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Hundreds of tourism officials and those who depend on visitors were in the State Capitol Wednesday, fighting for the state agency that promotes the state.

Visit Florida has been under fire from the State House leadership, but a potential trade could be in the works to keep Visit Flordia alive.

Supporters ‘Save Visit Florida’ badges during their annual tourism day breakfast.

Governor Ron DeSantis has asked for $50 million to keep the promotion agency alive.

“Our Governor understands that tourism is the foundation of our state economy,” said Visit Florida CEO Dana Young.

The Governor said there is a time and place for Visit Florida to tell the nation that Florida is open for tourists after a natural disaster.

“People just think Florida, what’s going on in Florida. Maybe we’ll do something else this year,” said DeSantis.

Pinellas State Senator Ed Hooper got a standing ovation after telling the crowd he’s got a bill to keep Visit Flordia alive for another eight years.

“We know where the problem lies, we know where the obstacles are,” said Hooper.

Conspicuously absent was House Speaker Jose Oliva.

He calls Visit Florida useless.

Instead the House Speaker staged a rally and press conference with advanced registered nurse practitioners.

He wants to see them get full authority to practice general medicine.

So we asked the bill’s sponsor Rep. Cary Pigman if trading Scope of Practice for Visit Florida could be in the works.

“I try to make really good arrows. How the Speaker chooses to use my arrows is his decision,” said Pigman.

We asked the Governor the same question, which brought a smile to his face.

“Look, the Visit Florida is what it is, I think we’re gonna do that. I know the Speaker has some strong views on some of these other things,” said DeSantis.

But the reality is that there are very few coincidences when it comes to legislation in Tallahassee.

The Senate President has said funding for Visit Florida would have to stand on its own, but during the last week fo the 60-day session, virtually every major issue is involved in some horse trading.

On the 47 Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a bill that would require minors get their parents permission before having an abortion was approved by its final Senate Committee.

The bill is one of the most controversial of the 2020 legislative session.

Democrats on the committee expressed concerns about the judicial waiver option included in the bill that allows minors to bypass the parental consent requirement by going to the courts.

They fear it may leave victims of incest, human trafficking and sexual abuse at risk in certain circumstances.

But proponents say the concerns are overinflated.

“It works, 21 other state have parental consent and there have never been any problems with judicial waivers. In fact, Florida goes even further by respecting the privacy rights of those minor children to make sure that they’re not subject to public records requests,” said Anthony Verdugo, Executive Director of the Christian Family Coalition.

The Senate President said he expects the bill to be heard on the Senate Floor next week.

The legislation is also ready to be taken up on the House Floor.

The first bill heard by the Florida Senate when it convince this morning would prohibit local governments from banning sunscreens.

The legislation comes in response to a ban passed by the city of Key West, which feared certain chemicals in the products might harm coral reefs.

Senate Sponsor Rob Bradley said the state has looked at the research and concluded the ingredients believed to harm coral reefs do not appear in high enough concentrations in nature to have a negative impact.

“And it would be a shame if people stopped using sunscreen because it was too expensive or they didn’t like a certain kind because a local government said you can’t use that kind of sunscreen. I think that’s the wrong message to send,” said Bradley.

Senator Bradley also said if the chemicals are deemed to be harmful to humans, the FDA could order them to be removed from sunscreens.

The bill is now ready for a floor vote in the Senate.

Senate President Bill Galvano has been under fire from conservative republicans over his acceptance of a half million dollars from now Presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg.

The money was given to a political action committee controlled by Galvano following the Parkland shooting.

Some are accusing Galvano of being disloyal to the President, and that prompted Governor Ron DeSantis to speak unprompted about the situation.

“Look, I just think Bill has taken a lot of flack as if he’s a supporter of Bloomberg. Bloomberg is running for President now, which is different now. I just want to say the guy is a hundred percent supporter of the President. He was instrumental in getting things like Sanctuary cities passed, school choice, he’ reduced taxes, he’s moving some good legislation. So I just felt as a friend, whatever happened then, he’ll have to explain that, and obviously I was on the other side of a lot of that Bloomberg money, but I’ll just tell you since I’ve dealt with him, he’s been really strong and he’s definitely been a supporter of the President. I just think it needed to be said,” said DeSantis.

The Governor did make clear he opposes increased background check legislation being pushed by Galvano this session.

77-year-old Clifford Williams was all smiles Wednesday at the Capitol.

A house subcommittee approved a bill that would give Williams $2.15 million for the 43 years he spent behind bars after being wrongly convicted in 1976 for a murder in Jacksonville.

Williams spent five years on death row before having his sentenced commuted to life in prison.

He was released last March.

“It took 43 years to get out, but thank God we kept living because a lot of people have died who were innocent,” said Williams.

Williams’ nephew also got life in the case and refused to testify against his uncle in exchange for a lighter sentence.

With three out of ten high school students using vaping products lawmakers say a public health crisis is imminent if teen use isn’t addressed.

A billed passed by a Senate committee Tuesday is looking to do just that.

Late last year with the President’s signature, the Federal Government raised the age to purchase nicotine products to age 21.

State Senator Divd Simmons said unless Florida does the same, enforcement will be lacking, leaving teens at risk.

“It’s your children, it’s our children, it’s our grandchildren and the simple fact of it is, where do we start?” said Simmons.

This year’s version of the Tobacco 21 Act, sponsored by Sen. Simmons, would officially raise the age in Florida and regulate vaping products the same as tobacco products.

Vaping companies say they support raising the age, but that this bill puts too many regulations on their businesses while not doing enough to punish bad actors.

One complaint is that it would require face to face delivery for online sales.

“That adds about $6 to $18 for one individual package,” said Gregory Conley with the American Vaping Association.

Vaping companies also argued penalties for shops and adults who sell to minors should be raised.

They also want higher punishments for people under 21 who possess or purchase the products.

“We’re trying to prevent youth access, but what we’re not doing is actually holding youth accountable for breaking the law,” said Edgewater vape store owner Jonathan Risteen.

But health experts have reservations.

“We don’t think, and the data shows, that penalties on youth are particularly effective,” said Paul Hull with the American Cancer Society.

There is a separate bill moving in the Senate that deals with increasing penalties, but none of the recommendations proposed by the vape industry are included.

The Tobacco 21 Act has two more committee stops in the Senate.

It’s yet to receive a hearing in the House.

A bill to charge water bottling companies for the water they take from Florida springs ran into a deluge of industry opposition Tuesday in the state Capitol.

The opposition appears to doom any chance of charging the industry for the water it takes virtually for free.

Nestle Waters pays $115 every 20 years for a consumptive use permit.

That permit allows it to take up to a million gallons a day from Florida springs.

State Senator Annette Taddeo wants to charge them 12.5 cents per gallon.

“These companies are making huge profits off our states water supply and not paying their fair share,” said Taddeo.

The millions raised each year would go to cleanup springs and replace septic tanks, but Nestle objected.

“If this twelve and a half cents is adopted, water production will decrease in Florida. It will be shifted to other states,” said Lane Stephens with Nestle Waters.

The Florida Springs Council told lawmakers that popular recreational venues like Itchtucknee River are already troubled.

“What we are seeing is that our waters area already significantly overdrawn today in many of our springs and river basins,” said Ryan Smart with the Florida Springs Council.

The tax would have died on a tie vote until its sponsored delayed the vote.

“Clearly there was a lot of pressure from the special interests that were present,” said Taddeo.

Environmentalists and springs advocates said the cost to water bottlers would have been minimal.

“For a 12 ounce bottle; 32 ounces in a quart, I’ll call it one and a half cents roughly,” said Dave Cullen with Seirra Club.

State Senator Janet Cruz has a slightly different bill.

She wants a five cent a gallon tax.
“As a state, we’re being robbed. We should be able to take that money and work on other water projects and other water issues,” said Cruz.

But it’s an election year and lawmakers are likely to do nothing.

Nestle told lawmakers it pays more than $7 million a year in property and other taxes, and if it left the state, its $52 million dollar annual payroll would also be gone.

Prison reform advocates are calling on the state to provide more humane treatment for inmates who give birth inside prison walls.

Several inmates were denied help during their deliveries, and at least one miscarriage occurred without medical help.

State Representative Dianne Hart of Tampa has been crusading for prison reform and believes the state can do better.

“We are hoping that women won’t be allowed to give birth by themselves, for one, and that they are not shackled during childbirth. I believe they need some time to bond with that baby before the babies are taken. When I visited, and you know I visited 47 institutions, I am finding the babies are taken and the parents have no idea where that baby has gone to, I just think that’s a travesty,” said Hart.

The same group successfully got the prison system to provide sanitary napkins to female prisons last year.

Shelter and rescue animals could become the official state pet of Florida if a bill moving through the Legislature becomes law.

Bill sponsor Senator Kevin Rader said while the designation would only be symbolic, it would send a strong message to Floridians that the state supports adoption.

“It just creates some public awareness and if it can save dozens or hundreds of animals and make more awareness for adoption I’m all for it,” said Rader.

The designation applies to all shelter animals, not just cats and dogs.

Hundreds of parents and special needs children rallied at the Capitol Tuesday afternoon hoping to get more money from state lawmakers for the Gardiner Scholarship.

There’s currently a backlog of 3,500 special needs kids waiting to receive the scholarship, which helps pay for them to attend private schools that can better serve their needs.

Governor Ron DeSantis cleared a backlog of 1,700 students last year, but says he and lawmakers are committed to increase funding again this year.\

“I didn’t think it was going to be quite as big, but you know we’re going to take it one step at a time because we know this is an important choice for people to be able to make,” said DeSantis.

The estimated cost to clear the backlog is $42 million.

After two high profile attacks Florida lawmakers are hoping to create more protections for public bus drivers.

New legislation would make assaulting a public bus driver a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

It would also require public transit providers to develop risk reduction programs and drivers to take conflict de-escalation training courses.

The issue has gained particular notoriety in Hillsborough County.

“Their lives in some cases are being threatened. They’re being threatened that someone is going to assault them and we take that very, very serious. And it rings really true at our agency because we have experienced tragic events both in May and recently in November we have another very serious event that has brought that issue to the forefront,” said Colin Mulloy with the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority.

The bill also calls for the deployment of safety measures to protect bus drivers like barriers around drivers.

On a day that is all about celebrating equality, Florida’s LGBTQ community feels like it is under fire from state lawmakers.

Four pending bills could abolish local right to work ordinances, override bans on conversion therapy and more according to Equality Florida.

John Harris Maurer with Equality Florida said the bills could set back advances made at the local level.

“These are either open and hostile attacks on the LGBTQ community or that our local protections are collateral damage,” said Maurer.

Only one of the four bills directly targets transgender minors.

It makes it a felony for doctors to operate on genitals or perform a mastectomy if its for the purpose of a sex change.

Others could overturn local conversion therapy bans, or allow it at home based businesses.

Rep. Bob Rommel is under fire for repealing repealing local employment ordinances, but he said targeting the LGBTQ community is not his intent.

“This has nothing to do with anti-discrimination at all,” said Rommel.

But Equality Florida believes there are unintended consequences that could lead to the repeal of about 20 local anti-discrimination ordinances.

“What we are really focused on here is the impact of the bills, not the intent,” said Maurer.

But Rommel said that’s not the case.

“The bill doesn’t do that and they are wrong!” said Rommel.

The lone statewide-elected Democrat, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, said lawmakers have better things to do than wave read meat in an election year.

“It is 2020. There are so may issues that are impacting our state, whether its our environment or our health care,” said Fried.

While there is debate about the actual intent of the legislation, lawmakers have refused to enact statewide LGBTQ hiring and housing protections for the last decade.

One of three openly gay state legislators tweeted the legislation was like being kicked in the gut by his colleagues.

The tweet has since been deleted, but not before being retweeted by Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren.

Hundreds marched to the State Capitol Monday morning in honor of Martin Luther King Jr Day.

The march comes days after the Florida Supreme Court ruled a voter approved constitutional amendment does require felons to pay all fines, fees and restitution before getting their right to vote restored.

The march is an opportunity to recognize the achievements of late civil rights leader and also to highlight ongoing injustices.

Many in attendance, like State Representative Loranne Ausley, said the most pressing issue is the legal battle over the restoration of felons voting rights.

“Our Legislature is making this impossible for some by requiring payment of all fines, fees and restitution,” said Ausley.

Lawmakers included the financial requirements when implementing Amendment 4 last year.

While the Supreme Court ruling upheld lawmakers decision to include the payment of financial obligations for voting rights restoration, civil rights activists like Adner Marcelin, President of the Tallahassee Branch of the NAACP, believe the fight isn’t over.

“We have to stand up and say that it’s not right. Everybody deserves a second chance,” said Marcelin.

Former Leon County Elections Supervisor Ion Sancho is hopeful a challenge at the Federal level will strike down the financial requirements.

“Fortunately we do have federal courts which look at the constitutional issues, which the Florida Supreme Court chose not to address at all,” said Sancho.

But some like Representative Jamie Grant, who sponsored the initial Amendment 4 implementing bill, argue if financial obligations are part of the amendment, the whole amendment could be struck down.

“They have threatened the very existence of Amendment 4 because if in fact any financial obligation prior to the ability to vote for a felon is a violation of the 24th Amendment, then Amendment 4 on its face is a poll tax,” said Grant.

The case is set for trial in April.

The Federal Judge has asked the Florida Legislature to act to ensure anyone unable to pay their financial obligations can still vote.

It’s not clear how lawmakers intend to address the issue.

Legislation that would block local governments from banning sunscreens is speeding through the state Legislature.

The bill is opposed by environmental groups who hope the Governor will veto the legislation if it makes it to his desk.

Florida’s designation as the Sunshine State comes at a cost.

“Florida ranks second in the nation for the highest rate of new melanoma cases,” said State Senator Rob Bradley.

Senator Bradley is sponsoring the bill that would prevent local governments from banning sunscreens.

“Sunscreen is the first line of defense against skin cancer,” said Bradley.

It comes in response to a ban set to go into effect in Key West starting in 2021.

Environmental activists like Holly Parker Curry with the Surfrider Foundation argue studies have shown certain chemicals used in some sunscreens are are harmful to coral reefs, a vital tourist attraction for the Keys.

“Why wouldn’t we allow a community to regulate that when their entire economy and way of life based on the health of their coral reefs?” said Parker Curry.

But Senator Bradley called the studies ‘junk science’.

“Local governments should not be picking and choosing which types of sunscreens are available based on junk science,” said Bradley.

Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill last year that would have blocked local governments from banning plastic straws.

Environmental groups are optimistic he might do the same if this bill reaches his desk.

“Almost verbatim it would apply. If you don’t like it, then vote them out,” said Parker Curry.

But Bradley believes the Governor will see beyond the local control argument in this case.

“I think the Governor will agree with the purpose of this bill, which is to encourage Floridians and people who visit Florida to use sunscreen,” said Bradley.

The bill will be the first one heard by the full Senate when it meets this coming Wednesday.

The bill is also moving in the House.

It has two more committee stops before it will be ready for a floor vote.

Florida’s Supreme Court has validated the Legislature’s efforts to require felons to pay all legal financial obligations such as fines, fees, and restitution, but a federal court will likely have the last word.

Federal District Judge Robert Hinkle has put lawmakers on notice to come up with a plan to make sure those too poor to pay can still vote before an April trial.

Human rights attorney Mark Schlakman said the amendment could be in jeopardy.

“Unless he is satisfied that there adequate provisions in the statute, he could conceivably declare the constitutional amendment for the state of Florida constitution unconstitutional under the U.S. constitution. But then you have questions as to whether and what extent,” said Schlakman. “Is it the whole amendment or just part of the amendment?”

The current law does allow felons to seek a waiver of the financial obligations or perform community service, but there is no statewide standard for how that is carried out.