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…
The Florida Senate has moved forward with school security legislation (SB 7030) that includes a provision that would allow classroom teachers to carry weapons. For years, the leading champion for arming teachers was U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, a staunch guns right advocate. He sponsored a bill three years in a row when he was a…
Every year the Florida Legislature puts forth bills with the goal of hamstringing local governments. From prohibiting local bans on plastic straws to preventing any new business regulation by a city or county, our lawmakers are filing bills intended to do nothing but prevent local control. The worst offender in 2019 is Port Charlotte Republican…
Bills we are watching in the Florida House: HB 1335 would amend Florida’s statute to require that teenagers who don’t get permission from their parents/guardian to get an abortion would have to plead their case before a judge. The bill was approved in the Health Quality Subcommittee; it is now in the Judiciary Committee. HB 7089…
Amendment 4 advocates criticize Florida House bill that adds restrictions to felon voting rights A Florida House committee approved a bill addressing the rollout of Amendment 4 despite the likelihood it would undermine the ballot measure’s intent by limiting the number of former felons who could have their voting rights restored. (Read more in…
From Your Charlotte County Democratic Party’s Legislative Liaison Committee Education • SB 7030/HB 7075 School Choice (General Bill by Senate Education Committee/Rep. Jennifer Sullivan) Passage of this bill will greatly expand school vouchers and directs general revenue dollars to private and religious schools reducing general revenue for public schools. It is unconstitutional. We oppose…
Folks, SB 7070 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education on Tuesday, March 19 at 10 AM. This bill has a number of provisions, the most egregious of which would greatly expand taxpayer-funded school vouchers. This means that our public school funding would be sacrificed to pay for vouchers. WHAT…
Florida Democrats have introduced their own budget and say it primarily aims to help working-class citizens. This counters Governor Ron DeSantis’s budget of $91.3 billion. Democrats are protecting you and your small businesses through our #NEWSUNSHINEDEAL Democratic budget! (Read what it means to you at WFSU.org)
Download the New Sunshine Deal State Budget Democratic Leader Kionne McGhee and House Democrats unveiled the New Sunshine Deal — the first budget proposal from Democrats in over two decades. The New Sunshine Deal is a progressive and fiscally responsible budget that addresses the challenges facing Florida families. The House Democrats budget cuts taxes for working families,…
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) — Florida’s newly-elected Commissioner of Agriculture, Nikki Fried, is preparing for the start of next week’s Legislative Session. Nearly 50 days into her first term in office, the lone Democrat elected to Florida’s Cabinet stopped by the WCTV studios on Monday. Fried talked about her first weeks in office, and what’s on…