Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Early last Session, lawmakers OK’d legislation making sweeping changes to the way lawsuits are filed and litigated in the Sunshine State. Pro-business groups hailed the 2023 “tort reform” effort as one of their most significant accomplishments in decades.
Now, three weeks into the 2024 Legislative Session, it appears the state’s legal system can expect a few more tweaks.
Members of the House Civil Justice Subcommittee advanced a bill (HB 1179) filed by Reps. Tommy Gregory and Toby Overdorf with a 10-7 vote on Thursday morning. Similar legislation (SB 1276) cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.
The bill creates a new section of law called the Litigation Investment Safeguards and Transparency Act, which aims to crack down on outside parties who help bankroll lawsuits by requiring attorneys who contract with them to disclose that information to the court as well as their legal competitor’s defense teams.
It’s a change that has been long sought by the same interests who cheered the 2023 torts package, and a similar provision was considered for that bill but was left on the cutting room floor.
The House’s Criminal Justice Subcommittee, meanwhile, advanced a bill (HB 1657) that would increase the criminal penalty for killing police officers to life in prison without parole.
Cop killers aren’t a sympathetic set, but there are other provisions in the bill that have raised some eyebrows — it would also repeal a ban on the use of force if the officer knows an arrest is “unlawful” and amend the statute further to use force “in the performance of his or her official duties.”
Current language stipulates that the officer must be engaged “in the lawful performance of a legal duty.” Bill sponsor Rep. Jessica Baker of Jacksonville said that even during a “technically illegal” arrest without “reasonable suspicion,” case law bans battery against cops regardless. Ranking member Michele Rayner wasn’t sold, but the bill moved forward nonetheless.
Ending on a brighter note, the Governor’s press office sent out a heartwarming update on First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Hope for the Holidays Toy Drive. According to the DeSantis administration, the effort collected more than 1,400 toys during the 2023 holiday season. Those donated gifts helped make the holidays a little more special for more than 300 children across the state.
“Every donated toy and every wrapped gift brought smiles and restored a sense of pride to families facing challenges this holiday season,” the First Lady said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to make a positive difference in their lives.”
Bill Day’s Latest
Evening Reads
—”The looming contest between two Presidents and two Americas” via Peter Baker of The New York Times
—”Which Ron DeSantis did Florida just get back? Better hide the dog.” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics
—“DeSantis, now back in Florida, holds event burnishing his environmental record” via Michael Moline of the Florida Phoenix
—“An influential landlord was accused of breaking the law. The Florida Legislature may change the law.” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents
—”Florida wants to ban social media for kids. Courts will likely stop it.” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times
—”The architects of Florida’s 6-week abortion ban have another proposal” via Romy Ellenbogen of the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times
—”The hunt for Tupac’s Killer: Confessions, conspiracies, and confusion” via John L. Smith of Rolling Stone
—”How South Florida lizards are helping to reshape Darwin’s theory of evolution” via Bill Kearney of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“Well, we’re both from the same state, so that’s probably not going to work that way.”
— U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, shooting down a VP pick trial balloon.
Put It on the Tab
Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.
DeSantis may want a golden lab, but we don’t trust him with a dog — how about an ice-cold Golden Retriever instead?
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has been floated as a potential running mate for Donald Trump, but he shot that down tout de suite. Sounds like he’s due for a No Thanks.
Friends don’t let friends fall asleep in public. Lawmakers don’t either. The next time you see someone dozing at the bar, order them a Liquid Cocaine … or maybe just a cup of coffee.
We know Kevin Marino Cabrera already got a drink this week, but landing an endorsement from Donald Trump earns him another mention. A (former) Commander in Chief fits the bill.
There are hundreds of bars where you can sip on a Liver Transplant, but if you need the actual surgery, Tampa General Hospital has a top-5 team ready for the job.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Who will make the big game?
After Sunday’s games, the Super Bowl matchup will be set.
The matchups between quarterbacks highlight the AFC and NFC championship games.
The AFC title game between the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the AFC’s top-seeded Baltimore Ravens could be a duel between Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson (3 p.m. ET, CBS).
The two quarterbacks have won three of the last five MVP awards and Jackson is favored to win the honor this year.
The Chiefs are appearing in their sixth straight AFC championship game — all with Mahomes at quarterback. Kansas City has played in three Super Bowls in the past five seasons, winning two Lombardi Trophies. This is the first time in that stretch that the Chiefs will play on the road in the championship game.
The NFC features a former first-overall pick at quarterback and a former last-overall pick as Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions travel to San Francisco to face Brock Purdy and the 49ers (6:30 p.m. ET, FOX).
The Lions are in the NFC Championship Game for the second time in franchise history. The other appearance came after the 1991 season when Barry Sanders starred as running back.
The 49ers are the top seed in the NFC and have looked like the most complete team in football since the midway point in the season. Of the four quarterbacks still playing, only Purdy was not a first-round pick. He was Mr. Irrelevant, the title given to the last player selected in a given draft, in the 2022 draft. Since being selected, he has started 25 regular season and playoff games, winning 20 of them.
Super Bowl LVIII is scheduled for Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
Also tonight:
6 p.m. — NCAAW: Florida State Seminoles @ Duke Blue Devils
6:30 p.m. — NCAAW: Eastern Kentucky Colonels @ Jacksonville Dolphins
6:30 p.m. — NCAAM: North Florida Ospreys @ Bellarmine Knights
7 p.m. — NCAAM: Jacksonville Dolphins @ Eastern Kentucky Colonels
7 p.m. — NCAAM: Austin Peay Governors @ Stetson Hatters
7 p.m. — Arizona Coyotes @ Tampa Bay Lightning
7 p.m. — NCAAM: Lipscomb Bisons @ Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
7 p.m. — NCAAW: Florida Gulf Coast Eagles @ Lipscomb Bisons
7 p.m. — NCAAW: Florida Gators @ Ole Miss Rebels
7 p.m. — NCAAW: Stetson Hatters @ Austin Peay Governors
7 p.m. — NCAAW: Western Kentucky Lady Toppers @ Florida International Panthers
7 p.m. — NCAAW: Bellarmine Knights @ North Florida Ospreys
7:30 p.m. — Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat
8 p.m. — NCAAW: Miami Hurricanes @ North Carolina Tarheels
8 p.m. — NCAAM: Florida International Panthers @ Western Kentucky Lady Toppers
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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
