03-04-25 President Trump to Address Congress
03-04-2025 @ 08:00 AM
Good morning:
Thank you for the notification.
We are very upset, we have attended meetings religiously, we have provided support to the group to ensure Town wide awareness, we have reached out to other communities, we write to the Legislation in Tallahassee and to other Municipalities and the County...
But something is horribly wrong with the issues of Blasting
A. Reviewing last year's trip to Tallahassee we discover that the video of the workshop where they heard the issues to include miners present during the workshop is no longer available... That was paid by taxpayer dollars in so many ways that it is a violation of our rights to remove a video that had a link that worked and thank GOD I recorded everything that happened otherwise we would not have a record of it...?
Now, a workshop takes place in Miami Lakes, where many issues were discussed but at some point, a property owner during public comments makes statements that many in the room were uncomfortable with, yet many in the room agreed 100% with the fact that our rights are violated by enacting a Florida Statute that precludes us from filing a lawsuit in Circuit Court...
So... to have a video without sound is absolutely appalling...
Will write to Mayor Dieguez, council and Blasting Advisory Board Members that plan to travel to Tallahassee to ask they?DEMAND that access to the video of 02-06-2024 be made available AGAIN to the public at large
Thank you for responding, I sincerely hope our technical IT group can figure out how is it ever possible that something that was recorded, where microphones were used, where the sound was coming through the TV monitors now there is no sound recorded...?
Look forward to notification that sound is linked to the video, thank you
The video starts 00:12 with ‘Amy, please call the roll’ process where some names are called out saying ‘excused’. Representatives are called out: Chair Sirois present, Vice Chair Yeger is excused. Democratic Ranking Member Casello, Joe D is excused. Representatives: Amesty, Carolina [R] Present; Chamberlin, Ryan. Present; Gantt, Ashley Viola D. Present; Holcomb, Jeff. Present; Maggard, Randall Scott. Present; Maney, Patt. Present; McFarland, Fiona is excused; Melo, Lauren. Present: Nixon, Angela Present; Robinson, William is excused; Shoaf, Jason Present ; Silvers, David present; Valdes, Susan Present - Ex Officio
00:51 Quorum achieved, Audience is welcomed
00:57 Agenda Item the public wants to provide testimony, an appearance form must be completed and turned into the Sergeant Staff, silence electronic devices, speak loudly and clearly into the microphones, recording a vote: YES or NO, no additional commentary while voting
01:36 Panel is introduced, will be discussing some issues down in Miami Dade County related to Mining
Speakers:
03:54: Representative Tom Fabricio sets the table for the proceeding, presentations about to be heard and the presentations will start
04:04 Representative Tom Fabricio is recognized: “Greatly appreciates being indulged -to allow the pleasure of becoming involved in an activity which is typically one that is undesirable or disapproved. To get to this workshop it has been 4 years in the making for our area’s State of Florida Representative! Outrageous!”
04:17 This is an issue that Rep. Fabricio ran on, a very important issue to the communities he represents, Hialeah, Miami Lakes, Miramar, Palm Springs North, Doral, Miami Gardens.
04:21 ‘Our view to this issue is very simple. We believe that the Lime Rock Blasting Limits in the State are generally fine, however, in situations where we are about 1,000 yards from residential communities, our homes are shaking every day.
There is damage to the homes. Data to be presented from the gentlemen from the community, indicate that the lower basting limits often used by some of the quarries and they are able to extract lime stone at the lower levels that would cause less damage, less disruption, gentlemen are here from the community and gentlemen are here from the industry. It is greatly important for us and we greatly appreciate your indulgence with this and we ask that under rule 7.5 Term of Appointment
7.5—Term of Appointment
All standing committee or subcommittee chairs, vice chairs, and members serve at the pleasure of the Speaker. All initial standing committee and subcommittee appointments made by the Speaker in accordance with Rule 7.2 shall be made before each regular session is convened and shall expire on June 30 of odd- numbered years or, if the Legislature is convened in special or extended session on that date, upon adjournment sine die of such session.
05:20 Please allow Public Testimony as there are folks from the community who have traveled very far to be here with us. Thank you
Miami Dade Pilot Program: https://mineactivityclearinghouse.myfloridacfo.gov/
Click to read: https://myfloridacfo.com/docs-sf/state-fire-marshal-libraries/sfm-documents/mine-blasting-study.pdf?sfvrsn=41235181_2
Construction Materials Mining Activities Consultation and Study Preparation Services, the Final Report, Contract FM410 prepared for State of Florida, Department of Financial Services, 200 East Gaines Street, Larson Building, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, July 2018... RESPEC:
2019 House Bill 1189
Bill Text: Pages Total 7
02-06-2024 House Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Subcommittee continues: https://thefloridachannel.org/videos/2-6-24-house-regulatory-reform-economic-development-subcommittee/
06:51 Requiring the State to set limits… that is misleading it is NOT the State of Florida who sets the limits, it is the STATE FIRE MARSHAL!
54 (2) The State Fire Marshal shall establish statewide
55 ground vibration limits, based on both frequency and particle
56 velocity, for construction materials mining activities which
57 conform to those limits established in the United States Bureau
58 of Mines, Report of Investigations 8507, Appendix B -
59 Alternative Blasting Level Criteria (Figure B-1).
07:00 2020 HB 1047: Fire Marshal has Exclusive authority
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/1047 CS/HB 1047: Construction Materials Mining Activities
07:46 Required Mines to provide written notification to the Division of Explosives before the detonation of any explosive, Florida Administrative Rule 69A: https://www.flrules.org/gateway/Division.asp?DivID=359
08:03 2021 The Division Officially established the Miami Dade Construction Mining Pilot Program
08:27 Fire Marshal’s website collects data and allows the public to file a complaint and review the data
08:32 Fire Marshal has developed the Blasting Activity Report, provides key information to help the Fire Marshal monitor blasts, each blast and each license and must submit a blasting activities report to the division which includes information about the peak particle velocity value and sound decibels. It requires, time, location, the number drills and the type of explosives used. Each blast that occurs within a 2 mile radius of the urban developed area must be below the adopted limit. .5 inches per second.
09:09 An additional requirement was for the Division of the State Fire Marshal to contract with a seismologist and a competitive procurement process was followed and a seismologist contracted who strategically located seismographs around residential area in a geo-fencing manner, which allow to gather time stamped geo referenced readings of peak particle velocity, air over pressure, frequency and distances to blast.
09:38 Information is available to the public on the Fire Marshal’s website
09:45 The contracted seismologist assists the Fire Marshal to ensure compliance
09:50 Data is reviewed by the contracted seismologist and the Division to ensure readings are within Florida laws
10:03 A second level of review over the information submitted by the mines
10:10 Any deviation is subject to disciplinary action by the Department of Financial Services / Fire Marshal’s office
10:22 Map identifying the seismographs located in the North West section of Miami Dade County. Currently there are 23 geo fencing seismographs monitoring the North West, planning to add 5 more to have a side by side comparison to the numbers reported by the mines, on line by April 2024. Each meets strict calibration guidelines.
10:56 Measurements taken and equipment installed must be in accordance with the International Society of Explosive Engineers Blasters Handbook
11:10 Images mentioned yet not shown, filed for a Public Records Request!
Public Records Request - House of Representatives: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/
02-08-2024 Public Records Requested / Information received:
Office of Open Government [email protected] 02-08-2024 @ 12:31?PM (2 minutes ago)
The Office of Open Government received the request below.
The information you are looking for can be found at
Meeting packet for 02-06-2024 Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Sub-committee: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?PublicationType=Committees&CommitteeId=3236&Session=2024&DocumentType=Meeting+Packets&FileName=rrs+2-6-24.pdf
White Rock, out of 305 blasts, 167 were below 0.15, that means only 55%!
Public Comments:
52:37 I am here in support of this bill… interrupted by the Chair who says, I apologize but need to clarify, there is no bill. What? Representative Fabricio introduced Bill 245 and while this is a workshop to discuss mining in the Lake Belt Region it is because of the Bill on Mining Activity!
53:00 on the dial, because of the interruption, Council Woman Ruano is given her minute. 100s of homes have damages whether structural, or surface damage. Some of these mines need to be better neighbors. Not trying to put anyone out of business, we are experiencing significant property damage, we have residents that have to continually repair their homes, we understand the industry is very important.
53:43 Having a daily earth quake and watching your property crumble before your eyes is very difficult and as local elected officials, this is out of our hands, there is nothing we can do. It is in your hands and in the hands of our Representatives to bring us some relief.
54:00 Inflationary pressures are affecting our communities, hikes in property insurance is affecting our communities, and on top of that to have to continually repair your driveway, your dry wall, redo your swimming pool…
54:12 The cost of refilling your swimming pool, it is excessive because of the cracking, so although it seems that the State really needs this material, we have to consider the homeowners that should NOT bear the brunt of the cost to create these aggregates
54:44 How do our residents feel? The sanctity of their homes, the thing we worked the hardest to build in our lives, it is being invaded, it is being violated, on a daily basis by these blasts. The very foundation of their homes is being weakened
55:11 The very blast designed to pulverize and disintegrate the rock are completely innocuous to the structures 1/2 a mile away should be called into question. We all understand how important these materials are to the economic development of the entire state but we are unduly taxing our residents to subsidize the cost of materials
55:47 With no mechanism to make them whole! It is very unfair, we need to take a step back and analyze what we are doing to our mutual residents from this invasion to the blast of energy they have no ability to control.
56:25 I am a resident from Palm Springs North, a Mom of two, and a Real Estate Professional. Mining sends shakes and waves through our properties and businesses, literally earthquakes!
56:38 Even our children attending schools in that area are subjected to blasting on a daily basis. Schools mitigate the impact by scheduling outside activities / music times so that the children are not frightened. As a Real Estate Professional I have witnessed damage to property and a deterioration to homes / businesses especially during the last five years. To demonstrate the disconnect, FDOT is expanding a road and they did not even know about blasting in the area. Not taking into account these roads back up into people’s residences! The time to review this potential bill is now as we are only talking about property damage now
57:38 Thank you very much, your time has expired
First Question:
Q: 46:00 If there is a reduction in vibration, will there be more blasts?
A: 46:10 The miners will be drilling by loading explosives in smaller charges, in terms of number of holes. These will be closer together and instead of shooting once or twice per day, you could have six to seven times per day, In 1980 in Florida that is what they were doing. A minimum of four to five shots per day because of where they were loading and the materials they were extracting. Now that standards are qualitative, they use different materials and blast fewer times per day.
Q: While concerned for the homeowners, of course, perhaps the committee members can answer, where there any types of disclosures from the Developers or the realtors given to individuals wanting to buy properties near by blasting place?
A: 47:33 Blasting Advisory Board Secretary Steven Herzberg: For new developments, yes per various Florida State Statutes. Some of these homes were there well before the approval of White Rock Quarries which took place in 1988…
A: 48:01 The areas developed before approval of White Rock Mining were Miami Lakes, Palm Springs North, Miramar, Miami Gardens, their property rights do not trump other property rights. Everyone has their own rights and for money they are doing an activity that is harming our property and it does not mean they get to continue to do that! If they blast and we don’t feel it, there is no problem! The problem is that we FEEL the blast! It shakes our homes, that is the issue that we have!
Representatie Anna V. Eskamani:
48:12 Representative Anna V. Eskamani
Q: For Florida Department of Transportation - FDOT: From a Supply Chain perspective, the reliance on these materials, are we trying to develop other types of resources? At the end of the day, it is a scarce resource and we may run out, and we need the materials to build roads
A: 49:10 Ananth Prasad, President, Florida Transportation & Builders Association starts by saying for clarification I am not FDOT spokesman! I would get into trouble with them! There have been recycled glass, a lot of other stuff happening but ultimately the aggregates have to support the weight! Whether a bridge or a house, last year the Legislation approved $20 Million dollars to fortify the Supply Chain. The goal is that as we improve our rail core infrastructure, north of I-4 requires it, and the Lake Belt over the years is going to diminish supply and we will have to find new ways to get more rock now.
Q: Follow up from Representative Anna V. Eskamani. What is the capacity to recycle asphalt?
A: Ananth Prasad, President, Florida Transportation & Builders Association: We do recycle asphalt! 15% to 40% goes into asphalt. Pilot Project on Alligator Ally, I-75, to put recycled asphalt as a base, we are looking into every different way to conserve the use of lime rock, and where there is a good material, we are all in.
51:25 Patt Maney is recognized:
Q: Is there any data as to the number of homes before the mining started? Comment that some homes were there before, is there any data as to how many of those homes were built before the blasting activity started?
51:51 Blasting Advisory Board Secretary Steven Herzberg is recognized by the Chair: Do not have that data on hand, but I can tell you that one of the areas that is affected the most, Palm Springs North, was built before the mining activity started. Google: Palm Springs North is a residential community just north of Miami Lakes.
It was built between 1960 – 1974; an early developer was Laurence Construction, Inc., real estate experts said. Miami Lakes Lake Glenn Ellen was completed by 1985 as it was built in sections. Lake Sandra was built before. The East side of Miami Lakes was built prior to 1980. Rock mining has been in the Lake Region for years since the 1920s during the land boom but the issue is some specific mines. While I do not have that data, I am happy to try to get that data for you but there is a significant number of homes built in the 60s and the 80s prior to the most problematic mine.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Blasting Advisory Board Chair Miguel Martinez reviews the document Date: Thu, Feb 8, 2024 at 11:22?PM
Subject: 02-06-2024 House of Representatives Workshop to Listen to:
Mining / Blasting Issues
To: Hope Reynolds
Incredible job as usual!
A few points…
A few take aways:
[Research:
What is OPPAGA? The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability -OPPAGA- is a research arm of the Florida Legislature that supplies data, evaluative research, and objective analyses that assist legislative budget and policy deliberation!
Website: https://oppaga.fl.gov/
Policy Notes Newsletter: https://oppaga.fl.gov/PolicyNotes/Index
State of Florida Organizational Chart: https://oppaga.fl.gov/ProgramSummary/OrgChart
At the top: The Florida Electorate… Why?
Career Opportunities: https://oppaga.fl.gov/About/Careers
Contact: 111 West Madison Street, Room #312, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-850-488-0021]
I am also including the writeup I made regarding Tuesday, as it was a day of many events and advancement in the cause:
Lessons Learned as a result of 02-06-2024 Workshop by Miguel Martinez:
Tuesday’s events -02-06-2024- proved more eventful than anything we have done or any meeting we have attended over the last 20 years regarding the issue of blasting.
Although things did not transpire as planned and after several delays, we finally made it to the State Capital building, to find a very long line for security.
Town of Miami Lakes Councilwoman Marilyn Olazabal Ruano drove in and was already waiting for us in the lobby.
Shortly after, we met with Town of Miami Lakes Vice Mayor Tony Fernandez.
Both traveled to Tallahassee to show their support for the efforts of the Miami Lakes Blasting Advisory Board. Representative Tom Fabricio’s aide, Nikita Mizgirev guided us through the labyrinth of hallways to the chambers.
Upon reaching the Committee Chambers, the Miami-Dade County’s lobbyist was waiting for us and whisked us into our seats.
Chair Tyler Sirois allowed representatives from the miners to speak first.
This included the president of GeoSonics, representative from FDOT, and the CFO. An engineer from HAG engineering spoke after Steven Herzberg and I.
During the presentations, many facts were offered.
It was also acknowledged that the energy wave is being reached to our properties (previously denied).
It was acknowledged damage is occurring.
However, it was stated it is simply “finishes” and non-structural.
The curious thing is that the “non-structural” examples provided were in fact STRUCTURAL DAMAGES!
Councilwoman Ruano, Vice Mayor Fernandez and Blasting Advisory Board member, Franchesca Vasquez Ortega provided public comments.
Falk Amelung, a -professor from the Department of Marine Geosciences Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science and one of his PhD students from University of Miami was also in attendance for support.
The Professor is using satellite imagery to measure ground displacements that can detect building movement due to the mine blasting.
The Miami Lakes Blasting Advisory Board previously hosted a presentation where he was the guest speaker and demonstrated his initial findings. Unfortunately, he was not able to speak at this workshop.
Upon the closing statements, the Chair recognized the issue had not been visited for over 20 years.
Representative Fabricio closed requesting the information provided be addressed in an OPPAGA study. -OPPAGA is the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability.
It is a research arm of the Florida Legislature. OPPAGA supports the Florida Legislature by providing data, evaluative research, and objective analyses that assist legislative budget and policy deliberations.
I wish to personally thank members of the community that contacted the members of the Committee via email. This created a foundation of knowledge and the basis for our presentations. It also prefaced the opposing side’s information.
Their lack of transparency was evident due to the simple emails submitted!
We need to thank State Representative Tom Fabricio. This meeting was 4 years in the making! Through his dedication and commitment to the cause, he was able to obtain this workshop. It marks the start of a proper investigation that will eventually lead to properly regulating a needed industry.
Finally, Univision has been addressing the issue significantly. It has been the topic of discussion on recent occasions on numerous shows.
They set up a remote studio at Chelas and provided impromptu interviews from the public, this included Mayor Manny Cid.
Committee workshop:
Univision Interviews:
Miguel Martinez
Citizens United to Resolve Blasting Damage to Property
About the Miami Dade County Lake Belt Area:
The Miami-Dade County Lake Belt Area (Lake Belt) encompasses 77.5 square miles of land at the western edge of the Miami-Dade County urban area.1 Generally, the Lake Belt is bounded by the Ronald Reagan Turnpike to the east, the Miami-Dade - Broward County line to the north, Krome Avenue to the west, and Tamiami Trail to the south, and it also includes certain lands south of Tamiami Trail.2
The Lake Belt provides the largest source of high quality limestone in Florida, supplying approximately 60 million tons of rock annually.3 The limestone mined from the Lake Belt provides the base material needed for concrete, asphalt, and road construction.4 The process of extracting limestone and sand suitable for producing construction materials is referred to as construction materials mining.5
The Lake Belt is an environmentally sensitive region, as the majority of the area consists of wetlands that were once part of the historical Everglades watershed. The area also overlays the Biscayne Aquifer, which is designated as a sole source aquifer by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).6 In addition, the Miami-Dade Northwest Wellfield (NWWF) is located along the eastern edge of the Lake Belt and is comprised of 15 water supply wells that withdraw water from the Biscayne Aquifer. The NWWF is the major source of drinking water for Miami-Dade County, supplying approximately 40 percent of the county’s water needs.7
Regulation of Explosives
For hard rock formations, explosives may be used to break up the rock into sizes that may be more easily mined.8 The use of explosives in mining activities is regulated by the federal and state governments in order to limit the strength of explosions to ensure the explosions do not cause damage to nearby buildings or structures. On the federal level, Title 30 of the United States Code and its various implementing regulations establish the basic safety, health, certification, reporting, and environmental requirements for the use of explosives in mining operations.
In Florida, the State Fire Marshal, through the Division of State Fire Marshal (division) within the Department of Financial Services (DFS), has the sole and exclusive authority to promulgate standards, limits, and regulations regarding the use of explosives in conjunction with construction materials mining.9 This authority includes the operation, handling, licensure, and permitting of explosives. The DFS rules establish limitations for ground vibration, frequency, intensity, blast pattern, and air blast as well as restrictions on when explosives may be used. The DFS rules also establish requirements for a mining company to provide notice to local governments in which the entity will conduct mining activities.10
The State Fire Marshal has the authority to delegate the monitoring and enforcement of the use of explosives by mining companies to local governments. This authority includes allowing local governments to assess and collect reasonable fees for the purpose of monitoring and enforcing the current limits of explosions used for mining purposes.11
Currently, mining companies are required to hire independent seismologists12 to monitor explosions and must provide a report reflecting the strength of each explosion to DFS upon request. DFS does not independently monitor blasts resulting from the use of explosives for construction materials mining activities. The State Fire Marshal may restrict the quantity and use of explosives at any location within the state if the State Fire Marshal determines the use of such explosives is likely to cause injury to life or property. In making such determination, the State Fire Marshal must consider the distance of blasting activity to structures, the use and occupancy of structures near blasting activity, the geology of the area, and the type of construction used in structures near blasting activities.13
According to DFS, 31 of the 90 construction materials mining permits issued in the state are within Miami-Dade County, making it the county with the highest number of such permits.14
2018 Mining Study
In 2017, the Legislature appropriated funds to require the State Fire Marshal to contract for a study to review whether the statewide ground vibration limits established in DFS rule for construction materials mining activities are still appropriate and to review any legitimate claims for damages caused by such mining activities.15 The study was required to include a review of measured amplitudes and frequencies, structure responses, theoretical analyses of material strengths and strains, and assessments of home damages.16
The study was completed in 2018 and concluded that the mines were in compliance with both federal and state maximum blasting vibration limits, but recommended including frequency as part of the state vibration limits as well as conducting a follow-up study to evaluate minimum seismograph specifications.17
Effect of the Bill
The bill creates a monitoring and reporting pilot program for the use of explosives (pilot program) within the division to monitor and report each blast resulting from the use of explosives for construction materials mining activities in Miami-Dade County. The bill requires the State Fire Marshal to hire or contract with seismologists to monitor and report each blast, including, at a minimum, monitoring and reporting the ground vibration, frequency, intensity, air blast, and time and date of the blast. The bill further requires the State Fire Marshal to make the reports available to the public on the division’s website.
The bill prohibits the State Fire Marshal from hiring or contracting with a seismologist for the pilot program who:
The bill requires a person or entity that engages in construction materials mining activities to provide written notice to the State Fire Marshal of the use of an explosive for such activities in Miami-Dade County before the detonation of the explosive.
The bill requires the State Fire Marshal to adopt rules to implement and enforce the pilot program.
What is OPPAGA?
The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability -OPPAGA- is a research arm of the Florida Legislature that supplies data, evaluative research, and objective analyses that assist legislative budget and policy deliberation!
Website: https://oppaga.fl.gov/
Policy Notes Newsletter: https://oppaga.fl.gov/PolicyNotes/Index
State of Florida Organizational Chart: https://oppaga.fl.gov/ProgramSummary/OrgChart
At the top: The Florida Electorate… Why?
Career Opportunities: https://oppaga.fl.gov/About/Careers
Contact: 111 West Madison Street, Room #312, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-850-488-0021]
LinkedIn Article: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/blasting-advisory-board-workshop-reviewed-esperanza-hope-reynolds-3gqlc/
Blasting Advisory Board Workshop Reviewed. The video is now online, it starts at around 14:00 but THERE IS NO SOUND! Below, click on the link:
The Town is way too experienced to have made such a grave mistake, everyone made sure to provide microphones to capture the sound, the only possible explanation, a conspiracy theory that suggests that because the miners are paying attention to everything we do, the sound has purposefully been suppressed to ensure that NO ONE can hear and bear witness to what was said... But, we were there
A Message from Miguel Martinez who is an Architect, a Construction Manager. Miguel provided an overview of the history of why he got involved with Blasting issues. Palm Springs North held a meeting a long time ago and that is where we met Miguel for the first time only to hear his explanation and understand why we have experienced what we were told were 'settling cracks' then pool deck materials that migrated from chattahoochee to Mexican tiles, and now stone tiles and no matter what we have done, cracks continue to damage our investment. Notice the JPEG created to announce anything Miguel has to say, left to right starting with an Article written long ago that has received over 6,000 reads, center their meeting with Representative Fabricio where you notice that four -4- of the present day Council members come from having participated in the Blasting Advisory Board and finally, the group featured as they arrive in Tallahassee for a Legislative Session
Awesome photograph where Miguel's wife, Millie has captured the image of Miguel as I photograph and capture the start of the meeting, the video screens on the wall do not yet have the presentation Miguel is about to give which can be seen through the 'silent video' and or through the link of Telemundo's report as you will find below...
Article published on 02-12-2024: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/2624-construction-mining-activity-workshop-house-reform-reynolds-xeabe/?trackingId=CDNpuC3Dr8iPDzMAICA9wA%3D%3D%2F%3FtrackingId
02-06-2024 Video available by clicking below:
https://TheFloridaChannel.org/videos/2-6-24-house-regulatory-reform-economic-developement-subcommittee/ Now, the video link no longer works... How is that possible? Looked at The Florida Channel Archive and only found a video that reviews the events of the day, never mentioning what we went there to accomplish... Why?
A bill that would criminalize deepfake and revenge pornography has secured the backing of First Lady Melania Trump.
The bill, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), would make it illegal to knowingly publish or threaten to publish non-consensual intimate imagery—often called revenge porn—online. Such images are often generated through artificial intelligence (AI), which can make fake pictures or videos appear authentic.
TALLAHASSEE
Just a few months ago, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida’s Republican legislators were on friendly terms heading into his final two years in office.
Or so it seemed, until a bitter fight over immigration this year exposed simmering tensions.
DeSantis and the House speaker and Senate president say they’ve since made nice.
The next 60 days will tell.
This year’s legislative session, which begins Tuesday, is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in years.
Republican lawmakers feel emboldened.
They’ve stepped up oversight of DeSantis’ spending and want more disclosure by his state agencies.
In recent years, the priorities of the legislative session were largely dictated by the top-down priorities of DeSantis and prior legislative leaders.
Republicans are proposing bills ranging from stopping “chemtrails” to limiting Wall Street from owning homes.
“It’s the talk amongst my colleagues,” said Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami. “A new day has dawned.”
Democrats also say the mood has lifted this year.
But they’re skeptical that the result will differ much from the last six years of legislative sessions dominated by cultural issues.
Republicans this session are already eager to follow President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda and are forbidding local governments from placing restrictions on a potential future presidential library.
They have proposed ideas to address the most pressing constituent issues — cost of living, property insurance and condominiums — but have yet to take them up.
“It’s very clear to me that in terms of what comes next, it will likely be driven by President Trump,” said House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa. DeSantis and his priorities will still loom large.
The governor wants to further crack down on ballot initiatives, making it even harder to amend the constitution to permit abortions past six weeks.
He also wants a sales tax holiday for guns and ammunition.
In public, DeSantis and Republican leaders have characterized their very public dispute over the last two months as a “healthy exercise” that has made their relationship stronger.
“I don’t think you are going to see any lingering feelings at all, certainly not from me,” DeSantis told reporters at a news conference earlier this month.
Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said the disagreement “made this family stronger.”
DeSantis made it clear this month that he was watching this session closely.
He’s waiting to appoint a lieutenant governor and chief financial officer until after the legislative session — to see “how different people are able to perform,” he said.
In the Legislature, the hard feelings with DeSantis might linger after years of being browbeaten into passing his agendas.
“For so long, we have been treated like staff,” said Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne. Lawmakers could override some of DeSantis’ vetoes over the next 60 days, as special committees convened by House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, release their recommendations.
The Legislature had never overridden anything DeSantis vetoed until January, when they restored $56 million in legislative support funding he cut last year.
DeSantis said overriding vetoes is “their prerogative,” but he added, “We should be holding the line on spending.”
Some House committees are also increasing oversight of state agencies.
For instance, Lopez’s committee took a field trip this month to inspect the progress on the state’s $300 million effort to upgrade and modernize the state Capitol.
Construction in and around the Capitol grounds briefly halted as legislators weaved between ladders and stepped around debris, asking about crowd management at the new entrances and the materials used to replace the Historic Capitol roof.
“We rarely get these kinds of questions,” a Department of Management Services official said.
This year, some Republicans are even soliciting questions from Democrats. “I have never had a [committee] chair ask me to ask questions,” said Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando.
“Normally they’re annoyed by my questions.”
Unlike past years, DeSantis and the House speaker and Senate president have not yet revealed big legacy priorities for the session.
Some lawmakers say they have more free rein this year, and they’re filling the void with legislation that bucks either DeSantis or party orthodoxy.
Two Republican senators want to prevent DeSantis from building golf courses and pickleball courts on state parks, following outrage by Floridians to a previous proposal from the governor’s administration.
Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Seminole, wants to make it more difficult for Wall Street-backed landlords to buy homes in Florida, a move that goes against the party’s history of deregulating big businesses.
Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Sarasota, wants to ban some dyes and other chemical additives in food, something consumer groups and Trump’s health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have long advocated.
What to do about the condominium financial crisis, created by past legislation mandating inspections and financial requirements after the 2021 Surfside condo collapse, is one of the biggest questions this session.
It’s already pitting Senate Republicans against their counterparts in the House.
Lopez is proposing denying state-run Citizens Property Insurance coverage to condominium associations that fail to comply with the new requirements, which many unit owners are struggling to afford.
Republican Sens. Jennifer Bradley and Ileana Garcia criticized the idea as making a bad insurance climate worse and threatening to displace “thousands” of Florida condo owners.
Legislators could also take further action on homeowners and auto insurance, which remain their top constituent issues.
State regulators want greater oversight of insurers’ affiliate companies, which have been repeatedly cited as the cause of insolvencies.
Sen. Don Gaetz, the father of former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, filed bills that would limit the profits of utility companies and require greater disclosure over the compensation of insurance executives.
Gaetz said he returned to the Senate after an eight-year break because the state failed to come up with a long-term solution to homeowners insurance.
He said he remembered a time when Republicans put insurance executives under oath in committees.
“Since then, the pendulum has swung back the other direction,” Gaetz said. Herald/Times staff writers Alexandra Glorioso and Romy Ellenbogen contributed to this report.
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article301146944.html#storylink=cpy
We have questions for the Legislators in Tallahassee:
If we pay for the Florida Channel through tax dollars, if our Municipal representatives travel to Tallahassee through the budget paid by taxpayer dollars, if the video equipment was purchased with taxpayer dollars and if the room, participants, equipment is also paid through taxpayer dollars, then... why has the video of 02-06-2024 Workshop where the Blasting issues were heard... been removed from public access?