The second committee in the Florida House — the Justice Appropriations Subcommittee — will be hearing the anti-Democratic/anti-free speech HB 1 Combating Public Disorder bill today March 3 at 4:15 pm ET. We sent an Action Alert prior to the first House hearing in January, but we need you to mobilize again and let the Representatives on this next committee know…
By Karen Fisk, Charlotte Dems legislation tracker The 2021 Florida Legislative Session started March 1st. Several bills will be heard this week. You are requested to contact by phone or email the senators who chair the committees where the following bills originate. Your letters and phone calls are a very effective way to urge legislators…
Opinion by Lizette Alvarez, Washington Post contributing columnist, March 2, 2021 Something remarkable happened in Florida this past Election Day: A state long lampooned for its ballot bumbling simply added up its votes and secured a winner, Donald Trump, not long after the polls closed. The election efficiency felt like a miracle. “Florida is a model for the rest…
By Laurie Ulrop, DWC Legislative Liaison HB 241 is on the Tuesday, March 2nd agenda for the FL House Health & Human Services Committee. This bill needs a NO vote! This bill forces school teachers and counselors to “out” students, putting LGBTQ students is harm’s way. It makes accessing healthcare or counseling more difficult for LGBTQ youth. This…
By Laurie Ulrop, DWC Legislative Liaison and Charlotte Dems contributor This bill could make a huge difference for about 3000 women inmates at Lowell Correctional Institution. The crimes against women taking place in the facility has been taking place for decades. The facility has been aware of these crimes since 2006. It’s time for a change and accountability! …
By Carl Hiaasen, Miami Herald columnist. Readers may write to him at: The Miami Herald, 3511 NW 91st Ave., Miami, FL 33172. One of many historic footnotes to the tense November election was that Florida didn’t screw everything up for the rest of the country. For once, the ballot-counting here was mostly uneventful, uncontroversial and…
By Betsy Calvert, Charlotte Sun Staff Writer, Feb 23, 2021 State Rep. Michael Grant Tuesday announced changes to his proposed election law that would provide protections for airport commissioners who opposed him in airport privatization. The Charlotte County Republican also said in a Zoom call Tuesday with his fellow legislators, that he will no longer…
Editor’s Note: Read an excellent OpEd on this topic by Carl Hiaasen, Miami Herald columnist, here. On February 19th, Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls and Senate President Wilton Simpson had issued the following joint statement on Governor DeSantis’ election integrity proposal: “We join the Governor in his efforts to continue to make Florida the national…
By Betsy Calvert, Charlotte Sun Staff Writer, Dec 10, 2020 Dozens of ordinary citizens and high-ranking officials made their pitches Thursday to Charlotte County’s three-member legislative delegation, who also represent seven other counties from Polk to a piece of Lee County. Hearing the presentations, and cutting them off if they ran too long, were Rep.…
Power grab? Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried blasted Gov. Ron DeSantis for trying to take control of the state Office of Energy. The office reports to Fried, but a bill in the House would move it under the governor.
by Jane Merriam, Secretary, Charlotte County Democrats Four Charlotte County Democrats spoke to local state legislators about issues affecting Charlotte County that we would like to be addressed during the 2020 Legislative Session. Bill Welsh, Brenda Curtis, Judith Fincher, myself, and more than 15 other Charlotte Dems were among about 75 residents who met with…
New legislation for the 2020 Legislative session is being introduced in both Chambers of the Florida Legislature. You can find them here: Florida House and Florida Senate. Please feel free to make appointments with your representatives in local District offices this fall. Other documents you might find useful are bills we supported from 2019…
Charlotte delegation meeting set for October On Oct. 8, you’ll have a chance to be heard with this year’s annual Charlotte County Delegation Meeting, slated for 8-11 a.m. at the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association, 2001 Shreve St., in Punta Gorda. Requests for time on the agenda must include the name, address and phone…
The following bills have passed both Chambers of the Florida Legislature and have been signed by the governor. HB 5 – Ballot Measures – places restrictions on the process for collecting signatures on petitions to amend the Florida constitution. HB 19 – Prescription Drug Importation Program – allows importation of lower cost prescription drugs. HB…
Florida has passed a bill that will likely make it harder to put citizens’ initiatives on the ballot. The bill (HB 5) places additional restrictions on gathering the hundreds of thousands of petition signatures needed to reach the ballot. Changes to petition gathering will occur on July 7, 2019. Therefore, please gather as many petitions…
by Teresa Jenkins, Charlotte County Democrats Vice Chair and Legislative Committe Chair The 2019 legislative session thankfully has ended. Rep Jose Oliva, the current speaker of the Florida House, got a lot of what he wanted. For years he said he would support the state’s right to preempt towns from making their own laws as…
With days left before the legislative session ends Friday, the Senate sponsor of a proposal aimed at carrying out a constitutional amendment on felons’ voting rights said he worked all weekend to reach what he called a compromise with his House counterpart. But Senate Democrats are still opposed to the measure, which they believe creates…
Peterffy, who gave $310,000 to DeSantis’ campaign last year, is hardly the only person who could profit off a bill that would expand two toll roads and build one new one through rural parts of Florida. Road builders, home builders, engineers and other interests are poised to reap billions by what would be Florida’s…
The Florida House has passed a high-profile Republican bill requiring local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and banning so-called “sanctuary city” policies that shield immigrants who are arrested. (Read more at NBCNews.com)
There are two weeks remaining in the 2019 Florida State Legislature. Enough time to do immense harm. Listed are bills that must be stopped. HB refers to a House Bill. Call Rep. Michael Grant, 850-717-5075 SB refers to a Senate Bill. Call Sen. Bill Albritton, 863-534-0073, Call Sen. Joe Gruters, 850-487-5023 NO: HB 7093/SB 7030…