FROM THE DESK OF RPOF CHAIRMAN JOE GRUTERS
Statement on Our Support for Israel
Less than one year ago, the United States entered into The Abraham Accord, a joint statement between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States as a vehicle to address challenges through cooperation and dialogue in a real effort to advance longstanding peace in the region. Shamefully, Hamas is actively working to destroy the foundation of this agreement by turning growing trust into hate. The free world cannot allow that to occur.
Hamas is a terrorist group that is launching rockets onto the civilian population of Israel. The Israeli’s have every right to defend themselves against terrorists such as Hamas. It should not need reminding that Israel is the only democracy and greatest ally to the United States in the Middle East. The RPOF stands in solidarity with our Jewish friends that call Florida home and Israel especially during these deadly days of attacks against the men, women, and children of this great nation.
Florida Continues to Lead on School Choice for
Parents and Students
The Legislature has passed bills maximizing parental choice by expanding eligibility and streamlining school choice scholarship programs for students with unique abilities and students from lower income families. The Senate passed House Bill 7045, School Choice, sponsored in the Senate by Senator Manny Diaz, Jr.
“I’m pleased to see the Senate stand with Florida parents who overwhelmingly support expanding eligibility for these popular school choice programs. We know that parents are their children’s first and best educators, a fact that has certainly been highlighted over the last year,” Senate President Wilton Simpson said. “We want school choice to be an option for every family. This important legislation further streamlines our existing school choice scholarships, and expands eligibility for lower income families, families of students with unique abilities, adopted children, and children whose parents serve in our military.”
The legislation expands school choice to allow a family of four earning less than $100,000 to receive full funding for K-12 education costs at a school of their choice under an expansion of the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program. Eligibility is expanded to students who are not enrolled in a public school, students of parents serving in the military, and students who are in foster care or adopted.
The Wall Street Journal ran a terrific editorial on Florida’s school choice bill, the final line of which is: Florida is a haven for overtaxed northerners, but it’s also an education refuge for low- and middle-income families.
Holding Big Tech Accountable
Both chambers of the Florida Legislature have now approved legislation barring social media companies from de-platforming political candidates. It’s a classic free speech, anti-censorship, equal access and protection bill for all Floridians.
Republicans and free-speech advocates — and just a lot of Americans — were outraged after the sitting President of the United States, President Donald Trump, was suspended and then banned from Facebook and Twitter in January on the spurious accusation that his content had the potential to incite violence. It did not, but plenty of content that the social media platforms do allow does have the potential, and expectation, to incite violence — such as Antifa organizing on their platforms.
After the appalling, partisan ban of the President, the New York Post, Parler, and Republican candidates such as Laura Loomer, Governor Ron DeSantis called for laws stopping the social media giants from doing this again. After all, for better or worse, they are the public square now and access to them is required for free speech to flourish. Under the measure, social media giants would be forbidden to suspend the accounts of candidates for more than 60 days before an election has been resolved.
Legislation
The Florida House and Senate have agreed to a budget that is balanced, while making record investments in flood mitigation, education and leaving $6 billion in budget reserves. The 2021 General Appropriations Act prepares Florida today for a better tomorrow. In reconciling the House and Senate budgets, both sides praised the other for their spirit of cooperation throughout the process.
“Working together with our partners in the Senate, we were able to craft a budget that funds immediate needs and also long-term priorities for the future,” House Speaker Chris Sprowls said. “In the greenest budget in Florida’s history, we respond to the needs of our state in areas like flooding mitigation, state park maintenance and water quality. We provide unprecedented levels of budget reserves, make record investments in higher-education funding, fund an overhaul of our workforce system and extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from two months to a full year.”
House Appropriations Committee Chair Trumbull said: “We make smart, good-government investments into programs that provide lasting benefits for generations. From unprecedented infrastructure funding to record investments into beach re-nourishment to bonuses for teachers and front-line workers, we make the right decisions for Florida’s future.”
The $101.5 billion budget includes $6.9 billion in federal funding from Medicaid increases and federal education stimulus funds. If those funds were not included, the budget would be $94.6 billion, slightly above the $92.3 billion budget approved last year.
Florida Update
Governor DeSantis announced a historic gaming compact between the State of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The agreement will generate a minimum of $2.5 billion in new state revenue over the next five years, and an estimated $6 billion through 2030.
“This historic compact expands economic opportunity, tourism, and recreation, and bolsters the fiscal success of our state in one fell swoop for the benefit of all Floridians and Seminoles alike,” Governor DeSantis said. “Our agreement establishes the framework to generate billions in new revenue and untold waves of positive economic impact.”
Larger and more expansive than any other gaming compact in U.S. history, the agreement increases the revenue to the State of Florida from the Seminole Tribe from no revenue to over $6 billion over the next decade, with a guaranteed minimum of $2.5 billion during the first five years. Most notably, the compact modernizes the gaming industry through the authorization of sports betting in Florida through the Tribe. The agreement also provides protections for pari-mutuel operations and the opportunity to participate in sports betting offered by the Tribe.
ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHLEY MOODY
As the nation recognized National Police Week, the Attorney General used the occasion to highlight the bravery and courage it takes to be a frontline law enforcement officer. Last week, she launched a new initiative, Thin Line Tribute, to recognize all that our frontline law enforcement officers do to protect the communities they love. This new campaign is designed to honor those who dedicate their professional lives to standing on that thin line to protect Floridians.
Ashley Moody traveled around Florida to recognize some of the courageous men and women who voluntarily signed up for a life of service—those who every day wake up, put on a badge, and go out knowing the risk involved with that choice.
As the wife of a law enforcement officer, she knows personally the amount of care and commitment that goes into this noble profession. As the dangers surrounding the job seem to increase by the day, she believes it is imperative that we show our law enforcement community just how thankful we are for their decision to serve.
"They work hard to make sure Floridians, and those who travel here, are able to safely enjoy all that Florida has to offer. We owe it to our frontline officers to show them the gratitude and support they so greatly deserve. I could not be happier to begin this new initiative to do just that. I would like to say thank you to our Florida law enforcement officers for all that you do to help us build a Stronger, Safer Florida."
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HAPPENINGS
