Legislative Update - May 19, 2023

Governor Ron DeSantis continues to crisscross the state holding press conference for his bill signing ceremonies.  Some of the bills signed this week related to education including changes to diversity programs, restrictions on sexual orientations and gender identity in schools.  He also signed a suite of bills that will prohibit or limit medical care for transgender people, prevent minors from attending drag shows and impose restrictions on which bathrooms trans people can use.  Other bills signed were related to illegal immigration and human trafficking. 

The Governor also sent support to help stop illegals from coming across the border.  The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced that its first agents and analysts were deployed to Texas this week to work on the U.S.-Mexico border.

The City of Jacksonville held elections this week.  Democrat Donna Deegan bested JAX Chamber CEO Daniel Davis to become Jacksonville’s next mayor, flipping the seat to become the first woman to hold the office. She beat back superior GOP turnout and capturing the support of NPAs.  As reporter Marc Caputo put it, she “had great name ID & ran a centrist & polite campaign w/message discipline.”  Governor DeSantis supported Davis.

Federal prosecutors in the Andrew Gillum corruption case are in the process of dropping the remaining charges against the former Democratic gubernatorial nominee after jurors deadlocked in a recent trial.  Gillum lost to Governor DeSantis

Governor …

DeSantis Signs Higher Ed Bills Targeting Diversity Programs, Teaching of Institutional Racism - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed legislation prohibiting the use of state money for diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Florida's public universities, holding the bill signing ceremony at New College, the symbolic centerpiece for the governor's effort to overhaul the state higher education system to eliminate what the governor calls "woke indoctrination" of students with liberal ideas in school curriculum and programs. The high-profile anti-DEI program bill (SB 266) also restricts teaching about "systemic racism" in certain ways, or that "racism, sexism and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political and economic inequities," in core classes, though the theories could continue to be discussed in upper-level specialized courses. The measure also expands the hiring and firing powers of university boards and presidents and requires, rather than allows, post-tenure reviews of faculty members. The governor also signed HB 931, which prohibits schools from requiring students and staff to fill out diversity statements, which the governor calls "woke litmus tests," or "loyalty oaths." He also signed SB 240, which will provide tax credits for companies that employ apprentices. DeSantis signed the measures at a ceremony at New College, a traditionally-progressive state school that became nationally known this year after the governor appointed several conservatives to its board of trustees, and ordered a makeover of the college into a "classical," college, which has a Western civilization-focused curriculum. Among the new board's first moves was to eliminate the New College's diversity, equity and inclusion office. Several students protested the governor's appearance on Monday, though DeSantis mocked the turnout, saying he was "disappointed," and "hoping for more." Tampa Bay Times / Orlando Sentinel / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Associated Press / Politico / The Center Square / Axios / Washington Post / Politico (Video)

Amid DeSantis’ war on ESG and DEI, most large public companies in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties have some form of those programs, from wealth management firm Raymond James Financial to phosphate mining giant Mosaic Co., the Tampa Bay Times reports. 

BILL SIGNING: Saying Florida will “let the kids be kids,” Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that expands a controversial 2022 law restricting instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

DeSantis Signs Law Setting Rules for Who Can Use Which Restrooms - Legislation mandating people use restrooms that align with their gender at birth in schools, jails or government buildings or face school or work discipline or potential misdemeanor charges if they refuse to leave was given final approval Wednesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The measure (HB 1521) also requires the buildings covered under the bill to have bathrooms for men and women or unisex restrooms. Under the bill, if someone suspects a person's gender doesn't match that designation, an employee could ask them to leave the restroom. In schools or cases where the person accused of being in the wrong restroom is an employee, they could face school or workplace discipline. In cases where the person is a member of the public in a government building, they could face trespass charges. Critics argued the initiative targets the transgender community but supporters noted the word "transgender" appears nowhere in the bill and instead simply aims to keep public bathrooms safe and private. Opponents also raised concerns about the enforcement of the bill, especially for transgender people who have fully transitioned since they are not excluded from the language. DeSantis said at the bill signing event that the new law ensures "women's safety." The new law is scheduled to take effect July 1. Florida Politics

Gov Signs Bills Targeting Human Trafficking - Gov. Ron DeSantis signed several bills Tuesday aimed at bolstering Florida's battle against human trafficking. Among the measures is SB 7064, which provides support for human trafficking survivors while allowing victims to sue their traffickers and recover damages from adult entertainment establishments involved in their exploitation. It also enables survivors to receive restitution from the sale of their trafficker's seized property and increases penalties for adult entertainment establishments exploiting minors, elevating the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony. Another bill (SB 1690) given final approval by the governor focuses on ensuring safe houses meet certification criteria by requiring staff at each child-sheltering facility to include at least one person trained to detect human trafficking activity and locate missing children. It also requires that age-appropriate educational programs about human trafficking be provided to children in foster care. Additionally, the new law imposes stricter penalties for hotels that fail to comply with training requirements and display signage regarding human trafficking risks. According to an investigation conducted by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel last year, nearly 6,670 hotels and other lodging establishments racked up 14,279 citations following the implementation of a 2019 sex trafficking law that aimed to protect victims. But none of the entities was actually fined by the state due to a 90-day grace period allowing hotels to fix the issues at hand. The new legislation reduces the window for compliance to 45 days and repeat offenders will be fined regardless if the violation is resolved within the new time limit. Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, who filed a similar bill during session that included the provision closing the grace period loophole, commended the bipartisan effort and highlighted that collected fines will support trafficking victims through the state's human trafficking Direct Support Organization. The third proposal (HB 1465) signed by DeSantis provides mandatory minimum sentences for human traffickers who possess or discharge a firearm during their crimes, starting Oct. 1. The fourth and final piece of legislation (SB 1210) will, beginning July 1, exempt victims of human trafficking from public records requirements when expunging their records. At the bill signing event, the governor, who was joined by Cabinet members and lawmakers, linked trafficking and federal immigration policy, taking the chance to make a campaign statement ahead of an expected White House bid. "Biden's border crisis is exacerbating human trafficking across the nation – 72% of all human trafficking victims are illegal immigrants and 60% of unaccompanied alien children crossing the border were caught by cartels and exploited for drug trafficking, or worse," said DeSantis. Although none of the proposals signed Tuesday impact illegal immigration, he signed a wide-ranging immigration bill (SB 1718) into law earlier this month that seeks to draw attention to illegal immigration issues at the Southern U.S. border and crack down on illegal immigration in the state. Florida currently ranks third in the nation for human trafficking cases, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. DeSantis Press Release / Florida Politics / Orlando Sentinel / The Center Square / Fox News / WJXT / WFLA / WPTV / WPLG 

DeSantis to Send Florida Law Enforcement to Mexico Border - Florida National Guard troops along with state troopers and other state law enforcement officers are being sent by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the Texas-Mexico border to enforce immigration restrictions this week in an effort to draw attention to federal border policy as the governor prepares to launch a bid to unseat President Joe Biden. DeSantis said the number of people seeking to immigrate to the United States is about to be "really, really bad." The White House two weeks ago ordered 1,500 extra active troops to the border region for 90 days in anticipation of a possible surge of migrants seeking to enter the country following the expiration of COVID restrictions on entries. And while there was a surge of about 10,000 migrants seeking to enter as the rule expired on Thursday, there has since been a slowdown in the number of migrants seeking to cross the border. But DeSantis said he believed the situation would worsen. "We stand by ready to help (patrol the border) because I think what you are seeing is going to be really, really bad, potentially very shortly," DeSantis said during a news conference in Broward County. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas requested the help. The move to send Florida agents to Texas to enforce federal law will include 800 National Guard soldiers, 200 Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents and 101 state troopers, along with 20 state emergency management personnel. DeSantis said state planes, boats, drones and other vehicles could be used as well. "Given the crisis at the border, Florida decided to send the cavalry," said DeSantis Communications Director Taryn Fenske. DeSantis critics said the move was aimed at increasing fear around immigration and making a political splash with conservatives. "Gov. DeSantis continues to waste taxpayer money on issues happening in other states, offering no real solutions to problems to Floridians on problems like housing affordability or property insurance," said Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando. "All he cares about is appealing to his Republican base and this is another performative example of that." The Republican governor of Idaho also said he would send police to Texas to help the state enforce border security. In 2021, DeSantis sent 50 Florida officers to the border to help with enforcement. Orlando Sentinel / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald / Axios / Associated Press / National Review / NBC News / Fox News

Congressional Democrats Urge Probe into DeSantis Police Use - Democrats in Congress are pushing for an investigation into Gov. Ron DeSantis for allegedly politicizing law enforcement. Democrats on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee want information on a partly federally-funded elections police force, and potential misuse of taxpayer dollars relating to the governor sending Florida police to the U.S. Southern border. Maryland Democrat U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey, in partnership with Democratic U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and Steve Cohen of Tennessee, sent a letter to Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, asking for a public hearing on the issue. Ivey specifically criticized the arrests made by the election police force, suggesting racial and political targeting. Last year, 20 people were arrested for voter fraud, with several saying they believed their right to vote had been restored by a 2018 constitutional amendment and in some cases said they were advised by government officials that they could cast ballots. Many of those cases have been tossed out by the courts. Some congressional Democrats also accuse DeSantis of exploiting migrants and violating civil liberties. They highlight the Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents' involvement in flying migrants from the country's Southern border to sanctuary cities, and controversial investigations, such as the suspension of Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren. The DeSantis administration defends the actions, saying they were focused on protecting Floridians and ensuring fair elections. Ivey is asking for transparency, arguing against using federal tax dollars to fund a politically motivated law enforcement apparatus. Florida Politics / Axios

TIME’s latest cover feature, featuring DeSantis peeling an orange, unpacks how the governor has manipulated the levers of power to pass a sweeping right-wing agenda, the magazine reports. 

Legislative …

“Kathleen Passidomo says Legislature had ‘cojones’ to pass controversial bills this year” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Senate President Passidomo called the 2023 Legislative Session a success because of the legislative and executive branches being in lockstep. “Some of it was controversial,” she said. “But when you think about it, a lot of the things we did this Session were things that people were thinking about, but because of political correctness, didn’t have the capacity — or the cojones, for that matter — to do it.” The Naples Republican gave her assessment at an Orlando meeting of Florida TaxWatch. She joked it was in her best interest to make a surprise visit and speak to the group. “There is a budget coming out in a couple of days, and I don’t want any of my projects to be called turkeys,” she said.

New Appointment …

“Personnel note: Alex Kelly tapped to lead Secretary of Commerce” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Kelly, a Deputy Chief of Staff to DeSantis will be named Secretary of the newly renamed Department of Commerce. The Executive Office of the Governor confirmed Kelly's appointment. He has held the Deputy Chief of Staff role in the Governor’s Office since April 2021 and previously served as Chief of Staff to then-Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran. Regarded as one of the most capable staffers in state government, Kelly served as vice president for the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a school choice advocacy group founded by former Gov. Jeb Bush, before Corcoran plucked him in late 2018.

Business issues …

AAA expects record levels of travel in Florida during the Memorial Day weekend. Around 2.4 million Floridians and about 42.3 million Americans plan to travel at least 50 miles from home. Despite the rest of the country's travel industry still recovering, demand for travel in Florida has surpassed 2022 numbers and pre-pandemic levels. The association predicts a record-breaking 2.1 million Florida residents to drive and 208,000 to fly. Gas prices in the state remain uncertain, but AAA doesn't expect them to reach last year's high. Orlando, New York City and Las Vegas are popular domestic destinations for the holiday nationwide. Florida Politics

“Disney pulls plug on $1 billion development in Florida” via Brooks Barnes of The New York Times — “Does the state want us to invest more, employ more people, and pay more taxes, or not?” Bob Iger, Disney’s chief executive, said on an earnings-related conference call with analysts last week.

On Thursday, Iger and Josh D’Amaro, Disney’s theme park and consumer products Chair, showed that they were not bluffing, pulling the plug on a nearly $1 billion office complex that was scheduled for construction in Orlando. It would have brought more than 2,000 jobs to the region, with $120,000 as the average salary, according to an estimate from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

IMMIGRATION LAW: Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson says he anticipates farmers, along with the construction and tourism industries, will face “challenges” due to recently signed legislation that targets illegal immigration.

“Florida’s money man threatens to cut ties with Bank of America, Wells Fargo” via Anna Jean Kaiser of BNN Bloomberg — Jimmy Patronis has a message for banks holding $36 billion in Florida’s cash: Drop the corporate activism or get out. The warning from the state’s chief financial officer comes after a new law was passed banning banks from holding public funds if they use social and political factors in lending decisions. Patronis said that Florida is willing to cut ties with some of the nation’s largest lenders, including Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co., that run afoul of the rules. “If we lose some banking relationships because of the direction that our state is going in right now, it may be a banking relationship we needed to reconsider anyway,” Patronis said.

Latino truckers have vowed to boycott the state of Florida after DeSantis signed a new law that targets undocumented immigrants, calling for solidarity with “our Latin American brother(s),” Newsweek reports. 

NHC tracking tropical wave moving slowly west - The National Hurricane Center is continuing to monitor the first tropical wave of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which is now moving even slower than it did Wednesday. The wave moved off the western coast of Africa earlier this week. No tropical cyclones are expected over the next seven days. More from the Gainesville Sun.

Elections …

Donna Deegan to Become Jacksonville's First Female Mayor - Democrat Donna Deegan won the mayoral race in Jacksonville, defeating Republican Daniel Davis with a 52% to 48% margin on Tuesday. Her victory comes as a welcome win for Democrats after Republicans were widely successful statewide in the 2022 midterm election. Davis had the backing of the state Republican party and was endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, and outspent Deegan. The last time a Democrat won the Jacksonville mayoral race was in 2011. Deegan emphasized "love over fear" during the campaign and expressed her desire to bring unity and healing to the city. Davis conceded and also stressed the need for residents to come together and move forward. Outgoing Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, a Republican, was barred from running again due to term limits. Politico / Florida Politics / Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville Daily Record / The Tributary / The Hill / New York Times / WJXT 

Chamberlin Elected to Represent House District 24 - Former congressional candidate and author Ryan Chamberlin, a Republican, formally secured state House District 24 in a special election on Tuesday with nearly 80% of the vote. Chamberlin only faced write-in opposition. The seat was left vacant by former Rep. Joe Harding, who resigned after being indicted on wire fraud and other charges. Chamberlain defeated four other Republican candidates in a primary race in March, and no Democrats qualified to run for the open seat. The Florida House of Representatives will now have all 120 members for the first time this year, but a swearing-in ceremony has yet to be scheduled. House District 24 covers Marion County, including Ocala. Harding, who sponsored the controversial initial measure that banned teaching about sexual orientation in early school grades, pleaded guilty in March and is set for sentencing in July. Florida Politics / Ocala Star-Banner / WCJB

DeSantis’ political operation started moving out of the Republican Party of Florida’s  Tallahassee offices into a new location yesterday, CNBC reports, and the expense of moving triggers reporting that means DeSantis is likely to announce a presidential bid within two weeks, NBC News reports. 

People familiar with the decision said DeSantis will officially enter the race for president next week as his campaign donors begin a fundraising blitz, the Wall Street Journal reports. 

Following Senate President Kathleen Passidomo’s and House Speaker Paul Renner’s endorsements, 99 Republican Florida lawmakers have publicly backed DeSantis’ bid for president, NBC News’ Matt Dixon tweets. 

Gruters on an island - To date, state Sen. Joe Gruters, a former Republican Party of Florida Chair, remains the only state lawmaker to formally endorse Trump. But with DeSantis now securing a significant majority of Republican colleagues in the Legislature, Gruters’ endorsement seems more exceptional each day.

Odd lawmakers out? - It’s much easier to list the 13 GOP lawmakers who aren’t endorsing DeSantis at this point.

That includes Sens. Ileana Garcia, Erin Grall, Ed Hooper, Ana Maria Rodriguez and Tom Wright. Some come as no surprise. Garcia, for example, founded Latinas for Trump and has a built-in association with the former President, like Gruters.

In the House, the uncommitted list includes Reps. Carolina Amesty, Mike Beltran, Dean Black, David Borrero, Demi Busatta Cabrera, Susan Plasencia, Juan Carlos Porras and Rick Roth.

Reasons for staying quiet for now may vary. Black, for example, chairs the Duval County Republican Party and has vowed to stay neutral. Borrero, the only member of House leadership not endorsing DeSantis, represents Doral, where Trump lives.

“‘Fools!’: Trump blames DeSantis for Democrat winning Jax mayoral race” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Trump is weighing in on the Jacksonville mayoral race, which saw a Democrat win just months after Republicans carried the state handily. On Truth Social, Trump said Republican Daniel Davis’ “shocker” loss to Democrat Donna Deegan came down to Team Davis courting DeSantis’ endorsement instead of that of the former President. “In a big upset, the DeSanctimonious backed Republican candidate for Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, LOST. This is a shocker. If they would have asked me to Endorse, he would have won, easily. Too proud to do so,” Trump said. “Fools! This is a BIG LOSS for the Republican Party,” Trump added. “Remember, ‘Rob’ only won because of me!!!”

“How Democrats pulled off a big upset in Florida” via Li Zhou of Vox — This week, Democrats got a rare bit of good news in Florida: For the first time in years, they flipped the mayoral seat in Jacksonville, the most populous Republican-led city in the country. Deegan’s win is a significant victory for Democrats but may not be a sign of a sea change in Florida politics. She won fairly narrowly, bringing in 52% of the vote to Republican Chamber of Commerce leader Daniel Davis’s 48%.

"10 things to know about new Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan” via C.A. Bridges of The Daytona Beach News Journal

Once the nation’s largest and most volatile swing state, Florida has lurched to the right in recent years, becoming a mecca for the GOP’s most influential luminaries and wealthiest donors, The Hill reports. 

“DeSantis tells donors Donald Trump can’t win in 2024” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis is nearing a 2024 launch, and central to his case will be the argument that Trump can’t win. That was the message he put forth on a call to donors organized by his Never Back Down super PAC Thursday. “You have basically three people at this point that are credible in this whole thing,” DeSantis told donors. “Joe Biden, Trump and me. And I think of those three, two have a chance to get elected President — Biden and me, based on all the data in the swing states, which is not great for the former President and probably insurmountable because people aren’t going to change their view of him.”

How the Pandemic Turned Florida Red - Migration data and anecdotal evidence point to the validity of the notion that as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis bristled against public health rules suggested or ordered in the face of the COVID pandemic and refused to go along, more conservative people from other parts of the country picked up and moved to Florida – bolstering the Republican grip on the state and giving a governor who had barely won election in 2018 an easy re-election win in 2022. The Hill