Peter Schorsch
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Marco Rubio is taking up the banner for year-round daylight saving time (DST) because it’s the will of the people, he said Tuesday.
The Republican U.S. Senator spoke with reporters at his Tallahassee office.
He filed the “Sunshine State Act” to “mark daylight saving time permanent for the state of Florida,” after a bill was OK’d this Legislative Session and signed by Gov. Rick Scott to do the same thing.
But the move requires a special act of Congress.
“The state, through its elected representatives, chose to make this change,” Rubio said. “But they can’t do it without a federal bill. So we’ll see.”
The policy “has no partisan lines, it has no ideological lines,” he added while admitting that a move to permanent DST in Florida is a stretch.
“It would never pass on its own,” he said of the legislation. “It would have to be a part of something else.”
When asked if he were “getting a lot of resistance” to the idea, Rubio said, “Yeah, and I’m getting a lot of support too.”
“… I don’t think there’s a wrong or right answer; this is not a moral question,” he said. “Basically, it’s whether you want it to get darker later or earlier … But we’re not going to shut down the government over it.”
Evening Reads
“CNN poll: 42% approve of Trump, highest in 11 months” via Jennifer Agiesta of CNN
“Marco Rubio on having U.S. Census asking about citizenship: I don’t see the problem with it” via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald
“Federal grand jury subpoenas state, city records in probe of maker of Russian assault rifles” via Dan Christensen of the Florida Bulldog
“Democratic governor candidates call for prison visitation reviews, overhaul” via Ben Conarck of the Florida Times-Union
“Philip Levine: Minimum wage, vacation rentals should be local decisions” via Dan McAuliffe of Florida Politics
“Proposal targets politicians’ naming powers” via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida
“Let’s take a closer look at that civil justice reform signed into law” via Carol Marbin Miller of the Miami Herald
“Legislators gut arts even while spending big” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel
“Bill Montford’s decision rips the Tallahassee mayor’s race wide open” via Jeff Schweers of the Tallahassee Democrat
“Industrial hemp on the radar for Florida farmers and researchers” via Paul Rusnak of Growing Produce
Quote of the Day
“My belief is that we need a higher minimum wage. I don’t know if it’s 15 [dollars an hour] in Pensacola, but I do know it’s 13.31 [dollars an hour] in Miami Beach.” — Former Miami Beach mayor and Democratic candidate for governor Philip Levine, speaking at a Capital Tiger Bay Club meeting in Tallahassee.
Bill Day’s Latest who
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
Committees of the state university system’s Board of Governors will hold a series of meetings starting at 8:30 a.m., University of North Florida, Student Union, 1 UNF Dr., Jacksonville.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam visits the Greenway Fire in Collier County at 9:45 a.m. to give an update on wildfire activity in Florida Forest Service response efforts. Florida Forest Service Incident Command Post is at 950 Sabal Palm Road in Naples.
Gov. Scott will highlight $4 billion of environmental spending in Florida’s budget beginning 10 a.m. at The Turtle Hospital, 2396 Overseas Hwy. in Marathon.
The Claims Committee of the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Board of Governors will hold a conference call and discuss issues such as claims from Hurricane Irma. That’s at 10 a.m. Call-in number: 1-866-361-7525. Code: 5219676193.
Following the Governor’s news conference, Scott will take part in a turtle release starting 10:40 a.m. at Sombrero Beach (West End), 2150 Sombrero Beach Road in Marathon.
Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott will speak at a Tiger Bay Club of Southwest Florida luncheon about issues involving the mass shooting last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, gun rights and a new state school-safety law. It begins at 11:45 a.m., The Marina at Edison Ford, 2360 West First St., Fort Myers.
The Agency for Health Care Administration will hold a hearing about proposed changes in what is known as a federal “waiver” for the state’s Medicaid managed-care system. The state is seeking federal approval to amend the waiver. That’s at 3:30 p.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 6800 North Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 220, Tampa.
