Peter Schorsch
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
If at first you don’t succeed, keep trying until something blows up.
And that’s the best you’ll get for a clever lede on a Thanksgiving-week story about another fireworks law reform bill being filed in the Florida Legislature.
Rep. Jamie Grant, a Tampa-area Republican, filed a bill (HB 6037) Tuesday to legalize consumer fireworks. “Long overdue we get this done,” he tweeted.
A companion bill in the Senate filed by Sarasota Republican Greg Steube cleared its first committee on an 8-2 vote last month.
Here’s the skinny: Although you can buy fireworks in the state, they’re not actually legal here.
Retail sales are allowed only because of a 62-year-old loophole in state law, the only known one of its kind in the country. That allows “fireworks … to be used solely and exclusively in frightening birds from agricultural works and fish hatcheries.”
Various lawmakers have tried for years to change the law, with no success.
As Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican, once explained the current state of the law, it “forces law-abiding parents to commit fraud by signing forms declaring the fireworks they buy won’t be used as fireworks to celebrate freedom with their kids, but to scare birds off crops.”
That “does not promote public safety and should be repealed to simply allow fireworks to be sold,” he once said. “More freedom, less fraud.”
Evening Reads
“Doubts linger after Rick Scott pitches biggest budget” via Laila Kearney of Reuters
“FCC chairman sets out to repeal ‘net neutrality’ rules” via The Associated Press
“Richard Corcoran wants congressional sexual harassment ‘hush fund’ shut down” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO
“State to medical marijuana company: Stop selling vape pens” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics
“Stephen Bittel intends to stay as Miami-Dade committeeman until successor is elected” via Ana Ceballos of Florida Politics
“Four Florida utilities to spend Thanksgiving restoring U.S. Virgin Islands’ power” via Nancy Smith of the Sunshine State News
“Irma did not stop tourists from setting record visits to Florida so far in 2017” via the Tampa Bay Times
“U.S. business leaders say Cuba is still open, at least to them” via Franco Ordoñez of the Miami Herald
“End of immigration status for many Haitians sparks protest near Mar-a-Lago” via Mike Clary and Adam Sacasa of the Sun-Sentinel
“Welcome back to Florida, Mr. President” via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times
Quote of the Day
“We look forward to … progressive steps in removing racist slave owners and other figures that really should not be on college campuses.” — Zachary Schultz, a member of the Florida State University chapter of Students for Democratic Society, during public comments at a meeting of the school’s new statue and building name review panel.
Source: “FSU statue, building names cause for concern”
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Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
Sen. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican, will speak at the dedication of a memorial for Nassau County Deputy Eric Oliver, who died in the line of duty a year ago. That’s at 7 a.m., at the Gate convenience store on State Road 200 in Yulee.
The Florida State Fair Board will hold a conference call to discuss legal matters at 9 a.m. The call-in number is (888) 670-3525, and the participant code is 3675418272#.
The Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission is scheduled to meet at 9:30 a.m., 101 Rhyne Building, 2740 Centerview Dr., Tallahassee.
Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Florida Supreme Court is expected to release its weekly opinions a day earlier than usual, at 11 a.m.
