Legislative Update - September 3, 2021

 Compiled by Keyna Cory, Public Affairs Consultants

We knew the 2022 Legislative Session was going to be different mostly due to the reapportionment process that takes place every 10 years.  Now it looks like the Senate will bring forward a controversial issue.  On Thursday, Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Tribly, told WFLA the Legislature is “already working on” a so-called “heartbeat bill.” In other states like Mississippi and Texas, such bills have banned abortion as early as six weeks, before some women begin to suspect they are pregnant.

Speaking of reapportionment … House Speaker Chris Sprowls is shaking up a few committee chairs in advance of the 2022 Legislative Session.

Heading the State Legislative Redistricting Subcommittee is Neptune Beach Republican Rep. Cord Byrd.

“A once-in-a-decade event, redistricting requires seriousness of purpose and translation of complicated concepts to common-sense language. I can’t think of anyone better suited than Cord Byrd,” Sprowls tweeted.

Merritt Island Republican Rep. Tyler Sirois will helm the Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee, responsible for carving out the new 28th Congressional District rather than simply reapportioning the current 27 in the state.

“As the (Health & Human Services Committee) Whip, Tyler Sirois embodied qualities of hard work, thoughtfulness, and a positive attitude,” the House Speaker said. “They will serve him well in the challenge of drawing Fla.'s new Congressional maps.”

Ormond Beach Republican Rep. Tom Leek was previously named chair of the full Redistricting Committee.

Changes to House Committee Chairs … Speaker Sprowls also made a few more changes to committees.  Rep. Daniel Perez was selection to lead the Pandemics & Public Emergencies Committee and the Public Integrity & Elections Committee. Sprowls said the Miami Republican and future House Speaker was “uniquely suited” for the job.

Further announcements included Vero Beach Republican Rep. Erin Grall as House Judiciary Committee Chair and Macclenny Republican Rep. Chuck Brannan as Criminal Justice & Property Subcommittee Chair.

Sprowls rounded out the wave of announcements by naming Newberry Republican Rep. Chuck Clemons to the House leadership team. The third-term Representative will serve as Deputy Majority Leader & Majority Whip this Session, with Sprowls extolling “his commitment to relationships and Member education is unmatched.”

The Speaker’s Office will follow up with midterm committee assignments on Friday, he said.  We will send additional changes to you as they are announced.

Mask ruling … Leon Circuit Judge John Cooper on Thursday released a written ruling that said Gov. Ron DeSantis overstepped his constitutional authority with a July 30 executive order that sought to prevent school districts from requiring students to wear masks as protection against COVID-19.  The state filed to appeal the ruling.

Another hurricane … Above the warm and calm waters of the mid Atlantic, Larry became the fifth hurricane of the 2021 season Thursday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Florida Preparedness Month Proclamation … Governor Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation to declare September as Florida Preparedness Month in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Ready” Campaign, National Preparedness Month. Florida Preparedness Month focuses on the importance of Florida residents and visitors being aware of and preparing for natural and man-made hazards.

COVID-19 … Slowly, Florida seems to be emerging from its worst COVID wave to date. In the past week, Florida hospitals have seen roughly a 10% drop in patients with COVID-19 and a 13% reduction in daily admissions. The state’s positivity rate also has dropped from the prior week, from 19.8% to 16.8%. The record daily increases in new cases have tapered off as well. But experts say it is too soon to breathe a sigh of relief especially with the upcoming Labor Day Weekend.

Fines … Florida will start issuing $5,000 fines to businesses, schools and government agencies that require people to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination.

Good news on the Workers Comp front … Florida businesses could see a nearly 5 percent average reduction in workers’ compensation insurance rates beginning in January if a proposal filed with the state Office of Insurance Regulation is approved. The National Council on Compensation Insurance, which makes rate filings for workers’ compensation insurers, is recommending that Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier approve an average 4.9 percent reduction in rates. The filing does not include claims data related to COVID-19. The organization known as NCCI said it does not include data from catastrophic events in rate requests because such events are not considered to be indicative of future claims experience. In a summary of the rate filing, NCCI attributed the proposed 4.9 percent reduction, in part, to a decline in “lost-time” claim frequency, which occurs when workers suffer injuries that leave them with permanent disabilities or impairment. However, according to NCCI, while there has been a reduction in lost-time claim frequency, the average costs per lost-time claim have shown volatility over the years. The filing is only a request. Altmaier, the state’s top insurance regulator, will ultimately decide what rates should be approved for the upcoming year. Florida employers are required to carry workers’ compensation coverage.

Catastrophe fund eyed in workers' comp system - Sparked by fears that businesses could get hit with a future calamity similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, a proposal would allow charging Florida businesses an additional $20 million annually as part of a workers’ compensation insurance catastrophe fund. Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier has been asked to sign off on a rule change that could lead to Florida businesses being charged a premium to cover costs of a catastrophe that results in more than $50 million in aggregate workers’ compensation losses across all states. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Hamilton to Head DEP - Shawn Hamilton will be the new head of the state's Department of Environmental Protection. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday he was tapping Hamilton, who had been interim secretary, for the permanent job. He is the first Black person to lead the state's environment agency, said DeSantis spokeswoman Christina Pushaw. Florida Politics / Tampa Bay Times / Governor's Press Release

Next Surgeon General could get bigger paycheck — Florida’s next Surgeon General could be paid more than the $140,000 salary earned by Scott Rivkees. As Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO Florida reported, lawmakers are considering raising the position’s pay to attract top-tier candidates to replace Rivkees. No specific amounts were mentioned, but House Speaker Chris Sprowls is on board with the idea. “I fully expect and would support paying the surgeon general more,” he said. Sen. Aaron Bean, who chairs the chamber’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, said, “We don’t just want a doctor — we want a super doctor. We want a Superman in a white lab coat.”

Lukis to Announce Departure from DeSantis Administration - Adrian Lukis, chief of staff to Gov. Ron DeSantis, is planning to leave the administration next month. Lukis, who was previously deputy chief of staff, said when he took over as chief of staff for Shane Strum, that he wouldn't likely remain in the post for the governor's full term because he has a young family. Florida Politics

Unemployment rates increase … Jobless claims in Florida inched up for the second consecutive week, as two federal unemployment-aid programs tied to the COVID-19 pandemic are coming to an end.

Judge Denies Reinstatement of Federal Unemployment Payments - A Leon County Judge will not force Gov. Ron DeSantis to reinstate a $300 supplemental unemployment benefit funded by the federal government. DeSantis cut-off the weekly federal payments months before they were set to expire, causing some unemployed Floridians to sue the state claiming Florida law requires the governor to accept the money. The judge sided with the state on Monday saying DeSantis had full authority to halt the payments. An appeal is expected. Tallahassee Democrat / WKMG / First Coast News / Florida Politics

“Florida’s federal unemployment benefits end Monday” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — The federal unemployment benefits that have helped millions of Floridians stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic run out Monday. The state’s jobless agency said Wednesday that two key federal programs end Sept. 6: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which paid up to $275 per week for gig workers and others who aren’t eligible for state assistance, and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which extended the number of weeks someone would be eligible to receive state benefits. The programs are set to expire on Labor Day for millions of Americans across the country.

Federal Judge Considering Whether to Block Anti-Riot Bill During Court Challenge - A federal judge in Tallahassee is considering whether to temporarily block the state's new law cracking down on rioters as a legal challenge to the law brought by a coalition of civil rights groups, including the NAACP, is heard. Lawyers for the plaintiffs challenging HB 1 argued in court on Monday that the statute's new definition of "riot" is unconstitutionally vague, which could lead to arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement. In addition to setting out new crimes related to rioting and harsher potential penalties for people participating in demonstrations that turn violent, the new law also allows state officials to overrule a local government's decision to cut police budgets. It also increases penalties for vandalism of monuments. The measure was the top priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis in this year's legislative session, and followed the 2020 summer demonstrations over police violence. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker is considering a preliminary injunction that would block enforcement of the law until a trial decides the measure's fate. Florida Politics / WTSP

“Moody keeps up opposition to Biden border ‘chaos’” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Republican Attorneys General continue to stand opposed to the immigration policies of Biden‘s administration. Florida is joining a coalition of 17 states attempting to thwart a Biden administration effort to obtain a stay on a court decision reinstating the pre-Biden “Remain in Mexico” policies. “Instead of following the direction of the court to enforce federal law, President Biden is seeking an emergency order to keep his illegal policies in place. Every day he ignores federal law, we become less safe,” Moody asserted. AGs from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and West Virginia all signed onto the brief in support of the suit from Texas and Louisiana.

Florida Chamber Releases Map Data - The Florida Chamber of Commerce has released its assessment of how current legislative districts have shifted in terms of partisan leaning over the decade since the last redrawing of legislative districts. The chamber's Florida Partisan Performance indexes cover all 120 state House districts and 40 state Senate districts as well as the state's 67 counties. The report assesses the relative partisan lean of each district or county compared to the state as a whole. Florida Politics

Advocates Call for Food Stamp Boost for Low-Income Kids - Dozens of groups, including the Florida PTA, are pleading with the state to tap into more than $800 million federal benefits that would provide a one-time bonus to eligible families of about $375 per child in benefits under SNAP, the Supplemental Food Assistance Program, or food stamps. The DeSantis administration has not yet applied for the funds, available under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Orlando Sentinel

House Members tardy on filing … Five House Democrats faced potential fines Thursday morning for not filing required financial-disclosure forms on time.

As of 10 a.m. Thursday, the state Commission on Ethics website indicated reports had not been received from Rep. Christopher Benjamin, D-Miami Gardens; Rep. Kamia Brown, D-Ocoee; Rep. James Bush, D-Miami; Rep. Kevin Chambliss, D-Homestead; and Rep. Omari Hardy, D-West Palm Beach.

State officials are required to file annual financial-disclosure forms by July 1 but are given a two-month grace period until Sept. 1 before fines can begin.

FANA News …

They’ve got a new name, but their mission remains the same.

The Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists on Wednesday officially becomes the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.

The name change is part of a yearlong national rebranding process meant to advocate for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologists and advance science within the field.

The shorthand version, of course, remains the same. FANA will continue representing the 5,400-plus nurse anesthesiology professionals in the Sunshine State, as it has done since 1936.

“The administration of anesthesia by nurses began more than 150 years ago and has been an essential part of what CRNAs do in caring for patients in every setting including traditional hospital and obstetric surgical suites, interventional pain management, critical care units, ambulatory surgical centers, and on the front lines,” said John McDonough, one of Florida’s only CRNAs granted permission to use the title “nurse anesthesiologist.”

FANA’s announcement comes alongside a similar change at its parent group, now known as the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.

The national association unveiled its new logo and core purpose, “CRNA focused. CRNA inspired ,” during its Annual Congress, held Aug. 13-17 virtually. The AANA’s Annual Congress is the largest educational event in nurse anesthesia.

FHA cancels annual event — Citing the current COVID-19 surge, the Florida Hospital Association on Tuesday said it had canceled its annual event, Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO Florida reports. The meeting, scheduled for Oct. 6 at The Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes, was to be headlined by former White House COVID-19 adviser Deborah Birx. “The toll it is taking on staff, the weeks of recovery ahead, and concerns about hosting a large gathering in the near future, we received consistent feedback in support of canceling this year’s meeting,” FHA President and CEO Mary Mayhew said in an email announcing the cancellation.

Florida Hospital Association’s Mary Mayhew touts 'very encouraging trends' for COVID-19
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/454561-hospital-associations-mary-mayhew-touts-very-encouraging-trends-for-covid-19/

Legislative …

Florida Republicans May Push Abortion Ban in Wake of Scotus Ruling on Texas Law - Republican leaders in the Florida Legislature said they may consider a bill similar to the Texas abortion ban the U.S. Supreme Court recently let stand. Democrats in the Legislature called the Texas bill a draconian assault on women's rights. "As an adoptive child myself, it's important to me that we do everything we can to promote adoption and prevent abortion; therefore, I think it's worthwhile to take a look at the Texas law and see if there is more we can do here in Florida," Senate President Wilton Simpson said. Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald / Sun Sentinel / The Hill / House Democrats Press Release 
 

Related: Gov. Ron DeSantis said the Texas abortion law is "interesting," and he might support a similar bill in Florida, but hasn't studied the measure enough to know for sure. Associated Press

COVID-19 …

COVID-19 patients overwhelm Florida ICU
https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2021/09/02/twelve-hours-in-a-florida-covid-19-icu/

Florida reported 18,608 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, according to data updated Tuesday on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Florida now has had more than 3.25 million cases of COVID-19 among residents since the pandemic started in early 2020. Meanwhile, more than one out of every three patients hospitalized in Florida has COVID-19, according to data maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More than half of the intensive care unit beds in the state are being occupied by patients with COVID-19. Forty-nine Florida hospitals reported anticipating critical-care shortages by the end of the week. The 15,682 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 on Tuesday, however, were down nearly 9 percent from last Wednesday, when there were 17,164 COVID-19 hospitalizations.

COVID Cases and Hospitalizations Down, but Florida Deaths Continuing to Rise - While Florida's levels of new COVID cases and hospitalizations for the disease have leveled off over the past week, the average number of daily reported deaths, which usually lags case and hospitalization peaks, has continued to climb. Florida hospitals have reported an average of 279 patients have died every day for the past week, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, though the figure includes deaths suspected, but not yet confirmed to have been, from COVID-19. The figure just a month ago was 52 deaths per day. ICU beds also remain in high demand. Associated Press /WUSF / Health News Florida

Federal data published Thursday shows more people died in Florida from COVID-19 during an eight-day period than in any similar period during the previously worst surge in August of last year. Associated Press

State Rep Sues State Over Lack of Transparency and Updates in COVID-19 Data - A state lawmaker filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking more information on COVID cases in Florida. Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Winter Park, had asked earlier this summer for the Department of Health to release two weeks worth of COVID-19 data that used to be reported daily online by the agency, but was unable to get the information he was seeking. Smith's lawsuit claims the state is obligated to report important COVID-19 information that he says it is currently withholding, such as updated numbers of hospitalizations, fatalities and vaccinations. The lawsuit was filed in Leon County Circuit Court. In addition to Smith, the open government group Florida Center for Government Accountability is a plaintiff. Orlando Sentinel / Florida Politics

“Ron DeSantis: COVID-19 death reporting questions are partisan distraction” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — DeSantis‘ statewide tour promoting monoclonal antibody therapies for COVID-19 has continued into September, as has scrutiny over how the state reports COVID-19 deaths. The Miami Herald on Friday reported the agency had reworked how the Health Department tallies COVID-19 deaths, reporting them by the date they died rather than the date they were reported. As Florida Politics reported a month prior, that has the effect of decreasing the count of fatalities in the “Previous Week” column on the state’s weekly reports. Florida has opened at least 21 sites offering monoclonal antibodies, a therapy available to people at risk for severe infections when they test positive.

“Florida reports 151,749 new COVID-19 cases for the week. Largest number of cases occurring in children 12 and under ” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — With the start of a new school year underway in most of Florida, state health officials reported more than 48,000 new COVID-19 cases in children 19 or younger in the last seven days and more than 85,000 in the last two weeks. For the second week in a row, teenagers represent the highest positivity rate of any age group in the state (23.1%), and for the first time, children younger than 12 represent the age group with the most new cases. Overall, new COVID-19 cases continue to climb in the state.

“Florida COVID-19 update: 19,048 cases reported and a steep dip in number of hospital patients” via Devoun Cetoute of the Miami Herald — Florida on Wednesday reported to the CDC 19,048 more COVID-19 cases added Tuesday. The state also reported 10 new deaths. In all, Florida has recorded at least 3,269,502 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 44,571 deaths statewide. On average, the state has added 263 deaths and 19,908 cases each day in the past seven days. During Florida’s third peak, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations appear to be at record highs but reports from the Florida Department of Health show ‘artificially’ few deaths in recent weeks.

DeSantis Says Antibody Treatments Have Been Given To 30,000 Floridians with COVID-19 - Gov. Ron DeSantis toured the state on Monday promoting monoclonal antibody treatments that help combat COVID-19. DeSantis made stops in Tampa, Panama City and Jacksonville where he announced that the treatment has been given to nearly 30,000 patients statewide. The treatment centers offer free Regeneron monoclonal antibody treatments which could help prevent an infected person from becoming hospitalized if they get the treatment early. In total, there are 21 state-supported treatment sites throughout Florida. According to DeSantis, clinical trials of monoclonal antibody treatments have shown a 70% reduction in hospitalization and death from COVID-19. WFLA / First Coast News / Governor's Press Release

“Nikki Fried holds moment of silence for Floridians lost to COVID-19” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — Fried hosted a moment of silence Wednesday to remember the nearly 45,000 Floridians who have died with COVID-19. The CDC reports 44,561 deaths as of Tuesday afternoon. While the CDC still reports daily COVID-19 data for Florida, the state Health Department has reduced its reporting frequency to once a week. Fried now frequently reports the state data from the CDC, saying she’s doing the Governor’s job. She noted the children, daughters, husbands, teachers, health care workers, and more who have died due to the pandemic.

Hospitalizations and COVID cases across Northeast Florida have dropped from a late July peak, health officials reported. Times-Union / St. Augustine Record

School Mask Battle: Judge Rules Against State Ban - A circuit judge ruled Friday that Florida has no legal authority to prevent local school districts from requiring students to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Leon Circuit Judge John Cooper agreed with a group of parents who sued the DeSantis administration over the order, saying the governor's effort to block the rules oversteps state authority. DeSantis has said the state would appeal. Ten of the 67 county school districts in the state, including several of the largest, had been requiring masks in defiance of the state ban on the requirements. More than half of students in the state are in districts with mask mandates. The plaintiffs sued using the state's new Parents' Bill of Rights. But Cooper noted that the new law allows school districts to make certain decisions for students when it is necessary to "achieve a compelling state interest."  Associated Press / Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald / Orlando Sentinel / Florida Politics / The Hill

State Withholds Pay from Broward, Alachua School Boards Over Mask Rules - Despite a court ruling last week saying the state doesn't have the lawful authority to prevent local school boards from putting school mask requirements in place, state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran on Monday said the state will withhold an amount of money equivalent to the salaries of school board members who voted for such mandates in Broward and Alachua counties. Corcoran also said the districts can't redirect other money from the district budgets to offset the penalty. The state is appealing a circuit court ruling from last week that said school boards can put rules in place intended to provide for the safety of students without interference from the state. Sun Sentinel / Miami Herald / Associated Press / Florida Politics / Corcoran Press Release

“After court ruling, Ashley Moody jumps into Florida’s mask mandate legal fight” via Ana Ceballos of the Tampa Bay Times — Moody injected her legal opinion into Florida’s ongoing court battle over school mask mandates, adding noise to an increasingly political fight. Moody, a Republican ally of DeSantis, said school districts must comply with a state rule that says parents must have the ability to opt their kids out of mask requirements “unless and until the judiciary declares them invalid.” Her legal opinion comes days after a Leon County judge ruled that DeSantis and his administration “acted without legal authority” when issuing and enforcing a blanket ban on mask mandates.

“DeSantis might find a friendlier court in North Florida for his appeal of COVID-19 mask ruling” via Rafael Olmeda of South Florida Sun-Sentinel — From the minute Leon County Circuit Judge John J. Cooper announced his decision upholding the right of school districts to mandate masks for students, an appeal seemed to be inevitable. Gov. DeSantis is standing by his position that those mandates violate the state’s Parents’ Bill of Rights, and he’s confident that higher courts will see things his way and restore his ban on mandates. “We’ll end up getting it back,” he said. On the surface, the politics are on his side. Democrats make up a majority of mask-mandate supporters, but the judges who will rule on any appeal are all Republican. Party politics is not supposed to matter.

DeSantis Appeals Mask Requirement Ruling - Lawyers for Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday filed an appeal of a judge's ruling that held the governor exceeded his authority by prohibiting local school boards from enacting mask requirements for students as part of the effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The DeSantis administration appealed to the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee, seeking to have the lower court's ruling overturned as the governor continues to insist that schools not put health protection measures in place without letting parents easily opt out of the rule. The lower court ruling was automatically stayed by the appeal. At least 11 local school districts have required masks in schools in defiance of the governor's order. Associated Press / Sun Sentinel / Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald

“Requiring customers to be vaccinated can draw $5,000 fines starting soon in Florida” via Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — Florida businesses and governments that require proof of COVID-19 vaccination from customers or members of the public will soon face $5,000 fines. Earlier this year, the Republican-led Florida Legislature passed a bill, SB 2006, banning businesses, governments and schools from requiring “vaccine passports,” essentially proof that people seeking their services have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine. In May, DeSantis signed that bill into law. The legislation allowed the state’s Department of Health to issue fines “not to exceed $5,000 per violation.”

Surge in COVID Cases Again Upending Courts - Court proceedings are again being suspended or moved online because of the resurgence in hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19. Florida Bar News

“Florida starts turning on Ron DeSantis ” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO — COVID-19 infection rates continue to climb as [Florida] faces shortages of health care staff, morgue space and even oxygen for patients. About 16,000 people are hospitalized. Child infection rates have shot up. School districts — even in Republican strongholds — have rebelled against DeSantis’ anti-mask mandates. And cruise lines are resisting DeSantis’ vaccine passport ban. Even his recent poll numbers are slipping. … “There’s no question it’s impacting him politically,” said a Republican consultant who has previously worked with DeSantis and requested anonymity to speak freely. “You can tout all the freedom and anti-lockdown that you want. There’s no political strategy for sick kids and tired parents.”

“Doctor who promoted ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment has advised DeSantis ” via Steve Contorno and Kirby Wilson of the Miami Herald — A California psychiatrist who has advised DeSantis on the coronavirus pandemic recently promoted a drug for COVID-19 patients that federal disease experts have strongly warned against after a spike in calls to poison control centers. The surge of interest in the parasite drug, ivermectin, prompted the CDC on Thursday to issue a national alert advising against its use to treat coronavirus. The maker of the drug, Merck, has also said there is “no scientific basis” to claim that ivermectin is effective against COVID-19. Dr. Mark McDonald of Los Angeles is among a fringe group of outspoken medical professionals who have pushed ivermectin as an alternative to widespread vaccination against coronavirus.

”James Taylor, Jonas Brothers to require proof of vaccination at Jacksonville shows ” via Tom Szaroleta of The Florida Times-Union

Elections …

“DeSantis raises money in New Jersey on Sunday ” via David Wildstein of the New Jersey Globe — DeSantis arrived in New Jersey on Sunday morning for a high dollar event in Deal hosted by real estate developer Joe Cayre. Unlike 2014, when no GOP candidate would dare raise money in New Jersey without the permission of Gov. Chris Christie, potential 2024 presidential candidates no longer hesitate to cultivate donors in the Garden State. He has already raised $626,254 from New Jersey-based donors, according to the Florida Department of State. Four months ago, DeSantis raised money at the Moorestown home of Vernon Hill, the founder of Commerce Bank.

A political committee backing re-election for Gov. Ron DeSantis raised nearly $5 million in August, more than committees raising money to support his two Democratic rivals have raised all year. Florida Politics

“Wealthy GOP donors flock to DeSantis as presidential speculation swirls” via Allan Smith and Henry J. Gomez of NBC News — DeSantis has cemented himself as the face of GOP opposition to anti-COVID-19 mandates — a position that is winning over not only rank-and-file voters ahead of the 2024 presidential primaries but also some of the Republican Party's wealthiest donors. How the race shapes up will first and foremost be determined by whether former President Donald Trump decides to run. But many donors are investing early in potential candidates like DeSantis, who polling shows to be the leading Trump alternative in the prospective presidential field.

Taddeo Considering Governor Run - Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo, who represents the Miami area, says she's seriously considering jumping in the Florida governor's race this fall. Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald

Charlie Crist posts $700K for August, with grassroots spike — Crist’s campaign for Governor is touting a solid August fundraising haul. The $700,000 raised last month follows four months of campaigning across the state promoting the theme of “Florida for All.”  The August numbers also represent a 268% increase in the number of small-dollar contributions of $200 or less.

Agriculture Commissioner and Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Nikki Fried owns a six-figure stake in a cannabis company, according to a financial disclosure she filed Tuesday. The disclosure was filed two months late. Miami Herald

“Moody officially files for reelection as Attorney General” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — Moody filed for reelection Wednesday as Florida’s top cop. Thus far, Moody’s path to reelection is without many obstacles. With no credible challenger in the race, political prognosticators expect the office to remain in Republican hands for at least a fourth consecutive term. Moody, elected in 2018, focused on various issues, including human trafficking and opioid addiction, during her first term. A former lawyer, federal prosecutor and judge, she proved herself a fundraising machine, outpacing all statewide candidates except DeSantis this year.