Chairman’s Message –

Even CNN acknowledges Governor DeSantis’ successes

There is no denying the glaring truth anymore: Governor Ron DeSantis’ policies of protecting Floridians’ personal freedoms, businesses, jobs and health during the pandemic have been an incontrovertible success.

No less of a media opponent than CNN has acknowledged this with an accurate story of the Governor’s successes. Here is their shockingly positive lead:

After a year of criticism by health experts, mockery from comedians and blistering critiques from political rivals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is standing unabashedly tall among the nation’s governors on the front lines of the coronavirus fight.

“Everyone told me I was wrong,” DeSantis, a Republican, said in a fundraising appeal on Tuesday, drawing attention to his defiance against the pandemic. “I faced continued pressure from radical Democrats and the liberal media, but I refused to back down. It’s clear: Florida got it right.”

As many parts of the country embark on an uneasy march toward normalcy, Florida is not only back in business — it’s been in business for the better part of the past year…”Those lockdowns have not worked. They’ve done great damage to our country,” DeSantis said.

Of course the story includes the normal tut-tutting from political opponents who urge policies that have flatly failed in other states. But when CNN concedes this truth, backing it up with statistics that have been apparent for months, it’s pretty much case closed.

Read it here: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/17/politics/ron-desantis-covid-florida/index.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm

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While many blue state governors are still keeping people locked down or threatening to do so again, and President Biden talks disconnectedly about maybe having a BBQ in your backyard by the Fourth of July if we all do what we’re told, Governor Ron DeSantis was having a beer during Bike Week in Daytona. Because we’ve been having BBQs for nearly a year, Mr. President.

What a difference a Governor makes!

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As Chairman of the Republican National Committee’s Election Integrity Committee, I want to report that the Committee is making rapid progress. We have four Subcommittees meeting weekly and the full Committee also meeting weekly. We are investigating what went right and what went wrong in 2020, creating model legislation for our states, developing best election operations procedures, determining the integrity of various voting machines and more. The RNC has devoted significant staffing in support of our work.

This will not be a long, drawn out process. The Committee is temporary and I hope to have our first recommendations out to our state leaders in a few months. We must ensure that we have a level of integrity in our elections that all Americans can have faith in.

COVID-19 Update

Governor Ron DeSantis outlined how to best use a portion of federal funds the state is expected to receive through the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package, which provides $195.3 billion to the states.

The Governor’s recommendations include providing assistance to Floridians in need, and making major investments in critical areas such as infrastructure, education, and workforce development to continue Florida’s rapid economic recovery.

A top priority of the Governor remains the support of pandemic first responders. The Governor’s recommendations include a one-time $1,000 direct payment to full-time sworn law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians. The Governor also is recommending money to modernize the reemployment assistance system to correct critical design flaws and improve the service.

To bolster Florida’s already strong recovery, the Governor is recommending over $500 million for economic development and recovery initiatives. The Governor’s recommendations also take important steps to invest in Florida’s infrastructure, resilience, and readiness. Finally, the Governor is recommending $185 million for workforce training and research initiatives.

Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/03/16/governor-ron-desantis-announces-federal-stimulus-budget-recommendations/

Florida Update

Governor DeSantis announced the Civic Literacy Excellence Initiative, a $106 million proposal to make Florida a national leader in civics education. The Governor is urging the Florida Legislature to fund this by using the state portion of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund provided through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation (CRRSA) Act.

The Civic Literacy Excellence Initiative emphasizes the development and support of high-quality civics education, rewards Florida teachers who participate and builds on the success of the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative.

“A high-quality education begins with a high quality curriculum, which is why I remain laser focused on developing the best possible civics education standards,” said Governor DeSantis.

Governor DeSantis took direct aim at President Joe Biden after the president’s national address, saying forcefully, “I am not going to let him lockdown Florida.”

The Governor was responding to a portion of the speech where the president implied we may need to shut things down again if cases start increasing. But Governor DeSantis has been protecting Floridians’ freedoms, businesses, jobs and health by keeping Florida open for business. He said, “to even contemplate any sort of lockdown…that’s insane.”

The Governor also wondered about the president’s stated goal of holding small gatherings by the Fourth of July. “We’ve been doing that for over a year in Florida,” Governor DeSantis said.

This week, Senator Rick Scott sent an open to letter to governors and mayors across the United States urging them to commit to reject and return any federal funding in excess of their federally-reimbursable COVID-19 related expenses. This commitment will serve the best interests of hardworking American taxpayers and send a clear message to Washington: politicians in Congress should quit recklessly spending other people’s money.

Senator Scott’s letter comes as Congressional Democrats passed President Biden’s massive, partisan and wasteful $1.9 trillion “COVID” spending package without a single Republican vote in support. This bill dedicates less than 10% of its funding to actually fight COVID-19 and raises the federal debt to $30 trillion.

Also this week, Senator Rick Scott sponsored:

The Sunshine Protection Act to make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent across the country;
A resolution to condemn Communist China’s actions to militarize the South China Sea, applaud the United States Navy and Coast Guard for their efforts to ensure freedom of navigation operations, and send a clear message that the United States will not tolerate Communist China’s extension of power in waters beyond its legitimate territorial sea boundaries;
The Fighting Oppression until the Reign of Castro Ends (FORCE) Act which would prevent President Joe Biden or Secretary Antony Blinken from removing Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List; and
The Banning Operations and Leases with the Illegitimate Venezuelan Authoritarian Regime (BOLIVAR) Act which holds Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro accountable by prohibiting federal agencies from doing business with anyone that supports the oppressive Maduro regime.

Sen. Rick Scott: I’ll Never Stop Fighting Against Washington’s Dysfunction

Senator Rick Scott released the following statement after Senate Democrats voted to pass their massive and wasteful $1.9 trillion “COVID” spending package, of which less than 10% actually goes to help fight COVID.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Washington is completely dysfunctional. I’ve said all along that I want targeted relief for families and businesses suffering from the pandemic. That’s why Republicans just spent the entire night trying to work with Senate Democrats to get something done that will actually help Floridians and Americans across our nation who are still struggling due to COVID-19. But that’s not what the Democrats wanted. This was never about helping the American people. Instead, they’re using trillions of American taxpayer dollars, under the guise of COVID relief, to fund their liberal priorities and pay back their blue state Governor pals. They really should be ashamed of this political theater.

“Our nation is $28 trillion in debt. With the passage of this bill, Senate Democrats have increased the debt to $30 trillion, knowing that they and President Biden have no plan to address it or its devastating consequences for American families. At this rate and the direction Democrats are taking us, there is no way our nation will ever be able to pay off this unsustainable debt without significant change. It’s time to get serious about what this means for our nation moving forward. I will never stop fighting to ensure accountability to American taxpayers and get Washington’s insane spending under control.”

Sen. Rick Scott Urges Florida Congressional Delegation to Vote Against Wasteful $1.9 Trillion “COVID” Spending Bill

Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the Florida Congressional Delegation urging them to vote against President Biden’s massive and wasteful $1.9 trillion “COVID” spending package which now heads back to the U.S. House of Representatives following its completely partisan passage in the Senate last week. The $1.9 trillion spending package dedicates less than 10% of its funding to actually fight COVID-19 and raises the federal debt to $30 trillion.

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Democrats Block Sen. Rick Scott’s No Budget, No Pay Proposal

As Democrats pushed their massive $1.9 trillion “COVID” spending bill that includes billions for wasteful liberal priorities, Senator Rick Scott fought against Washington’s dysfunction by securing a vote on his No Budget, No Pay proposal, which requires Congress to meet appropriations bill deadlines, or forgo their own salaries until the job is done.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Washington’s dysfunction is at an all-time high, and that was on full display as Democrats delayed voting all day so they could push their massive, wasteful and partisan $2 trillion spending package in the middle of the night. It’s clear Democrats don’t want to work with Republicans to get things done, but I will never stop fighting to make Washington work for the American people. Today, my No Budget, No Pay amendment received a vote on the Senate floor, which says if members of Congress cannot work together to pass a budget, they should not get paid.

“I grew up in a poor family, and I’ve been blessed to live in this country and enjoy the opportunities it provides. I’ve owned a business and I can tell you that in the business world, if you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid. There’s no reason members of Congress shouldn’t be held to the same exact standard as the American people. If they can’t do their most basic job, they shouldn’t get a taxpayer-funded salary. Accountability shouldn’t be controversial. It’s ridiculous that my Democrat colleagues would block a simple measure to make sure they do their jobs, but I’ll keep fighting to get this common-sense proposal passed.”

Sen. Rick Scott Applauds Biden Administration for Granting TPS Status for Venezuelans Fleeing Maduro’s Ruthless Dictatorship

Senator Rick Scott released the following statement applauding action taken by the Biden Administration to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Venezuelans fleeing Nicolas Maduro’s murderous regime. For years, Senator Scott has been calling for a long-term solution for the TPS program, and has twice pushed legislation on the Senate Floor to extend to TPS for Venezuelans who came to the United States to escape Maduro’s regime. Last month, he sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas outlining his priorities for DHS, including TPS for Venezuelans.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans are fleeing the violence and starvation of Maduro’s socialist regime and the United States must stand with them. For years, I’ve been calling for this action, as well as a long-term solution for TPS and I applaud the Administration for heeding my calls to grant TPS for Venezuelans. I have tried to pass legislation on the Senate Floor multiple times that would immediately grant TPS to Venezuelans and make much needed reforms to the program, but Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked it. Today’s announcement builds on President Trump’s action to give temporary legal status for Venezuelans through the Deferred Enforced Departure program, and is great news for the Venezuelan people. We must continue to do everything in our power to save Venezuela from this tyrannical dictator.”

FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

The Governor’s Executive Order to expand on the population eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine will go into effect on March 15th. The Executive Order 21-46 and 21-47 expansion includes:
Long term care facility residents and staff
Persons aged 60+
Healthcare personnel with direct patient contact
K-12 school employees aged 50+
Sworn law enforcement officers aged 50+
Firefighters aged 50+
Those deemed extremely vulnerable will need to present a signed form that can be found at this link: (bit.ly/3qbHLb4). It may then be taken to a pharmacy, physician, APRN, or to one of the 4 FEDERAL vaccine sites in the state (Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville) to receive a vaccine. Please note…the Department of Health-Collier County cannot provide the vaccine.

ONE NAPLES: At our March 1st meeting, Commissioners voted 4-1 to change zoning from Commercial to Residential. Some have expressed disappointment with the vote… but that’s the great thing about democracy… multiple viewpoints. However, I would hope informed citizens would look at the ENTIRE body of work of any elected official, their qualifications, and experience.

I went into the One Naples Commissioner meeting totally NEUTRAL. I was fully accessible and met with BOTH sides for months, went to the site MANY times as a Commissioner doing the homework required for this vote…and well before as a resident.. and did my homework from all angles to ensure I walked into the Commissioner meeting prepared… but also NEUTRAL and ready to hear closing arguments by all interested parties. It’s unfortunate some of the press and social media mischaracterized what actually happened at the vote. The “last-minute changes” by Stock Development were NOT some big shocker that threw everything into a tailspin and needed the vote to be delayed. In fact, the changes were ALL improvements the County and the opponents of the project were asking for.

I COMMEND “SAVE VANDERBILT BEACH” SUPPORTERS FOR INFLUENCING STOCK DEVELOPMDNT TO MAKE EVEN MORE/ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.

THE CHANGES
Reduced the number of total residences from 172 to 140
Cut the size of its towers AGAIN… this time from 14 stories to 12 (had been 16 previously to that)
With the further decrease in stories–the actual height of the towers now dropped from 186 ft to 165 (Ritz Carlton is 215)
Decreased the zoned height of its mid-rise residential buildings from 65 ft to 55
Increased the setback distance of the parking structure supporting the towers from 15 ft to 25
Limited the number of boat slips from 99 to 75 (and those still need approval)
Pledged almost $3 Million for improvements in safety features to upgrade County parking garage, add traffic lights, crosswalks, bike & walking paths, and turn lanes
I also gave Anita Jenkins (County Director of Planning & Zoning) a chance to reply at the podium for the last word (at the end of the meeting and before any vote) asking her if she and her staff needed more time, more details, or even another day to digest everything. She said NO… they commonly get changes and additions all the time–and they are dynamic & agile enough to adjust and respond… and had everything they needed… especially when the changes were ALL items the County was looking for. District 2 Commissioner Andy Solis (who has the One Naples property in his District) was also a leading supporter of the vote. Changing the zoning from commercial to residential was the right decision for multiple reasons. We have plenty of commercial areas in our County that create exponential increased traffic issues and also have many out of business stores that clearly were excessive and built in the wrong areas and create more problems than solutions. We don’t need more of that.

I respect opposing views but certainly it’s not shared by everyone. Some citizen characterizations of greed & money controlling all, certainly doesn’t describe my integrity or anything I use to guide my decisions or votes when it comes to serving in this position. As a retired Air Force Colonel, Air Force Academy graduate, and having served my country for 24 years… the intellect & integrity I use to make informed decisions, is well intact. Quite a bit of what residents enjoy in this community (maybe even where you live) were protested by plenty of people over the years. Then in the end after it was built–citizens enjoyed their beautiful piece of paradise even more.

There is a BIG difference between “development” and IMPROVEMENT… and I know the difference. If you’ve been to the One Naples parcel, you will find that the beach is beautiful, but the surrounding area has been neglected for quite a while in many areas. Not sure another series of strip-malls would be a major improvement… and that IS what was coming. Many argued they would love another “Mercato” there… but if you have visited Mercato lately–you’ll see almost half the stores are out of business… most before Covid even hit. Not sure that’s improvement.

I encourage you to drive down US 41 in my District 1 (East Naples) and see the multitude of storage units, overabundance of gas stations, and other structures that are either falling down or never should have been built. That’s the District I am now working so hard to reverse & improve that I inherited three months ago when I was elected.

One Naples construction does NOT start tomorrow the way many think. There are more plans and details Stock Development must meet and we must approve. We will ensure tight oversight of the project and ensure the next steps are met or exceeded… or denied. We are quite far from having Stock Development put a shovel in the ground. We voted to convert zoning from commercial to residential… if One Naples continues to move forward with more detailed designs–we must approve or deny, ensure it’s built correctly, adds to the area, and is a success.

Thank you to those who reached out to me… both for and against One Naples. I’m glad you all are following my efforts and are engaged and concerned citizens. I welcome all to continue to follow my service as a full-time County Commissioner, the progress we are making addressing long-overdue neglected areas in District 1, and the thousands of other responsibilities on a Commissioner’s plate. I would hope citizens would continue to watch my voting record, integrity, qualifications, experience, and leadership. Remember… I’m ALWAYS available for constructive, healthy, professional, and mature conversation. We may disagree on One Naples, but I encourage citizens to continue to track my actions, record, & results. We have many years of neglect in District 1 and our County in quite a few areas… I look to make progress with continued citizen feedback & support… even if we don’t agree on everything.

What We’ve Been Up To In Tallahassee

Committee Votes

Session has officially kicked off! This past week I’ve attended my committees and voted on several bills. This first section of the newsletter is dedicated to showcasing the bills I’ve voted on, what they are about, and how I voted on them.

HB 241 – Parents’ Bill of Rights

This bill aims to prevent the state from infringing upon the rights of parents to direct their child’s upbringing. HB 241 requires that school districts adopt policies to promote parental involvement, that parents must provide consent before any identification information for their child is collected, that health care practitioners and their employees have parental consent before performing health care services on their minor child, and that parents are notified when a state actor (such as a teacher) suspects a child is the victim of a criminal offense (except if it is reported to DCF).

The committee voted 13-7 in favor of the bill passing. I voted up on HB 241.

HB 1 – Combating Public Disorder

This bill is a response to the violent riots and disorderly protests that have been occurring across the nation. The majority of the bill serves to increase criminal penalties to individuals or groups who cause damage to any person or property while rioting. HB 1 has several other changes to law that all work to ensure the safety of our officers, our businesses, and the public.

The committee voted 10-5 in favor of the bill passing. I voted up on the bill as it protects our communities, our businesses, and our police officers while safeguarding the role of peaceful protests in our republic — peaceful demonstrations.

Bill of the Week:
HB 1505 – Consumer-First Workforce Systems

Getting to Work

This week I had the honor of presenting my first bill in committee: The Consumer-First Workforce System Bill (HB1505)! Thank you to Chair McClain for allowing the bill to be heard in committee and to my colleagues for a unanimous passing vote!

HB 1505 requires CareerSource Florida, the DEO, DOE, and DCF to collaborate and create a single Workforce Information System so that consumers can access services from multiple agencies through one site. This streamlines consumer’s ability to register for workforce training and pre-qualify for benefits all in one location.

This bill also tackles apprenticeships. For instance, this bill requires that the DOE reports data on earnings from those who participate in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. This data collection will provide invaluable insights on the effectiveness of such programs.



Tuesday marked the Opening Day of the 2021 Legislative Session. The Florida Senate heard from Senate President Wilton Simpson on his priorities for our state. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules, I had the honor of making a motion to convene for a joint session with the Florida House or Representatives to hear the Governor’s State of the State Address.
Our top priority this year is to support Floridians through the COVID-19 pandemic and on to recovery. It is crucial that we pass measures for businesses and health care workers to operate safely and without the threat of frivolous lawsuits. We must also update laws to reflect what we have learned this year and ensure our government is able to swiftly and effectively respond to the next crisis, and that includes codifying some of the measures Governor DeSantis implemented as Executive Orders into law. In addition, we must evaluate some of the systems that did not meet our expectations, including Florida’s Reemployment Assistance Program, and determine how to ensure this will function properly and meet the needs of our state through the next economic downturn.
While COVID-19 is at top of mind, we can’t neglect our responsibility to provide the basic services that government should for its citizens. Our children’s education is of utmost importance, and we must ensure that our schools have the resources to support their learning needs and that families have choices when it comes to pursuing the education path that is right for their children.
The safety of our communities is also a prime responsibility of government, and the men and women in law enforcement who sacrifice so much to keep us safe have my full support.
Finally, our environment demands our attention. Florida is rich in beauty and natural resources, and we must do everything we can to protect it. Florida’s landscape is what attracts many residents and businesses to our state, and the protection of our environment is important to our economy.
Over the 60-day session, I will strive to serve you well and ensure our state is in better shape than ever. In the words of President Simpson, “Inaction is unacceptable.”