacola.

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Lawmakers React to Flores-Braynon Affair

January 9th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
It didn’t take long for scandal to erupt in the Legislative session.
Two powerful Senators admitted to having an affair after a video of one entering the others condo was leaked.
News of the affair painted an awkward tone on the first day of session.
Two desks sat empty in the Senate Chamber on Tuesday.
Both belonged to Senators who resigned after sexual misconduct.
Addressing the Legislature, Senate President Joe Negron made it clear dealing with sexual harassment in the Legislature was one of his top priorities.
“The Florida Senate has zero tolerance for sexual harassment,” said Negron.
Many female legislators wore black on the floor in solidarity with victims.
But all eyes were on Senator Anitere Flores and Senate Minority Leader Oscar Braynon.
A video released by an unknown source, claimed to show Flores entering Braynon’s condo and leaving the next morning.
Speaker of the House Richard Corcoran had harsh words when asked if he had concerns over the two lawmakers being secretly video taped.
“No, the problem is people with reprehensible behavior. Always will be, always will be,” said Corcoran.
Within hours the two issued this joint statement, “Our longtime friendship evolved to a level that we deeply regret. We have sought the forgiveness of our families, and also seek the forgiveness of our constituents and God.”
Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto says the two responded appropriately.
“They have issued a statement taking responsibility for their actions and asking their families for forgiveness,” said Benacquisto.
No one is calling for the two to resign… yet.
Lawmakers say they’re committed to not allowing the scandal to interfere with the Legislative process.
“We’re also going to make sure that everybody in this building and that works in this process is going to be protected at the same time,” said Senator Lauren Book, who is sponsoring Legislation to establish a task force for sexual harassment prevention.

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Lawmakers Enjoy Last Bit of Recreation Ahead of Session

January 8th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
Lawmakers, lobbyists and others involved in the political process are getting in their last bit of recreation before session begins tomorrow.
Each year, the Associated Industries of Florida hosts a recaption honoring the State Legislature with food, music and drinks. While some guests get tickets for free lawmakers pay $25 to attend. Every year an estimated two to three thousand guests pass through. We asked lawmakers what makes the night special to them.
“Well you know this is a long standing tradition that marks the kick off of the sixty day session. One of the things that makes Florida a little unique is that for a large state our session, the legislative session, is pretty short,” said Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam. “Sixty days in and out, some years they go a few days over, but by and large it’s a part-time Legislature and a part time Legislature is a better thing for the citizens at large.”
“You know this is a great event because it allows Legislators and lobbyists and just people in the community to all get together and talk, which we’re not going to have much time to do that during session,” said Representative Sean Shaw. “So this is a time for us to get together and kind of mingle on a much less formal basis then we’re going to start doing tomorrow when opening session starts.”
“Well this will be my fourth one and it’s a socializing event,” said Representative John Cortes. “You get to see folks that you know, people we haven’t seen for the year and talk about issues and bills that are going to be coming up maybe and come up with solutions to help out the community.”
The sixty day session kicks of tomorrow with Governor Rick Scott’s eight and final State of the State address.

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Legislation Session to begin with Major Uncertainities

January 8th, 2018 by Mike Vasilinda

Florida lawmakers begin their annual 60 day legislative session tomorrow complicated by a sexual harassment scandal that resulted in resignations, and as Mike Vasilinda

tells us, the political aspirations of some key players.

Governor Rick delivered his first State of the State in 2011. He called for massive budget and tax cuts.

“Government can not afford what some have come to expect” Scott told lawmakers in 2011.

Fast forward 7 years and Scott is seeking a three billion dollar increase…He’s not likely to get all he wants, in part because the state must deal with millions in Hurricane Irma expenses.

“It was a real, a real catastrophic event” says Rep. Ben Albritton. He chairs the House Ag and Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee.

Here’s how he describes the coming budget battle: “We’re gonna have bumps, we’re gonna have bruises. We also going to have some smiles. We’re going to have some encouraging moments and we’re gong to have some tough moments. That’s the way it works.”

While Tuesday is a festive day, it will be complicated by recent allegations of sexual harassment.

State Senator Jack Latvala resigned in December after a damaging Special Masters report.

“This one’s different for a whole host of reasons” Lobbyist Ron Book says of the coming session. This will be his 44th session as a lobbyist.

“Statewide elections cycle, um, divisiveness from a partisan perspective, and then you have the sexual harassment stuff.”

But Senator  Jeff Brandes says the past is the past.
“I think we expect we’re going to get to work on the big issues now. The distractions are behind us” Brandes told us.

Add to the mix the Governor’s likely run for the U-S Senate, the House Speakers chase for the Governor’s mansion, and dozens of lawmakers jockeying for higher office. It adds up to the likelihood that  issues requiring heavy political lift remain on the sideline.

The 87 billion dollar budget proposal by Governor Rick Scott is 18 billion dollars higher than his first budget in 2011, due mostly to an improved economy. He is also seeking the fewest tax cuts of his 7 years as Governor.

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Supreme Court Hears Florida-Georgia Water Wars Case

January 8th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday in a decades old battle between Florida and Georgia over consumption of water from Lake Lanier.
Georgia wants unlimited water, Alabama and Florida want its use capped.
Julie Warithmell, Executive Director of Audubon Florida says Georgia’s over use of the ecosystem’s water hurts Florida’s bays and estuaries and has crippled Apalachicola’s oyster industry.
“This is a really important system not only just economically, but ecologically and so every time somebody washes a car in Atlanta it threatens the future of a plover in Apalachicola or a prothonotary warbler in the basin or an oyster on somebody’s plate,” said Wraithmell.
In February a court appointed special master ruled Florida has not proved Georiga’s consumption needed to be capped.
The Supreme Court will decide if the case should be returned to the special master to redistribute the water between the states.

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Generators a Top Legislative Priority for Nursing Homes in 2018

January 8th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
Florida nursing homes are asking the Legislature for fifty million dollars in this years budget.
They would use the cash to help improve staffing, quality of care and help pay for the installation of generators, which they say can cost up to three hundred fifty thousand dollars for larger facilities.
The homes successfully challenged an emergency rule requiring the generators after Hurricane Irma related deaths in south Florida.
Now, multiple legislative proposals would require each to have a generator, but nursing homes say they would prefer to work with the Governor on a new rule.
“Our hope is that the Governor’s Office would work with us, would work with the parties who challenged the nursing home rule and sit down with us and work it out because again, we don’t disagree with his goal of putting [in] generators,” said lobbyist for the Florida Health Care Association Bob Asztalos. “The disagreement has been how to get there and we think that if we can work together, we can get there.”

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Opioid Legislation Would Limit Prescriptions to Three Days and Require Physician Training

January 8th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
Solving the opioid crisis is one of the top agenda items for this legislative session that begins Tuesday.
The Governor is supporting a limit on prescriptions and additional training for doctors.
In 2017 an average of 16 Floridian’s died with opioids in their system each day. The year before it was just 10.
Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto says over prescribing not only results in people developing a dependence on the drugs, but it also results in more drugs on the streets.
“The pills get stolen or somebody sells them,” said Benacquisto.
To tackle the issue Benacquisto is sponsoring Legislation that would restrict how many opioids a doctor could prescribe.
Single prescriptions would be limited to 3 days.
Prescriptions can be extended up to 7 days if a doctor deems it medically necessary.
The bill also requires doctors to go through training every other year for best practices in order to continue prescribing opioids.
“To medically manage people who have surgery, yet not set them up for addiction,” said Executive Director of the Florida Alcohol & Drug Abuse Association, Mark Fontaine.
The state would also expand its prescription drug monitoring database, by sharing the list with other states.
By expanding the prescription drug monitoring database across state lines, lawmakers hope to prevent people from doctor shopping.
“If I go to Georgia and I get a doctor or two and I get a doctor or two here and there’s no information being exchanged then I can literally walk away with four prescriptions to opioids and nobody would know,” said Fontaine.
Doctors would be required to look patients up in the data base before prescribing them opioids.
“To make sure that physicians are aware of what their patients are doing,” said Benacquisto.
If passed Florida would be the second state to restrict prescriptions to 3 days.
The only other state with such restrictions is Kentucky.

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Cities Fear Loss of Local Control

January 8th, 2018 by Mike Vasilinda

When Florida lawmakers return to the Capitol tomorrow, one of the items on the agenda  of House leaders is continued preemption of local government’s ability to regulate things such as vacation rentals or local tree trimming requirements. Scott Dudley, Chief Lobbyist for The Florida League of Cities is lamenting the effort, saying local governments know what’s best for their local communities.

“We have ordinances that say you can’t cut down certain size trees unless you get a permit from the city and have basically, a public input process to it. Cities lose that. They lose their own unique personality and their own look.”

Last year, lawmakers took away local governments authority to regulate new, 5G wireless towers. The Cities are expecting an onslaught of attempts to preempt many local regulations to the state this year.

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Upsetting the Applecart: DeSantis enters Governor’s Race

January 5th, 2018 by Mike Vasilinda

If the 2018 elections are to be a referendum on President Donald Trump, as many say, Mike Vasilinda tells us the latest entry into the race to be Florida’s next Governor thinks Trump’s support makes him a winner.

Ron DeSantis has represented Florida’s mid east coast in Congress for five years. He announced his gubernatorial bid on FOX news.

“And with the support of the President, I’m in a position where I can exercise the leadership to build on the great work Governor Rick Scott has done to advance economic opportunity, reform education, and drain the swamp in Tallahassee, which needs to be drained, just like Washington” DeSantis told viewers.

Days before Christmas, DeSantis got a ringing endorsement from Donald Trump, who tweeted he would be a great Governor.

“I think it pretty much upsets the whole applecart” says GOP political consultant Mac Stipanovich.

Stipanovich has helped elect GOP governors in Florida before. He believes DeSantis will force more mainstream Republican Adam Putnam to the right.

“DeSantis will be a right…crazy run over a dog in terms of right wing populism. He will pull Adam to his right, as Adam tries to compete for that Trump vote” says DeSantis.

In a statement, Putnam’s campaign criticized DeSantis for making his announcement in a tv studio.

And if the GOP primary does take a hard turn to the right, the likely beneficiary: the Democratic nominee”.

Democrat Gwen Graham quickly called DeSantis “out of touch and too extreme for  Florida.

But the race is still 11 months away. The question is whether support for Trump is enough to drive Democrats to the polls.  Typically Democrat turnout drops y more than a million voters in non presidential elections.

DeSantis and Putnam are the two key contenders for the GOP nomination. House Speaker Richard Corcoran is also expected to enter the race when Florida lawmakers go home in March. Embattled former state senator Jack Latvala remains in the GOP race despite resigning in over sexual harassment charges in December. $ Democrats are serious candidates for their party’s nomination.

 

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Future of Florida’s Medical Marijuana Industry Uncertain

January 5th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
A shadow of uncertainty has been cast on the states medical marijuana industry after the U.S. Attorney General  rescinded an Obama-era policy that encouraged federal prosecutors to take a hands-off approach to state run marijuana operations.
Reinforcing his historically anti-marijuana platform, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has opened the door for federal prosecutors to crack down on state run marijuana operations.
In Florida, where the voter mandated medical marijuana program is still in it’s infancy, businesses and investors are scrambling to figure out the implications of the new federal policy.
“People are going, where is this really going, what does this really mean, you know, why don’t we pause for a minute,” said Jeff Sharkey with the Medical Marijuana Business Association.
While the Florida Department of Health says it’s reviewing the new policy, State lawmakers were quick to take aim at Sessions via Twitter.
Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith tweeted, “Trump’s DOJ is prepping to bring us back to the dark ages on weed cuz “good people don’t smoke marijuana” according to the dinosaur serving as AG.”
Senator Rob Bradley was the author of Florida’s Medical Marijuana Law. In a Tweet he defended Florida’s policy saying, “If federal authorities are now scrutinizing states, Florida will be the model.”
Advocates say Sessions’ move is putting pressure on Washington, to clear up the question once and for all… Do states have the right to legalize marijuana?
“Sessions has called the question,” said Sharkey. “What does the country want to do?”
In another Tweet, Senator Bradley called for Congress to, “Fix the pot laws” and strip marijuana from its schedule one drug classification.
We reached out to Florida’s Northern District U.S. Attorney to ask how he plans to deal with the state’s medical marijuana program.
While we didn’t receive a response we were told the office will have something to say next week.
Sessions’ memo comes as the second recent blow to the state’s medical marijuana industry.
Florida’s First Green Bank, which did business with many of the state’s growers has begun dropping its medical marijuana clients.

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Offshore Oil Drilling Could Be Coming to Florida

January 5th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
The Trump administration says it will allow new offshore oil drilling in nearly all United States Coastal waters… including here in Florida.
The administrations proposal includes 47 potential leases including one on Florida’s coast off the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Leases for drillers could start in 2023.
Both of Florida’s US Senators and Governor Rick Scott oppose the plan.
Julie Wraithmell is the Interim Executive Director of Audubon Florida. She says drilling in the gulf could devastate Florida’s coast.
“It’s just unthinkable. I know I sit everyday at my desk with my paper weight of tar balls from 2010 and think goodness gracious how could we ever do that again and to see such a casual announcement just really gives me pause,” said Wraithmell.
Governor Rick Scott has asked for a meeting with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, to discuss removing Florida coasts from consideration for drilling.

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New Legislation Would Give More Public Schools the Option for Alternative Grading

January 4th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
A Florida lawmaker is looking to give school districts in the state new alternatives to traditional grading standards.
The Competency-Based Education Pilot Program was implemented in five Florida School Districts in 2016.
It gives students the option of showing their mastery of a subject instead of completing the traditional credit hours.
Newly filed Legislation would rename the program to the Mastery-Based Education Pilot Program and open the pilot up so other school districts could join.
The proposal would also allow districts in the program to reinterpret the standard letter grading system.
Bill sponsor, Representative Jennifer Sullivan says the pilot program would allow students to focus on individual skills instead of trying to achieve a standard letter grade.
“Personalized education is a way for students to be able to truly learn… and we need to be able to meet them where they’re at,” said Sullivan.
Andrea Messina is the Executive Director of the Florida School Boards Association.
She says the new system could cause inconsistent standards for student achievement.
“That lack of calibration and continuity and consistency can be problematic,” said Messina.
Education advocates say there could be resistance from universities and colleges, because the bill requires them to grant equal access to students with non-traditional high school diplomas.
Messina says there’s no way to guarantee a non-biased admissions process.
“The college admissions have so many factors involved… while we can say that they should be taken as equal… we don’t know if in fact that will be the case,” said Messina.”
Representative Sullivan says schools currently in the program still tend to issue standard letter grades alongside the mastery component.
That way parents and colleges can have some traditional reference for student achievement.
The pilot program is slated to end in 2020 regardless if the new legislation passes or not.

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Second Trial Date set in Murder for Hire Case

January 3rd, 2018 by Mike Vasilinda

Trials for two defendants accused in the murder for hire of an FSU Law Professor were supposed to start this month, but have now peen pushed back until later this year. The crime has been linked the ex wife’s family in court documents, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, arrests are not on the horizon.

Renowned FSU Law professor Dan Markel was gunned down in his driveway in July 2014. Almost two years late, police arrested two Miami men and accused them of murdering Markel for money.

One of the two. Luis Rivera, cut a deal and implicated co defendant Sigfredo Garcia and his girlfriend, Katie Magbanua.

“You are going to cooperate and testify truthfully” asked Judge James Hankinson during the plea hearing. “Do you understand that?”

“Yes Sir” said Rivera.

Magbanua was arrested in October 2016, accused of brokering the hit for Markel’s ex wife’s family. On Wednesday, her trial was set for this October. Her attorney, Tara Kawass says she hasn’t seen her two children since being taken to jail.

“No, she hasn’t seen her kids, and you can image what it must be like to be incarnated for this long” says Kawass.

Prosecutor georgia Cappleman had hoped that after Rivera confessed and with Magbanua facing life without her two children, she would flip, and testify to prosecutors theory the hit money came from ex wife family.

“is it still your hope that she perhaps becomes ante witness?”

“That would be lovely, but I have little hope of that” Cappleman said after the hearing.

“Really”?

“un hun”

Asked is more arrests are likely, prosecutors said no comment.

An attorney for the family of the slain professor says in a statement

“With this latest delay, the Markels remain in agony.  Dan, their only son, was stolen from them more than three years ago.  …Throughout this horror, the Markels remain hopeful that they will one day see their grandsons again and that justice will be achieved.

The state wants to try both the hitman and his girlfriend together. It plans to appeal today’s action setting separate dates.

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Florida Snow Day Shuts Down Major Sections of I-10

January 3rd, 2018 by Jake Stofan
As the State Capitol awoke Wednesday morning residents were greeted by winter wonderland….snow on the ground and falling.
The snow fall ended about as quickly as it began, lasting less than an hour. When all was said and done, Floridians got a taste of the headache that comes along with true winter weather.
As commuters cracked open their frozen doors and defrosted their frozen windshields, they were greeted with road closures on I-10 spanning roughly 75 miles east, all the way to Live Oak.
“The road way conditions are very icy, especially over the overpasses. So we’re asking motorists to stay off the roads if at all possible. Do not come out driving if you do not need to be out here driving,” said Captain Jeffery Bissainthe with the Florida Highway Patrol.
News of winter weather road closures in the sunshine state came as a shock to travelers, mnany of whom were escaping snowy conditions in the North.
Ray Beaulieu says he wasn’t expecting anything like this on way back to Okeechobee after a visit in Oklahoma.
“I sure didn’t and it was three days of hell in Oklahoma because they didn’t know how to drive in it either,” said Beaulieu.
As news broke to eastbound travelers, some like Bill Watson and his wife Pat busted out their paper maps, looking for a new route.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to go with this,” Bill joked.
The two were traveling to Orlando from their hometown in Illinois.
Others had to to come up with a new plan on the fly.
“Oh yeah I’ve got to have surgery done in the end so I have to go all the way to Jacksonville to do it,” said Panama City resident John Darrenbacher.
The closures only caused about 30 minutes extra travel time between Tallahassee and Jacksonville.
Public schools in Tallahassee also closed their doors due to the winter weather. FSU and FAMU also gave staff the day off.
The last time snow fell in the Capitol was 1989.

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