Governor DeSantis Visits Collier County to Announce $40.9 Million Reimbursement for Hurricane Irma Relief Funding On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis visited Collier County to announce that FEMA will reimburse the county $40.9 million for debris removal following Hurricane Irma. There was an estimated 3 million cubic yards of debris that needed to be cleared in Collier County following the storm. The reimbursement process is typically a lengthy matter, but the Florida Division of Emergency Management is working to expedite the process to get recovery funds into the community. “We can’t be doing this bureaucracy non-stop. We need to get this money to folks quicker," said Governor Ron DeSantis during his visit. Drew Steele of Fox 92.5 Broadcasts Live from the Capitol This week, I welcomed Southwest Florida’s own radio host Drew Steele to broadcast live from the Capitol Tuesday and Wednesday. During his two-day broadcast, Drew interviewed legislators from Southwest Florida, including President Bill Galvano and Senator Joe Gruters, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, as well as First Lady Casey DeSantis and Cabinet members Attorney General Ashley Moody and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. It was a great opportunity for his listeners to hear directly from their elected officials during a very busy time of the legislative session. Senate Infrastructure Package Heads to Senate Floor for Final Passage After passing the Appropriations Committee, Senate Bill 7068 is heading to the Senate floor for a final vote. SB 7068 creates the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance Program within the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The program is designed to advance construction of regional corridors and multiple types of infrastructure. The program will revitalize rural communities, encourage job creation in those communities, and provide regional connectivity, while leveraging technology, enhancing quality of life and public safety, and protecting the environment and natural resources. I have gotten a number of emails on this subject from constituents who are concerned on the impact that new turnpikes will have on the environment. It is important to note that the bill is not a choice between the environment and new turnpike corridors. The process will be long, and we are committed to requiring FDOT to have as minimal an environmental footprint as possible in regard to the construction of these new corridors. The passage of this bill does not instantly build the roads or hurt the environment with a stroke of a pen. Projects will be subject to requirements relating to economic and environmental feasibility and other evaluation requirements. During project development, the FDOT must convene a task force for each corridor comprised of representatives from state agencies and other stakeholders to evaluate and coordinate corridor analysis, environmental and land use impacts and other pertinent impacts of the corridors. As we saw during Hurricane Irma, our state needs more options for the safe evacuation of Floridians in times of crisis. Additionally, by planning long-term for future growth, we are able to make more informed decisions and plan carefully around the environmental impacts. Senate School Safety Package Heads to Senate Floor Senate Bill 7030 implements the school safety and security recommendations of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission and strengthens accountability and compliance oversight authority. I added an amendment to SB 7030 that expands the use of the mental health assistance allocation to include child and youth mental health awareness, detecting and responding to mental health issues, and connecting families to appropriate services. It provides for School Districts to contract with community behavioral health providers to provide a behavioral health staff presence and services at district schools including mental health screenings and assessments, individual counseling and family counseling. It requires districts to establish programs to assist students in dealing with anxiety, depression, bullying, trauma and violence and to develop strategies or programs to reduce the likelihood of at-risk students developing social, emotional or behavioral health problems, suicidal tendencies or substance abuse disorders. As I said when presenting my amendment and in support of the bill: “The bottom line is, what is more important than protecting our children and making sure they are safe, both physically and mentally?” The bill improves school security measures by:
The bill enhances the safety of our students by:
Business Corporations Bill Passes Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Senate Bill 892, Business Organizations, which I introduced, passed out of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development on Tuesday. This bill is a comprehensive rewrite of Chapter 607 of the Florida Statutes, the Florida Business Corporation Act. The last comprehensive rewrite of our state's corporate statute passed the Legislature 30 years ago, in 1989. This proposal will bring Florida's corporate statute into line with trends affecting the use of corporations by businesses today. Veterans’ Care Coordination Program Passes Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee Senate Bill 1222 creates the Florida Veterans’ Care Coordination Program to provide veterans and their families dedicated behavioral health care referral services, primarily for mental health and substance abuse. Through the program, a caller to a separate veteran-dedicated support line receives assistance and support from a trained fellow veteran. To provide services, the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs will contract with a nonprofit entity that has statewide capacity to serve veterans and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation and fully accredited by the Alliance of Information and Referral Services. The contracting entity will enter into agreements with Florida 211 Network participants to provide services to veterans. The bill models the program after the pilot program established in 2014 by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Manatee Counties. Bill to Ban Genetic Testing in Life Insurance Passes Health Policy Committee The Senate Health Policy Committee Senate Bill 258 prohibits life insurers from canceling, limiting or denying coverage, or establishing differentials in premium rates, based on genetic information, if there is no diagnosis of a condition related to the genetic information. Insurers may not use such genetic information for underwriting purposes. Genetic prohibitions are already in place in Florida Law for health insurance providers. On Hurricane Michael Anniversary, Senate Passes Federal Disaster Relief Resolution On the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 storm that devastated Florida’s Panhandle, the Florida Senate passed Senate Resolution 1844: Federal Disaster Relief and Recovery. The resolution urges members of the United States Congress to immediately pass a federal supplemental appropriations package for disaster relief and recovery to assist those attempting to rebuild their lives in the wake of Hurricane Michael. The Florida Senate is committed to restoring the Panhandle communities, and has invested in $1.8 billion in its 2019-20 proposed budget toward Hurricane Michael recovery efforts. Professional Deregulation Legislation Advances Committee Senate Bill 1640, Deregulation of Professions and Occupations, by Senator Ben Albritton unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism. This legislation removes license requirements or reduces regulations for a variety of professions ranging from makeup applicators to accountants. Senate Bill 1640 also provides alternatives for certain professionals who are licensed in another state, such as engineers and veterinarians, to qualify for a professional license in Florida. This legislation aims to continue Florida’s competitive business climate and will help clear obstacles for individuals wishing to earn a living through a trade career. Senate Committee Passes Bill to Fund Red Tide Research Senate Bill 1552, Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative, sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters unanimously passed the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government. This legislation aims to build on the significant investments already made by the Legislature to control and alleviate red tide blooms in Florida by providing a $3 million annual appropriation for the next six years dedicated to red tide research and mitigation. This is in addition to more than $6 million allocated in the recently passed Florida Senate budget. Senate Bill 1552 establishes the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative as a partnership between the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and Mote Marine Laboratory. The purpose of the initiative is to develop technologies and approaches needed to address the control and mitigation of red tide and its impacts. This initiative comes after Florida recently experienced one of its largest red tide blooms in history. In addition to threatening public safety and harming the environment, red tide can cause harmful algal blooms which may result in significant costs associated with public health, commercial fishery reduction, and decreases in recreation and tourism. The Florida Senate is committed to continuing to invest in protecting Florida’s unique environment and water resources. Early Childhood Music Education Program Passes Final Committee Senate Bill 120, Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program, sponsored by Senator Keith Perry, unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Appropriations. Senate Bill 120 extends the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program to June, 2022. The pilot program is designed to assist certain school districts in implementing comprehensive music education programs in kindergarten through 2nd grade. This legislation aims to expand education opportunities by growing the availability of music and arts education for Florida’s schools. Welcome to the Florida Senate The Florida Senate welcomed the following groups to the Capitol:
The Florida Everglades Coalition Collier County League of Women Voters Collier Tax Collector Larry Ray and Lee Tax Collector Larry Hart joined me during the Florida Tax Collector’s Legislative Day in Tallahassee. The Everglades Foundation As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office any time that I can be of assistance. Kathleen C. Passidomo Senate Majority Leader Naples Office: 3299 East Tamiami Trail LaBelle Office: 25 East Hickpochee Avenue Tallahassee Office: 330 Senate Office Building Not paid for at taxpayer expense. |