Peter Schorsch
Sixty Days — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session
The Last 24
Good Monday evening. The shootings in Parkland continue to drive the political narrative in the Sunshine State, and a veteran congressman is calling it quits. The Legislature was off for Presidents Day, but Sixty Days was at its desk. Here’s your evening rundown.
Call of duty: Rep. Jared Moskowitz volunteered for jury duty while blasting reports that defense lawyers are trying to avoid capital punishment for the Parkland shooter.
Hatching plans: Sen. Bill Galvano said he will be pushing for legislation that sets age limits and waiting periods on the purchase of assault rifles as well as more mental health funding for schools.
Time to talk: Gov. Rick Scott announced a series of workshops that will be held to discuss student safety and measures to prevent the mentally ill from obtaining guns.
Shot down: Constitution Revision Commission Chair Carlos Beruff wouldn’t hear discussion of an assault weapons ban at a public hearing in Melbourne.
House strategizes: House leadership remains quiet on what it will push in wake of the Parkland mass shooting, but House Democrats meet tonight to consider “all options,” including an AR-15 rifle ban.
Rooney out: Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney announced Monday that he will not run for re-election in 2018, opening up his traditionally red 17th District this election year.
Another TV ad: House Speaker Richard Corcoran dropped more money on a sanctuary city television ad as he stirs speculation that he will run for governor at the end of the 2018 legislative session.
Quote of the Day
“Frankly, it is indefensible for the prosecution or defense to already be considering whether the death penalty will be on the table for this domestic terrorist. The families who lost their children, who lost everything, who are broken forever must be consulted. Let them decide! … Not only had he carefully calculated the attack, he had an escape plan and used it … If you were to ask my opinion? Off with his head! To the State Attorney: I am available for jury duty.”
— Rep. Jared Moskowitz, the Coral Springs Democrat who represents the House district that includes Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, responding to reports that the shooter offered to plead guilty if the prosecution drops plans to seek the death penalty.
Bill Day’s Latest
3 Questions
The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee Tuesday will take up a bill that advocates say will “close a loophole that some Florida businesses and insurance companies have abused to avoid paying workers’ compensation claims for injured undocumented workers.” Here’s the skinny, according to the Florida AFL-CIO news release: “Businesses that profit from undocumented labor have worked with insurance providers to use provisions in the 2003 worker’s comp law to turn-in injured workers for false identification, resulting in their arrest without receiving proper medical treatment for serious injuries.” The bill (SB 1568), sponsored by Democratic Sen. Gary Farmer, would “ensure workers injured on the job receive their entitled medical care.” We spoke to Rich Templin, Legislative and Political Director of the Florida AFL-CIO, about the need for the bill.
Q: Is the bill in response to a recent investigative report about “Florida’s Disposable Workers”?
Templin: This bill addresses that issue directly. Right now, there is a loophole in the workers’ comp statute to allow unscrupulous business owners to hire undocumented workers and then ‘dispose’ of them in the event of an accident. That’s not right.
Q: Is there any precedent for this kind of legislation?
Templin: Almost every state covers undocumented workers, and the courts have said that one’s immigration status is irrelevant if injured on the job. The only questions are, ‘were you working,’ ‘were you injured,’ and ‘does an insurance policy cover your injuries?’
Q: What opposition are you up against?
A: There is some concern out there that this (bill) would make it easier for undocumented workers to work. But this doesn’t change that law at all. There is bipartisan support for this in the Senate … Everyone has said this is a loophole and it’s wrong. We’re just trying to close it.
Lobby Up
Ausley McMullen lobbyists Stephen Craig Emmanuel and Major B. Harding, a retired Florida Supreme Court justice, have registered to lobby for Keep Our Constitution Clean, Inc.
The nonprofit corporation, based in Fort Lauderdale, was just formed Jan. 24, state records show, by three principals: Jason Blank, Richard Corey and Jason Haber.
Blank and Haber are partners in the Haber Blank law firm of Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Corey has his own law firm, also in Fort Lauderdale. Corey referred questions to Blank and Haber; they were not immediately available by phone Monday afternoon.
Their nonprofit’s aim is to “promote a responsible amendment process,” referring to the ongoing work of the Constitution Revision Commission.
It is now reviewing the state’s governing document for possible changes. Such amendments still have to be approved by 60 percent of voters statewide on the November ballot.
Emmanuel told Florida Politics his clients’ main goal is to ensure the state constitution is “not cluttered by things that should be in state statute,” mentioning the infamous ‘pregnant pigs’ amendment. Harding will take lead on lobbying the Commission, he added.
Emmanuel also said he was not aware that the group as yet has any specific proposals that concern them.
Breakthrough Insights
The Next 24
A Senate panel will consider a House-backed proposal that would require a two-thirds ‘supermajority’ vote in each chamber to raise future taxes or fees. That’s at 9 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.
Gov. Rick Scott has organized a series of workshops for state and local leaders to discuss ways to keep Florida students safe. The workshops are at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Florida Department of Education, 325 W. Gaines St., Tallahassee; 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Florida Department of Children and Families, 1317 Winewood Blvd., Tallahassee; and 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Florida Sheriffs Association, 2617 Mahan Dr., Tallahassee.
The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will hear a bill that would create the Florida Motion Picture Capital Corporation to attempt to bring film and television activity to the state. That’s at 11 a.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.
A Senate panel will consider a proposal that would exempt from public records laws visual or audible depictions of human death. That’s at 11 a.m., 37 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.
IGT Instant Ticket Services will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its 45,000 square-foot expansion of the Company’s instant ticket printing facility, to be joined by Congressman Dennis Ross and other local officials. That’s at 1 p.m., 4000 Southside Frontage Road, Suite 400, Lakeland.
The House will hold a floor session and will consider a number of proposals, including a plan to erect a statue commemorating Mary McLeod Bethune in the National Sanctuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. Her statue would replace that of Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. That’s at 1:30 p.m., House chamber, The Capitol.
Florida Student Power Network, Dream Defenders, and other student and university stakeholders will hold a news conference against “free speech zone” legislation scheduled for a Senate committee hearing. That’s at 2:30 p.m., northwest entrance of the Senate Office Building, The Capitol.
A Senate committee will hold confirmation hearings for many of Gov. Scott’s appointments, including selections for the Public Service Commission and the State University System’s Board of Governors. That’s at 4 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.
Senate Judiciary will hear a bill that would ban “free speech zones” at state colleges and universities. That’s at 4 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.
Gov. Scott will discuss the results of the school safety workshops at a roundtable discussion with leadership members from each workshop. That’s at 5:30 p.m., Governor’s Large Conference Room, The Capitol.
Two special election primaries will take place tomorrow. House District 39 in Polk and Osceola counties will see Republicans Jennifer Spath and Josie Tomkow square off. Republicans Jose Pazos and Andrew Vargas will face each other for the GOP nod in Miami-Dade’s House District 114.
