Legislative Update - July 25, 2022

Last weekend, Republican flocked to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL for the Sunshine Summit. Leaders from across the state rallied rank and file Republicans in preparation of the fall elections.  Speakers included Governor Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, CFO Jimmy Patronis, President Elect Kathleen Passidomo, Speaker Elect Paul Renner, Congresswoman Kat Cammack, and Congressman Bryan Donalds.  Click here for full agenda - https://sunshinesummit.org/agenda/

Today is the last day to register to vote for Primary Elections - It’s Primary season in Florida, and that means it’s time to register to vote or update your party affiliation.

Monday marks book closing, the 29-day deadline to register in advance of an election. In this case, the upcoming vote is Florida’s Primary Election on Aug. 23, a day when races from Governor to City Commissioner will be on the ballot.

“I encourage all Floridians who are eligible to register to vote at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov,” Secretary of State Cord Byrd said in a statement. “Additionally, all registered Florida voters should check their voter registration status and ensure they are registered and that their information and signature are both up to date.”

Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday starts today - The Back-to-School sales tax holiday is set to kick off on July 25th and will run through August 7th. The items that are tax exempt during the back to school sales tax holiday include:

• Clothing, footwear, and accessories selling for $100 or less per item.
• School supplies selling for $50 or less per item.
• Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles with a sales price of $30 or less.
• Personal computers and related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use with a sales price of $1,500 or less.

For more information on the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday and for a complete list of all items that qualify, click here.

Florida TaxWatch has released a new report examining the 2020 Census’ effects on the Sunshine State …

“Looking Back at Census 2020: What Florida’s Business and Community Leaders Need to Know” focuses on how the recently reported 3.48% undercount of Florida’s population — which amounts to nearly 750,000 people — impacts Florida’s taxpayers.

In the report, FTW notes that a third of Florida’s budget is comprised of federal funding, and the undercount will reduce funding for 320 federal programs. For example, Medicaid reimbursements — based on per capita income — will be lower, contributing to a projected loss of approximately $612 million, or $816.47 for each unaccounted person from the 2020 Census.

“The outcome of the 2020 Census — the largest undercount in Florida’s history — will have considerable consequences for the state over the course of the next decade. If the state had been accurately counted, we would have received upward of $2.1 billion in additional federal funding every year through 2030. We would have also likely picked up another congressional seat.” Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said.

“These impacts are significant, but businesses, community planners, and researchers also lost out on reliable data that heavily influences their decision-making processes, like information about regional workforce skills and availability; transportation and planning needs; and critical details about the needs of residents, consumers, and taxpayers.”

FTW recently opened a “Florida Census Institute,” which aims to improve the accuracy of future Census Bureau surveys, such as the American Community Survey (ACS), so the state receives fair funding and equal representation as well as the data needed to foster economic growth.

Economist predicts Florida will see a recession this year - Once the lunch plates were cleared at the Economic Club of Florida’s monthly meeting, economist Jerry Parrish finally made a prediction about whether Florida is on the brink of recession. Parrish said the probability is "pretty high... about 67%... coming in late this year." But, while the Great Recession of the late aughts hit Florida harder and longer than much of the country, Parrish added the Sunshine State has what it takes to be a bright spot in the expected economic downturn. More from Florida Politics.

Average Gas Price Down 62 Cents from Summer High - After nearly hitting $5 in June, the average price of a gallon of gas in Florida has dropped by more than 60 cents to $4.27, according to AAA, The Auto Club Group. The average pump price in Florida is also now below the national average of $4.52 per gallon, the group said. Tampa Bay Times

Florida Jobless Claims Up For Second Straight Week - First-time unemployment claims increased for a second consecutive week in Florida. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday released a report estimating that Florida had 7,513 jobless claims during the week that ended July 16, up from a revised count of 7,267 during the week that ended July 9. The estimate pushed up a running four-week average of new claims in Florida from 6,560 to 6,813. Since the start of the year, the weekly average stands at 5,838. Also last week, estimated claims nationally increased by 7,000 to 251,000. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday will release a June unemployment report. The national unemployment rate held at 3.6 percent from May to June. Earlier this month, the Labor Department issued reports that showed the consumer-price index was up 1.3 percent in June and 9.1 percent over the past 12 months and that the national economy added 372,000 jobs in June.

Commentary: Let's make workplace safety a priority in Florida - According to the Florida Chamber Safety Council’s recent Florida’s Status on Health, Safety and Sustainability Research Report, in 2020, Florida’s workplace fatality rate per 100,000 workers landed at 3.08, just ahead of the United States' overall rate of 3.23. And between 2011 and 2020, Florida had a total of 713 construction fatalities. This needs to change – and such change can happen if business leaders embrace the need to develop a safety culture that emphasizes personal accountability. [Source: Herald-Tribune]

Civics Ed Program to Push Careers in Public Service - Three state colleges were awarded $6.5 million by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday to launch a civics education program aimed at preparing students for careers in public service. The program, called the Career Pathways for Public Service Initiative, will be available at Polk State College, Broward College and Florida State College at Jacksonville beginning the 2023-24 school year. All three state colleges will partner with the Florida Department of Education to implement the program. The civics academies initiative is part of the governor's larger Civic Literacy Excellence Initiative that revises civics curriculum and standards in Florida's K-12 public schools. The colleges will also work with local school districts to provide summer classes relating to public administration and offer internships and pre-apprenticeships within local governments. DeSantis emphasized that the program will provide workforce education for students interested in working for the state, in local government or those who wish to further pursue careers in law. He also said the initiative seeks to educate students about other political views, claiming some universities indoctrinate students with certain political ideologies – a talking point he's brought up numerous times when discussing "wokeism." The move follows acknowledgement by education experts around the country that civics studies have declined and a push amid increasing polarization and declining trust in political and government institutions that more effort is needed to bolster civic understanding. "It was great to award $6.5 million to create civics academies through three of our nation-leading state colleges," said the governor. "This first-of-its-kind program will teach our future leaders foundational American values as they prepare for careers in public service." DeSantis Press Release / Florida Politics / WPEC 

By the Numbers: Florida’s Youngest, Oldest Counties - Florida residents had a median age of 42.7 in 2021, but median ages varied widely in counties.  The youngest residents are in Leon County (32.1) and the oldest residents are in Sumter County, the home of The Villages at 68.3. 

Rents Still Going Up: Florida Markets Have Fastest Growing Housing Cost in Country - Rent costs in the Orlando area are growing at the fastest pace in the country, continuing a housing affordability crisis that experts fear could continue for some time. Rent in the second quarter grew by 18.7% year-over-year in Orlando, the highest percentage growth in the nation, according to CoStar. The top four markets in the nation for rent growth during the quarter were all in Florida, with Palm Beach (16.8%), Miami (16.7%), and Fort Lauderdale (16.2%) following Orlando as the fastest rising rent cities. The average asking rent in Orlando is $1,819, more than $150 above where it was in January. In June, the median rent statewide hit $1,726 per month, up from $1,408 a year earlier, according to FloridaRealtors. Nationwide, year-over-year rent growth was just above 9% in the quarter, a slower rate of growth than the 11% seen in the first quarter. Tampa, which saw rents grow by about 14%, was also in the Top 10. Commissioners in Orange County, which includes Orlando, are considering a local law to regulate rent increases, which would need voter approval under state law. CoStar / Orlando Sentinel

Inpatients with COVID-19 Near 4,500 - With subvariants of the coronavirus spreading, the number of Florida hospital inpatients with COVID-19 continues to increase. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released data Wednesday showing that 4,481 Florida inpatients had COVID-19, up from 4,322 a week earlier. The data also showed that 460 Florida patients with COVID-19 were in intensive-care units, up from 437 a week earlier. Health officials across the country have pointed to subvariants known as BA.4 and BA.5 for increasing the number of people infected with the coronavirus. The Florida Department of Health released numbers Friday that showed the state had a reported 78,245 new cases of COVID-19 from July 8 through July 14. Florida had topped 60,000 new cases in nine straight weeks and had topped 70,000 cases in six of the weeks, according to the Department of Health numbers.

Campaign and Elections …

Fried, Crist Debate Ahead of August Primary - Democrats Nikki Fried and Charlie Crist took part Thursday in the only debate of the gubernatorial primary. Abortion, guns and immigration issues – as well as Crist's history as a former Republican – were among the topics the two debated. Axios / Politico / Associated Press

—"Insults fly as Crist, Fried clash during Florida Democratic debate" via Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida

Five takeaways from the first TV debate between Florida Democrats running for governor

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article263629063.html

Donald Trump has endorsed 19 candidates for governor, but notably, the list does not include Gov. Ron DeSantis – a possible rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. 

—“Election 2022: Grim Reaper, Aramis Ayala among Democrats running for Florida Attorney General” via Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel

Will a shift in Hispanic voters' preferences prevent Democrats from winning in Florida? USA Today Network

“Aaron Bean triples Erick Aguilar’s second quarter fundraising in CD 4” via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — Sen. Bean, the presumptive front-runner in Florida’s 4th Congressional District, more than tripled Aguilar’s second quarter haul in the Republican Primary, despite Bean only raising money for one month of the quarter. Bean raised more than $346,800 during that span and spent more than $191,800. That leaves the campaign with $154,500 on hand at the beginning of July. Aguilar’s cash-on-hand advantage may not matter in the end, as he deals with the fallout from accusations he deliberately misled seniors and others in campaign fundraising solicitations. The pitch made it look like the money would go to Trump or DeSantis but instead went to Aguilar.

* Political consultants for Republican congressional candidate Erick Aguilar have dropped him following a controversy where he solicited donations for fake fundraisers supposedly for prominent Republicans and was banned from WinRed, Florida Politics reports

Anderson Will Automatically Be Elected in HD 57 - Republican Adam Anderson of Palm Harbor will automatically be elected to represent House District 57 in northern Pinellas County following a judge's ruling that knocked his primary opponent off the ballot. A local judge ruled that Austin Brownfield of Safety Harbor hasn't been a registered Republican long enough to be eligible to run as a Republican as required by a 2021 change to the law that requires candidates to have been registered in their party for a year before the qualifying date. No Democrats qualified for the general election. Brownfield argued he had previously been a registered member of the Republican Party for more than a year, which he said should allow him to keep his candidacy, but Judge Keith Meyer rejected the argument. Brownfield's name will be on some mail-in ballots that have already been printed and sent out but his ineligibility to run leaves Anderson unopposed. Pinellas County voter Ron Ogden filed the lawsuit. Tampa Bay Times / Florida Politics