FROM THE DESK OF RPOF CHAIRMAN JOE GRUTERS
Florida’s new election integrity law: Easier to vote, harder to cheat
Florida is leading the way on election integrity because we have a Governor and a Legislature willing to proactively ensure that all legal votes count.
To that end, Governor DeSantis signed into law Senate Bill 90 this morning in Palm Beach County. Florida’s new election integrity bill strengthens voter identification, prohibits the unsolicited mass mailing of ballots, bans ballot harvesting and prohibits private money from administering elections in our state.
“Florida took action this legislative session to increase transparency and strengthen the security of our elections,” Governor DeSantis said. “Floridians can rest assured that our state will remain a leader in ballot integrity. Elections should be free and fair, and these changes will ensure this continues to be the case in the Sunshine State.”
“Safeguarding and maintaining the integrity of our elections is important to all of us,” said Senate President Wilton Simpson. “We all lose when people have no confidence in the integrity of an election. That’s what we want to avoid. We don’t want to backslide. Florida was a model for the nation in November, and that is something we can all take pride in.”
The new law is a win for everyone who wants voting easier but cheating harder.
“Floridians have more options to cast their ballot than ever before. With that variety must come assurance of security, accountability, and transparency,” said House Speaker Chris Sprowls.
Legislation
Banning vaccine passports, Governor DeSantis was joined by legislative leaders and small business owners in St. Petersburg where he signed landmark legislation, SB 2006, aimed at stemming the tide of local and state government overreach.
The bill takes aim at arbitrary lockdowns and vaccine passports and enhances emergency preparedness for future emergencies. The Governor also signed Executive Orders 21-101 and 21-102 suspending all local emergency orders after July 1, at which point local orders will be permanently invalidated under SB 2006.
“Over the last year we’ve avoided protracted lockdowns and school closures in Florida because I have refused to take the same approach as lockdown Governors. This legislation ensures that legal safeguards are in place so that local governments cannot arbitrarily close our schools or businesses,” Governor DeSantis said. “In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision.
To ensure Florida children are ready for school, Governor Ron DeSantis signed new laws that will prepare our kids for kindergarten and monitor academic progress through middle school. Catching the children who need help early on will make a big difference in their educational outcomes.
The Governor signed HB 419 that makes historic improvements to state accountability for early learning programs. Additionally, he signed HB 7011 creating a statewide progress-monitoring tool to quickly understand Pre-K through 8th grade students’ academic progress in real-time and rapidly identify any personalized interventions for students that need additional support. The goal is to have 90 percent of Florida’s third graders reading on grade level by 2030.
“As a parent of three young children, I know how important it is that parents have access to high quality early learning programs,” Governor DeSantis said. “Early learning is critical for the lifelong success of our students, and supporting our earliest learners will take the guesswork out of providing personalized interventions and instruction for our vulnerable students that may be falling behind.”
Florida Update
A one-time bonus of $1,000 will be headed to 174,000 Florida first responders, including law enforcement officers, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and firefighters, after Governor DeSantis traveled to Satellite Beach, Temple Terrace and Fort Myers to announce the bonuses.
“Supporting our law enforcement and first responders has been a top priority for my administration, and it has never been more important than over the last year. As a state, we are grateful for their continued service to our communities,” Governor DeSantis said. “This one-time bonus is a small token of appreciation, but we can never go far enough to express our gratitude for their selflessness.”
“When the Coronavirus came to Florida, our first responders worked overtime to protect our communities and get people the care they so desperately needed,” said Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis. “They performed with honor and distinction during this global pandemic.”
ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHLEY MOODY
The Office of Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning residents of a potential increase in moving scams as home sales skyrocket.
Moody is issuing a Consumer Alert to help consumers avoid moving-related scams, as an increase in home sales comes with a demand for movers.
“Florida is red hot. Our low taxes, growing economy, common-sense leadership and great weather has people from all over rushing to move here. Couple all that with a booming real estate market and the potential for scams increases,” said Moody.
“If you are a Floridian buying a new house or moving here from out of state to enjoy our great weather and growing economy, be wary of moving scams. From refusing to provide a written estimate to requiring a large, upfront deposit or payment in cash, these are all red flags that consumers can look for to help them identify a potential moving scam and avoid falling prey.”
The office of the attorney general says common moving scams involve movers packing up and transporting household goods and then refusing to release them until the consumer pays an additional high fee.
Another scheme used by fraudsters, according to Moody’s office, is giving a low-ball offer to secure a moving job but then increasing the rate significantly upon arrival and threatening to avoid doing the job unless paid upfront.
Here is what consumers should do in order to avoid falling victim to these and other moving scams:
- Never sign any blank or incomplete documents or contracts;
- Obtain moving estimates and quotes from the company in writing and make sure the estimates are binding;
- Determine whether the movers will perform the move alone or if the company will be subcontracting with another carrier; and
- Beware if movers show up in rental trucks without uniformed personnel.
Moving scams can be reported to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or filing a complaint online at MyFloridaLegal.com.
