Here’s Brunch, a pop-up, weekend email during the 2022 Legislative Session — 3.6.22

Good Sunday morning.

First, the bad news: This is the final edition of “Brunch,” the pop-up email newsletter about the 2022 Legislative Session. But here’s the good news: If this is the last edition of “Brunch,” that means Sine Die is in sight. Barring a catastrophe, by this time next weekend, Spring Break will have officially begun. I can’t wait. I’m sure you can’t either. Everyone deserves some much-needed R&R.

Please allow me this space to thank Brunch’s title sponsors, Jeff Johnston and Amanda Stewart of Johnston & Stewart, two class-act lobbyists who understand the importance of supporting good journalism. All of the financial support they provide goes directly to the journalists of Florida Politics. This allows us to cover late-night and weekend budget meetings. To have reporters working over the weekend when it’s often just as busy in Florida politics as it is Monday through Friday. It helps pay for great editors, like Ron Brackett, and photographers, like Colin Hackley.

On behalf of the entire staff of FP, thank you, Jeff and Amanda.

A couple of apolitical items for your radar:

—The seventh season of “The Circus” premieres at 8 p.m. on Showtime. At some point this season, the series features the deplorable Rep. Anthony Sabatini. I guess I am gonna have to hate-watch it.

— I’m extremely excited about the premiere of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” at 9 p.m. on HBO. Check out this preview from The Ringer about the highly-anticipated show.

One last note, happy belated birthday to Matt Bryan of Smith Bryan and Myers, who was recognized as INFLUENCE Magazine’s Lobbyist of the Year — Runner-up.

Now, go enjoy the last Sunday of the 2022 Session.

— BUDGET DEADLINE & FIRE SITUATION —

House Budget chief Jay Trumbull is spending the weekend juggling two major responsibilities: the state budget and a wildfire within his Panhandle district.

—The fire: The Florida Forest Service is currently battling a 1,400-acre wildfire in Bay County. As of Saturday, more than 600 homes have been evacuated and two structures have been destroyed.

— The deadline: Lawmakers have until Tuesday to pass the budget in order to finish the Session on time. Trumbull and Sen. Kelli Stargel last met late Friday.

— All hands on deck: Trumbull is among a handful of state leaders responding to the wildfire. Gov. Ron DeSantis, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and CFO/State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis addressed the media on Saturday in Panama City.

— The tell: Trumbull on Saturday said budget negotiators are indeed “looking for opportunities to put resources” into the state’s “agriculture silo,” home of the Florida Forest Service.

— Please give: Trumbull tells Florida Politics that the two best charities to donate to are the local branches of the Red Cross and Salvation Army. Click on those links to donate,

— Rebuild Bay County is also a worthwhile charity helping with recovery.

— A BIGGER BOAT —

After state budget negotiators had agreed to spend $2.5 million for a new facility and marine vessel for shark researchers at OCEARCH, the House wants lawmakers to take a larger, $7 million bite at the apple.

— We’re gonna need a bigger boat: At the start of negotiations on Monday, only the Senate had requested spending for the new multipurpose facility and quick-response vessel. But after matching the Senate suggestion on Wednesday, negotiators at the top level of discussions circled back Saturday to fully match the request made by the shark-tracking nonprofit.

— Fish are friends, not food: In a spending request carried by Zephyrhills Republican Sen. Danny Burgess, OCEARCH sought $4.5 million for planning, construction and more for the new facility located at Mayport in Jacksonville, along the St. Johns River.

— Tell ’em I’m going fishing: The remaining $2.5 million would cover the new research vessel and a maintenance fund for data gathering, shark and marine mammal research and marine mammal rescue.

“The facility will make Florida the global headquarters and leader in research and public policy by providing access to an unprecedented data set to help manage the ocean and bring its recreational and commercial benefits back to abundance,” according to the spending request.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Republican Rep. Juan Alfonso Fernandez-Barquin will celebrate another lap around the sun on Sunday.

— How many candles: Born in South Florida on March 6, 1983, the Miami-Dade County lawmakers will turn 39-years-old. “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson was the No. 1 song when he was born, according to BirthdayAnswers.com.

— The festivities: Lawmakers celebrated the birthday Saturday at Proof Brewery in Tallahassee, said Miami Republican Rep. Daniel Perez.

— Birthday boy: A Catholic and American Washington College of Law grad, Fernandez-Barquin was first elected into the Legislature in 2018. He serves as vice-chair of the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee.

— SWEET ON SHORTCAKE —

The House fell sweet on legislation Friday, designating strawberry shortcake with a dollop of whip cream as the state dessert.

— Majority pleaser: Despite some bitter opposition from the cannoli caucus, the proposal was approved 109-4 by the lower chamber Friday morning.

— Next stop: The Governor’s desk. The bill’s ultimate mission is to promote Florida agriculture, especially its strawberry industry.

— Context: “Our strawberry industry — and quite frankly our seasonal fruits and vegetables in the state — have been under attack, in a way that if it stays on the same path and the next 10 years, we’ll really have to wonder if we’re going to have domestic food supply here,” said the bill sponsor, Dover Republican Rep. Lawrence McClure.

— WE ARE THE WORLD —

The Senate stood with fathers on Thursday as part of what Fernandina Beach Republican Sen. Aaron Bean dubbed “the largest fatherhood initiative in state history,” harkening back to House Speaker Chris Sprowls’ news conference on the bill (HB 7065) last month.

— “Fatherhood rocks”: Echoing that news conference, Bean invited senators to stand with him at the front of the Senate chamber. Senate President Wilton Simpson also tried, unsuccessfully, to get Senators to sing “We Are the World.”

— Responsible Fatherhood Month: The bill includes initiatives for preventing child abuse, increasing payouts to foster kids when they go to college, programs for at-risk youth and designating June as Responsible Fatherhood Month. The measure passed both chambers unanimously.

— Pro-child: As the Senate neared a vote Thursday to ban abortions after 15 weeks, Simpson pointed ahead to the vote they would take Friday on the fatherhood bill.

“The things that we’re doing for children who need to be adopted and fostered and all the things that we’re doing in the children’s program fits right into that theme of not only being pro-life but being pro-child.”

— PROUD TO SAY GAY —

Protesters and faith leaders will descend upon the Capitol again on Monday, rallying against a proposal critics dub as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

— The roster: Flagler County student Jack Petocz will join protesters at the 9 a.m. rally. Petocz garnered national media attention after leading a student walkout. School officials suspended Petocz indefinitely.

— Final plea: Attendees hope the rally will urge more GOP lawmakers to break ranks against the bill. Several Republicans voted against it in the House.

— The quote: “They broke with their party because the bill sponsors were unwilling to make common-sense amendments to address the potential harm this legislation would inflict on students,” said Nadine Smith, Executive Director of Equality Florida.

— FRIED & VILSACK —

Agriculture Commissioner Fried will meet Monday with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack as part of an event highlighting the battle against nutrition insecurity.

— High praise: The duo will recognize Feeding Tampa Bay, a local food bank. It provides meals to a million West Central Florida families.

— Administration goals: “Ensuring all Americans have access to healthy, affordable food, is central to the mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Biden-Harris Administration,” said a news release.

— Coordinates: Feeding Tampa Bay will host the event at 2 p.m.

— CATE SINE DIE —

The $500 question: When will the 2022 Legislative Session end?

— The contest: Hosted by CATECOMM founder Kevin Cate, the upcoming contest is simple: When exactly will sergeants drop handkerchiefs and send everybody home?

— The rules: Closest guess without going over gets to nominate a charity of the guesser’s choice, which will win the $500 prize.

— Entry: Registration opens Monday. To play, contestants must tweet their guess — date, time and charity along with the hashtag #catesinedie.

— Fair warning: Cate said the longtime contest is an effort to keep things “light” and “collegial” in the Legislature. He offered, though, a fair warning: “If you can’t follow directions, you can’t win,” Cate joked with Florida Politics.

— SPECIAL ELECTION DAY —

Today is the last day for in-person early voting ahead of the March 8 Special Election Day to elect successors for two state lawmakers in Broward and Palm Beach counties who resigned to run for Congress.

— Background: The candidates to succeed Democratic Sen. Perry Thurston and Rep. Omari Hardy will be elected right before this year’s Legislative Session is scheduled to wrap up on Friday. It’s a consequence of Gov. DeSantis’ scheduling of elections to fill the vacated seats. But the winners will have “incumbent” next to their name when elections roll around again in November.

— SD 33: To represent Broward County’s Senate District 33, Democrat Rosalind Osgood, a former Broward School Board member and associate pastor of New Mount Olive Baptist Church, is competing against Republican Joseph Carter, a former public school teacher. The district covers parts of Margate, Pompano Beach, Tamarac, North Lauderdale, Sunrise, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Oakland Park, Plantation and Fort Lauderdale.

— HD 88: This race is between Democrat Jervonte “Tae” Edmonds and Republican Guarina Torres. Edmonds has worked as an aide to two lawmakers and the founder of a nonprofit, Suits for Seniors, that provides leadership and financial literacy to high school seniors. Torres is a small-business owner and former Palm Beach County teacher. The left-leaning district spans parts of Palm Beach County, including Lake Park, Riviera Beach and Mangonia Park.

The Republicans in both districts face an uphill battle in these areas that are heavily Democratic. This Special General Election was a spillover effect of lawmakers resigning to run for Florida’s 20th Congressional District after Alcee Hastings died in office last April.

— SEERSUCKER DAY —

The famed Florida Seersucker Day returns Wednesday at the Florida Capitol.

— Decades-long tradition: This year is the 26th annual Seersucker Day. While seersucker suits get most of the attention, the event is gender-neutral. Lawmakers are encouraged to wear any seersucker fabric they may have, such as scarfs or skirts.

— Dress-up days: The Capitol hosts several special days to dress up during the Legislative Session. Some of those events revolve around school spirit, such as Florida State Day and Gator Day. But Seersucker Day offers a chance to bring colleagues together, without talking trash about each other’s alma maters.

— Old style: The seersucker suit was a favorite in the South. That has led to Florida bringing back the attire for an annual event during Session. The event takes place in the spring, after Easter, in off-election years. But with elections taking place later this year, Session is moved up and is scheduled to end Friday.

— SINE DIE CELEBRATION AT THE MOON —

Mark your calendars. The 2022 Black & Caribbean Caucus Legislative Sine Die Celebration is on the horizon.

— The hosts: The Sine Die Celebration is hosted by three groups — the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, Caribbean Caucus of Florida and Florida Conference of Black State Legislators.

— The details: Festivities will kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday at The Moon. Admission price: $5.

— What to expect: Legislative Black Caucus Chair Bobby Powell described the event as a “celebration” featuring an introduction of new board members.

— PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS —

The Village Square in Tallahassee will host an event Tuesday with renowned writer Arthur Brooks, focusing on Brooks’ upcoming book, “From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.”

— Brooks bio: Brooks is a big-hitter in the political and policy world. He is the former president of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative-leaning think tank. He’s currently a professor of public leadership at Harvard’s Kennedy School and does columnist and podcast work for The Atlantic. He spoke at a Florida TaxWatch event in late 2019.

— New Brooks book: His new tome is about the struggles people often have when retiring or slowing down their work. Brooks told the Tallahassee Democrat he found a somewhat unexpected pattern when researching the issue. “I noticed in my data that the people most frustrated about their careers later on were the people that had done the most, not the least,” Brooks said.

— Seven-year journey: Brooks said he spent seven years researching the issue. The result? A new book with seven lessons he said can help those in their later years move on from a career-focused life. “My biggest challenge is the success addiction. It’s a pathology,” he said. “I’ve changed careers four times, and every time it’s like, ‘I’ve gotta be No. 1.’ What am I gonna be, a tango dancer next? That’s a real hamster wheel and writing this book has been helpful to me.”

— Tuesday talk details: Brooks will sign copies of the book from 5 to 5:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Midtown Reader. St. John’s Episcopal Church will then host a Dinner at the Square event at 6:30 p.m., where Brooks will give a talk about the book.

— TOURNEY TIME —

College basketball, like all sports, struggled to deal with the pandemic, but let’s not look backward. Instead, celebrate that we are in March and the madness is about to reconvene. The draws for the NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments won’t happen for another week, but the opening acts for that will play out this week with conference tournaments at multiple locations in the country.

— SEC in Tampa: Tampa’s Amalie Arena will host the Southeastern Conference men’s tournament for the first time since 2009. The event begins Wednesday and six teams — Kentucky, Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and LSU — are considered locks to make the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens in Tampa. The Florida Gators are probably on the bubble. If you’re in Tampa and want to see SEC postseason play, this might be your last chance for a while. It returns to Nashville next year and will stay there through 2035.

— ACC: The Atlantic Coast Conference men’s tournament takes place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and the shadow of Mike Krzysewski‘s impending retirement looms over everything. Coach K had the final home game of his unparalleled career Saturday, fittingly against North Carolina. His Duke Blue Devils won the regular-season ACC title and are probably no worse than a No. 2 seed in March Madness. Can they take it all the way to give Coach K a sixth national championship as a fitting end to his career? We’ll find out.

— Florida bubble teams: Miami likely has done enough to make the NCAA field but Florida State, which saw injuries ravage its season, needs to win the ACC Tournament’s automatic bid to extend its season — unless the Seminoles get an NIT bid. USF and UCF are in that same win-or-else situation in the American Athletic Conference tournament, but that’s not the case for the women’s teams from those schools.

— Women’s side: UCF’s women won the regular-season AAC title but the Bulls were right behind them. Both should be locks for the NCAA Tournament. They should have lots of company from neighboring schools. Florida, Florida Gulf Coast and Miami all should have secure spots in the big dance. Florida State likely is on the bubble, but a good showing in the conference tournament could get the Seminoles in.

— BRUNCHING OUT —

Catering with Care or CWC Cafe is a homey breakfast and lunch destination, serving traditional Southern cooking less than a mile from the Capitol.

— Backstory: “My husband just plain ‘ol enjoys cooking, always has,” said Teresa Nix, cafe co-owner with husband, Joe. “I met him in 1983 and he was cooking when I met him.” Joe and Teresa Nix first opened a cafe on Crawfordville Road, but they moved to their current spot two years ago in the former home of Nick’s Cafe.

— The setting: The cozy restaurant is open and cheerful, with two dining rooms, a row of booths by the windows and knotty pine paneling and wood floors.

— Breakfast: My Southern husband is usually hesitant about ordering pork chops because he’s always disappointed. Not at CWC. His breaded chop was as big as his plate and tender and juicy. We were instant fans. Breakfast platters are huge and soul-satisfying. The basic breakfast special brings three cooked to order eggs, bacon, sausage (pork or turkey sausage) or corned beef hash with potatoes or grits for $7.65. I splurged on the AJ Sampler ($11.50) with two truly fluffy pancakes, ham, two slices of bacon, two sausage patties, hash browns and toast. We took home part of our meal for leftovers. Fans of chicken and waffles — you get three Southern-style chicken wings, and you can also get them with French toast.

— Lunch: The menu features sandwiches, burgers, and wraps but it’s tough to beat the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet, offered at 11 a.m. It’s $10.50 for dine-in or $5.49 by the pound. Joe Nix cooks about 95% of all the food on the buffet, said his wife. Choices vary but options could be fried chicken, pork chops, smothered turkey legs and a long list of sides.

— Details: CWC Cafe, 1431 S. Monroe St.; 850-765-0127. Hours 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closed Monday.