Mayfield Minute - February 17, 2019
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This past week I had the opportunity to meet with students from Florida Atlantic University, as well as representatives of the Space Coast League of Cities, the Indian River Lagoon Council and Career Source Research Coast to discuss their legislative priorities. The upcoming week is the final Committee week before the 2019 legislative session begins. If you are traveling to the state Capitol, please stop by my office – I always enjoy seeing my constituents.
This week in the Florida Senate:
- The Appropriations Committee received an update on the current state of the citrus industry from Florida Citrus Mutual, the Citrus Research and Development Foundation and the Florida Department of Citrus. They emphasized the need to continue implementing techniques to combat citrus greening and to continue marketing efforts of one of Florida’s most iconic industries.
- The Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government met for a presentation from Florida's Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, on the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Budget Priorities. The focus of their 2019-2020 Fiscal Year priorities include Florida Forest Service emergency response, agriculture water policy coordination, plant pest and disease control, agriculture product marketing and the division of licensing and consumer protection. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) also gave a presentation on the impacts of invasive wildlife to our state. Lionfish are just one of the invasive species that have a negative impact on our native wildlife. FWC is encouraging divers, anglers and commercial harvesters to remove any lionfish in Florida waters to limit their negative impacts on our native marine life and ecosystems.
- The Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee met for an update on Sober Homes. Members favorably passed SB 184: Aging Programs to transfer duties relating to assisted living facilities to the Agency for Health Care Administration, and SB 374: Children and Youth Cabinet which expands membership to include a representative from the Florida Dental Association.
I consider it a great honor to represent all of the citizens and visitors of District 17. Please share
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Mayfield Minute
.
If you or someone you know needs my assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact my office. My staff and I are here to serve you!
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This week I
sponsored
SB 1046: Tobacco Products
, which amends the definition of Tobacco Products in Florida Statute to include all recreational nicotine products, including electronic cigarettes and liquid nicotine. This will align the definition of the above products with Federal law as outlined by The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009.
Currently, retailers that sell electronic cigarettes and liquid nicotine products do not have to comply with the same restrictions and requirements that tobacco retailers do. This bill will require the same accountability, allowing law enforcement to verify that the retail businesses are only selling tobacco products to patrons that are 18 years of age and older.
This bill will also allow the Tobacco Free Florida Campaign to raise awareness about the health effects of increasingly popular nicotine and electronic nicotine devices, like JUUL.
There has been a dramatic increase in the use of electronic cigarettes among Florida’s middle and high school students in recent years. Vaping and e-cigarette use among our youth has reached epidemic levels according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Now is the time to take action to protect our young people from all tobacco products.
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February 14, 2019 marked the one year anniversary of the tragic shooting that occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. The Florida Senate honored the memory of the seventeen innocent lives that were lost by lowering the flag over the capitol to half-staff and joining together for a moment of silence.
Governor Ron DeSantis also visited the Barbara H. Pill Law Enforcement Center in Brevard County to announce the actions he is implementing to improve safety in Florida schools. The Governor issued Executive Order 19-45 directing:
- The Department of Education (DOE) to audit all 67 county school districts to ascertain any and all types of school-based discipline diversion programs, such as the “PROMISE” program in the Broward County School District.
- DOE and the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to work in partnership to review and analyze these programs to determine whether there is adequate information or evidence available to draw a conclusion about the efficacy of these programs and their impact on school and public safety.
- DOE and DJJ to further work together to develop best-practices and consistent criteria for school-based discipline diversion programs and directs DJJ to complete and submit a report to the Executive Office of the Governor and the Legislature by July 1, 2019.
- The Commissioner of Education to reopen and extend the application period for participation in the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian program to April 1, 2019, allowing Sheriffs who wish to participate in the program the opportunity to apply.
- The Commissioner of Education to immediately communicate to all school district superintendents how to implement compliance with Florida Statutes regarding safe-school officers (school resource officers) and guardians.
- DOE to immediately take all necessary steps to provide a centralized, integrated data repository and data analytics resources to improve access to timely school safety information, by August 1, 2019 prior to the 2019-2020 school year, with the full support of the Departments of Children and Families, Law Enforcement and Juvenile Justice, and the courts.
Governor DeSantis directed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to establish threat analysis strategies to ensure that every government entity coordinates and cooperates in identifying and stopping persons on the pathway to violence from committing such acts.
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Family Promise of Brevard Emerald City 5K
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Since 2013, Family Promise of Brevard has been working to end family homelessness in our community by providing families with the support and resources they need to put themselves on a path to long-term housing stability.
Currently, there are more than one thousand families in Brevard County without permanent housing. You can help Family Promise of Brevard ensure that all families have a safe place to call home by participating in their
No Place Like Home Emerald City 5K
on
Friday, March 1st
at 6:00 PM at the Church at Viera (9005 N Wickham Rd, Melbourne). You can sign up to participate online or in-store at the
Running Zone
.
In 1992, the Florida Legislature increased taxes on real estate transactions to fund the Sadowski state and local housing trust to help subsidize rents and down payments for low-income Floridians. About $182 million was swept from the fund in the 2018-2019 budget.
I have filed legislation,
SB 70: State Funds
, which would prohibit the legislature from sweeping Sadowski Housing Trust dollars into General Revenue so that the funds may be used as intended - to support affordable housing for Floridians.
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Boys & Girls Club of Indian River County Angels Dinner
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The Boys & Girls Club of Indian River County will be hosting their
2019 Angels Dinner
on
Wednesday, March 6
at the Corporate Air Aviation Hangar in Vero Beach.
The Boys & Girls Club of Indian River County works to inspire and enable all young people, especially those in need, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. The Club serves more than 1,200 children each year through their clubhouses in Vero Beach, Sebastian and Fellsmere. While at the Clubs, kids participate in educational programming, complete their homework and can play outdoors.
Proceeds from the Angels Dinner will provide scholarships for children in need to attend the Boys & Girls Club's summer program.
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AMIKids Celebrates 50th Anniversary
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This week AMIKids celebrated 50 years of helping youth separate a troubled past from a bright future.
The program began in 1969 when Judge Frank Orlando, Chief Juvenile Court Judge in Fort Lauderdale, was frustrated at seeing the same young men come before his court on multiple occasions. He knew the boys needed more than reform school to turn their lives around, they needed comprehensive guidance and support.
Today, AMIKids offers dynamic programs and services to treat each student's unique issues, primarily focusing on education, behavior modification, and treatment.
AMIKids Space Coast, located in Melbourne, celebrated this anniversary with a graduation for two of their students. Each young man gave a speech, tearfully admitting to the mistakes they have made and giving thanks to the staff and teachers that have inspired them to change their lives and pursue careers that they are passionate about.
To learn more about how you can get involved call 321-752-3200.
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Melbourne Office
900 E. Strawbridge Ave.
Melbourne, FL 32901
(321) 409-2025
Tallahassee Office
322 Senate Office Building
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
(850) 487-5017
Vero Beach Office
Administration Building B
1801 27th Street
Vero Beach, FL 32962
(772) 226-1970
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