Florida Policy Institute

Last legislative session, FPI and other advocates in labor and child welfare fought hard to preserve the limits on hours, curfew, and days that teens can be made to work during the school year. That resulted in the Legislature passing a less harmful version of HB 49 than what was originally proposed in the 2024 session, though FPI remains opposed to any rollbacks. This session, the Legislature seeks to chip away at these eroding protections even further. SB 918/HB 1225 (2025) go beyond what HB 49 originally proposed (allowing employers to schedule 16- and 17-year-olds for unlimited hours and days without breaks) and target protections for many youth under age 16 as well.

Florida would have to increase the state’s general sales tax rate to 12% if property taxes — which account for roughly $43 billion in revenue — were eliminated and replaced with higher consumption taxes. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eKNH6-8s

Today, The U.S House of Representatives will vote on budget proposals that will require devastating cuts to Medicaid. House Republicans are targeting at least $880 billion in spending cuts that would strip health care from seniors in nursing homes, low-income children and parents, and people with disabilities. Medicaid is a lifeline for nearly 4 million Floridians, including: over 2 million children (approximately 40% of all of Florida’s kids), more than 700,000 seniors and 350,000 disabled adults. Take action today and call your member of congress at 866-426-2631. Tell them we don’t want cuts to the Medicaid program. If you need a script: "Hello, I'm a constituent in _____ (add your organization affiliation if allowed), and I’m urging Representative (XXX) to vote NO on any attempt to gut ObamaCare, Medicaid and SNAP. These programs are essential for millions of families, seniors, and people with disabilities. Please protect our healthcare!" Join us to protect Medicaid Today. #Medicaid #Florida #Congress #Vote #Handsoffmedicaid Florida Policy Institute

NEW: Florida lawmakers would have to increase the state’s general sales tax rate to 12% — the nation’s highest — if they were to eliminate property taxes & replace them w/higher consumption taxes, as per the latest report by FPI's Esteban Santis, PhD.

Proposals advancing in Congress to cut over $1 trillion in funding for critical health, nutrition, education, and environmental programs could have significant consequences for Floridians. With millions relying on Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and other essential services, these cuts could threaten health care access, increase food insecurity, and strain local economies. From seniors and children to working families, the impacts would be felt across the state. Read Florida Policy Institute's latest blog about these issues and the impacts for Floridians at the link. https://lnkd.in/e_RKFpxU

Join our very own Alexis Tsoukalas, MSSA/MSW, PhD for an Immigration Townhall alongside our partners at NASW- Florida Chapter

Join NASW-FL for an Important Immigration Townhall! Immigration policies are rapidly evolving at both federal and state levels. With recent executive orders and Florida's TRUMP Act, social workers must understand the impact on immigrant communities and available resources. This town hall will feature Alexis Tsoukalas (Florida Policy Institute), Mel Wilson (NASW Social Justice & Human Rights), and Pedro Serrano-Mejia (NASW-FL Legislative Chair), who will provide updates, policy insights, and actionable steps for advocacy. Register now:?https://lnkd.in/ejH5dtzm

Today is EITC Awareness Day! Enacting the Working Floridians Tax Rebate, a state-level version of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, would provide real tax relief for Florida families with low to moderate income. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eKatGbAp

Ensuring tuition fairness for Dreamers has generated millions in revenue for our state. Florida lawmakers’ plan to eliminate in-state waivers would mean that institutions, as a whole, could lose out on nearly $15 million in tuition and fees. Read more in FPI’s recent blog post from Alexis Tsoukalas, PhD, and Esteban Leonardo Santis, PhD: bit.ly/TuitionFairnessFL

Thank you to my colleagues at Florida Policy Institute for this insightful look at the costs of ending tuition fairness in Florida not just to our students, but to the financial outlook of our higher learning institutions. "Eliminating the waivers would mean Florida’s institutions, as a whole, could lose out on nearly $15 million in tuition and fees, plus additional losses from locking Dreamers out of economic opportunity and Florida’s economy losing skilled labor."