This week, Senators and Representatives met in Tallahassee for a special session on gaming.  On May 19, 2021, the Florida Legislature approved the 2021 Gambling Compact proposed by Governor DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.  The newly approved 30-year gaming Compact restores the state’s relationship with the Tribe, preserves and offers new opportunities for Florida’s legacy pari-mutuel industry, and provides substantial new revenues for the State of Florida. Today, the Governor signed HB 7061 into law, cutting $196.3 million in taxes for Floridians and establishing three tax-free holidays this summer.  The first opportunity to shop tax-free begins May 28.  During the  Preparedness Tax-Free Holiday, Florida residents can save when they stock up on items to prepare for hurricane season, which begins June 1.

 

Gaming Compact Agreement Reached Between Florida Legislature This Week This week, Florida lawmakers met to discuss and debate the 2021 Gaming Compact and related legislation. As a sovereign nation, the Seminole Tribe has the right to offer gambling on its properties.  Through a previously established agreement, the Tribe shared revenue with the state of Florida to support education, law enforcement and infrastructure, among other investments.  However, since the agreement expired in 2015, the state has not benefited from this revenue. The 2021 Gaming Compact was negotiated by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the State of Florida.  The historic 30-year Compact restores Florida’s relationship with the Seminole Tribe, offers new opportunities for Florida’s legacy pari-mutuel industry, and provides substantial new revenues for our state.  Importantly, it preserves Florida’s reputation as a family-friendly and safe world-class destination. The goal of our legislation was to balance the requirements of federal Indian gaming law and Florida’s complex pari-mutuel regulatory structure, while also strengthening and enforcing restrictions against illegal and compulsive gambling.  Responsible regulation is central to gaming, and as with other industries, such regulation should reflect current needs and current gaming violations and activities. That is why we created an independent Gaming Control Commission to safeguard the public from illegal gaming activity and uphold the integrity of the industry. The Compact also includes several provisions to help prevent compulsive gambling abuse, such as requiring the Seminole Tribe to make a substantial annual contribution ($250,000) per operational gaming facility to the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling. Additionally, all advertising and marketing at tribal gaming facilities and all online betting sites must contain a responsible gaming message and a toll-free helpline number for gamblers. The 2021 Compact will generate a minimum of $2.5 billion in new revenue for the state over the next five years and an estimated $6 billion through 2030. On Tuesday, the Senate voted in favor to ratify the agreement.  On Wednesday, the House voted to approve the measure.

 

Governor Signs Tax Relief Package to Help Floridians Find Cost Savings On Friday,  May 21, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 7061 which offers a variety of tax credits and holidays for Floridians to save on costs as many begin to rebuild beyond the pandemic. The approved tax package is expected to create $196.3 million in relief for Floridians. This includes three tax holidays for Floridians. Two of which have historically played a major role in annual cost savings: Hurricane Disaster Preparedness Tax Holiday and the Back-to-School Tax Holiday. The Florida Legislature expanded the dates and item eligibility to help Floridians take advantage of tax-free supplies needed to secure your homes from hurricanes and prepare our students for the new school year. The Hurricane Disaster Preparedness Holiday runs from Friday, May 28 through June 6. The Back-to-School Tax Holiday begins July 31 until August 9. In addition,  Floridians can benefit from a new tax holiday: “2021 Freedom Week.”  This holiday will allow Floridians to purchase eligible event tickets, outdoor gear and beach or boating items tax-free from July 1 through July 7. The goal is to encourage Floridians to take advantage of the recreational and entertainment opportunities here in the Sunshine State and help support local economies and businesses.

 

Hurricane Season Is Rapidly Approaching, Are You Prepared? Though the Atlantic Hurricane Season officially begins on June 1, forecasters have already spotted tropical storms forming as early as mid-May. Visit FloridaDisaster.org to help your family and/or business establish a plan to remain safe in the event of a disaster. Utilize this checklist to help keep you organized and plan your shopping list for the upcoming Disaster Preparedness Tax Holiday. Stay informed and view the latest updates on hurricane forecasts here.

 

Save On Hurricane Supplies Starting May 28 During the Disaster Preparedness Tax Holiday The tax relief package (HB 7061) Governor DeSantis signed into law this month includes the continuation of the annual Disaster Preparedness Tax Holiday.  This year, the Florida Legislature expanded the tax-free savings to 10 days, which starts on Friday, May 28, and lasts until June 6. Eligible items include: ·         Portable self-powered light source selling for $40 or less; ·         Certain portable radios selling for $50 or less; ·         Tarps selling for $100 or less; ·         Ground anchor systems or tie-down kits selling for $100 or less; ·         A gas or diesel fuel tank selling for $50 or less; ·         Packages of certain battery types, selling for $50 or less; ·         A nonelectric food storage cooler selling for $60 or less; ·         Portable generators for use in a power outage selling for $1,000 or less; ·         Reusable ice selling for $20 or less; and ·         Portable power banks selling for $60 or less. Don’t wait, get prepared today!

 

Memorial Day Weekend Festivities in Southwest Florida There are a variety of Memorial Day activities your family can safely participate in this year.  Enjoy time at the beach, grill out in the backyard, attend a summer event or just keep it local this long weekend. Many of Southwest Florida’s local restaurants and shops are offering opportunities for friends and family to gather for the holiday.  You may find some local resources below. ·         Beach Locations & Information ·         Events ·         Local Shopping & Sales

 

Fun Florida Activities for Your Family This Summer As families and parents prepare for school to end next month, don’t let the education end outside of the classroom! There are a variety of activities in Southwest Florida that can help your children exercise their minds and bodies. View the links for summer activity ideas in your region: ·         Collier County ·         Hendry County ·         Lee County

Governor DeSantis signs groundbreaking school choice law

Florida’s nation-leading school choice legislation is now law, and the parents of millions of disadvantaged Florida children will have new opportunities to improve their children’s education and hopes for better lives. Governor DeSantis signed House Bill 7045 Tuesday, providing historic levels of educational opportunities through expanded eligibility for low-income students, and prioritizing military, foster, and adopted students.

“This legislation creates historical levels of flexibility in both schooling and educational services for millions of low-income families and families of students with unique abilities,” Governor DeSantis said.

“By giving parents increased options to choose the education that best meets their child’s needs, we are giving those students unlimited opportunity,” said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran.

Highlights of the ground-breaking law include:

• Increasing individual scholarship amounts to 100% of the state funding allocated to the child’s education, and expanding access to Florida’s scholarship programs for more families.

• Expanding the Family Empowerment Scholarship, lifting children in foster care, out-of-home care, or whose household income level does not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level.

• Giving military families the ability to maximize their school choice options.

• Expanding use of scholarship funds to cover the full spectrum of a student’s educational expenses, such as tuition and fees, and transportation to another public school, along with providing for special needs of students.

Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/11/governor-ron-desantis-signs-transformational-legislation-to-expand-school-choice-options/––––

While Democrats challenge our enhanced election integrity laws, we are looking forward to 2022, gearing up with aggressive plans for voter registration and absentee ballot registration. Covid-related issues allowed Democrats to surpass us in absentee voting registration in 2020, and those will still be in effect for the 2022 cycle.

But we are organizing now to counter their advantage in that area by working with our county Republican Executive Committees and grassroots at the local level. More will be coming on this, including how everyone can get involved.

Legislation

Governor DeSantis signed into law the largest investment in Florida’s history to prepare communities for rising sea levels and flooding. Senate Bill 1954 creates a coordinated approach to Florida’s coastal and inland resiliency and enhances efforts to protect inland waterways, coastlines, shores and coral reefs, which serve as invaluable natural defenses against sea level rise.

This bill and the 2021-2022 budget are part of the largest investment in the state’s history — more than $640 million — ensuring state and local communities are prepared to deal with the impacts of sea level rise, intensified storms and flooding.

The budget portion includes:

• $12.5 million for resilience projects and coral reef protection.

• $500 million in federal funding to implement statewide resilience projects through the Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan.

• $100 million for Resilient Florida Grant Program projects in partnership with local communities, beginning in 2022.

“Since day one, the resiliency of our state has been a top priority for my administration,” Governor DeSantis said.

Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/12/governor-ron-desantis-signs-bill-to-further-strengthen-floridas-resiliency-efforts/

Florida Update

Governor DeSantis urged the U.S. Army Corp to reduce harmful discharges to northern estuaries in its new Lake Okeechobee system operating manual. The Governor was joined by Florida DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein and the South Florida Water Management District Board of Directors on a visit to Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers. The visit came as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finalizes a new water control manual.

The Governor urged the U.S. Army Corps to improve lake management to create more beneficial releases and send more water south during Florida’s dry season, and allow flexibility to avoid harmful discharges in Florida’s northern estuaries.

“In Florida, we are doing our part to expedite Everglades restoration projects and restore the flow of water south from Lake Okeechobee. Under my administration, we have expedited the EAA Reservoir Project, begun constructing the Stormwater Treatment Area 12 months ahead of schedule, and invested over $2 billion in water quality and Everglades funding,” Governor DeSantis said.

Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/10/governor-ron-desantis-urges-u-s-army-corps-to-reduce-harmful-discharges-to-northern-estuaries-in-new-lake-okeechobee-system-operating-manual/––––

Governor DeSantis is honoring Florida’s law enforcement officers this week by lighting the Florida Historic Capitol blue during National Police Week. National Police Week recognizes those who protect our nation and the State of Florida, and those who have made the supreme sacrifice with their lives to protect the freedom of others and preserve law and order in our communities.

“In Florida, we stand behind our police officers who protect our freedoms and defend our society – putting themselves in harm’s way to keep our people safe and our businesses secure,” Governor DeSantis said. “This week we honor them for always responding to those in need.”

Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/09/governor-ron-desantis-honors-floridas-police-force-during-national-police-week/

Watch here: https://spacecoastdaily.com/2021/05/watch-gov-ron-desantis-honors-floridas-police-force-during-national-police-week

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Governor DeSantis announced that more than $111 million has been awarded to 22 communities impacted by Hurricane Michael. The Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Repair Program is designed to provide funding for local governments to strategically rebuild and harden infrastructure in order to prevent or reduce losses from future disasters.

“Hurricane Michael caused catastrophic damage to Northwest Florida and we remain one-hundred percent committed to helping these communities rebuild and recover stronger than before,” Governor DeSantis said.

Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/06/governor-ron-desantis-announces-111-million-in-infrastructure-awards-for-communities-impacted-by-hurricane-michael/

Governor Ron DeSantis

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

Governor DeSantis continues to receive praise from Floridians for his management through the pandemic. Florida parents, nurses, small business owners, educators, hospitality workers and cruisers are applauding the Governor’s leadership.

You can read them here:
https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/13/what-they-are-saying-florida-parents-nurses-small-business-owners-educators-hospitality-workers-and-cruisers-applaud-governor-ron-desantis-policies/

Florida’s new election integrity law: Easier to vote, harder to cheat

Florida is leading the way on election integrity because we have a Governor and a Legislature willing to proactively ensure that all legal votes count.

To that end, Governor DeSantis signed into law Senate Bill 90 this morning in Palm Beach County. Florida’s new election integrity bill strengthens voter identification, prohibits the unsolicited mass mailing of ballots, bans ballot harvesting and prohibits private money from administering elections in our state.

“Florida took action this legislative session to increase transparency and strengthen the security of our elections,” Governor DeSantis said. “Floridians can rest assured that our state will remain a leader in ballot integrity. Elections should be free and fair, and these changes will ensure this continues to be the case in the Sunshine State.”

“Safeguarding and maintaining the integrity of our elections is important to all of us,” said Senate President Wilton Simpson. “We all lose when people have no confidence in the integrity of an election. That’s what we want to avoid. We don’t want to backslide. Florida was a model for the nation in November, and that is something we can all take pride in.”

The new law is a win for everyone who wants voting easier but cheating harder.

“Floridians have more options to cast their ballot than ever before. With that variety must come assurance of security, accountability, and transparency,” said House Speaker Chris Sprowls.

Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/06/governor-ron-desantis-signs-bill-to-safeguard-the-sanctity-of-florida-elections/

Watch a Fox News clip here: https://video.foxnews.com/v/6252896639001#sp=show-clips

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Charlie Crist has announced for Governor, bringing an endless stream of failures in public office — his biggest being those that failed the people of Florida. Repeatedly.

He claims now to care about jobs. But under his leadership as Governor (when he was a Republican, before he was an Independent, which was before he was a Democrat, which he is at this moment) Florida’s unemployment rate soared to 11.1 percent — triple what it had been. More than 800,000 Floridians lost their jobs under Crist. Bankruptcies and foreclosures soared and Crist steered the state budget deep into debt.

But as the times got tougher under his governorship, he began looking for ways to run away from the problems he created, quitting on Floridians to pursue other elected offices. The job he really cares about is his own.

And now that back-to-back Republican governors in Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis have righted the ship that he nearly capsized and set the state in perhaps the strongest economic and financial position in the country, he wants back in the Governor’s mansion he ran away from in disarray. Apparently totally screwing up the state once was just not enough for him.

Crist is the epitome of the self-absorbed, empty suit politician and Floridians can do much better — and already are under Governor DeSantis.

Senator Rick Scott released an awesome video documenting Crist’s almost innumerable failures and lack of personal character.

Watch Senator Scott’s video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vklOIQsvwdg&ab_channel=OnmessageInc

Helen Aguirre Ferre, Executive Director of RPOF, out out a strong statement on Crist:

“While Governor DeSantis put seniors first, kept our kids in school, and businesses open, Charlie Crist advocated for lockdowns, restrictions on businesses, and backed the teachers’ unions efforts to keep our kids from the classroom. Crist supports defunding the police and has voted 100% of the time for Nancy Pelosi’s radical agenda. He even betrayed those who fled communism when he embraced Castro regime officials in a secret trip to Cuba.”

Legislation

Banning vaccine passports, Governor DeSantis was joined by legislative leaders and small business owners in St. Petersburg where he signed landmark legislation, SB 2006, aimed at stemming the tide of local and state government overreach.

The bill takes aim at arbitrary lockdowns and vaccine passports and enhances emergency preparedness for future emergencies. The Governor also signed Executive Orders 21-101 and 21-102 suspending all local emergency orders until July 1, at which point local orders will be permanently invalidated under SB 2006.

“Over the last year we’ve avoided protracted lockdowns and school closures in Florida because I have refused to take the same approach as lockdown Governors. This legislation ensures that legal safeguards are in place so that local governments cannot arbitrarily close our schools or businesses,” Governor DeSantis said. “In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision.

Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/03/governor-ron-desantis-signs-landmark-legislation-to-ban-vaccine-passports-and-stem-government-overreach/

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To ensure Florida children are ready for school, Governor Ron DeSantis signed new laws that will prepare our kids for kindergarten and monitor academic progress through middle school. Catching the children who need help early on will make a big difference in their educational outcomes.

The Governor signed HB 419 that makes historic improvements to state accountability for early learning programs. Additionally, he signed HB 7011 creating a statewide progress-monitoring tool to quickly understand Pre-K through 8th grade students’ academic progress in real-time and rapidly identify any personalized interventions for students that need additional support. The goal is to have 90 percent of Florida’s third graders reading on grade level by 2030.

“As a parent of three young children, I know how important it is that parents have access to high quality early learning programs,” Governor DeSantis said. “Early learning is critical for the lifelong success of our students, and supporting our earliest learners will take the guesswork out of providing personalized interventions and instruction for our vulnerable students that may be falling behind.”

Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/04/governor-ron-desantis-signs-groundbreaking-early-learning-and-literacy-legislation/

And here: https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2021/05/05/gov–desantis-signs-literacy–early-learning-education-bills-into-law

Florida Update

A one-time bonus of $1,000 will be headed to 174,000 Florida first responders, including law enforcement officers, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and firefighters, after Governor DeSantis traveled to Satellite Beach, Temple Terrace and Fort Myers to announce the bonuses.

“Supporting our law enforcement and first responders has been a top priority for my administration, and it has never been more important than over the last year. As a state, we are grateful for their continued service to our communities,” Governor DeSantis said. “This one-time bonus is a small token of appreciation, but we can never go far enough to express our gratitude for their selflessness.”

“When the Coronavirus came to Florida, our first responders worked overtime to protect our communities and get people the care they so desperately needed,” said Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis. “They performed with honor and distinction during this global pandemic.”

Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/05/governor-ron-desantis-announces-1000-pandemic-bonus-for-floridas-first-responders/

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Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis launched his first digital ad for his re-election campaign this week, called “Let’s Keep Florida Open.”

The spot talks about CFO Patronis’ family restaurant business and the difficulties it endured because of local shutdowns, reinforcing the importance of keeping Florida open. And he highlighted his successes in making nearly 4,000 arrests for fraud and abuse of funds while paying back nearly $200 million in restitution.

Watch his video launch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zonIXiYjx0&ab_channel=JimmyPatronis

Sen. Rick Scott Shares 117th Congress Committee Assignments

The United States Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation’s military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy (as pertaining to national security), benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and other matters related to defense policy.

The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is the chief oversight committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government itself, including the National Archives, budget and accounting measures other than appropriations, the Census, the federal civil service, the affairs of the District of Columbia and the United States

The United States Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee is composed of seven subcommittees, which together oversee for the vast range of issues under its jurisdiction. These issues range from communications, highways, aviation, rail, shipping, transportation security, merchant marine, the Coast Guard, oceans, fisheries, climate change, disasters, science, space, interstate commerce, tourism, consumer issues, economic development, technology, competitiveness, product safety, and insurance.

The United States Senate Committee on the Budget was established by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. It is responsible for drafting Congress’s annual budget plan and monitoring action on the budget for the Federal Government.

The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging was initially established in 1961 as a temporary committee; it became a permanent Senate committee in 1977. As a special committee, it studies issues related to older Americans, particularly Medicare and Social Security.

Banner

Senate Armed Services Committee Announces Subcommittee Leadership for 117th Congress Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI) and Ranking Member Jim Inhofe (R-OK) announced the subcommittee assignments for the 117th Congress. Senator Rick Scott has been assigned to: • Subcommittee on Airland • Subcommittee on Seapower • Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities Senator Rick Scott said, “I’m honored to continue serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee and on the subcommittees for Airland, Seapower and Emerging Threats and Capabilities. Florida has 20 military bases and three unified commands, more than almost any other state, and I will always do everything I can to support our armed services and the brave individuals who serve our nation. As a Navy veteran myself, I will never forget my most important job as U.S. Senator is to protect and serve the families of our nation, and we must continue to invest in America’s greatest asset — the men and women of our armed forces.”

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Leaders Announce Subcommittee Membership Senators Gary Peters and Rob Portman, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, announced members that will serve on the committee’s subcommittees in the 117th Congress. Senator Rick Scott will be serving on the following subcommittees: • Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) • Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight Senator Rick Scott said, “I’m proud to continue serving on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, including on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight. I look forward to continuing our work to protect our nation from foreign and domestic threats and to reform Washington so that every taxpayer dollar spent gets a return on investment for Americans.”

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Announces Subcommittee Leadership for 117th Congress Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chair Senator Maria Cantwell and Ranking Member Senator Roger Wicker announced the new Commerce subcommittee structure and leadership for the 117th Congress, including Senator Rick Scott’s new role as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion. Senator Rick Scott said, “I’m proud to continue serving on the Senate Committee for Commerce, Science and Transportation, and as Ranking Member on the new Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion. Tourism is essential to the success of Florida’s economy and supports millions of jobs in communities of every size across our state. While I was Governor, we proudly welcomed hundreds of millions of visitors every year, shattering tourism records. Each of these visitors supported small businesses, fueled job growth and helped us increase our state and local investments in the environment, transportation, public safety and education. “As our state and nation work to recover from the coronavirus and get our economy back on track, I remain committed to doing everything I can to support our tourism industry in Florida and across the United States. I also look forward to continuing my work on the committee to improve our nation’s infrastructure, maintain the United States’ role as a leader in commerce and space exploration, and protect our national security, citizens and networks from the threat of Communist China.”

Chairman’s Message

Florida continues to lead on school choice for parents and students

The Legislature has passed bills maximizing parental choice by expanding eligibility and streamlining school choice scholarship programs for students with unique abilities and students from lower income families. The Senate passed House Bill 7045, School Choice, sponsored in the Senate by Senator Manny Diaz, Jr.

“I’m pleased to see the Senate stand with Florida parents who overwhelmingly support expanding eligibility for these popular school choice programs. We know that parents are their children’s first and best educators, a fact that has certainly been highlighted over the last year,” Senate President Wilton Simpson said. “We want school choice to be an option for every family. This important legislation further streamlines our existing school choice scholarships, and expands eligibility for lower income families, families of students with unique abilities, adopted children, and children whose parents serve in our military.”

The legislation expands school choice to allow a family of four earning less than $100,000 to receive full funding for K-12 education costs at a school of their choice under an expansion of the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program. Eligibility is expanded to students who are not enrolled in a public school, students of parents serving in the military, and students who are in foster care or adopted.

Read much more here: https://www.flsenate.gov/Media/PressReleases/Show/3963

The Wall Street Journal ran a terrific editorial on Florida’s school choice bill, the final line of which is: Florida is a haven for overtaxed northerners, but it’s also an education refuge for low- and middle-income families.

Read more here:
https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?DocumentType=Press%20Release&FileName=764

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Holding Big Tech accountable. Both chambers of the Florida Legislature have now approved legislation barring social media companies from deplatforming political candidates. It’s a classic free speech, anti-censorship, equal access and protection bill for all Floridians.

Republicans and free-speech advocates — and just a lot of Americans — were outraged after the sitting President of the United States, President Donald Trump, was suspended and then banned from Facebook and Twitter in January on the spurious accusation that his content had the potential to incite violence. It did not, but plenty of content that the social media platforms do allow does have the potential, and expectation, to incite violence — such as Antifa organizing on their platforms.

After the appalling, partisan ban of the President,the New York Post, Parler, and Republican candidates such as Laura Loomer, Governor Ron DeSantis called for laws stopping the social media giants from doing this again. After all, for better or worse, they are the public square now and access to them is required for free speech to flourish. Under the measure, social media giants would be forbidden to suspend the accounts of candidates for more than 60 days before an election has been resolved.

Read more here: https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2021/04/28/florida-house-oks-bills-banning-social-media-deplatforming–voting-drop-boxes-

Legislation

The Florida House and Senate have agreed to a budget that is balanced, while making record investments in flood mitigation, education and leaving $6 billion in budget reserves. The 2021 General Appropriations Act prepares Florida today for a better tomorrow. In reconciling the House and Senate budgets, both sides praised the other for their spirit of cooperation throughout the process.

“Working together with our partners in the Senate, we were able to craft a budget that funds immediate needs and also long-term priorities for the future,” House Speaker Chris Sprowls said. “In the greenest budget in Florida’s history, we respond to the needs of our state in areas like flooding mitigation, state park maintenance and water quality. We provide unprecedented levels of budget reserves, make record investments in higher-education funding, fund an overhaul of our workforce system and extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from two months to a full year.”

House Appropriations Committee Chair Trumbull said: “We make smart, good-government investments into programs that provide lasting benefits for generations. From unprecedented infrastructure funding to record investments into beach renourishment to bonuses for teachers and front-line workers, we make the right decisions for Florida’s future.”

The $101.5 billion budget includes $6.9 billion in federal funding from Medicaid increases and federal education stimulus funds. If those funds were not included, the budget would be $94.6 billion, slightly above the $92.3 billion budget approved last year.

Read more here: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?DocumentType=Press%20Release&FileName=763

Florida Update

Governor DeSantis announced a historic gaming compact between the State of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The agreement will generate a minimum of $2.5 billion in new state revenue over the next five years, and an estimated $6 billion through 2030.

“This historic compact expands economic opportunity, tourism, and recreation, and bolsters the fiscal success of our state in one fell swoop for the benefit of all Floridians and Seminoles alike,” Governor DeSantis said. “Our agreement establishes the framework to generate billions in new revenue and untold waves of positive economic impact.”

Larger and more expansive than any other gaming compact in U.S. history, the agreement increases the revenue to the State of Florida from the Seminole Tribe from no revenue to over $6 billion over the next decade, with a guaranteed minimum of $2.5 billion during the first five years. Most notably, the compact modernizes the gaming industry through the authorization of sports betting in Florida through the Tribe. The agreement also provides protections for pari-mutuel operations and the opportunity to participate in sports betting offered by the Tribe.

Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/04/23/governor-ron-desantis-strikes-historic-gaming-compact-with-seminole-tribe-of-florida/

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Governor DeSantis announced significant progress in the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Project in a press conference where he was joined by Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein and the South Florida Water Management District to announce significant progress on the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Project.

The SFWMD Governing Board unanimously approved an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that keeps the Corps on track to begin federal construction on the reservoir component this year. In April 2020, Governor DeSantis announced that the South Florida Water Management District began construction on the State of Florida’s component of the project, the stormwater treatment area, 12 months ahead of schedule.

“Today marks a critical milestone for Everglades restoration and achieving our state’s long-term environmental goals,” Governor DeSantis said.

Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2021/04/22/governor-ron-desantis-announces-major-milestone-to-advance-eaa-reservoir-project/

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Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis needled Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer with a letter this week in response to ongoing revelations that she and a top staffer visited Florida recently after telling Michigan residents they should not travel — particularly to Florida. CFO Patronis provided the governor and her staff with tourism materials from the state’s “Visit Florida” marketing board to “help plan” their next trip down.

“Now that you and your COO have personally experienced what the Sunshine State has to offer, I encourage you to share your experiences publicly. More importantly, however, don’t be a stranger!”

Read more here: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/desantis-cabinet-member-trolls-michigans-whitmer-over-travel-mess-by-sending-tourism-pamphlets

REMEMBER: @FloridaGOP and retweet and share. The Republican message must be spread around the state and you are integral to making that happen.