I'm hitting send as I get in the car to head back to Tallahassee for the first of our 2022 Session's committee weeks!

Before I left, I had a GREAT time meeting the students at the International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics (IIOP, not to be confused with IHOP the pancake place because while awesome, they did not have pancakes, which is a topic I'm only slightly still bitter about... but I digress) earlier this week! They are the state's largest school for prosthetists and they help our Veterans get moving again.

It's a really cool master's level program that combines engineering, manufacturing, and medicine. These are the folks who fit Winter of Dolphin Tale and countless of our returning wounded warriors. I'm excited to work with them this upcoming session!

On Thursday, I had a meet and greet with about a dozen local teachers from across the district to talk about the new school year, the proposal to end the FSA standardized assessment, and the new COVID protocols. One thing is certain, our schools, teachers, and students are being pushed to the breaking point and we need our state to step up and help.

One thing that comes up again and again also is mental healthcare in our community. Crisis hotlines and Baker Acts have marked incredible surges since the pandemic began so I went out to GracePoint to see our communities' central receiving unit for Baker Acts in Hillsborough County. It was a great visit, and I was able to see some of the actions we took on juveniles last year paying fruit while still focused on the struggles before us.

Also this week, I've been working on finalizing a few bill ideas (teaser teaser), met with the interim USF president while getting to hear Florida A&M's band for the first time (incredible), and an INCREDIBLE tour of Space Florida that I already e-mailed you about before the SpaceX Inspiration4 launch and recovery.

Ok, gotta hit the road now. But, while I'm driving do reply with any bill ideas you'd like me to consider this year, topics you've heard about that you want me to push back against, and any other ways we can make Florida a better place, together.

Onward!