Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
The state’s information technology agency announced it will write the rules for the very measure that puts it out of business.
The Agency for State Technology (AST) posted a notice in the Florida Administrative Register of a “rule development workshop and … preliminary draft” of rules for a bill (HB 5301) that repeals sections of state law that created it.
The bill was passed unanimously in the 2019 Legislative Session but has not yet been sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Nonetheless, AST’s rule-making notice said that “in anticipation of (the) bill … becoming law, the agency proposes to establish standards for the procurement of information technology products and cloud-computing services.”
The bill creates a Division of State Technology within the Department of Management Services (DMS) and establishes a state chief information officer to be appointed by the department’s Secretary, now Jonathan Satter.
It also “creates a cloud-first policy for state agencies, requiring each agency to first consider cloud computing solutions when sourcing technology,” according to a staff analysis.
The agency, which replaced the predecessor Agency for Enterprise Information Technology, was created by lawmakers in 2014. But it came under fire just a few years later when an Auditor General’s report laid out a laundry list of security and other problems.
Among those audit findings, the AST:
— Failed to “review user access privileges for the mainframe, open systems environments and the network domains.”
— Kept an inaccurate “inventory of IT resources at the State Data Center.”
— Was faulted because “State Data Center backup tape records were not up-to-date, and some backup tapes could not be located and identified.”
Evening Reads
“Ron DeSantis backs Donald Trump, says Robert Mueller statement closes case” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Al Lawson endorses Joe Biden for president” via Andrew Pantazi of the Florida Times-Union
“Environmentalists ask Ron DeSantis to veto bill that could stifle development challenges” via Elizabeth Koh of the Times/Herald
“Federal subpoena demands records on Andrew Gillum and his campaign for Governor” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times
“Andrew Gillum’s campaign headquarters home to solar business involved with FBI investigation” via Tallahassee Reports
“State lawmakers object, district apologizes, after Orlando valedictorian blocked from giving speech on immigrants” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Former House Speakers and Senate Presidents rake in big bucks as lobbyists at the Legislature” via Lloyd Dunkelberger of the Florida Phoenix
“Happy birthday, SunPass Saga!” via Noah Pransky of Florida Politics
“911 calls from Hurricane Michael paint horrifying picture of what it’s like to not evacuate” via Zach Sampson of the Tampa Bay Times
“Starting Friday, you can skip the sales tax on hurricane items like generators, flashlights, batteries and more” via Kyle Arnold of the Orlando Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“Someone like (Nancy) Pelosi’s in a tough spot … because the activists in the party want to see impeachment. The broader public, I think, wants to move on from Russia and focus on some of the things that matter.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis, commenting on the U.S. House Speaker after Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Wednesday news conference.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
Gov. DeSantis, Cabinet members, lawmakers and others will wrap up a trade mission to Israel Friday and return to Florida.
A weeklong disaster-preparedness tax holiday also will start Friday. During the period, shoppers will be able to buy a variety of hurricane supplies without paying sales taxes. The beginning of the tax-holiday period comes the day before the start of the 2019 hurricane season.
Associated Industries of Florida, FloridaMakes, CareerSource Florida, Inc., Florida Chamber Foundation and the Florida Manufacturing and Logistics Council will host a manufacturing “summit” in Orange County. That’s at 8 a.m., JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes, 4040 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott will be in Puerto Rico to “meet with community leaders and discuss the ongoing efforts to rebuild and recover following Hurricane Maria.” He will be speaking at the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association Annual Convention on the continued economic success of Puerto Rico’s manufacturing industry at approximately 12:30 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a South Florida Democrat, will receive a briefing about hurricane readiness. That’s at 1 p.m., Miami-Dade County Office of Emergency Management, 9300 N.W. 41st St., Miami.
Looking Ahead
The six-month Atlantic hurricane season will start Saturday. Florida has sustained heavy hurricane damage during the past three years, including from Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Michael in 2018. The hurricane season ends Nov. 30.
Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz holds a series of “town halls” for his “Won’t Back Down” tour in Florida’s 1st Congressional District. That’s Saturday at 9:30 a.m., Dewey Destin’s Restaurant, 8673 Navarre Parkway, Navarre; noon, Brew Ha Ha Restaurant, 2435 N. 12th Ave., Pensacola; 3 p.m., Anderson Farms, 14475 US 331, DeFuniak Springs. (All times are Central.)
Florida KIDS Count, the State Innovation Exchange and Organize Florida will hold a town-hall meeting in Hillsborough County about the importance of the 2020 U.S. Census. The town hall is expected to include several Democratic state representatives. That’s Saturday at 10 a.m., University of South Florida, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences atrium, 3108 USF Banyan Circle, Tampa.
