Staff Reports
The Senate transportation, tourism and economic development appropriations subcommittee on Thursday is set to discuss an economic development incentive package. The bill includes language addressing the sports and film incentives.
Chris Hudson, state director for Americans for Prosperity—Florida, said in a statement:
“I urge the members of the Senate to take a break from corporate welfare distractions to focus on taxpayers’ real needs, and oppose S.B. 1646. Florida has already burned through almost $300 million dollars on a failed film program. Taxpayers are worse off today because lawmakers thought it would be a good idea to pour millions into Hollywood movie studios, producers and virtual production companies. All they got in return was 43 cents for every dollar invested in this failed program, plus projects like ‘Magic Mike’ and ‘Spring Breakers,’ which left fewer resources for what lawmakers should be focused on, like education and infrastructure”
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The House judiciary committee on Wednesday approved a bill that allowed the University of Miami to establish a needle and syringe exchange pilot program in Miami-Dade County. The goal is to offer free, clean and unused needles and hypodermic syringes as a way to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other blood-born diseases.
Bill Piper, senior director of National Affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement:
“It is looking more and more likely that Florida will finally join many other states – including, most recently, Kentucky and Indiana – in creating a sterile syringe exchange program. Clear evidence shows that these programs save lives, while reducing problematic drug use. We applaud Rep. (Katie) Edwards and Sen. (Oscar) Braynon for their courageous leadership on this critical issue of health policy and harm reduction.
“IDEA is a first step for Florida, but one of great importance. A pilot program in Miami-Dade, combined with Congress’ recent repeal of the ban on federal money funding such programs, bode well for the future of syringe exchanges being adopted more broadly in Florida and delivering a huge blow to the spread of infectious disease in the state.”
Julia Negron, parent advocate and project director for the Suncoast Harm Reduction Project, said in a statement:
“Clean syringes would have prevented my son from contracting Hepatitis C. We must pass these reforms this year for the simple, moral reason that syringe exchanges save lives. Myself and my fellow parent advocates finally feel as if the legislature is on the precipice of taking this step, thanks to the tireless effort of IDEA’s House and Senate sponsors, Rep. Edwards and Sen. Braynon.”
