They are looking for ways to have the state pay back student debts that can run as high as $300,000.
One way they suggest, is for lawmakers to fund a program allowing dentists to volunteer in in communities with little dental care.
Dr. Andrew Brown said a 2016 event in Jacksonville drew four times more patients than the volunteers could serve.
“We did an impact study in 2016 in Jacksonville. We went out of our way not to let the emergency departments and health centers know about it. The week of, we had two or three public service announcements, we saw 3,200 people in 24 hours and sent 9,000 home,” said Brown.
Advances in DNA testing now make it possible to identify perpetrators that would have gone undetected a decade or two ago, but people convicted of a crime have been blocked from having crime scene DNA except in the most unusual circumstances.
However, new legislation could lead to more being exonerations and convictions.
Tommy Zeigler has been on death row sine 1976.
He was convicted of murdering his wife, her parents and a handyman on Christmas Eve 1975.
He has consistently said he was innocent.
“They say that is my blood where I stood over him and beat him, to death. No sir, that is not my blood,” said Zeigler in a 2000 interview.
But when it comes to modern testing of the DNA, Zeigler has been told no by both state and Federal Courts.
“You have to prove it would change the juries mind. I think that’s insane,” said House Criminal Justice Subcommittee chair James Grant.
Rep. Grant said the standard is almost impossible to meet.
He wants it changed.
“A guy like Tommy Zeigler, the DNA may or not prove his innocence, but it certainly helps prove his case one way or another. So what we’ve tried to do is set in place a pathway where we get to a more reliability of conviction,” said Grant.
This legislation, if enacted, will likely free some people who are innocent serving time in prison.
It’s also likely to solve some cold cases.
“Because there are probably going to be some people who are not real bright, they can lie to their lawyer and say lets go test it, and a match gets hit for a rape, a murder, or something else that has gone unsolved,” said Grant.
For Zeigler, the possibility of retesting the DNA from the crime scene could mean the difference between dying in prison or on the outside.
“And until it happens to you, you don’t think it can happen to you,” said Zeigler.
The staff analysis for the legislation says innocent 73 people have been released from Florida prisons after dna testing.
Only three people have been on death row longer than Zeigler.
After the lone Democrat elected statewide took office last year, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried’s face started showing up on stickers affixed to gas pumps across the state.
House lawmakers say those stickers are illegal because of a law passed last year and are threatening to withhold funding for the department if the stickers aren’t replaced.
Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried said including her picture on the inspection stickers was intended to help raise awareness for the Division of Consumer Services.
“We knew that trying to have more attention to the stickers at the gas stations was part of that responsibility,” said Fried.
A law passed last year forbids the photo on the stickers, yet many still remain.
Now the Florida House is threatening to withhold $19.7 million from the department if they aren’t all replaced by September.
“The legislature made it clear last session that the placing of a likeness of oneself on official inspection materials was unseemly, self promoting and contrary to taxpayer interests. Commissioner chose to ignore that directive. The House in 2020 is reiterating last year’s requirement and exercising our constitutional prerogative to decide what is and is not funded,” said Spokesman for House Speaker Jose Oliva, Fred Piccolo.
“It’s absolutely outrageous, you know we are doing our jobs,” said Fried.
Fried said the money is critical for many of the department’s oversight and inspection duties.
Without the funds 284 jobs could be at risk.
“And to play partisan politics with something that is so vital to the health and wellness of our state, I’m just so disappointed,” said Fried.
We asked some people at the pump what they thought about the stickers, surprisingly we didn’t find a single person who’d ever even noticed them before.
But many people clearly have.
There have been multiple cases of graffiti, but Fried said she doesn’t mind.
In fact, she said it’s a good sign.
“I wasn’t insulted by it. It just means that it’s working,” said Fried.
Effective or not, the Department of Ag has already begun rolling out new stickers, but it could take as long as nine months to replace them all.
The Senate did not include the funding hold in its budget proposal, but as the legislative session moves forward that could change.
A House committee held a workshop Monday on legislation that would prohibit doctors from performing transgender operations on minors.
Several dozen people, including one transgender youth and two mothers were at the Capitol ahead of the meeting.
They said criminalizing the operations will result in more suicides among teens.
Asher Hogshead was born a female, but both he and his mother said he is better off as a male.
“I didn’t transition because I wanted to. I transitioned because I had to, to survive.After I came out I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” said Asher.
“This wasn’t a transition. This was a transformation. The moment, literally, literally the day that Asher came out as my son it was like the light came back on in his eyes. I had my child back,” said Asher’s mother Sally Hogshead.
The legislation would make it a felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, for a doctor to change a an underage child’s gender.
State Senators are scheduled to vote on legislation Tuesday that would require girls under 18 years old get their parent’s consent before having an abortion.
Hundreds of protesters and supporters are expected to be in the Capitol for the vote, but anti-abortion groups got a head start Monday.
They’re celebrating ‘Life Day’ and taking the opportunity to speak with lawmakers about their number one priority, the parental consent bill.
“Even people on the so called ‘pro abortion’ side, they even think well I’m a parent, I should have a right to know before my daughter gets a surgical procedure or undergoes something as traumatic as an abortion and so we feel like it’s so important to put the parent back involved in the equation,” said Florida Right to Life President Lynda Bell.
If the bill is passed by the Senate Tuesday it is expected the House will bring the Legislation to the chamber floor shortly after.
A 77-year-old man who spent 43 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit is seeking relief from the Florida Legislature.
State law allows the wrongly convicted to automatically apply for $50,000 for every year they were incarcerated, but he was previously convicted of a crime and the ‘Clean Hands Provision’ in Florida law prevents him from automatic compensation.
After serving 43 years in prison, five on death row, for a crime he didn’t commit Clifford Williams finally heard the words he’d waited so long to hear.
“I want to apologize on behalf of the State of Florida for your wrongful incarceration,” said Rep Bob Rommel.
A relief bill working through the Legislature would grant Williams $2 million for the time he served.
“It took 43 years for it to hit, but thank God we just kept living, because a lot of people died,” said Williams.
Normally, wrongfully incarcerated individuals would go to the courts for compensation, but because Williams was previously convicted of a crime, the state’s Clean Hands Provision requires he go to the Legislature.
“The very state that wrongfully incarcerated him, which is again in itself I think an injustice,” said Rep. Bobby DuBose.
But Williams may be one of the last people to have to go through this process.
Alongside his relief bill is a proposal that would do away with the clean hands provision altogether.
The legislation would give people like Williams up to two years from the time of their release to petition a court for compensation.
“I don’t think it matters, you paid your debt to society on whatever you did in the past, you spent time in jail for something you didn’t do then I think you’re entitled to compensation,” said Senate sponsor Rob Bradley.
Despite the hardship an obstacles he’s faced, Williams says he believes, “Justice has been served.”
Williams’ relief bill has one more committee stop in the House and two more in the Senate.
The repeal of the clean hands provision has one more committee stop in the House and the Senate version is already teed up for the chamber floor.
State lawmakers are about to crack down on guardians after an Orlando guardian allegedly initiated ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ orders against her patients’ wishes.
People from across Florida whose loved ones are in a guardianship assert major reforms are necessary.
There are multiple stories of people who were put into guardianships, isolated from their families and had their assets liquidated.
Their family members came to the Capitol to tell their stories.
“There is no due process, so its really open season on families,” said Dr. Teresa Kennedy, whose Aunt Lilly was put in a guardianship.
Dr. Kennedy came from NY to try and free her aunt in Deland.
“A family friend, who said he was a nephew petitioned without any of us knowing, and that started it off,” said Kennedy.
Lynn Sayler came from St. Petersburg.
Her mother was put in a home an hour and a half away.
Her mom died in 2012 and Lynn has been fighting for change ever since.
“We couldn’t get an emergency hearing. We couldn’t get her home for any holidays while other people were coming and leaving the facility,” said Sayler.
Hillary Hogue came from Naples.
“My father, who was doing quite well financially, was left with five dollars in his wallet,” said Hogue. “And I am begging for changes. This is happening. Thousands of people are being held captive.”
All of the families said they would expect what happened to them in another country, but not in America.
And attempts to get a meeting the Governor have been futile, until on Thursday, they hijacked A Seniors Day event at the Capitol.
It got them a meeting with the Secretary of Elder Affairs and now they hope that will turn into meaningful conversations that could eventually protect Florida Seniors.
In addition to requiring a judge to sign off on a do not resuscitate order, lawmakers are also looking to put a timeline for the state to investigate valid complaints within 45 days.
Two Tallahassee homes are in shambles after a massive sinkhole opened up on their property.
Another homeowner near the sinkhole has been ordered by the city to vacate his home.
No one was harmed when the sinkhole opened up.
Anwar El Khouri’s home was been swallowed up by the sinkhole.
He said he first noticed the sinkhole after returning from a local mall with his brother who was visiting from out of town.
“We come back and I saw a little one like this. Look how big now, 55 feet deep. All tore everything down. My roof is gone. I spent a lot of money for the roof,” said Khouri.
Khouri said he’s staying at a local hotel for the time being, which has given his a discount rate while he figures out his next steps.
Neighbors said a small sinkhole opened up in the trailer park about six years ago, but no homes were damaged.
A lucky Floridian is has a golden ticket worth $396.9 million.
The Florida Lottery said a player won Wednesday night’s Powerball Jackpot.
The ticket was purchased at a 7-Eleven, in Bonita Springs.
The player will have to come to the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee to collet their prize, but as of Thursday afternoon the winner had not come forward.
Tallahassee District Manager of the Florida Lottery Randall Fox said each winner is a little different.
“It all depends, we see winners here the next day, we see winners wait up until the last minute, but we do want to make sure that they know to secure that ticket, sign their ticket and definitely contact the Florida Lottery,” said Fox.
The winner has 60 days to come forward in order to collect the lump sum prize of $274 million.
They have 180 days if they wish to receive payouts.
There have been 13 Jackpot winners since Powerball launched in 2009.
The Florida Lottery adds it encourages all players to play responsibly and within their means.
First Lady Casey DeSantis dedicated a corner of the library in the Governor’s mansion, calling it the Children’s corner Thursday.
She was joined by 8-year-old Hampton Boney, who wrote a book entitled ‘The 500 Pound Tarpon’.
She said they will soon be extending invitations to the public to come and use the mansion library.
“Just as we open up the peoples’ house to tours to the general public, we also want to open up the mansion for story time. So on the website you’ll be able to go and find and schedule a time where you can come here with your children and be able to do story time at he Governor’s Mansion. So that’s a neat addition. We want to open that up to families and students all across the state,” said DeSantis.
And the 8-year-old author, who admitted he exaggerated the size of the fish he caught, said he will donate a dollar from every book sold to the Mote Marine Lab.
Civics education could soon be coming to a high school near you if it’s not already being taught.
A House committee in the State Capitol voted Wednesday to increase civics teachings for the 2021 school year.
One in three people could not name all three branches of government in a 2018 survey by Annenberg Public Policy Center.
We put the question to teens from the After School All Stars program touring the Capitol.
“Legislator, Senate and….wait its the judicial system and the legislative system,” said Miami student Issabela Martinez.
Seconds later Martinez finally got it right.
“Executive, yea executive,” said Martinez.
Arianna Jireh of Tampa hit all three right away.
“I learned it in my seventh grade, no, my sixth grade civics class,” said Jireh.
A House committee voted unanimously for State Representative Ben Diamond’s bill to increase civics education.
The courses must be nonpartisan and promote civil discourse.
“One of the key goals of this bill is to help young people be able to consider differing points of view, differing perspectives on a problem,” said Diamond.
Not only would kids learn about the country’s history, they would have to have a hands on project.
The Legislation has the full support of the Governor.
“You know, everyone is on their devices all the time. Stand up, look someone in the eye. Make an argument. Take a position. Get engaged in a given take on a one on one basis like that, and I think that’s a good opportunity for students,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
And Diamond thanks his parents, whom he called “consummate volunteers” for his interest in public service.
Civics is already mandated in middle school.
This legislation would mandate it in high school and students could earn public service credit for bright futures scholarship by participating in a civic activity.
The Florida Senate began discussions on Parental Consent legislation Wednesday afternoon.
The bill requires girls under 18 have their parent’s permission before a physician can perform an abortion.
Sponsor Kelli Stargel of Lakeland was herself pregnant at a young age and is still married to the father of the child her mother recommended she abort.
Her hope is to spark conversations between pregnant teens and their parents.
“As a parent and as a child who has gone through a situation. Everybody has a preconceived idea of what the parent is going to say, how they’re going to react, what’s going to happen. And I think we have presented the opportunity to come together, have a conversation, weighing out the pros and cons, what it means to go forward with the pregnancy, what it means to not go forward with a pregnancy. And I think those conversations need to be had within the family. The parent needs to be more active than just notified but be part of the conversation with the power to give consent,” said Stargel.
Thirty nine amendments, proposed primarily by Democrats, were considered.
One amendment would have allowed a judge to waive parental consent for cases of rape and human trafficking victims, but it was struck down.
But Stargel argued parents should know if their children are victims of sex crimes.
“Because if my daughter has been sexually trafficked, and I may be totally oblivious to that, and she goes into the court and says I’ve been human trafficked I don’t want there to be a low standard not to tell me. I as the parent need to know that information as hard as it is to hear,” said Stargel.
No vote is likely until next week.
Unclear is whether and Senate Democrats will support the legislation.
A number of African American Democrats in the House have said they will vote yes when the bill hits the House Floor, which likely won’t be until after it passes the Senate.
More than a hundred people from across the state participated in the first ever Emergency Management Day at the Capitol.
Florida is the first state to hire a mental health coordinator in emergency operations, and a federal grant of seven hundred thousand dollars helped thousands of panhandle residents following hurricane Michael.
First Lady Casey DeSantis also helped organized kiosks in hurricane ravaged counties so residents could seek mental health answers without having to travel.
“Every public school in six counties were provided tele-mental access, tele-mental port access, so that not only the children would have access to counseling sessions, so would the faculty and so would the parents. And what we are finding now is that people learn about these new ways to get this help and this new technology, we’re seeing usage rates in the last month double if not more,” said DeSantis.
The Governor has also asked lawmakers to renew a state twenty five million dollar grant program for hurricane recovery.
A Senate appropriations committee has created the first every categorical program to fund teacher raises.
Previously, lawmakers could appropriate money intended for pay raises, but there was no guarantee it would go to teachers or others.
The new legislation will make sure the money gets to teachers.
“What we’ve done is set a number in the categorical of $500 million. And we’ve stated within the categorical, 80 percent of the funds must go toward minimum teachers salary. And the other 20 percent is flexible within the districts to use for veteran teachers or other instructional personnel. That is not enough by itself to rise all of the districts to the $47,500,” said Sen. Kelli Stargel.
$500 million would raise salaries to $46,500, a thousand less than that sought by the Governor.
It is likely to be one of the hottest debates in the final six weeks of the legislative session.
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