Staff Reports
Session is almost here, but there’s still time to enjoy an evening of song and celebration before the onslaught of bills, amendments, votes and, well, a whole lot of work.
And it’s not often that Tallahassee has not one, but two, musical legends playing at the same time in two different venues.
Tonight, Emmylou Harris will appear at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall as part of Opening Nights at Florida State University. Also scheduled to hit the town this evening is none other than Willie Nelson, whose show at the Adderley Amphitheater at Cascades Park is already sold out.
Nelson’s career spans decades stretching back to when he was a songwriter who penned country classics such as “Crazy” and “Funny How Time Slips Away” to his time being at the vanguard of the Outlaw Country movement with Waylon Jennings and others.
Nelson’s a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and received Kennedy Center Honors in 2008. Nelson has also been a staunch advocate of the legalization of marijuana. (Fun fact: one estimate has that Nelson has performed his signature song “Whiskey River” at least 800 times, which frankly must be way, way too low.)
Harris has also had a long musical career that has included acclaimed solo albums as well as plenty of collaborations and duets. She has won 14 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008. Bestowed with a distinctive voice, she has earned praise for both her original songs as well as her skilled interpretations.
Harris began as a folk musician, but a key moment in her career occurred when she was recommended to Gram Parsons, the famed Florida native, pioneer of country rock and close friend of Keith Richards.
Harris appeared on Parsons’ albums and toured with him before his premature death in 1973 from an accidental overdose.
She forged ahead with her own solo career and has been unafraid to tinker with her style over the years ranging from straight bluegrass and country offerings to more atmospheric efforts such as 1995’s Wrecking Ball, produced by Daniel Lanois.
Harris has collaborated with a lengthy line of stellar musicians including Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt on the Trio album and she recorded an album with guitarist Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame. “This is Us,” which included the couplet “Making plans for the Sunshine State/Waiting at the terminal gate,” appeared on the album.
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Need some help understanding proposed changes to state ethics laws? The Florida Ethics Institute has you covered.
Ahead of the 2023 Legislative Session, the nonprofit organization is releasing its Florida Ethics Legislative Report, which lists every ethics-related bill the Institute will be tracking and highlights the Florida Commission on Ethics’ annual legislative proposals.
Top of the list is HB 37, which would extend financial disclosure rules to require certain local elected officials, such as mayors and city or county commissioners, to file the more stringent “Full and Public Disclosure of Financial Interests” instead of the currently required “Statement of Financial Interests.” FEI is also tracking SB 774, which would institute similar requirements.
Next up are a pair of bills (HB 199/SB 620) that would delete an exemption that permits officers and employees of certain Special Taxing Districts and Water Control Districts to engage in employment or contractual relationships with agencies or business entities that their agency regulates or does business with. FEI explained, “if passed, this bill would effectively close a legal loophole” allowing such behavior.
The third major ethics proposal is tucked into a pair of wide-ranging bills that house many technical changes at the Department of Financial Services. But the portion of HB 487/SB 1158 that caught FEI’s eye relates to boards and commissions associated with the DFS. The measure would make those board members subject to the Code of Ethics, including financial disclosure requirements.
FEI said the pre-Session Florida Ethics Legislative Report is merely the first entry in a series — the organization plans to track these bills and any ethics-related legislation that emerges and provide analysis as they move through the process.
At the end of the Legislative Session, FEI will prepare a Final Florida Ethics Legislative Report detailing any and all significant changes to ethics requirements pitched or passed during the 2023 Legislative Session.
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Coming up, the usual assortment of news, intel, and observations from the week that was in Florida’s capital city by Peter Schorsch, Drew Wilson, Gray Rohrer, Christine Jordan Sexton and the staff of Florida Politics.
But first, the “Takeaway 5” — the Top 5 stories from the week that was:
Take 5
—Pressure mounts: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott wasted no time criticizing State Attorney Monique Worrell’s handling of Orlando shooting suspect Keith Moses. DeSantis publicly criticized the State Attorney’s handling of the 19-year-old who had a criminal record and was on probation when he allegedly shot and killed three people in Orlando, including a reporter. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a Naples Republican and former Florida Governor, sent a letter to Worrell demanding information about past cases involving the murder suspect. Worrell has pushed back against criticisms from both Scott and DeSantis.
Long lines and love: DeSantis was in Jacksonville this week where he signed his just-released memoir “The Courage to be Free Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival.” According to media reports, more than 250 people lined up outside a Books-a-Million Thursday to meet the Governor. The book — which placed at the top of Amazon’s bestseller list within a day of its release — details DeSantis’ political rise, the challenges and victories he experienced as Florida’s Governor, and his vision for a national resurgence of liberty and patriotism. Reviews have been mixed.
Unconstitutional: Florida elected officials can still lobby for clients while in office after a Miami federal judge knocked down part of the state’s ban on lobbying by lawmakers. Judge Beth Bloom issued a preliminary injunction against the state’s ban, ruling that it infringes on elected officials’ First Amendment rights. The ban applies only to lobbying regarding “policy, procurement and appropriations,” and therefore, Bloom said, it is not a content-neutral restriction on First Amendment rights to free speech. Miami-Dade County Commissioner and former state Sen. Rene Garcia, Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard, Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor, and South Miami Mayor Javier Fernandez brought the lawsuit. Garcia is a Republican, but the other challengers are Democrats.
Hi ho, hi ho: DeSantis named the five board members who will be off to work at Disney World’s government board now that the new Reedy Creek bill is the law of the land. The law strips Disney of its ability to pick its own board members and instead gives that power to the Governor. The new board members are Tampa attorney Martin Garcia; Bridget Ziegler, a Sarasota County School Board member and one of the original founders of the advocacy group Moms for Liberty; Ron Peri, Chair and CEO of the Orlando Christian ministry for men, The Gathering USA; Mike Sasso, a Seminole County lawyer; and Clearwater attorney Brian Aungst Jr.
Revolutionary leader? Former Agriculture Commissioner and one-time Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Nikki Fried was elected Chair of the Florida Democratic Party. Fried defeated former state Sen. Annette Taddeo and former Progressive Caucus Carolina Ampudia for the chair position at a special meeting in Orlando, winning the race with 52% of the vote on the first ballot. In the final tally, Fried scored 601 votes to Taddeo’s 536, with three votes going to Ampudia. During her acceptance speech in Maitland Fried was channeling her inner Katniss Everdeen the protagonist from The Hunger Games trilogy and wore a mocking jay pin. The mocking jay pin was symbolic of a revolution against a failed Capitol oppressing citizens subjugated for a matter of decades.
Backing the blue with bucks
Roughly 1,400 new Florida law enforcement recruits — including more than 155 from New York, California and Pennsylvania — have received $5,000 bonuses, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
And the Governor is eager to do more.
“In Florida, our No. 1 priority is to protect Floridians and the best way to do that is by supporting the law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe,” DeSantis said. “My administration will continue to deliver on our promises by prioritizing law-and-order policies and making Florida the best state to be a law enforcement officer.”
At DeSantis’s request, the Legislature passed a bill in 2022 that focused on increasing recruitment efforts and improving retention rates. Lawmakers agreed to provide $20 million to fund the bonuses, which provide new recruits $5,000 after tax bonus pay. The Legislature, working with DeSantis, also included pay raises for law enforcement officers. State sworn law enforcement officers received an additional 5% pay raise on top of the 5.38% pay raise for all state employees.
Additionally, 29 fiscally constrained counties were given $15 million to increase compensation for Sheriff’s deputies.
Meanwhile, DeSantis this year is asking the Florida legislature to increase by $10 million the amount of available funding for the recruitment bonuses, bringing the grand total to $30 million. In addition to providing recruits bonuses, the state provides other incentives including scholarships for law enforcement officers and the children of law enforcement officers.
The Governor’s office touts DeSantis’ past pro-law enforcement successes as securing passage of HB 1 which prevents local municipalities from defunding their local law enforcement agencies. It also gives law enforcement and prosecutors “additional tools to prevent violence and property destruction that may result from public disorder,” according to the Governor’s office news release.
Strong shield
Attorney General Ashley Moody is throwing her weight behind a proposal that would increase protections for victims of human trafficking during court proceedings.
The bills — SB 1208 by Sen. Danny Burgess and HB 1037 by Rep. Taylor Yarkosky — would not allow victims of human trafficking, minors or those who have intellectual disabilities to be deposed unless there is a compelling cause.
“This legislation will shield victims from unnecessarily reliving traumatic experiences, making it easier for them to come forward and help prosecutors secure convictions for their perpetrators,” Moody said.
The restriction on depositions would be applied in human trafficking, domestic violence, aggravated cyberstalking, custody offenses, human smuggling, lewd or lascivious offenses, child abuse, child neglect and cases involving traveling to meet a minor.
“Trafficking victims have already gone through so much and they shouldn’t have to needlessly relive those events during court proceedings,” Burgess said in a prepared release. “I’m proud to work with Attorney General Moody to protect survivors and I will continue to support her efforts to end human trafficking.”
Yarkosky heaped praise on Moody, saying he was “proud to introduce this measure in the Florida House, that protects victims of this heinous crime in court proceedings, where they wouldn’t have to provide traumatic testimony without good cause.”
It’s your money!
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said his office returned nearly a million dollars a day in unclaimed property last month.
Unclaimed property has many definitions, but the state uses this one: A financial asset that is lost, unknown or abandoned by its owner. Some examples include dormant bank accounts, unclaimed insurance proceeds, stocks, dividends, uncashed checks, deposits, credit balances and refunds.
A plurality of February returns — $7.5 million — went to Miami-area residents. Floridians living in the Tampa Bay region clawed back about $6.7 million, followed by Orlando at $3.7 million, West Palm Beach at $3.6 million, Fort Myers/Naples at $2.3 million and Jax at $1.8 million. Six-figure sums were returned in the Panama City, Pensacola, Tallahassee and Gainesville areas.
“My Unclaimed Property team helped spread the love in the month of February by returning $27 million back into the pockets of Florida families and businesses. As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, what better way to celebrate than having a little more green in your pocket,” Patronis said.
The CFO’s running total of returns now sits at more than $1.9 billion since he took office in 2017. Viewing that through the lens of St. Patrick’s Day, that’s enough cash to buy a controlling stake in the Guinness brand if for some reason Diageo wanted to sell it.
For Floridians who didn’t get a slice of the February returns, Patronis said the keg isn’t tapped — about $2.7 billion remains in the state’s unclaimed property accounts.
Patronis encouraged all Floridians to do a quick search on FLTreasureHunt.gov and to reach out to friends and families about unclaimed property, too.
“There could be a big pot of gold just waiting to be claimed. Try your luck and claim it today!” he exclaimed.
Instagram of the week
The week in appointments
Central Florida Tourism Oversight District — DeSantis appointed five members to the CFTOD, the newly created board to replace Reedy Creek. The appointees: Garcia, Ziegler, Aungst Jr., Sasso and Peri. Read the full story on Florida Politics.
DANGER: Strong currents
Beachgoers who don’t educate themselves on the rip may learn what RIP means the hard way.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) is doing its part to help Floridians avoid that harsh lesson by participating in Gulf Coast Rip Current Awareness Week.
Here’s the straight dope, direct from the National Weather Service: Rip currents are behind 80% of all deaths on Northern Gulf beaches. And they’re strong enough to make Ryan Lochte look like Lewis Skolnick, so knowing how to spot a rip current and safely escape one is critical.
“As the weather gets warmer and more residents and visitors travel to the beach, it is imperative to pay close attention to beach forecasts and beach warning flags before entering the water,” FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie said. “If you have any question as to whether or not there is a rip current, remember — when in doubt, don’t go out.”
So, what are the signs? There are many, but generally, they’re found in the flat water between breaking waves. They’re typically strongest at low tide but can form at any time.
If you end up caught in the aquatic tractor beam, don’t panic. Swim parallel to shore rather than against the current. If you are unable to escape, float or tread water. If you need help, yell or wave for assistance.
If you see someone else caught in a rip current, call for help. If a lifeguard is not available, throw something that can be used as a floatation device, but do not attempt a rescue unless you have the proper training.
More info on rip current safety is available on FDEM’s website.
Catch crabs, not terps
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wants trappers to snag crabs but not terrapins.
Starting this month crab traps must have funnel openings of a maximum of 2 inches by 6 inches to avoid snaring diamondback terrapins, a species found throughout the eastern U.S. and Bahamas. A bycatch reduction device (BRD) of the same size can also be placed on the crab trap.
The FWC adopted the rule in December 2021, and it took effect Wednesday. In a press release, the agency stated that studies have shown BRDs prevent the terrapins from entering the crab traps, reducing their mortality.
A limited supply of BRDs is available for free to recreational crab trappers, who can contact the FWC’s Division of Marine Fisheries Management at (850) 487-0554 or at [email protected] for more information.
Diamondback terrapins can be found in brackish water habitats, including salt marshes, barrier islands, mangrove swamps, tidal creeks and rivers, according to the FWC, and Florida is home to five of the seven different subspecies, including three that aren’t found anywhere else in the world.
Click here for more information on blue crab trap regulations.
License reciprocity
Newly arrived Floridians would be able to forgo license requirements if their occupational license from their home state is active and in good standing under a bill filed this week.
Sen. Jay Collins and Rep. Traci Koster, both Tampa Republicans, are sponsoring the bills (SB 1364/HB 1333).
The bills would allow people who move to Florida to have their occupational license if they have held the same license in another state for at least one year; the state required them to pass an exam or meet experience or training standards to get the license, the license is in good standing, the person doesn’t have a criminal record, the license hasn’t been revoked and there’s not a pending complaint against them in the other state.
The applicant must also pay any state fees but would be able to skip any training or exam required of other applicants.
The legislation would also require occupational boards to issue licenses to military members and veterans with three years of work experience in the field. Those with private certifications in each occupation would also be given a Florida license if they have two years of experience. Boards would be required to show a gap between the requirements in the other state and Florida if they were to impose Florida’s requirements anyway, and applicants who were denied could appeal the decision.
Collins, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Army, including some experience as a Special Forces combat medic, said the bill would help exiting servicemembers enter the workforce.
“I delivered babies, performed life-saving medical operations, among my other duties on the battlefield,” Collins said in a news release. “When I exited service, like many other veterans, that training, those skills and certifications, just did not transfer to the private sector. This legislation will remedy that. As the most veteran-friendly state in the country, this bill will ensure that those exiting the military will be welcomed to enter into our growing workforce.”
Precious cargo
A Senate bill filed this week would require children to use booster seats until they turn 7.
Lawmakers have been trying for years to pass that requirement, and they’ve come close before — the proposal cleared the Senate with a unanimous vote two years ago.
Sen. Keith Perry, a Gainesville Republican, hopes 2023 is the year it finally passes the finish line. The repeated sponsor of the proposal refiled the measure ahead of the 2023 Legislative Session, which starts March 7. Rep. Mike Beltran, a Riverview Republican, is carrying the House companion.
Florida law currently requires 4- and 5-year-olds to sit in booster seats in vehicles. The law also requires children 3 and under to use a car seat.
Similar to prior booster seat bills, the new legislation (SB 1374/HB 1211) would change the law to require children four years old or younger to use a car seat decked out with a rear-facing five-point harness. Forward-facing car seats would also be allowed for 3- and 4-year-olds.
But the key provision of the law applies to the 5- to 7-year-old set, who would be required to sit in a booster seat “that incorporates the use of the motor vehicle’s safety belt” or that is equipped with a five-point harness. It makes exceptions for medical conditions, emergencies, or if the child is being driven around by someone who is not in their immediate family.
The proposal generally aligns with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration guidelines that children below a certain age, weight and height use booster seats. Standard seat belts could endanger children not using a booster.
While the booster seat requirement is based on the age of a child, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says parents should keep their kid’s height top of mind. NTSA recommends waiting until a child is 57 inches tall — the average height of an 8-year-old — before making the switch.
According to CDC data, motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the U.S. In 2017, 36% of children 4 to 7 years old killed in automobile crashes were not buckled in, and 22% of children under 4 killed in automobile crashes were not buckled.
Where’s the party?
Sen. Blaise Ingoglia and Rep. Mike Beltran want candidates for nonpartisan office to have the option to advertise their political affiliations, according to legislation each is sponsoring in the 2023 Legislative Session.
Candidates in nonpartisan races are currently prohibited from advertising their political affiliation in campaign mailers, advertisements, events or other campaign-related materials or speeches.
The bills (HB 1321/SB 1372) would allow, but not require, candidates for nonpartisan offices to announce or otherwise advertise their political affiliations.
Both bill sponsors are Republicans.
The current ban on political affiliation advertisement applies to nonpartisan elected positions such as school board and some local government positions, among others.
The legislation follows a recent push by Republicans, which has so far been unsuccessful, to make school board races partisan. The issue is up again this year with a House Joint Resolution (HJR 31) that would put the question to voters. A similar effort died last year.
The issue reflects a priority for DeSantis, who has said school boards have already been partisan so voters might as well know before they hit the polls.
Closing loopholes
Two Republican lawmakers from Miami-Dade County have teamed up on legislation to bring “long overdue” systematic reforms to property taxes and their chief local arbiters.
Sen. Ileana Garcia and Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin are backing twin measures (SB 474/HB 1131) to revise Florida’s rules for appeals by Property Appraisers, recalculations of assessments based on error, back taxes, appeals to the Value Adjustment Board and variance minimums for appeals.
The legislation, among other things, would expedite corrections to incorrect assessments Property Appraisers make, ease how property owners can seek those corrections and eliminate fees for transfers of property ownership if the percentage transferred is less than 50%.
Closing those and other “loopholes,” Fernandez Barquin said, will “level the playing field” between taxpayers throughout the state and the governments meant to serve them.
“Fairness hinges on the assumption that homes and businesses are being assessed regularly, accurately and thoroughly,” Fernandez-Barquin said in a statement. “However, day in and day out, some Property Appraisers overstep their authority … and residents are left shouldering the tax burden. This is unacceptable.”
Trans ban
Equality Florida railed against a newly filed bill that would impose several limitations on medical care for transgender youth and the doctors who provide it.
Filed by Brevard County Republican Rep. Randy Fine, HB 1421 would block the use of public funding for “gender clinical interventions,” which the bill defines as including sex reassignment surgeries, puberty blocking, and hormone or hormone antagonistic therapy.
The interventions would be banned outright for minors, regardless of funding source, though some therapies would remain permissible for children born with genetic disorders that cause their biological sex to be “unresolvably ambiguous.”
The bill also states that “the sex recorded on a birth certificate must be in the person’s biological sex at birth and may only be changed in the case of a scrivener’s error.”
Equality Florida said Fine’s bill would essentially “ban transgender Floridians.”
“Gov. DeSantis and his right-wing allies have made it clear that they do not believe transgender people exist. This cruel bill is a transgender ban. It goes beyond denying us medical freedom to policing who we can be. Republican leadership is saying that from the moment of birth, you should not — and in important ways cannot — be recognized by anything other than your genitals,” said Nikole Parker, the Director of Transgender Equality at the LGBTQ+ rights group.
“And from that bigoted place of denying the very humanity of transgender Floridians, they are ruthlessly bending the power of government to erase the community altogether. Transgender people are neighbors, friends, family members. We exist and we matter. This bill to rip away lifesaving health care, shred insurance coverage, and bar birth certificate access will cost lives.”
Equality Florida added that all the nation’s major health organizations and associations support gender-affirming care, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Endocrine Society, and the Pediatric Endocrine Society, among others.
Wild night
Conservation Florida recently held its second annual Wild Florida reception at the Old Capitol, which was illuminated in green.
The event brought together lawmakers, landowners, scientists, conservationists, philanthropists, TV show producers, biologists and storytellers to celebrate the past achievements of Florida conservationists and to look forward to the future of saving wild Florida.
The crowd of over 200 people was treated to art by Florida artist Blair Updike and speeches by Conservation Florida President and CEO Traci Deen, the Florida Cattlemen’s Association’s Pat Durden, as well as Passidomo and Renner. Attorney General Moody was also in the crowd.
“Tonight is a celebration of Wild Florida in all her glory, and a celebration of each and every one of you,” Deen said to the crowd. “To those working to protect our wild places, our native species, our wildlife corridor, our ranches and family farms, our natural heritage, tonight is a celebration of you and your work.”
Speakers also urged the crowd to take urgent action for land conservation, highlighted the unique features of the Wildlife Corridor, and emphasized the importance of saving our wild places and spaces.
“What’s so important about the Corridor is that it’s so multifaceted,” said Passidomo, who is championing legislation to expand access to the state’s wildlife corridor this Session. “For the farmers and the ranchers, how important is this that they can continue to farm and to ranch in perpetuity? How wonderful this amenity is for those who want to preserve Florida.”
During Renner’s remarks, the Palm Coast Republican said he was happy to be a part of the evening and the mission behind it.
“We have this really amazing opportunity to connect The Keys to the Florida-Georgia line to benefit the biodiversity and the wildlife,” he said, adding that he and other state leaders, “Need to send a clear signal that we’re committed in the long term … If we don’t get there fast, we won’t get there.”
Leaders Luncheon
The Consortium of Florida Education Foundations is holding its annual Legislative & Education Leaders Luncheon on Wednesday.
CFEC is an organization that works on behalf of Florida’s community of nonprofit local education foundations aligned with nearly every countywide school district. The nonprofits included in the consortium help connect communities to classrooms “to innovate learning, power potential, and celebrate success.”
This year’s luncheon will be held at noon on the 22nd Floor of the Capitol and, in addition to education foundation leaders from across the state, attendees are expected to include lawmakers and business leaders.
The event is meant to celebrate the impact of the School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program on Florida’s students.
The program was created by lawmakers in 2000 to boost private-sector interest, involvement and investment in student achievement. It uses state funding to provide a dollar-for-dollar match for donations. Funding for the program is set by the Legislature in each year’s budget.
FMEA and the New Power Generation
Lineworkers from across the state are flocking to Orlando this weekend for the 22nd annual Florida Lineman Competition.
The event, put on by the Florida Municipal Electric Association, will be hosted by the Orlando Utilities Commission and held at the Marriott Orlando Airport Lakeside, 7499 Augusta National Drive.
The event is open to the public and admission and parking are free. Those who turn out will get an up-close view of the feats of strength utility workers to exhibit whenever and wherever the lights go out.
Competition categories include replacing cross-arms and insulators on utility poles, replacing blown arrestors, crossing poles and a simulated rescue of injured lineworkers.
There are team and individual events. Team events will include at least one lineworker who’s been in the biz for five years or more. Individual events are for apprentices.
New to the 2023 competition is a mutual aid event. Mutual aid is the industry term for lineworkers deploying to other regions to reinforce local crews after major disasters. As far as the competition, two apprentices and one journeyman from three different utilities will compete together in an event that simulates work done in a mutual aid situation — so, it’s essentially a 50,000-volt band roulette.
The winners will be announced at an awards banquet on Saturday evening.
“Not only does this annual event give lineworkers a chance to provide the public with a glimpse into their daily work lives, but it is also an opportunity for professional development, recognition and camaraderie,” FMEA Executive Director Amy Zubaly said. “The Florida Lineman Competition also enables us to celebrate our lineworkers and showcase their dedication to their craft, their communities and to each other.”
View event information and the event agenda here.
FSU FLOORZZ
Florida State University recently recognized the fastest-growing companies owned or led by FSU alumni at its sixth annual Seminole 100 Celebration at the school’s Student Union Ballroom.
FLOORZ, a Miramar-based company that utilizes brick-and-mortar and e-commerce to sell tile, hardwood, luxury vinyl and laminate flooring, is 2023’s fastest-growing business.
It’s led by FSU alumni Crissie Anderson, who earned her master’s degree from FSU in 2005 and her Ph.D. in 2009, and Mike Anderson, who earned his bachelor’s degree from the school in 2004.
The company operates on a mission that emphasizes “a personal relationship with their clients and giving customers an unprecedented online customer service experience.”
“We’re proud to celebrate the success of our outstanding alumni who are leading the way in business by providing needed products, services and solutions, creating jobs and building stronger communities,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “They embody the brave and bold entrepreneurial spirit that thrives at Florida State University and inspires the next generation of innovators and leaders.”
The celebration included keynote speaker Brian Ford, chief operating officer for the Tampa Bay Bucs and an FSU alum himself.
The FSU Seminole 100 is sponsored by the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship in partnership with the FSU Alumni Association. Honorees are ranked by their three-year compounded annual growth rates, regardless of size.
Nominations for the 2024 Seminole 100 are currently open.
Capitol directions
Ron DeSantis — Up arrow — He might not win a Booker Prize, but he can add “bestselling Author” to his resume.
DeSantis’s Walkback — Up arrow — He’s turned Rick Scott into his heatsink. Again.
Shane Strum — Up arrow — The three people who come out looking best in DeSantis’ book are the Governor, George Washington, and Strummy.
Monique Worrell — Down arrow — It’s not looking good … but Warren & Worrell PA has a nice ring to it.
AP classes — Up arrow — Keep absolutely still. DeSantis’ vision is based on movement.
Sunshine Law — Down arrow — More like Sunshine Theory.
AHCA — Down arrow — If Florida pays for Ohioans’ health care, do we call it Medicaid expansion?
Christian Ziegler — Up arrow — Bridget’s appointment kills the talk about friction between Ziegler and DeSantis World.
Nikki Fried — Up arrow — The comms office no longer clocks out at 5 p.m. and Sabina Covo gave her a W. Not bad for Week 1.
Trulieve — Up arrow — They’re halfway to the ballot and far from cached.
Vic Torres — Up arrow — As if a voicemail could intimidate a Marine.
Jason Brodeur — Down arrow — So, do we call this the “Don’t Say Ghost” bill.
Jason Garcia — Down arrow — He’s the target of the above.
Blaise Ingoglia — Up arrow — He’s taking the trolling a little too far, but we’ll take the clicks for now.
Jonathan Martin, Jessica Baker — Up arrow — Wait … strangling someone isn’t already a felony? Let’s go ahead and fix that.
Tom Wright, Dan Daley — Up arrow — It’s like the Mercari referral bonus, but your friend gets a uniform.
KOAs — Up arrow — They’re getting CYAs.
MLB — Down arrow — As Bob Uecker might say, “Joe Ricketts threw at his own kid in a father-son game.”
Pronouns — Down arrow — Something tells us Battlestar Galactica isn’t popular in the Yarborough household.
Roller skaters — Crossways arrow — Rollerball, on the other hand …
R House — Down arrow — Good luck selling tickets to “Boy Name Brunch.”
Lobby corps — Crossways arrow — They’re about to have a lot more mouths to feed. But hey, it’s an all you can eat buffet.
Balloons — Crossways arrow — Pizzo and Chaney’s bill feels like a direct attack on clowns, but we’re OK with that.
Florida ports — Up arrow — Anchors away!
Lawrence Revell — Down arrow — Note to self: “These aren’t my drugs, officer” is a viable defense in Tallahassee.
Jeff Greene — Down arrow — The man who blew $60M on vanity campaigns wants a half price discount. OK.
Karen Moore — Up arrow — She has a stellar track record as a founder. That bodes well for Tallahassee Collegiate Academy.
