Peter Schorsch
Sixty Days — A prime-time read of what’s going down for Florida’s 2018 Legislative Session.
The Last 24
A Senate panel asked lots of questions but didn’t get the answers they wanted as members tried to get a handle on the state’s new $85 million jobs fund.
An ethics committee cleared a bill that would clarify that “local officials can meet and socialize outside of publicly noticed meetings as long as no official business or shop talk takes place.”
The House of Representatives GOP caucus formally named Jose Oliva as the next House Speaker, after Richard Corcoran, for 2018-20.
House leaders unveiled a plan to file a bill for a scholarship program to give students who’ve faced violence and abuse in their school a way out.
Legislation to establish a slavery memorial at the state Capitol passed its first committee.
Gov. Rick Scott and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam met with members of Florida’s congressional delegation to discuss the state’s citrus industry. Florida’s orange crop has reached a 76-year low in production after being crushed by Hurricane Irma.
House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz of Tampa traveled to Puerto Rico “to deliver 30,000 pounds of much-needed relief supplies, including food, water, and medical necessities.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) asked for an additional $29 million in the 2018-19 state budget to build a local office in Pensacola.
Quote of the Day
“A couple of us can’t ‘beard up’ for appropriations.” — Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto at a Senate committee meeting on Wednesday, referring to fellow Sen. Rob Bradley’s joke earlier this week about the reason for his new facial topiary.
Bill Day’s Latest
3 Questions
Rep. Nicholas Duran and Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, both of Miami-Dade County, and other Democratic members of the Legislature held a press conference today in the Capitol to discuss this year’s open enrollment period, Nov. 1-Dec. 15, for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Democrats have pledged their help to save Obamacare and make sure people can still sign up for coverage for the coming year.
FP: What are you planning to do to help people sign up?
ND: Many of us have pledged to assist and coordinate with our Navigators and trusted brokers to host in-person enrollment events in our communities and in our districts. The Senator and I are working to host two events in our (area) this fall.
FP: Why is this so important to you?
ND: We know how important the policy has been to create more healthy, more economically secure families and individuals … Florida has the largest (ACA) marketplace in the country.
FP: What’s your main message to constituents?
JJR: We want people to know that despite everything they’re hearing, they can still go sign up on the exchange. Financial assistance is still available … Florida led the way in signups. But a lot of the public is only hearing the rhetoric coming out of Washington, the negative side of this. That’s why there’s so much urgency for us to get the word out. The Trump administration has actively said they want to put Obamacare in a death spiral. They want premiums to go up. They want people to not enroll. That’s why we’re so intent on making people know about open enrollment.
Lobby Up
The Pew Charitable Trusts is one of the biggest names in using data to push meaningful policy reform, and ahead of the 2018 Legislative Session the Washington, DC-based nonprofit has teamed up with Ballard Partners.
The partnership hasn’t sussed out any specific policy to push yet, but Wansley Waters is among the lobbyists working with Pew and their “results first initiative,” and she’s optimistic the partnership could lead to some reforms at the state’s corrections and juvenile justice departments.
The timing is right, too, according to Waters, who once headed up the DJJ and is a recognized leader in all things juvenile justice. Waters sees the current chiefs at both departments as reformers amenable to some real solutions backed by Pew’s data-driven approach to policy reform. Pew does, too.
“Right now DOC and DJJ are very open to reform,” she said. “Believe me, if they weren’t open to it, Pew wouldn’t be here.”
Breakthrough Insights
The Next 24
Administrative Law Judge G.W. Chisenhall is scheduled to start a two-day hearing in a challenge to emergency rules by Gov. Rick Scott‘s administration that would require nursing homes and assisted living facilities to install generators within 60 days to power air-conditioning systems. Industry groups LeadingAge Florida, the Florida Assisted Living Association and Florida Argentum challenged the rules, which were issued after the deaths of Broward County nursing-home residents following Hurricane Irma. The hearing begins at 9 a.m., DeSoto Building, 1230 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee.
The Florida Supreme Court is expected to release weekly opinions at 11 a.m.
House Democratic Leader-Designate Kionne McGhee and Reps. Robert Asencio, John Cortes, Amy Mercado and Carlos Guillermo Smith will hold a press conference to discuss relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Maria. They will also outline proposals to ease the transition process for evacuees to Florida. That’s at 12:45 p.m. outside the House Chamber, 4th Floor Rotunda, the Capitol, Tallahassee.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Florida Democratic Party Chairman Stephen Bittel are expected to take part in the Jackson County Democratic Party Blues & Boots BBQ and Dance. Also expected to attend are gubernatorial candidates Andrew Gillum, Gwen Graham and Chris King. It’s at 6 p.m., National Guard Armory, 3645 U.S. 90 West, Marianna.
