By Florida Senator Baxley

Session is now over halfway done!

We have been hard at work the past five weeks ensuring good public policy makes its way to the people of Florida.

So far, we have passed out of the Senate SB 192, which clarifies that elected officials are allowed to ride to functions together and participate in fact finding missions without violating Florida Sunshine Laws.

We have also worked on SB 1048 which deals with Church Protection. This bill will allow churches to authorize concealed weapons permit holders to carry on church property for the purpose of protections. We want to empower law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and others and stop violent crime.

We are working to helps veterans with SB 328, which would direct the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to create a veteran ID card for veterans who have been honorably discharged. This will allow veterans an easily accessible proof of service to show to discounts and fee waivers.

Behind the scenes, we have worked to remove provisions that would have swept the Consumer Protection Trust fund for Preneed sales in the Division of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services. This will ensure that consumers have protection should the contracted funeral service go out of business prior to the execution of the preneed contract.

We want to thank you for all the support and correspondence we have received from constituents while we have been in Session. It’s good to stay involved! It’s your government!

PARKLAND, Fla. – Following the tragic shooting at Marjory Douglas High School in Parkland yesterday, Governor Scott has continued to be briefed by law enforcement and emergency management officials and has remained in communication with state leaders to ensure all state resources are made available. The Governor has also spoken with President Trump, the Department of Homeland Security and local school officials. Governor Scott remains in Broward County and additional details regarding the Governor’s schedule will be made available throughout the day. Governor Scott also announced that he will be organizing meetings with state and local leaders in Tallahassee next week to discuss ways to keep Florida students safe, including school safety improvements and keeping guns away from individuals struggling with mental illness. [Read more…]

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued the following statement regarding the tragic death of Brevard County Sheriff Deputy Kevin Stanton during a traffic accident Saturday Morning:

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Deputy Kevin Stanton and my heart breaks for his family, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and our entire law enforcement community. Law enforcement officers wake up every day not knowing what dangers lie ahead—yet they still choose to serve. Deputy Stanton died a hero, and our state is better because of brave men and women like him.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued the following statement on unanimous approval of HB 21 by the Health & Human Services Committee. This approval means HB 21 will now be heard on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives.

“The national opioid crisis is devastating our country and Florida is fighting this crisis head-on. This legislation represents our state’s continued efforts and commitment to tackling this epidemic and save lives. Thank you, Representative Boyd, for sponsoring this life-saving legislation and making this mission one of your top priorities.”

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.––Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Florida Department of Law enforcement today announced the arrest of Ralph Alonso Everett Jr. and Isaiah Lewis, both from Miami, for allegedly organizing a scheme to steal teachers’ identities to collect unemployment checks. The defendants are responsible for losses to the State of Florida of more than $50,000.

With the assistance of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, law enforcement officers identified patterns of suspicious reemployment assistance claims being deposited into numerous bank accounts connected to the subjects. The investigation identified more than 100 employees associated with 65 different school districts as targets for reemployment [Read more…]

I would like to thank Governor Rick Scott and President Donald Trump for working tirelessly to make schools safe for students. This week I joined Governor Scott and President Trump in two separate roundtable discussions about protecting students in Florida and nationwide—but we are not just talking. Action is imminent.

We must keep weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill. Threats against students have to be aggressively investigated. Schools need more resource officers now. I am working closely with leaders in the House and Senate on all these issues and more to ensure action this legislative session.

We need to amend Florida’s Baker Act to allow law enforcement officers to take guns away from mentally ill people the courts have deemed a threat. Florida needs a Gun Violence Restraining Order to keep weapons out of the hands of people who might enact the type of terror we saw in Parkland last week. My office is working with law enforcement on developing a secure-reporting app to allow students to anonymously report concerning behavior. [Read more…]

PARKLAND, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott made the following statement regarding the FBI’s admission that they failed to take action after receiving information on January 5, 2018, regarding “[Nikolas] Cruz’s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting.”

Governor Scott said, “The FBI’s failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable. The FBI has admitted that they were contacted last month by a person who called to inform them of Cruz’s ‘desire to kill people,’ and ‘the potential of him conducting a school shooting.’  [Read more…]

This week, I met with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and our great federal partners in Tampa to discuss strategies to combat the national opioid crisis claiming lives in Florida. We work constantly with the DOJ, FBI, DEA and our great state and local law enforcement agencies to capture and prosecute drug traffickers smuggling deadly heroin and fentanyl into our state.

My office is also aggressively investigating major manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioids, and will soon be selecting an outside counsel to advance our efforts. This national epidemic has casted its shadow on too many cities across America and far too many families have felt the devastating effect of addiction. That is why we must fight this crisis on multiple fronts. [Read more…]

Words cannot express the heartbreak and sorrow felt by students, teachers and parents in Parkland, Florida. This week a cowardly teenager, full of hate and bent on murder, entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and opened fire.

His actions killed 17 and wounded many more. Law enforcement and first responders arrived at the school quickly. Police escorted students to safety and arrested the shooter. I gathered my victim advocates and immediately headed to the scene. [Read more…]

(NAPSI)—Recent research suggests drivers may be behind the wheel of more than 325,000 previously flooded vehicles. That’s a 20 percent increase from 2016 and a stark reminder to consumers to do due diligence when used-car shopping.

One Woman’s Story

“I bought a car last year and the seller never told us anything about it being a flood car,” said Charlene Geiger from Pennsylvania. “When we got home and ran a Carfax, there it was—a flood car from Hurricane Sandy. It showed that the seller bought it as a salvage car and the title was washed when he brought it to Pennsylvania. We lost $16,000 over all of it.”

Where To Be Most Wary

Vehicles reported as flood damaged by a state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), insurance companies and more have washed up in every state. These 10 have the most: [Read more…]