Legislative Update - July 7, 2023

Governor …

DeSantis Net Worth: $1.17M - Gov. Ron DeSantis reported a personal net worth of just over $1.17 million for 2022 in a newly released disclosure, more than triple what he reported last year thanks to money he was paid for his recent book. The new disclosure includes the advance the governor received from a publisher for his recently released book "The Courage to Be Free." DeSantis reported an income of $1.25 million for the book advance, in addition to his salary of $141,400.20 as governor. Last year DeSantis reported net holdings of just under $400,000. Orlando Sentinel / Florida Politics / New York Times / Business Insider / CNN

“DeSantis’ Florida crime claims based on incomplete data, records show” via Weihua Li in the Tampa Bay Times — When DeSantis announced his bid for the presidency on Twitter Spaces last month, he touted Florida’s low crime rate as a proud accomplishment. “Claiming that Florida is unsafe is a total farce,” DeSantis said. “I mean, are you kidding me? You look at cities around this country, they are awash in crime. In Florida, our crime rate is at a 50-year low.” But his statement rests on patchy, incomplete crime data. About half the agencies that police more than 40% of the state’s population are missing from figures the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) used for a statewide estimation. Participation in national data collection is even lower.

A nonprofit citizens group has sued DeSantis and other state officials, contending a newly passed law that created the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority made up of DeSantis appointees violates the state and U.S. constitutions, Bloomberg reports. 

Attorney General …

Moody Joins 24 Other States Challenging EPA Proposed Electric Car Rules - Attorney General Ashley Moody and two dozen attorneys general from across the country sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency challenging its proposed rules on tailpipe emissions. The EPA proposal aims to increase electric vehicle sales from 8.4% to 67% by 2032, a move the attorneys general group believes is impractical, harmful and misguided. The AGs argue it would impose taxes on families and businesses and jeopardize national security, and claim the plan would forcefully phase out gas-powered vehicles. "This latest radical regulatory push by the Biden administration represents a top-to-bottom attempt to restructure the nation's automobile industry and forces Americans to rely more heavily on foreign adversaries like China that provide the minerals needed to manufacture electric vehicles," said Moody. The average electric vehicle sold for $61,448 at the end of 2022, according to Moody. Attorneys general in other states that have signed onto the letter include those in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. Moody Press Release / Florida's Voice

Legislature …

› Lakeland's Jennifer Canady chosen to be Florida House Speaker for 2028-2030 term  [Lakeland Ledger]
In her first session as a Florida legislator, Rep. Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland, sponsored two of the session's most significant bills, showing that she carried the trust of the Republican leadership. Canady has now gained the support of her fellow freshman members. House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, announced Friday that Canady had been designated as House speaker for the term starting in 2028, assuming she is re-elected three more times and Republicans retain their decisive advantage in the Florida House

Business …

Florida a leader in lists of where residents want to leave, and move - It's no secret that people flock to Florida. Between its beaches and warm climate, there's a reason why it was the number one state that people moved to in 2022. Yet, Florida gets a lot of flack too — raised rents, recent unruly hurricane seasons, and constant political turmoil complete with controversial new laws. After a study by moving company SelfStorage, new research revealed that Florida topped the lists of states that Americans want to move to and relocate from according to Google search data. More from Florida Today and the Fort Myers News-Press.

Florida Lists Out-of-State Licenses Invalid Under New Immigration Law - The DeSantis Administration on Wednesday released a list of the out-of-state licenses that are now invalid in Florida under a new state law putting several restrictions on immigrants in the country illegally that passed as SB 1718 earlier this year and went into effect on July 1. The list, now included on a Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website FAQ page, includes some licenses issued by Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Vermont. The particular licenses now invalid for use in Florida are special classes of driving licenses issued by those states, at least some of which are intended to be used by people who don't have legal residency documentation only for driving, and aren't valid for other purposes, such as identification for voting or to satisfy other federal identification purposes. "FLHSMV and its division of the Florida Highway Patrol are prepared to strictly enforce Senate Bill 1718," Highway Safety Executive Director Dave Kerner said in a press release. "This legislation supports two of our primary goals: to enhance homeland security and to interdict criminal activity. It communicates our state policy that Florida will not provide incentives to undocumented immigrants, while reminding criminal cartels and those who are planning to unlawfully cross our national border that Florida should not be their destination of choice." According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 19 states and the District of Columbia issue some kind of driver's license to people living in the country illegally. DeSantis Press Release / USA Today Network / Axios / Florida Politics / Florida Phoenix / The Center Square / Action News Jax / NBC 6 / Fox News

A survey by the University of Florida's Survey Research Center shows Florida residents are becoming more hopeful for the economy's long-term future. The monthly survey results showed a rise in optimism for the nation's economic conditions in June for the second month in a row, reaching the highest level since October 2021. Factors such as easing inflation and the Federal Reserve's decision to forgo increasing borrowing rates led more than 500 of those surveyed to be more positive about the country's financial status. Leading economists from banks like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase have also lowered their odds of an imminent recession. The survey indicates consumer confidence in national economic conditions, personal finances and willingness to make big-ticket purchases. While respondents expect long-term economic improvement, their outlook for the next year remained largely unchanged. Florida Politics

General revenue tops projection in May -  General-revenue tax collections topped expectations by about $100 million in May, while state economists pointed to “subpar” savings by Floridians. The Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research released a report Friday that said the state collected $4.251 billion in general revenue in May, $99.9 million more than had been forecast. By comparison, general revenue topped expectations by $384.8 million in April and $167.7 million in March. 

JOBLESS NUMBERS : Unemployment claims in Florida remained relatively low last week, as consumer sentiment improved for a second consecutive month.

The impending catastrophe: Florida property owners compelled to reduce insurance coverage -  Florida’s property insurance crisis is worsening despite recent legislative efforts. The cost of property insurance with windstorm coverage has significantly increased, and coverage amounts have been reduced. As a result, many property owners are choosing to forgo windstorm coverage, which puts their financial well-being at risk, especially with the 2023 hurricane season now upon us. [Source: Miami's Community News]

As Florida Sees Massive Growth, Planners Look at Water Availability - Florida is still the nation's fastest growing state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and the communities the newcomers are moving to need to provide water for residents. That required amount of water is growing, and some communities worry about the effect of rampant growth on their ability to adequately keep the taps open. There's plenty of water underneath the state, but bringing it up from underground, treating it to make it drinkable, and piping it to homes and businesses is increasingly difficult and expensive. "I think the water's there," said Zephyrhills council member Steve Spina, who has pushed for a one-year moratorium on new construction in the Pasco County town, hoping to reduce water usage after the community came close to exceeding its maximum allowed water use this year. "It's just that, are we going to have access to it, with the growth we're getting? Or do we have to change how we play the game?" Washington Post

Armed with a new U.S. Supreme Court opinion, the Biden administration this week argued that an appeals court should reject a Florida legal challenge to federal immigration policies, the News Service of Florida reports.

PFAS …

About half of all U.S. faucets contain at least one form of PFAS, or "forever chemicals," which can cause cancer and other health problems, according to a government study published this week by the U.S. Geological Survey. PFAS are man-made synthetic compounds used in items such as nonstick cookware that break down very slowly over time, causing them to remain and build up in humans, animals and the environment. The chemicals have been found to contaminate drinking water in cities, towns and private wells. The study tested tap water from 716 locations nationwide, finding PFAS in about 45% of samples. The most common types were PFBS, PFHxS, PFOA, and PFOS. Officials recommend private well users to test their water and consider installing filters. While PFAS regulations are currently being proposed, companies can still legally release them into public wastewater systems. Associated Press / NPR

Elections …

ELECTIONS LAW : Saying the case “arises from Florida’s latest assault on the right to vote,” a federal judge blocked parts of a new elections law challenged by voter-registration groups

“Florida GOP will require DeSantis, Trump to sign loyalty pledge to make Primary ballot” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO — DeSantis and Trump are finding that the price to make the 2024 Florida Primary ballot is going up. All GOP candidates will have to pledge their loyalty to the eventual Republican nominee to make the March 19 Primary, a contest that could tip the balance of the crowded race since Florida’s contest is a winner-take-all Primary. This is a notable change from 2015, when multiple candidates, including two from Florida, were running for President. The Republican Party of Florida approved the change at its executive board meeting held in mid-May and included the new provisions in an updated version of its bylaws that it filed with state election officials but have not been widely distributed.

DeSantis raised $20 million since he started running for president May 24, his campaign team announced, more than any other non-incumbent candidate raised in more than a decade, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

The governor and his allies say their campaign is built for the long haul and there will be plenty of time to draw contrasts with the front-runner Trump, particularly in the debates, USA TODAY reports. 

DESANTIS CAMPAIGN : After saying he would eliminate the U.S. departments of Commerce, Education and Energy, as well as the Internal Revenue Service, DeSantis still has not explained how his administration would otherwise do those agencies’ jobs.

Two Top Epidemiology Positions Open at DOH - Two top officials at the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Epidemiology, including the head of the bureau, have left their positions in recent months, leaving the two critical positions responsible for tracking and preventing the spread of communicable diseases vacant. The former bureau chief, Clay Weiss left his job to take a position at the Department of Corrections. Another job, the administrator of the bureau's surveillance division, has been vacant since March when Thomas Troelstrup left to take a private sector job. NBC News 

“Over 3 in 4 Americans contracted COVID by end of 2022, a CDC review of blood data shows” via Isabelle Butera of USA Today — More than three in four Americans over the age of 16 had contracted COVID-19 by the end of 2022. New federal data from testing roughly 143,000 blood donors nationwide found that 77.5% of surveyed individuals had seroprevalence, or COVID-19 antibodies, from infection before the start of 2023. This number varies sharply from the number of reported COVID-19 cases, which stood at 30 cases for every 100 people at the end of 2022, per the CDC. Seroprevalence grew significantly in 2022, with an estimated 48.8% of blood donors that have infection-induced antibodies as of Feb. 15, 2022, per the CDC. That number increased to an estimated 58.7% by May and 70.2% by August, before eclipsing 75% by the end of the year.

“Health department reports 2 more cases of locally acquired malaria in Sarasota County” via Anne Snabes of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Department of Health reported an additional two cases of locally acquired malaria in Sarasota County, bringing the county’s total to six cases. Sarasota and Manatee counties have been under a mosquito-borne illness alert since June 19. County and health officials are encouraging residents to protect themselves from mosquitoes, including by applying bug spray, avoiding areas with large mosquito populations, and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants at nighttime. The two additional cases were reported the week of June 25-July 1, according to a report. Sarasota County has been experiencing an outbreak of locally acquired malaria, which means that the individuals contracted malaria from mosquitoes in the Sarasota area — not from insects in another country.

Emergency Masking Rules Updated - Under new emergency rules proposed this week by the Agency for Health Care Administration in partnership with the Department of Health, Florida doctors' offices and hospitals will no longer be allowed to require masks for all visitors, patients or employees. The rules, 64DER23-6, 64DER23-5, 59AER23-2 and 59AER23-1, outline the circumstances in which facial coverings can be required and the opt-out provisions that must be offered. Earlier this year, lawmakers passed and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill (SB 252) that keeps in place restrictions on face masks and COVID-19 vaccine mandates, among other things. Under the new law, businesses, government agencies and schools are permanently barred from requiring anyone to wear masks or get vaccinated, which backers of the plan say amounts to discrimination. Additionally, the measure requires state health regulators to create guidelines for masks in medical facilities. The Legislature passed an initial ban on vaccine and mask mandates in 2021, but that law expired on June 1 of this year, when the new law took effect. The new guidelines say patients may only be required to wear masks in common and waiting areas if they have symptoms or an infectious disease. Visitors may also need to wear masks in sterile areas or when visiting a patient with an infectious disease or compromised immune system. The opt-out provisions vary for patients, visitors and employees based on specific situations. Violations of the rules could result in disciplinary action by the agencies’ regulatory boards, including the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine. Florida Politics

Supreme Court Changes MedMal Appeal Rule in Win for Providers - An opinion and a rule change issued Thursday by the Florida Supreme Court give hospitals and medical providers a win, with the court deciding providers can immediately pursue medical malpractice appeals in certain cases involving the qualifications of witnesses, which are set out in law as a prerequisite to the pursuit of a malpractice claim. While the justices rejected a motion to dismiss a claim against a University of Florida hospital, the court also issued a related decision changing the procedural rules in such cases. Florida Politics / Bloomberg Law / Florida Supreme Court: UF Board of Trustees et al v. Laurie Carmody / Florida Supreme Court: In Re: Amendment to Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.130 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will reduce funding to states for child vaccination programs due to a recent federal debt ceiling deal. The budget cut may lead to incomplete reporting on vaccinations and affect programs that address at-risk communities. CDC officials linked the reduction to the rescinded federal money allocated for COVID-19 response and the removal of $400 million in funding for the fight against sexually transmitted infections. Childhood vaccination rates, including for diseases like measles, polio and tetanus, have dropped by about two percentage points since the 2019-20 school year. Health experts warn that local health departments serving low-income families may face additional budget cuts, amounting to reductions of about 10% or more of their previous year's award. KFF Health News 

The federal Food and Drug Administration on Thursday gave full approval to the first treatment that modestly slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The new drug, Leqembi, was developed by Eisai and Biogen. Medicare also committed to covering the treatment. Leqembi showed the ability to slow cognitive decline in clinical trials, but it comes with a high price tag of $26,500 a year and significant risks such as brain swelling and bleeding. New York Times / Washington Post / CNBC / USA Today / CBS News / TIME / NPR

State Medical Licensing Boards Approve Trans Care Rules - The Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine have approved emergency rules related to gender-related medical care following a new law banning treatment for minors and restricting access for adults in the state. The Florida Board of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine's Joint Rules and Legislative Committee on Friday agreed on an emergency rule allowing transgender minors taking puberty blockers or hormone therapy to continue for an additional six months. The new rules also include "informed consent" forms that some say contain controversial language questioning the efficacy and safety of gender-related care. Many experts and speakers at the meeting opposed the rules, arguing that they contradict established research and medical consensus on the benefits of gender-related treatments, going against recommendations made by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association. The new forms include language saying gender-related care "is purely speculative, and the possible psychological benefits may not outweigh the substantial risks of medical treatments and, in many cases, the need for lifelong medical treatments," and that "medical treatment of people with gender dysphoria is based on very limited, poor-quality research with only subtle improvements seen in some patient's psychological functioning in some, but not all, research studies." In May, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 254, directing state health regulators to put new rules in place and providing criminal penalties for doctors violating requirements related to gender care. The approval of the emergency rules on Friday implements the requirements of the law. Last month U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle struck down a state law and agency rules that barred Florida from using Medicaid funding to cover gender-related medical care, finding they violated federal health care laws and the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. He also issued a temporary injunction, blocking the ban on gender-related medical care for minors. Both rulings only apply to medicines that treat gender dysphoria, not gender-related surgeries, and only affect the group of minors whose parents filed the lawsuits while the legal battles continue. The DeSantis Administration is currently appealing those two recent rulings. News Service Florida / Tallahassee Democrat