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Chairman’s Message
Governor DeSantis signs
groundbreaking school choice law
Florida’s nation-leading school choice legislation is now
law, and the parents of millions of disadvantaged Florida children
will have new opportunities to improve their children’s education and
hopes for better lives. Governor DeSantis signed House Bill 7045
Tuesday, providing historic levels of educational opportunities
through expanded eligibility for low-income students, and prioritizing
military, foster, and adopted students.
“This legislation creates historical levels of flexibility in
both schooling and educational services for millions of low-income
families and families of students with unique abilities,” Governor
DeSantis said.
“By giving parents increased options to choose the education
that best meets their child’s needs, we are giving those students
unlimited opportunity,” said Commissioner of Education Richard
Corcoran.
Highlights of the ground-breaking law include:
- Increasing individual scholarship amounts to 100% of the
state funding allocated to the child’s education, and expanding access
to Florida’s scholarship programs for more families.
- Expanding the Family Empowerment Scholarship, lifting
children in foster care, out-of-home care, or whose household income
level does not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level.
- Giving military families the ability to maximize their
school choice options.
- Expanding use of scholarship funds to cover the full
spectrum of a student’s educational expenses, such as tuition and
fees, and transportation to another public school, along with
providing for special needs of students.
Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/11/governor-ron-desantis-signs-transformational-legislation-to-expand-school-choice-options/
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While Democrats challenge our enhanced election
integrity laws, we are looking forward to 2022,
gearing up with aggressive plans for voter registration and absentee
ballot registration. Covid-related issues allowed Democrats to surpass
us in absentee voting registration in 2020, and those will still be in
effect for the 2022 cycle.
But we are organizing now to counter their advantage in that
area by working with our county Republican Executive Committees and
grassroots at the local level. More will be coming on this, including
how everyone can get involved.
Legislation
Governor DeSantis signed into law the largest
investment in Florida’s history to prepare
communities for rising sea levels and flooding. Senate Bill 1954
creates a coordinated approach to Florida’s coastal and inland
resiliency and enhances efforts to protect inland waterways,
coastlines, shores and coral reefs, which serve as invaluable natural
defenses against sea level rise.
This bill and the 2021-2022 budget are part of the largest
investment in the state’s history — more than $640 million — ensuring
state and local communities are prepared to deal with the impacts of
sea level rise, intensified storms and flooding.
The budget portion includes:
- $12.5 million for resilience projects and coral reef
protection.
- $500 million in federal funding to implement statewide
resilience projects through the Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise
Resilience Plan.
- $100 million for Resilient Florida Grant Program projects in
partnership with local communities, beginning in 2022.
“Since day one, the resiliency of our state has been a top
priority for my administration,” Governor DeSantis said.
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/12/governor-ron-desantis-signs-bill-to-further-strengthen-floridas-resiliency-efforts/
Florida
Update
Governor DeSantis urged the U.S. Army Corp to reduce
harmful discharges to northern estuaries in its
new Lake Okeechobee system operating manual. The Governor was joined
by Florida DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein and the South Florida Water
Management District Board of Directors on a visit to Lake Okeechobee
and the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers. The visit came as the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finalizes a new water control
manual.
The Governor urged the U.S. Army Corps to improve lake
management to create more beneficial releases and send more water
south during Florida’s dry season, and allow flexibility to avoid
harmful discharges in Florida’s northern
estuaries.
“In Florida, we are doing our part to expedite Everglades
restoration projects and restore the flow of water south from Lake
Okeechobee. Under my administration, we have expedited the EAA
Reservoir Project, begun constructing the Stormwater Treatment Area 12
months ahead of schedule, and invested over $2 billion in water
quality and Everglades funding,” Governor DeSantis
said.
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/10/governor-ron-desantis-urges-u-s-army-corps-to-reduce-harmful-discharges-to-northern-estuaries-in-new-lake-okeechobee-system-operating-manual/
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Governor DeSantis is honoring Florida’s law
enforcement officers this week by lighting the
Florida Historic Capitol blue during National Police Week. National
Police Week recognizes those who protect our nation and the State of
Florida, and those who have made the supreme sacrifice with their
lives to protect the freedom of others and preserve law and order in
our communities.
“In Florida, we stand behind our police officers who protect
our freedoms and defend our society – putting themselves in harm’s way
to keep our people safe and our businesses secure,” Governor DeSantis
said. “This week we honor them for always responding to those in
need.”
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/09/governor-ron-desantis-honors-floridas-police-force-during-national-police-week/
Watch here: https://spacecoastdaily.com/2021/05/watch-gov-ron-desantis-honors-floridas-police-force-during-national-police-week
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Governor DeSantis announced that more than $111
million has been awarded to 22 communities
impacted by Hurricane Michael. The Rebuild Florida General
Infrastructure Repair Program is designed to provide funding for local
governments to strategically rebuild and harden infrastructure in
order to prevent or reduce losses from future disasters.
“Hurricane Michael caused catastrophic damage to Northwest
Florida and we remain one-hundred percent committed to helping these
communities rebuild and recover stronger than before,” Governor
DeSantis said.
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/06/governor-ron-desantis-announces-111-million-in-infrastructure-awards-for-communities-impacted-by-hurricane-michael/
Governor
Ron DeSantis
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
Governor DeSantis continues to receive praise from Floridians
for his management through the pandemic. Florida parents, nurses,
small business owners, educators, hospitality workers and cruisers are
applauding the Governor’s leadership.
You can read them
here:
https://www.flgov.com/2021/05/13/what-they-are-saying-florida-parents-nurses-small-business-owners-educators-hospitality-workers-and-cruisers-applaud-governor-ron-desantis-policies/
Social
Media Highlights
REMEMBER: @FloridaGOP and retweet and share. The
Republican message must be spread around the state and you are
integral to making that happen.
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