Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Limits on third-party litigation financiers may be one of many significant torts changes lawmakers push through this year.
On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill limiting who can be named as a defendant in lawsuits against assisted living facilities, bringing them in line with current statutes regarding nursing homes.
SB 238, sponsored by Sen. Colleen Burton, would block plaintiffs from going after “passive investors” — an individual entity that has an interest in a facility but does not participate in the decision-making or operations of the facility — when they file suit alleging wrongful death, mistreatment or other malfeasance committed by an ALF.
The same definition change led to an influx of capital in the nursing home industry from private equity firms and owners from other states. Burton’s change could potentially bring about the same outcome for ALFs. However, the House companion (HB 995) has not been taken up in Committee.
Meanwhile, the Senate Criminal Justice Committee gave the OK to a bill (SB 350) that would make it easier for families of unsolved murder victims to reopen their cases.
If passed, the bill would require law enforcement agencies in the state to review an unsolved murder that happened within their jurisdiction at least five years earlier upon receiving a written application from a victim’s family member.
The review would then determine if a full reinvestigation of the case could identify new leads or a likely perpetrator. If a reinvestigation is merited, the agency must conduct one.
The House is considering legislation that could serve as a complement to the cold case bill. HB 533, which cleared its final committee stop with a unanimous vote on Tuesday, would require any inmate who doesn’t already have DNA in the state’s database to provide a sample.
Miami Lakes Republican Rep. Tom Fabricio, the bill’s sponsor, said it “closes a very tiny loophole” in current law that has allowed some offenders to long evade sampling and prevented law enforcement from solving cold cases. The Senate companion, SB 524 by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, cleared its first committee earlier this month unanimously.
Unlike Fabricio’s proposal, unanimity was never in the cards for a bill by Rep. Dean Black that moved through its first committee. HB 395 is this year’s effort to block local governments from moving or removing any “historic monuments,” which in practice often translates to statues glorifying or memorializing Confederates.
The bill initially sought to allow the state to retcon local removals dating back to 2017 — far enough back to undo a pair of removals in Black’s Jacksonville-area district — but it no longer includes that clause after getting a makeover in the House State Affairs Committee. The new language also limits the prohibition to monuments in place for 25 years, with an original expectation of permanent installation.
Bill Day’s Latest
Evening Reads
—”Joe Biden’s top fundraisers are hosting him in Miami, saying Florida is ‘still in play’” via Max Greenwood of the Miami Herald
—”The grim aftermath of the E. Jean Carroll verdict” via Megan Garber of The Atlantic
—”Nikki Haley’s dilemma in South Carolina: winning over voters who like her, but love Trump” via Bill Barrow of The Associated Press
—”The great American natural gas reckoning is upon us” via Umair Irfan of Vox
—”Back home in Florida after White House bid ends, Ron DeSantis is still focused on Washington’s problems” via Brendan Farrington of The Associated Press
—”DeSantis contractor passed out migrant relocation flyers in Orlando, records show” via Ryan Gillespie of the Tampa Bay Times
—”How did Ron DeSantis fall so far, so fast, and so hard?” via Douglas E. Schoen of The Hill
—“Floridians struggling with illness decry the possibility of the state banning delta-8 hemp products” via Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix
Quote of the Day
“I cannot make this shit up. … Literally, the Florida House is policing plates.”
— Rep. Angie Nixon, after a false accusation she stole food from the members’ lounge.
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.
We’re not sure what DeSantis meant when he told Sheriffs to “do what (they need to do” to keep order during Spring Break, but we kindly request that nobody order him a License to Kill until May at the earliest.
After lobbing false accusations, the Sergeant of Arms’ office should be ordering an Apology for Rep. Nixon … unfortunately, it seems like a Sorry Not Sorry will have to do.
Bills that could give new tools — and DNA samples — to law enforcement on the cold case beat are moving through the Legislature. In anticipation, make sure you order your favorite bartender a copy of Mixology & Murder and tell them to memorize the cold-case section.
If Rep. Black insists on protecting Confederate monuments, he should defend Confederate cocktails, too. Those with a trick stomach, stop reading here, but CSA generals were expected to give their troops tonics consisting of their own urine, some whiskey and bay leaves. They even argued over whose tasted best!
We’d suggest a Twisted Stripper for the … um, “exotic dancers” … who may lose their jobs if a bill banning under-21s from the profession gets the green light. But they must wait a year or two before taking a sip.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Two ACC teams looking to start a charge into February meet as Miami travels to face North Carolina State tonight (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
The Hurricanes (14-6; 5-4 in ACC) and the Wolfpack (13-7; 5-4) are two of three teams tied for sixth in the ACC standings. While North Carolina has proven the class of the conference this season, there are seven teams separated by two games from second place in the league. A Miami win tonight would vault them into contention for a high seed in the ACC tournament.
Miami has won back-to-back games, beating Pitt and Notre Dame, and are seeking the first three-game winning streak since winning four straight at the end of December and early January.
Four Hurricanes average at least 14 points per game, led by Norchad Omier, who leads the team averaging 18.1 points per game. Omier dropped in 33 in the victory over Notre Dame last week.
North Carolina State started strong this season, winning their first nine home games, but have lost their last three games at PNC Arena, including defeats by Tennessee and North Carolina. Overall, the Wolfpack has lost three straight ACC games.
Fifth-year senior D.J. Horne is the key player for the Wolfpack. When he scores, NC State wins. In the recent three-game skid, Horne has averaged 13 points per game. In the prior two games, both wins, he averaged 24 points per contest.
Also tonight:
7 p.m. — NCAAW: UCF Knights @ West Virginia Mountaineers
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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.
