Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, will visit Central Florida as part of the Harris-Walz campaign's "New Way Forward" tour, aiming to mobilize support and enthusiasm in key battleground states. Emhoff's visit comes as recent polling shows a tight race between Trump and Harris, with Trump leading by just two points in Florida.
Governor …
Ron DeSantis, Republicans take an early victory lap ahead of November election” via Max Greenwood of the Miami Herald — Republicans are taking an early victory lap. With a hefty voter registration advantage and total control over state government, the Republican Party rallied donors and deep-pocketed supporters at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood. The gathering — dubbed a “victory dinner” — served as an early celebration of what Florida Republicans predict will be a landmark election in November when Trump will face off against Harris. Once the ultimate battleground state where Republicans and Democrats fought tooth-and-nail for public offices up and down the ticket, Florida has lurched to the right in recent years. Saturday’s dinner focused more on the Presidential contest than the need for the GOP to rack up down-ballot wins.
DeSantis Defends Use of Election Police to Probe Ballot Signatures - Gov. Ron DeSantis said police who have been going to the homes of people who signed petitions to get a proposed abortion-related constitutional amendment on the November ballot as part of an effort to check the validity of the signatures are "doing what they're supposed to do." The petitions have been accepted and the constitutional amendment, known as Amendment 4, is set to be considered by voters. Backers of the amendment, which would ease abortion restrictions to allow the procedure up to about 24 weeks of pregnancy, have called police investigations into the signatures this late in the process an act of "election interference." It's not clear whether the question could be removed from the ballot, but the issue would likely have to go through the courts if state officials moved to strip the proposal. DeSantis has staunchly opposed the amendment. Tampa Bay Times
DeSantis Urges Action on Condo Fees - Gov. Ron DeSantis called on the Legislature to move this year to address the rise in the cost of condominium fees that has left many owners facing being priced out of their homes since new safety check and upgrade regulations were put in place after the 2021 collapse of a Miami-Dade condo tower. "We do need to do something this year," DeSantis said as he met in Miami Lakes with condo owners. "This is not something that we can put off until next March or April. I think there are a lot of looming deadlines and we have to have a plan forward to keep people in their units if that is what they want to do." Condo owners have reported being hit by sometimes six-figure special assessments and high monthly fees as their associations try to meet the new safety requirements. Many have sought to sell their units but have a hard time selling them because of the uncertainty around the fees as associations try to determine how much needs to be set aside for repairs found to be needed in newly required inspections. Condo associations are facing a Jan. 1, 2025, deadline to have an engineer inspect buildings for determining repair needs. DeSantis didn't specifically offer a detailed plan to deal with the problem, but said there are possibilities lawmakers could consider. "(Are) there ways you could potentially provide some low-interest loans, perhaps?" DeSantis asked. He also suggested the possibility of delaying the Jan. 1 deadline for some buildings. "We don't want to see people forced out of a unit because they have a crushing assessment," he said. DeSantis Press Release / Florida Channel (Video) / Miami Herald / Sun Sentinel / USA Today Network / The Capitolist / News Service Florida / Politico Pro
Legislative …
Long-Range Budget Outlook Adopted by LBR - The Legislative Budget Commission on Friday adopted a long-range outlook for the state's finances, while also approving the spending of additional funds for a number of items. The new three-year forecast for state finances outlines shrinking revenue and a potential for a looming budget deficit as the federal pandemic aid from Washington that fattened the budget over the last several years ends, while expenses have continued to grow. Tax cuts and major spending initiatives on affordable housing, health care and the environment, along with spending projections for a newly expanded school voucher program, have put the state in line for a budget deficit within the next few years, according to the report. State economists project an estimated $2 billion surplus in 2025, but forecast the state could see a deficit of as much as $2.8 billion in 2026 and nearly $7 billion a year later depending on budget decisions made by state lawmakers and what happens in the economy. The head of the state's economic forecasting office noted that retiring Baby Boomers are driving up health care and other costs. "We have to acknowledge that fiscal strategies are going to be needed," Baker said. Florida Channel (Video) / CBS Miami / LobbyTools 2024 Budget Materials
GOP Lawmakers Silent on Amesty Indictment: Florida Republican legislators have declined to say much about the indictment of Rep. Carolina Amesty, who has vowed to fight charges of forging a document. Orlando Sentinel
Business …
Small Businesses Struggling to Fill Positions Despite Low Unemployment Rate - The National Federation of Independent Businesses reported in August that 40% of job openings nationwide remained unfilled, up from 38% in July. In Florida, the July unemployment report highlighted 433,000 job openings, surpassing the number of unemployed residents. The state has also maintained a lower unemployment rate than the national average for 45 consecutive months, with July's rate at 3.3%, nearly a full percentage point below the U.S. rate of 4.2%. According to the NFIB report, which used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 62% of small business owners hired or tried to hire new or replacement employees in August – up by five points in July. "The August jobs report highlights the crucial challenge of finding qualified workers for Florida's small business owners," said NFIB Florida Executive Director Bill Herrle. "For small businesses to grow and strengthen the economy, they need a productive workforce to reach their full potential." Florida Politics
AAA: Florida Gas Prices Plummet as Oil Market Declines: Florida gas prices are rapidly declining after U.S. crude oil prices hit their lowest point since June 2023, according to AAA – the auto club group. Concerns over global economic conditions and a potential oversupply of oil have driven the drop. "Declining oil prices lowers the cost of producing gasoline," said AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins. "Unless oil prices reverse course, gas prices should move even lower." On Sunday, the state's average gas price fell to $3.16 per gallon, the lowest since February. This is a 15-cent drop from last week, 24 cents lower than last month, and 47 cents less than the same period last year. The highest price recorded in 2024 was $3.64 per gallon, while the state's all-time high hit $4.89 per gallon in June 2022. "Currently about 23% of Florida retailers have prices below $3 a gallon," noted Jenkins. "That number is likely to grow this week." U.S. oil prices closed at $67.67 per barrel on Friday, down 8% from the previous week, after trading above $80 per barrel just a month ago. The West Palm Beach-Boca Raton area remains the most expensive for refueling at $3.35 per gallon, while the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach region offers the current cheapest gas prices in the state at $2.88 a gallon. AAA Press Release / WKMG / Miami Herald / Florida Politics / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Floridians saved hundreds of millions of dollars in renewable tax credits for 2023 - Floridians saved hundreds of millions of dollars last year by switching to renewable energy or by making their homes more energy efficient through tax rebates from the federal Inflation Reduction Act. Aug. 16 marked the two-year anniversary of the IRA, which is the largest federal investment in clean energy and climate action. [Source: Central Florida Public Media]
Small businesses finding it tough to fill open jobs at workplaces - Florida has witnessed a long streak of lower unemployment than the national figure. However, small business employers in the Sunshine State and other states say they are having a tough time filling open positions at their businesses. The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) reports that in August, business owners across the U.S. said they could not fill about 40% of all the job openings they have listed. More from Florida Politics.
“Inflation cooled in August, keeping the fed poised to cut rates” via Jeanna Smialek of The New York Times — The overall Consumer Price Index climbed 2.5% in August from a year earlier, a notably cooler pace of inflation than July’s 2.9% and down sharply from a peak of 9.1% back in 2022. However, the number that was getting attention from Wall Street on Wednesday was a monthly “core” measure. That gauge shows how much prices picked up between July and August after stripping out food and fuel prices, which can be volatile. And it ticked up to 0.3%, slightly more than economists had expected. The details made that move necessary: It came as a measure of housing prices proved surprisingly stubborn. Shelter costs make up a big chunk of overall inflation, so if they are not cooling as expected, they could prevent the pace of price increases from returning fully to the Fed’s goal.
COVID …
COVID-19 Deaths Top 4,100 - More than 4,100 Florida resident deaths this year have been linked to COVID-19, with the reported total jumping during the past two weeks. Data posted Monday on the Florida Department of Health website showed 4,143 deaths, up from 3,598 reported about two weeks ago. The number of deaths also was up from 2,972 reported at the beginning of July and 2,740 in early June. This year’s pace of deaths, however, is lower than during the past four years. The pandemic hit the state in 2020. That year, Florida had a reported 23,349 deaths, according to state data. The number jumped to 39,871 in 2021, before declining to 21,301 in 2022 and 8,438 in 2023. This year, Miami-Dade County has had the most reported deaths, with 408. It is followed by Palm Beach County with 320 deaths and Pinellas County with 241.
Campaigns and elections …
State GOP Suspends Manatee Executive Committee: The entire Manatee County Republican Executive Committee was suspended by state party officials following the filing of dozens of grievances against county party leadership and a break-in at the party's local headquarters. State party chairman Evan Power said the local organization was beset by infighting. Florida Politics
GOP Voter Edge at 1.026M - The Republican Party of Florida held a registration advantage of 1.026 million voters over the Florida Democratic Party as of Aug. 31, according to data posted Tuesday on the state Division of Elections website. The data showed the Republican Party with 5,385,554 "active" registered voters, while the Democratic Party had 4,359,354. Another 3,544,576 voters were registered without party affiliation, while 390,220 were registered with third parties. Democrats historically led in voter registration in Florida, but Republicans overtook them in 2021 and have steadily added to the margin. Republicans hold all statewide offices and dominate the Legislature and the Florida congressional delegation. The Democratic Party has contended that the registration totals are misleading because they don't include people classified as "inactive" voters, who remain eligible to cast ballots.
Polls Show Dems Gaining in Florida: A Morning Consult poll released this week showed Vice President Kamala Harris trailing former President Donald Trump by 2 points in Florida, where Democrats have struggled in recent years. The poll was taken before Tuesday night's debate between the two presidential candidates. Democrats also have taken heart from a survey released last week by The Hill and Emerson College that showed Democratic former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell trailing incumbent Republican Sen. Rick Scott by 1 point – though most other polls have shown a 4- to 5-point gap between them. The Hill
“Critics blast Florida’s Amendment 4 website as unlawful ‘taxpayer-funded political ad’” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration launched a webpage Thursday that blasts Amendment 4, proclaiming that existing Florida law “protects women” while the initiative enshrining abortion rights into the state constitution “threatens women’s safety.” The top of the webpage states, “Florida is protecting life/ Don’t let the fearmongers lie to you.” Lower down, it reads, “We must keep Florida from becoming an abortion tourism destination state.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, along with Democrats, disagreed, saying the approach runs afoul of a law barring the use of state resources for political campaigning. “This kind of propaganda issued by the state, using taxpayer money and operating outside of the political process, sets a dangerous precedent,” Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said in a statement. “This is what we would expect to see from an authoritarian regime, not in the so-called ‘Free State of Florida.’”
Officials Accused of Abusing Power in Opposing Abortion Measure - A lawsuit filed Tuesday accuses Florida officials of abusing their power in opposition to a proposed abortion rights ballot initiative and is asking the Florida Supreme Court to intervene. Palm Beach County attorney Adam Richardson argues the state's "actions aim to interfere with the people's right to decide whether or not to approve a citizen-initiated proposal to amend their Constitution, free from undue government interference," according to the legal filing. The constitutional amendment, known as Amendment 4, would allow abortions up to about 24 weeks of pregnancy. Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and Jason Weida, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, are named in the filing. Richardson highlights a new webpage created by AHCA that criticizes the amendment, claiming it "threatens women's safety." The agency also funded a television ad directing viewers to the site. DeSantis recently defended the agency's actions, stating they provide important and accurate information to the public. The suit also points to how the governor's Faith and Community Initiative has reached out to religious groups, organizing a call with Attorney General Moody called "Your Legal Rights & Amendment 4's Ramifications," aimed at discussing the legal and societal implications of the abortion measure. Moody, an outspoken opponent of the amendment, is collaborating with Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, a Christian ministry, in these efforts. Additionally, though not mentioned in the lawsuit, the DeSantis Administration has recently directed law enforcement to re-check the validity of some signatures of citizens who signed the petition for the ballot initiative. But it's not clear whether the state could get the measure off the ballot at this point since the statutory deadline to challenge the measure has passed. While opponents claim the effort is a form of voter intimidation, the Florida Department of State justified the move, citing evidence of potential fraudulent petitions. USA Today Network
GOP Rallies for Trump, Against Amendments: Florida Republicans held a "victory dinner" and rally over the weekend in South Florida touting the state as a bulwark of conservatism that will help deliver the presidency to GOP candidate Donald Trump. Gov. Ron DeSantis noted that in relatively recent presidential elections, Republican candidates were on "a razor's edge" in a swing state. "Well now, we've got over a million more registered Republicans than Democrats," the governor said. DeSantis also used his speech to criticize two proposed ballot initiatives he is opposing, one that would expand abortion rights in the state and another that would allow non-medical use of marijuana. GOP leaders said the state will have a massive ground game to get out the vote in a bid to avoid complacency in a state considered in the bag by national Republicans. Miami Herald / Politico Playbook
High Court Considers State's Racial Redistricting Requirements - Lawyers for voting rights advocates urged the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday to find that a new congressional district map pushed by the DeSantis Administration is in violation of a state provision that prohibits drawing districts that would diminish the ability of minorities to "elect representatives of their choice." The previous congressional district map included a North Florida district that was drawn for minority access – and voters in that district had sent Black Democrat Al Lawson to Congress. But the new map split that district into several others, which resulted in white Republicans winning all of North Florida's seats in Congress in 2022. DeSantis and the Legislature that ultimately put the new map in place argued, however, that the old districts amounted to a racial gerrymandering that violated the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause, drawn as it was to try to assure a large number of voters in the district would be Black. During oral arguments on the case on Thursday, Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz questioned whether the Florida Constitution's "Fair Districts Amendment," which includes the state requirement that minority representation not be diminished in redrawing districts, can continue to be enforced given the conflict. With the Fair District Amendment requirement, 'it seems like we're just sort of setting up sort of a head-on conflict, or at least the possibility of a conflict, with the Equal Protection Clause just on its face," Muñiz said. The current district is in use for the November election – but the court's decision would affect the map for future elections. The case is Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute et al. v. Secretary, Florida Dept. of State. Politico / Florida Politics / Florida Phoenix / News Service Florida / USA Today Network / The Tributary
FDLE Announces Arrest for Submitting Invalid Petitions: A Georgia man was arrested on a Florida warrant earlier this month for allegedly submitting more than 70 invalid constitutional initiative forms supporting Amendment 3, which would allow non-medical marijuana use in Florida. Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials said Colton Brady, 34, of Fayetteville, Ga., was arrested on Sept. 5 following an investigation by the FDLE's Election Crime Unit. FDLE also said 17 people have been charged with fraud involving various amendment petitions following its investigations. The charges for those 17 people are related to marijuana, casino and abortion initiatives and involved more than 34,000 petitions - which were invalidated, the FDLE said. FDLE Release / Orlando Sentinel
Healthcare Related Articles
DeSantis pledges to invest even more into growing Florida's nursing workforce - Gov. Ron DeSantis is pledging more money in the coming fiscal year to help grow Florida’s nursing workforce. The governor says the state has already invested nearly $400 million in two programs created by lawmakers in 2022 to help graduate more nurses from Florida schools. [Source: Health News Florida]
Governor says nearly $400M in nursing education investments is paying off” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — DeSantis took a victory lap at a news conference in Daytona Beach, celebrating nearly $400 million in nursing investments over the last three years to educate and train nurses, the central nerve in the health care delivery workforce. On Tuesday, DeSantis, whose mother was a nurse, said there are more than 3 million registered nurses in the state. But he said that isn’t enough to gird the workforce against a growing and aging Baby Boomer population. DeSantis committed to funding two education programs to increase the state's working nurses. One program is called PIPELINE, an acronym for “prepping institutions, programs, employers and learners through incentives for nursing education.” The $100 million program rewards colleges and universities for nursing education programs based on student achievement and student success.
Florida’s physician assistants want to practice primary care independently: What to know about Pas - Also known as physician associates, PAs see patients in primary care practices and urgent care centers and work for specialists, including cardiologists and pediatricians. They help fill a gap in Florida caused by retiring doctors and a smaller pipeline of medical students available to cater to the state’s aging population. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
New funding coming to Florida to help keep women alive in childbirth” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Omari Maynard thought life was great when his partner Shamony came home from the hospital with a baby boy, their second child. Shamony died two weeks later from a pulmonary embolism, a pregnancy complication. Maynard now has two small children to care for and speaks out often to let single fathers whose partners died from childbirth know they are not alone. Losing a loved one from childbirth complications is more common than many realize. A five-year average shows that 24 women per 100,000 births in Florida died during pregnancy, delivery or shortly after delivery. Research shows the vast majority of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Only a year ago, the state’s high death rate triggered the Florida’s Hospital Association to issue a statewide call to action urging hospitals to play a more decisive role in reducing the incidence of maternal death in Florida.
Fla, Other States Face Medicaid Coverage Issues Attributed to Deloitte Errors - Florida is grappling with issues in its Medicaid eligibility system, operated by private contractor Deloitte, that have led to lapses in health care coverage for some of the state's most vulnerable residents. Deloitte, which manages eligibility systems for 25 states, has faced criticism for errors that have taken years and significant funds to fix. In Florida, a glitch in the system cut off Medicaid benefits for new mothers, despite state and federal approval for 12 months of postpartum care. Deloitte acknowledged the error but disagreed over whether it constituted a "defect." The case is part of a broader class-action lawsuit, accusing the state of improperly notifying beneficiaries before removing them from the safety-net program, which advocates argue have caused gaps and delays in coverage among beneficiaries. Deloitte's contract with Florida requires extra hours and costs to address these issues, raising concerns about the effectiveness and financial efficiency of the system. As the state works to address the challenges, similar problems in other states like Michigan and Tennessee have come to light, showcasing a national issue with Deloitte-run systems. KFF Health News
Rising Costs a Concern for NICA Program - The state program that provides funding for families of children born with catastrophic brain injuries is spending more than it is bringing in, and could face financial troubles without a new infusion of money, the Miami Herald reported. The Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association, or NICA, underwent a restructuring in 2021 with wholesale leadership changes that led to the agency seeking to put the needs of families above the concerns of health providers and insurers, and has been generally praised by parents of the children who are compensated by the program, which provides lifetime medical care. But the program's projected liabilities for lifetime care of participants – about $1.6 billion – exceed the fund's $1.4 billion in reserves. The program is funded by participating obstetricians, who pay fees into the fund in exchange for protection from lawsuits when children are born with brain damage, often because of oxygen deprivation. Other licensed doctors also pay smaller amounts into the fund, as well as hospitals that have maternity wards. NICA then bolsters the fund by investing the money paid in. The program is taking in $36.8 million in assessments each year, but spending $72 million, Executive Director Melissa Jaacks said at a NICA board meeting last week. "We are sitting on a lot of cash," Jaacks told the Miami Herald. "We could live on that cash for a long time. But somewhere down the road we will run out of cash." Jaacks also told the board that the program is close to hitting a statutory financial threshold for closing the program to new claims. Miami Herald
Obesity is weighing down Florida’s economy. How to shrink the numbers” via Talia Blake of the Central Florida Public Media — A new report by Global Data shows that obesity cost Florida $30.1 billion in 2022 ─ impacting $2.15 billion of the state budget or 4% of fiscal year revenue. Randall Croom, associate professor of management at Stetson University, said that’s a significant amount of money every Floridian should pay attention to. In addition, the report shows obesity and being overweight in 2022 cost Florida $2.8 billion in health-related absenteeism and disability costs. As employers fund insurance, Croom said, obesity also takes a toll on who can work. Croom said there are some low-cost solutions, and he applauds Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila for his efforts. The Mayor’s Fitness Challenge invites residents to various fitness activities, like conditioning with the Pine Ridge High School JROTC, cycling, power walks, etc. “There are all these great things that people can do at a local level,” said Croom. “There's no need to think that this is going to be something that is going to be horrible and painful, or even particularly costly.”
Tampa General strengthens partnership with USF Health with $162M investment” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine have become quite a power couple — a relationship further strengthened with the influx of $162 million from Tampa General. The historic investment in academic medicine will enhance integration across the two organizations and deepen their commitment to excellence in quality health care. The more than $162 million that Tampa General will direct to USF Health in 2025 is roughly $100 million more than what TGH invested in its university affiliate just over five years ago. “Through our collaborative efforts at Tampa General and USF Health, we are transforming the health care landscape. Together, we have expanded our world-class teams, launched new cutting-edge initiatives, adopted innovative technologies, and disrupted old care delivery models,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital.
Bankruptcy judge approves sale of Brevard, Indian River hospitals to Orlando Health [Orlando Sentinel] A bankruptcy judge Tuesday approved the sale of three hospitals in Brevard and Indian River counties to Orlando Health. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez issued an order approving the sales of Melbourne Regional Medical Center and Rockledge Regional Medical Center in Brevard County and Sebastian River Medical Center in Indian River County. Orlando Health agreed to pay $439 million in cash to buy the hospitals from Steward Health Care, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May
Broward Schools Suing Pharma Over Insulin Costs: The Broward County school district, which is self-insured and pays for the health care of its employees, is suing several drug companies and pharmacy management companies, alleging they have colluded to keep the price of insulin high, leaving the district with inflated health insurance costs. A district official told the school board at a recent meeting that it has spent about $26 million on insulin to help employees manage diabetes over the past seven years. WLRN / Sun-Sentinel
“Health Network One earns 2024 Great Place To Work® certification” via the South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report — Health Network One is proud to announce that it has been Certified™ by Great Place To Work® for 2024. This prestigious award is based entirely on feedback from current employees, with an impressive 91% of Health Network One employees affirming that it is a great place to work — 34 points higher than the average U.S. company. “We are beyond excited to become Great Place To Work-Certified™, said Lillian Crespo, VP of Human Resources at Health Network One. “At Health Network One, our employee experience is our top priority. We celebrate this achievement with deep gratitude for every team member who has contributed to making our company a truly great place to work.”
Fentanyl, Synthetic Cathinones Deadliest Drugs in Fla Despite Drop in Drug Deaths - Drug-related deaths in Florida decreased in 2022 overall, but fatalities involving synthetic cathinones increased, according to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission's 2023 interim report. The report found that the occurrences of and deaths attributed to synthetic cathinones, particularly N,N-Dimethylpentylone, increased by more than 100% last year. These synthetic stimulants, which mimic the effects of cocaine, methamphetamine, or ecstasy, were linked to a growing number of deaths. An example of synthetic cathinones are bath salts, otherwise known as flakka. In South Florida alone, at least 118 people died in 2023 from or with synthetic cathinones in their system, primarily in Miami-Dade County. Many of these deaths involved a combination of cathinones, cocaine, and fentanyl, the latter being a highly potent opioid often unknowingly mixed with other substances. Despite a slight decline in overall drug-related deaths, fentanyl remains Florida's deadliest drug. In the first half of 2023, more than 2,500 people died from fentanyl overdoses, including over 580 in South Florida. Palm Beach and Broward counties reported some of the highest fentanyl death tolls statewide. Officials warn that users may be unaware of substances laced with fentanyl, leading to accidental fatal overdoses. In 2018, Florida lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill (HB 21) into law allowing dealers to be charged with murder if they sell fentanyl to someone who subsequently overdoses and dies. Sun Sentinel
IG Finds Gainesville VA Hospital Misused Baker Act: A report from the VA Office of Inspector General revealed significant lapses in care at Gainesville's Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, leading to the wrongful involuntary detention of Marine veteran Jordan Hunkin under Florida's Baker Act. Hunkin, who sought voluntary mental health treatment, was improperly detained and later died by suicide. The report found errors in the Baker Act paperwork and a lack of mandatory training for staff. The investigation followed complaints from fellow Marine James Hobby, who criticized the VA for its handling of the case. The VA has since pledged reforms, including mandated training and clearer procedures for involuntary admissions, with hopes to implement changes by November. The report noted broader issues with compliance and documentation, finding inconsistencies in 15% of involuntary admissions over the past year. The case highlights ongoing struggles within the veteran community regarding mental health care, with concerns that the VA's handling of such cases is pushing veterans "over the edge," according to Hobby. WUFT
Fla Rep to Lead Congressional Hearing on Chronic Health Care Costs: U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, will chair a congressional hearing titled "Investing in a Healthier America" on Sept. 18, focusing on chronic disease prevention and innovative treatments. Florida Politics / X
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