LobbyTools Policy Briefing 1/6/2023

Get our Policy Briefing newsletter on LinkedIn every Monday, or subscribe here for early access to our roundup of Florida’s top policy news.

Here's your weekly wrap-up of legislative news in Florida. Brought to you by the policy professionals at LobbyTools, Florida's most trusted legislative intelligence company.

The Governor

DeSantis Touts Florida Differences in Inaugural Speech

Gov. Ron DeSantis was sworn in for a second term this week. DeSantis, 44, delivered a short inaugural address in which he described Florida as the "promised land of sanity" in comparison to other places around the country, setting the state as different from others, and from the nation as a whole. "When other states consigned their people's freedom to the dustbin, Florida stood strongly as freedom's linchpin," the governor said. DeSantis was vague on particular policy issues, largely relying on buzzwords, such as in a promise to oppose "wokeness." One specific proposal the governor did tout was lower taxes. "Florida has accumulated a record budget surplus, and we need to enact a record amount of tax relief, particularly for Florida families who are grappling with inflation," he said. Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald / Orlando Sentinel / USA Today Network / Associated Press / Florida Politics / Wall Street Journal / CBS News / Video (TB Times YouTube) / C-Span

Anti-Washington: Gov. Ron DeSantis cast himself Tuesday as an antidote to a "floundering federal establishment," setting out Florida as a contrast to Washington as he was sworn in to office for a second term on Tuesday. The inaugural functioned as a set-up for a campaign on federal issues – like one being run by a presidential candidate – as the governor criticized Biden Administration policies, though without mentioning the president by name. Washington Post / Fox News / Politico / The Hill

The Speech: Text of Gov. Ron DeSantis' prepared inaugural remarks. Governor's Office

Health Care

UF: Ladapo Vaccine Research Biased, but No Action to Take

University of Florida College of Medicine faculty alleged that state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo violated university research integrity rules when he issued guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations, but a college official said the guidance was not affiliated with the university or its research, making the claim moot. In October, Ladapo directed the Department of Health to conduct an analysis of the relationship between the mRNA vaccine and cardiac-related incidents. The self-controlled case series, which hasn't been peer-reviewed, found men aged 18 to 39 have some increased risk of cardiac-related death within 28 days following mRNA vaccination. Ladapo, who is also a professor at the University of Florida's school of medicine, advised men in that age group not to get the shot. In a report conducted by the UF College of Medicine's Faculty Council Committee, Ladapo's colleagues said the analysis committed "reporting bias by cherry picking results; focusing only on evidence that supports his stance, ignoring contradicting evidence, and failing to appropriately acknowledge the limitations of his own data set." But in response, UF's Vice President for Research David Norton said the guidance was outside the scope of the university's Office of Research Integrity, Security & Compliance since Ladapo conducted the analysis while in his capacity as Surgeon General and not as a faculty member of the school. Tampa Bay Times / USA Today Network / Washington Post

Proposal Would Open KidCare to More Families

A bill (HB 121) filed Thursday would allow more families to enroll in Florida KidCare by increasing the income eligibility threshold to allow incomes of up to 300% of the federal poverty level. The legislation would also require that premiums for certain enrollees under the program be based on a tiered system. Florida KidCare currently provides access to subsidized health insurance policies for children up to the age of 19 with incomes up to 250% of the federal poverty level. Some families must contribute to the costs of their children's care with premiums and copayments, depending on the plan and program. Weston Democrat Rep. Robin Bartleman and Fort Pierce Democrat Rep. Dana Trabulsy are sponsoring the measure. Similar proposals have been filed in the past, garnering bipartisan support. No Senate companion is currently filed.

Step Therapy Bill Filed

A newly filed proposal (SB 112) by Stuart Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell would allow certain Medicaid beneficiaries with serious mental illnesses to bypass step-therapy prior authorization protocols set by the Agency for Health Care Administration. The measure defines a "serious mental illness" to include bipolar disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, paranoid personality disorder, schizophrenia and similar schizoaffective disorders. Currently, only Medicaid recipients diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders have a specific exception to the health agency's step-therapy prior authorization rules. Step-therapy is a process that requires patients to try a preferred drug, procedure or treatment prior to using a costlier and riskier service. No House version of the bill is currently filed.

Staffing Main Issue in State Vets’ Nursing Homes

The ongoing health care worker shortage is an issue for the state's veterans nursing homes, the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security Committee heard this week. The panel was briefed by Department of Veterans' Affairs Deputy Executive Director Bob Asztalos, who said the facilities have capacity to accommodate most veterans waiting for a nursing home bed but staffing remains a hurdle. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, only about 60% of beds were filled in the nursing homes. Currently, after the agency was allocated $5.6 million to increase staff pay, the facilities are now at about 80% capacity and growing. "We're hoping that we're going to get our buildings back to full by the end of this fiscal year," said Asztalos. Asztalos also told senators that two new nursing homes are opening soon and two others are expected to open over the next five to seven years. Florida has roughly 24,000 World War II veterans, 93,000 Korean War veterans and nearly half a million Vietnam War veterans, according to Asztalos. Florida Politics / Florida Channel Video

Nurse Education: Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded $79 million to multiple nursing programs across the state on Thursday. The funding comes from the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) grant program and the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers, and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) grant fund. The most recent state budget included $100 million to create the programs, which aim to help teach the next generation of nurses and alleviate the ongoing health care worker shortage. The money provides matching funds for scholarships, faculty recruitment, equipment and additional educational support. The LINE fund is distributing a total of $19 million to 27 institutions throughout Florida. The PIPELINE program is awarding a total of $60 million, with $20 million of that going toward school districts with licensed practical nursing programs and $40 million going to Florida College System institutions. DeSantis Press Release?

AHCA Interim: Jason Weida has been named interim secretary at the Agency for Health Care Administration by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Weida, initially hired as the assistant deputy secretary for Medicaid policy and quality, had been serving as the agency's chief of staff. Brock Juarez was named to take over for Weida as chief of staff. The appointments were made by updating the agency's website without a public announcement. Weida succeeds Simone Marstiller who led the Department of Juvenile Justice before she was appointed as AHCA secretary in 2021. She resigned late last year. Florida Politics

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement

New Custody Requirements Proposed in 'Greyson's Law'

Legislative Democrats re-filed legislation aimed at fixing a loophole in a law relating to custody and domestic violence. The proposals (SB 130, HB 97) would require a court to consider evidence of domestic or sexual violence, abuse, abandonment or neglect when determining custody or shared custody of a minor. It would also require a court to determine if the parent in question engaged in "a pattern of abusive, threatening, intimidating, or controlling behavior," especially if one parent has reasonable cause to believe that they or their child is in imminent danger. A shared parenting plan is provided under current state law if there is no threat or abuse directed toward the child, regardless of whether other domestic violence or threats have been committed by a parent. The proposal, called "Greyson's Law," was inspired by a case in which a man threatened the mother of his child, but she was unable to get court protection for the four-year-old boy, who was later killed by the father. Florida Politics / Berman-Cassel Release

Rights Spelled Out for Brady List Officers

Legislation filed in the House would spell out specific rights afforded to police and corrections officers when their names are on lists kept by prosecutors of officers whose credibility may be called into question on a witness stand. Many prosecutors' offices compile "Brady Lists" of officers whose disciplinary or testimonial history must be disclosed if they are called to testify, usually because of, in the words of the legislation, "sustained incidents of untruthfulness, issues with candor," or other issues that may hurt the credibility of their testimony. The requirement comes from Brady v. Maryland, in which the Supreme Court held prosecutors must provide exculpatory information to defense counsel, and Giglio v. United States, in which the court extended the holding to include information suggesting a witness may not be credible. The bill (HB 95), filed earlier this week by Republican Rep. Wyman Duggan, enumerates several rights that must be afforded to officers on such lists, including that they can't be fired, suspended, demoted, or otherwise disciplined by their agency for being put on such a list, though it makes clear that the underlying behavior that led to them being listed might still be punishable. The measure also mandates disclosures of the criteria for being added to the list, among other requirements.

Gain Time: Nonviolent offenders could earn gain-time by completing educational and character courses under a bill filed Wednesday by Tampa Democrat Rep. Dianne Hart. The proposal (HB 115) would also reduce the mandatory minimum time served from 85% to 65%. Gain-time is an inmate's opportunity to earn a reduction, if eligible, in their overall sentence imposed by the court. No Senate companion has been filed. Hart Press Release

FDLE 2022: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement highlighted its efforts in stopping human trafficking and intercepting drugs while fighting crime "from the Southern border," in its 2022 accomplishments press release. FDLE said its work last year resulted in 38 human smuggling charges and 62 drug charges, along with the seizure of more than $640,000 worth of illegal drugs. The agency also touted the results of a two-year prison-run drug trafficking and gang investigation in Southwest Florida that netted 25 arrests. ?FDLE also cited its work in arresting more than 20 illegal voters as part of a new push by Gov. Ron DeSantis. FDLE

Emergency Prep and Response

Senators Briefed on Storm Recovery and Resilience

The Senate Select Committee on Resiliency met this week for the first time and heard from Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie on recovery efforts following Hurricanes Ian and Nicole that hit last year. Guthrie told lawmakers debris removal has taken longer than expected due to different rules at the local, state and federal levels and confusion in contracts regarding what types of debris to pick up. He specifically pointed out an issue in law that gives boat owners 45 days following a storm to retrieve their property but after that time period passes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency could consider the removal of the vessel a non-emergency expense and disrupt the federal reimbursement process. Guthrie also recommended expediting permits for temporary housing in disaster areas to help move people out of shelters more quickly. He also told committee members that clarifying when and how his department can access cash in the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund would be helpful. Although committee Chairman Sen. Ben Albritton didn't say whether legislation would be filed to remedy such problems, he did note they were reasonable requests and said he was particularly interested in solving one issue: blocking the identity of deceased storm victims from the public immediately after a disaster. "It is troublesome when you have folks that are looking to exploit information for private gain when maybe families haven't been notified," said Albritton. Florida Politics / Florida Channel Video

Higher Education

DeSantis Wants List of College Diversity, Inclusion Programs

Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking the 40 state colleges and universities for a comprehensive list of programs aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion on campuses, and those promoting critical race theory, suggesting he may be considering proposing legislation or budget proposals aimed at ending the programs, which he has vocally opposed. Politico / Orlando Sentinel / Chronicle of Higher Education / OPB Memo

Bill Could Boost School Role in NIL Deals

Legislation (HB 99) filed this week in the House seeks to build on the national "name, image, likeness," or NIL, system that allows college athletes to be paid endorsement or appearance money by allowing Florida universities to work more closely with student athletes on NIL deals. The measure would still stop short of letting the schools directly pay athletes. But it would remove a ban in current Florida law on colleges directly "causing" compensation to be paid to athletes for their name, image or likeness. The measure is intended to narrow what the sponsor, Rep. Chip LaMarca, sees as a disadvantage for Florida colleges in recruiting against schools in other states where teams, coaches and the universities can more easily work directly with students on NIL contracts. The proposal spells out that Florida schools still can't directly pay athletes, and prohibits them from considering athletes employees of the school by playing sports for one of its teams. The measure also would prohibit athletes from taking on contracts that conflict with agreements the school may already have in place, such as an apparel deal, and clarify that schools and coaches aren't liable for damages if something they routinely do prevents a student from getting an NIL deal. The legislation also prohibits the use of college logos in athlete NIL deals without the consent of the school. Florida Politics

Oliva Appointed to BOG

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed former House Speaker Jose Oliva to the Board of Governors this week. The Miami Lakes Republican was elected to the House in 2011 and served as speaker for the 2018-20 legislative term. Currently, Oliva is the Director of the Cuban Liberty Council and serves on the Oliva Cigar Company Board of Directors. The Florida Board of Governors oversees the state university system. DeSantis Press Release / Politico

K-12 Education

School Restrooms: A federal appeals court ruled that a northeast Florida school district’s policy of separating bathrooms based on biological sex is constitutionally allowed. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late last week ruled 7-4 that the St. Johns County School Board did not discriminate against transgender students or violate their civil rights law by requiring them to use gender-neutral bathrooms or bathrooms matching their biological sex. Seven justices appointed by Republican presidents sided with the school district and four justices appointed by Democratic presidents sided with Drew Adams, a former student who sued the district in 2017 because he wasn't allowed to use the boys restroom. Associated Press / Education Week

Restrooms-Fallout: The Pasco County school board changed its rules and will now require students to use school bathrooms and locker rooms based on their sex at birth. This followed a federal court ruling upholding a similar policy in St. Johns County. Tampa Bay Times / Axios Tampa Bay

Environment

Bill Would Prevent Release of Helium-Filled Balloons

Releasing balloons filled with helium or other lighter than air gas outdoors would be banned under most circumstances under legislation (HB 91) filed Tuesday in the House. Current law allows people to release up to 10 helium balloons into the air. It also allows for the release of any number of balloons that are biodegradable or light degradable as long as they don't have strings or ribbons attached. The measure filed Tuesday by Rep. Linda Chaney would eliminate those exceptions. The proposal would still allow certain exceptions, such as for weather balloons or others used in government scientific data collection or experiments. When lawmakers put limits on the release of balloons into law back in 2008, they included language in the statute that said "the release into the atmosphere of large numbers of balloons inflated with lighter-than-air gasses poses a danger and nuisance to the environment, particularly to wildlife and marine animals."

Enviro Budget Panel Outlines Priorities

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government met for the first time this legislative term on Thursday, even though half of the 10 members were excused from attendance due to scheduling conflicts. Senators noted several items that will be of importance this session, including the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, child support enforcement, citrus recovery issues, water projects and cybersecurity. Additionally, members were also interested in addressing the Blue-Green Algae Task Force, beach restoration, Florida's manatee rehabilitation program and removing derelict vessels from state waters. The budget committee will cover a broad range of issues and will likely oversee almost every funding request related to agriculture and the environment. Florida Politics / Florida Channel Video

New Legislation

Other New Legislation Filed This Week

Diaper Tax: Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book filed legislation (SB 114) on Tuesday for the 2023 session that would make diapers and incontinence products permanently tax free in Florida, a move that has been pushed in years past. A sales tax exemption on diapers was approved last year through the annual tax package, but the governor said in September that he is seeking to codify that tax exemption in state law while expanding it to include other necessities such as cribs, strollers, baby clothes and medical supplies and equipment. The identical House companion (HB 29) was filed in December by Orlando Democrat Rep. Anna Eskamani.?Book Press Release

Landlord-Tenant Law: Landlords would be immune from liability if they rent to tenants with criminal records under a bill (HB 93) filed Tuesday by freshman Democrat Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis of Orlando. The legislation would create a new statute protecting landlords from certain lawsuits, with some exceptions. Landlords renting units to tenants with criminal offenses relating to murder, human trafficking, kidnapping, burglary, sexual battery and other violent crimes would not qualify for the immunity.

Sexual Battery: A measure filed Thursday in the House would clarify that sexual battery against a mentally incapacitated person is a crime whether the person is voluntarily or involuntarily mentally incapacitated at the time of the battery. The measure (HB 123) was filed by Broward County Democrat Rep. Hillary Cassel.

New Laws

New Year Brings New Laws

Requirements for new virus screenings for newborns, new rules related to electronic tax filing and a law allowing legal notices to be only published on government websites were among the laws that went into effect with the start of the new year. Five bills went into effect this week on Jan. 1, including HB 7049, a bill ending the requirement for publishing legal notices in print or on a newspaper website. The bill, passed last spring, gives a governmental agency the option to publish its legal notices on a publicly accessible county website instead of in a printed newspaper or on a newspaper's website if doing so would cost less than publishing legal notices in a newspaper. Also going into effect with the start of the year was a measure (SB 292) requiring hospitals and other facilities to test for congenital cytomegalovirus in newborns, and a bill (SB 2514) lowering the threshold for requiring taxpayers to file returns electronically. Portions of a wide-ranging effort to force cost reductions for property insurance companies that was passed in a special session by lawmakers (SB 2A) also went into effect with the new year. Two new laws (HB 7001, HB 7003) that took effect on Dec. 31 implemented a constitutional amendment ratified in 2018. The measures expand the time frame of a ban that prohibits certain public officials and judges from lobbying state agencies and the Legislature after leaving office from two to six years. Those bills are being challenged in court. In addition to the bills that went into effect either on Jan. 1, Jan. 2, or on Dec. 31, portions of several measures that had mostly already gone into effect also became law. Among those was a new toll credit program (SB 6A), passed during the special session held in December, that will give drivers who go through at least 35 toll collection points per month a 50% credit throughout the year. The bill took effect Dec. 15, but major parts of the program started Jan. 1. LobbyTools / WTSP / WKRG

State Finances and Budget

Other States Expected to Follow Fla on Anti-ESG Push

Florida's DeSantis Administration was a leader in the pushback against considering environmental, social or governance-related issues, or ESG, in investing state money in 2022. Other states are expected to follow in the coming year. Some investment managers have pursued investments with an eye on companies taking particular social positions – though most investment managers pursuing such a strategy say it's not political, but aimed at following the market and making more money for investors. Reuters

Lawsuits and Legal Policy

4th DCA Panel Won’t Clarify Gun Lawsuit Statute

An appeals court declined on Wednesday to issue a ruling on a state law that could open the door to a lawsuit by parents of a Parkland school shooting victim against a gun maker. A three judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal agreed with a lower court decision against issuing an advisory judgment on whether a state law would provide immunity for gun manufacturers and sellers in their case, a decision the family says would help determine whether they pursue legal action against gun maker Smith & Wesson and the seller of the gun used in the shooting. Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg lost their 14-year-old daughter Jaime on Feb. 14, 2018 after gunman Nikolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The Guttenbergs sought clarification of a state law relating to civil actions against firearm manufacturers and sellers, specifically whether its fee rules apply in lawsuits brought by individuals or just local governments and government agencies. The trial court had found that the family's complaint for declaratory relief was "an impermissible attempt to solicit 'legal advice to help them decide whether they should file a suit,' and that the Guttenbergs would have to test their claims in an adversarial proceeding,” and the DCA agreed. DCA Opinion

Child Welfare

St. Johns Tops State Kids-Count Index, Fla. 35th?

The Florida Policy Institute released a report ranking children's well-being across the state's 67 counties. The 2022 Florida Child Well-Being Index uses data from the national Kids Count project, comparing 16 indicators in the areas of economic well-being, education, health and family and community. St. Johns County was ranked number one in the state while Madison County came in last. "The counties that have better rankings, they tend to be better resourced. And there's investments in childcare and education and other things that enable children to thrive," said Norin Dollard, Kids Count Director with the Florida Policy Institute. Nationally, Florida ranked 35th in the country for the third year in a row. WUSF / The Capitolist

Immigration

Cuban Migration Wave Hitting Keys

Local officials in the Florida Keys say more than 500 migrants from Cuba have arrived in the last several days, causing a local crisis. Economic turmoil on the island, including rising inflation, along with food shortages are spurring the wave of migration. Last weekend, 300 migrants arrived at the isolated island Dry Tortugas National Park, about 70 miles west of Key West. The park was closed so that law enforcement and medical personnel could evaluate the group before moving them to Key West. Associated Press / Miami Herald

Business and The Economy

Fla Growth Paces US in Return to Increasing Population

The United States added 1.2 million residents between July 2021 and July 2022, an increase of 0.4%, with Florida among the states leading in that growth. Much of the increase came from international immigration rebounding during the period after a drop-off during the pandemic. Texas and Florida added more than 400,000 residents each during the period; New York, California and Illinois all lost more than 100,000 residents. Pluribus News

Professional Licenses: The number of professional licenses in Florida is now at 1.7 million, after increasing by nearly 300,000 in 2022, according to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The agency, which regulates several professions, including architects, barbers, accountants and auctioneers, said the recent growth in licenses can be attributed to new expedited application processing times and a reduction in licensing fees. DBPR Press Release

Other States' Legislation

Technology and Privacy: States around the country are likely to continue a push this year for laws boosting biometric privacy. Pluribus

Substance Regulation: Legal use of hallucinogenic mushrooms began this week in Oregon. New York Times / KOIN

The Legislature

A Demographic and Political Breakdown of the New Legislature

While only just over a third of voters in the November election were registered Republicans, GOP lawmakers make up more than 70% of the state Legislature. Just under 6 in 10 lawmakers are men, two-thirds are white, and the number of Hispanic legislators as a proportion of the whole is less than the population at large, according to a newspaper's statistical demographic look at the state House and Senate. Daytona Beach News-Journal

Executive Branch

Byrd to Remain in Top Elections Role

Secretary of State Cord Byrd will remain on the job for Gov. Ron DeSantis' second term as governor. Byrd was appointed to the position last May, replacing former Secretary of State Laurel Lee who stepped down to run for Congress. Byrd served in the House for nearly six years, representing Duval and Nassau counties. The Neptune Beach attorney backed some of the most conservative bills pushed in the Legislature and sponsored the 2021 legislation to ban sanctuary cities that was supported by the governor. The Division of Elections, which is overseen by the secretary of state, was in a legal battle over the new congressional maps when Byrd was appointed but the maps were ultimately approved for use in the 2022 elections. Byrd also helped implement the new Office of Election Crimes and Security within his department and oversaw the Primary Election on Aug. 23 and the General Election on Nov. 8. Florida Politics / DeSantis Twitter

Kerner to be New Head of FLHSMV

Palm Beach County Commissioner Dave Kerner was nominated by Gov. Ron DeSantis as executive director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The former Palm Beach County mayor will replace Terry Rhodes, who stepped down in December after nearly eight years on the job. Kerner, a Democrat who endorsed DeSantis in the 2022 election, will serve as interim head of the agency until he is approved at the next Cabinet meeting scheduled for Jan. 17. Kerner previously served two terms in the state House and has experience as a police officer and as a special prosecutor in Palm Beach County. Palm Beach County Republican Party Chairman Michael Barnett was appointed by the governor to fill Kerner's spot on the County Commission, which will now flip to have a 4-3 Republican advantage. DeSantis Press Release / Florida Politics / Palm Beach Post

Agriculture Enforcement: Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson tapped Lee Adams to serve as the new director of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agriculture Law this week. Adams succeeds Col. James Wiggins, who worked at DOACS since 1998 and was the law enforcement director for the last seven years. Adams will oversee the agency's more than 230 sworn law enforcement officers with a budget of $29.6 million and 20 stations across the state. The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement is in charge of vehicle inspections that aim to protect Florida's food supply from agricultural pests and diseases. Simpson Press Release / Florida Politics

CareerSource Florida: President and CEO of CareerSource Florida Michelle Dennard is stepping down, leaving another empty director position within the DeSantis administration as he begins his second term as governor. CareerSource Florida is a statewide workforce policy and investment board that implements workforce initiatives across the state's 24 local workforce development boards, aimed at connecting businesses with workforce and training needs. Dennard Resignation Letter

Local Government

RIP Harvey Ruvin: Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts Harvey Ruvin, the longest serving official in the county, has died at 85. Miami Herald / Miami Today / CBS Miami

Campaigns and Elections

Can DeSantis Win Battle Against Business

Gov. Ron DeSantis' push against corporate "wokeness" dovetails with a general Republican shift toward populism and away from support of the business community. But as the governor continues to test presidential campaign waters, the question remains whether taking on major employers is a winning strategy. Bloomberg / Washington Post

Abortion-DeSantis: The spokesman for the Republican governor of South Dakota criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis for not being a strong enough opponent of abortion rights. National Review

Leek-Senate: Ormond Beach Republican Rep. Tom Leek, who has served in the House since 2016, has filed to run for Senate District 7 in the 2024 election. SD 7 covers Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties, and part of Volusia County. The district is currently represented by Republican Sen. Travis Hutson who is unable to seek reelection due to term limits. Florida Politics

Scott-Re-Election: U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said this week that he is planning to seek reelection to the U.S. Senate seat he first won nearly four years ago. CBS Miami

Visit?www.lobbytools.com?to see why LobbyTools is Florida's most trusted legislative tracking, research, and reporting service.

? COPYRIGHT 1999-2023 LOBBYTOOLS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

LobbyTools

930 Thomasville Rd, Ste 200,?Tallahassee,?FL?32303