In Florida, there’s no recourse for grandparents in cases like this — and certainly no vaccine to prevent it.

That’s what Sen. Lauren Book was looking to address in a Tuesday workshop in the Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee.

The workshop began with a video presentation illustrating the limits of grandparent rights in Florida, the challenges that have stood in the way of reform, testimony from Ruth Markel, and a call to action for lawmakers to find a path forward in unique, devastating cases such as this.

To Book, founder of a children’s advocacy nonprofit, these goals resonate strongly.

Lauren Book champions another issue that strikes a chord. Image via Colin Hackley.

“There’s a gap in Florida’s victim protection laws when it comes to the rights of children who have already lost one parent to violence and are then cut from strong, supportive family bonds — with no voice of their own in the process,” Book said. “In these unthinkable situations, Florida law doesn’t give children or their grandparents a chance to be heard. We hope to find a path forward to change that.”

To Ruth Markel, the workshop represented another step forward in her family’s quest to reunite with Dan’s children and to help others in the process. “We miss our grandchildren terribly, and grieve their loss of our support and affection. We hope to be a voice for change — to help open up options for grandparents and grandchildren who find themselves in very unique, challenging situations such as ours.”

Advocacy efforts were initiated by Justice for Dan, a group started by Markel’s friends, and advanced by pro-bono lobbyists with Johnston & Stewart, and others.

One friend of Markel’s, Jeremy Cohen, shared with the committee his memories of Markel’s parents and children spending joyful time together before his murder, and how Markel’s ex-wife Wendi Adelson went so far as to change the children’s last name from Markel to her own, abruptly severing all ties with their father.

“I know you can’t grant them access today,” Cohen said, “but you can allow a judge to be given the statutory authority to hear from Phil and Ruth Markel, to consider the facts of this case, and to make a determination about what’s in the best interest of the children.”

Powerful testimony from psychologist Mimi Graham, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy at Florida State, underscored the important role grandparents can play in “buffering stress and adversity” when children grieve or face life challenges, most notably, the death of a parent. “The earlier trauma occurs, the more lasting impact it usually has,” Graham shared, “Young children are particularly vulnerable.”

However, not all see an easy way forward for alienated grandparents.

A representative for the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar, Abigail Beebe, suggested that any effort to expand standing for grandparents wouldn’t pass constitutional muster unless it also included other types of family members such as aunts, uncles, or siblings. This may not be so, considering that current law relates to grandparents only, and has not been challenged based on Equal Protection. Beebe also suggested that Florida’s current standard of “abuse, abandonment, or neglect” may be sufficient for grandparent standing in the Markel case or others like it, and that no changes to the law are needed.

But committee members expressed the desire to explore options more deeply.

Sen. Gayle Harrell asked Beebe, “Is there any way you can allow grandparents at least to express to the judge their desire and need for their grandchildren to be part of their lives?”

And Sen. Darryl Rouson shared his role in drafting Florida’s current law that was inspired by a similar, tragic case years ago, and his commitment to making more changes.

“When we were kids, we used to play connect-the-dots. Someone suggested to me that grandparents are a way of connecting the dots of history, of family love, of family legacy, and we need to find some way to craft this narrowness … and I hope this will go a long way toward beginning that discussion and conversation, to provide some relief to grandparents,” Rouson said, “I’m just overwhelmed this morning that the need is still there, that the need still exists, and children are not being allowed to see and visit meaningfully with their grandparents.”

Book agreed, “We started the conversation last year … We wanted to look at it again and work on something in the off-time that we believe will be able to “connect those dots” — not just for those grandparents but for those children who desperately need it. I hope you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and help.”

“It’s heartening to see this policy problem get serious attention and focus. The more minds that come together to solve it, the greater the chances are that children whose families have already been torn apart by violence are able to reunite with loving, supportive grandparents,” lobbyist Jeff Johnston said, “Thank you to Chair Book for taking up this important issue.”

In other notes:

🦠 — A fourth COVID-19 wave, visualized: Spring Break, particularly in South Florida, showed just how ready the nation is to get back to normal. But health officials fear a fourth wave is looming, even if Americans seem bent on ignoring its threat. The Washington Post put the threat into perspective with a series of graphs and pictographs showing surges; some compared to previous spikes, that remind the pandemic is far from over. See more here.

 — CDR Health administers 1M vaccines: The company, an affiliate of Miami-based CDR Maguire, has administered nearly a quarter of the state’s total vaccines, announcing it reached the 1 million vaccination threshold Tuesday. In partnership with Florida-based Coastal Cloud, CDR Health has also registered more than 2 million Floridians for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. They offer vaccines in 49 of the state’s 67 counties, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Orange, Pasco and Hernando counties.

🤿 — A must-read deep-dive: During his 2020 campaign, Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony’s past came back to haunt him. Now, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel is out with a deep dive investigation into not only Gregory’s dropped, and later expunged shooting when he was 14-years old that left one man dead, but into his potential lies on police applications about past drug, football prospects, and political achievements. The information gives readers the chance to determine for themselves whether Tony’s story is one of survival from a brutal neighborhood, or one claimed through dishonesty. Read more here.

🏻 — Ted Webb dies at 72: The longtime radio personality passed away Tuesday after a long health battle after announcing Friday he was suspending dialysis and entering hospice. Webb had a 50-year career in local radio, breaking into the industry when he was just 14 years old. Webb retired from WFLA radio’s AM Tampa Bay, where he served as a conservative voice in 2018 after suffering a heart attack. He passed peacefully with family by his side, according to a post on his Facebook page.

Gaetz confirmed to Axios that he was under investigation by the Department of Justice, but denied any wrongdoing. Before speaking with Axios, The New York Times reported three sources familiar with the issue said he was under investigation for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paying her to travel with him, a potential violation of federal sex trafficking laws.

“The allegations against me are as searing as they are false,” Gaetz said in a 13-minute phone interview with Axios. “I believe that there are people at the Department of Justice who are trying to criminalize my sexual conduct, you know, when I was a single guy.”

Moments later, Gaetz unleashed on Twitter with a thread claiming he and his family were being extorted.

Matt Gaetz is in it deep this time. 

“Over the past several weeks, my family and I have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name,” Gaetz tweeted. “We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter, and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI’s direction to catch these criminals.”

Gaetz claimed the “planted leak” to the FBI “was intended to thwart that investigation.” He went on to say that “no part” of the allegations against him are true, “and the people pushing these lies are targets of the ongoing extortion investigation.

Gaetz demanded the DOJ “release the tapes, made at their direction, which implicates their former colleague in crimes against (him) based on false allegations.”

Gaetz told Axios the allegations stemmed from his “single days.”

“I have definitely, in my single days, provided for women I’ve dated. You know, I’ve paid for flights, for hotel rooms. I’ve been, you know, generous as a partner. I think someone is trying to make that look criminal when it is not,” he said. He continued that he was “absolutely” sure none of the women were underage.

Axios reported earlier in the day that Gaetz privately told confidants he was seriously considering leaving Congress to pursue a job at Newsmax.

Matt Gaetz tells Tucker Carlson he didn’t ‘travel’ with 17-year-old girl — In a Fox News appearance, Gaetz delivered a semantic defense, saying he has not “traveled with a 17-year-old woman.” He called the allegation “verifiably false.” The congressman, however, did not address the more serious allegations he had a sexual relationship with the girl and paid for her to travel — whether with him or to him — across state lines. He then detailed his claim that the accusations are part of an elaborate extortion perpetrated by a former DOJ official.

Tweet, tweet:

Before the bombshell — “Gaetz ‘Boggy Boy’ tells Niceville audience his time in Washington is nearing an end” via Tom McLaughlin of the Northwest Florida Daily News — Gaetz has subtly altered his message, becoming less the unabashed cheerleader for now-former President Donald Trump and more the unabashed cheerleader for Gov. Ron DeSantis. And on Monday, he spoke like a man contemplating a return to his home state. “I’m not going to be a lifer in this job,” said Gaetz, who is now serving his fifth year in office. Gaetz hinted that a pending marriage and having an adopted son to raise had him thinking about stepping down from Congress. It has long been rumored that Gaetz might contemplate a run for commissioner of the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, the only statewide office presently headed by a Democrat.

—@TedLieu: Rep Matt Gaetz should be taken off the @HouseJudiciary Committee until the @TheJusticeDept investigation is completed. He should not be sitting on a Congressional Committee with oversight over the DOJ while the Department is investigating him.

—@KarlMEvers: Matt Gaetz’s campaign didn’t spend any money on legal fees in the 2020 cycle until July, shortly after his associate Joel Greenberg was indicted. His campaign spent $64K on legal consulting over the last 5 months of the year.

—@richsignorelli: The fact that the Gaetz investigation was opened up under AG [William] Barr should tell you that there is something substantial involved with these allegations. Any thin case would have been shut down by Barr given Gaetz’s relationship with the Former Guy.

—@MeidasTouch: This morning: Matt Gaetz eyeing early retirement next year to take job at Newsmax. This afternoon: Matt Gaetz implicated in sex trafficking scandal. This morning makes a lot more sense now.

—@MeganGarber: An open letter to media outlets discussing the Gaetz investigation: There’s no such thing as an “underage woman.” An underage woman is a girl.

—@senpizzo: Anyone hoping these allegations are true, is placing politics over the well-being of an underage girl. I’m hoping they’re false, that there is no victim, and we just resume a difference in ideas.

—@JKBJournalist: Between Matt Gaetz and Jeffrey Epstein, Florida won the weird news of the day award today hands down, folks.

Mark Rains, the director of the University of South Florida’s School of Geosciences, the Florida’s newest (and first) Chief Science Officer.

“Local emergency powers targeted” via Jim Turner of News Service of Florida — The Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security Committee voted 4-3 along party lines to approve a bill (SB 1924) that would limit local-government emergency orders. Sponsor Manny Diaz Jr., a Hialeah Republican, said it could be merged into a larger package. That would be similar to a wide-ranging House approach (HB 7047). The proposal would require majority votes of local governing bodies to extend emergency orders after 10 days and give the governor or the Legislature the power to invalidate the actions. Counties or cities also would be required to prove their actions are “narrowly tailored,” serve a “compelling governmental interest,” and are done with the “least intrusive means.”

“Senate plan seeks to pause K-12 test rules, shield universities from COVID lawsuits” via Ana Ceballos of the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times — Senate leaders on Tuesday advanced a wide-ranging proposal that is opening up a new legal and school accountability debate over how to deal with the fallout of COVID-19 in Florida’s education system. The Senate Education Committee is proposing legislation that would shield universities from lawsuits seeking a return of tuition and fees. It also would cancel the consequences of spring academic testing and allow some parents to have their kids repeat a grade to recover from learning losses experienced during the pandemic. The odds of the proposal passing remain murky, though. That’s because it remains unclear whether DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran are on board with certain provisions, some of which they have the authority to enact with emergency powers.

“GOP senators back cap for ballot initiatives” via Jim Saunders of News Service of Florida — With Republican lawmakers lining up behind the idea, a Senate committee Tuesday approved a measure that would place a $3,000 cap on contributions to political committees trying to put proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot. The vote by the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee came a day after a House committee approved a similar bill. Republican lawmakers and the Florida Chamber of Commerce contend the proposal is needed to stop deep-pocketed donors from financing ballot initiatives on policy issues that should not be in the state constitution. They say the Legislature should decide such issues. “This is not a direct democracy,” Committee Chair Dennis Baxley said. “This government that we have is a democratic republic.

“Bill pitched by lobbyist puts Hertz in line for $2.3 million tax cut from Legislature” via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel — The Hertz rental car company is poised to save $2.3 million in taxes under a bill that passed a Senate committee Monday. Records obtained by the Orlando Sentinel show an aide to Hertz lobbyist Will McKinley pitched the idea for the bill to Senate Majority Leader Kathleen Passidomo on Jan. 21. The email explained that companies such as Hertz, which qualify for the state’s capital investment tax-credit program, cannot use them because of the economic downturn. The email asked Passidomo and the Legislature to change the law to allow companies that qualify to apply half the credits they would have received in the current tax year if their April-through-December revenues dropped by 50% year-over-year.

Jason Brodeur is seeking to rewrite the state’s health benefits.

“PBM reform gets a major hair cut” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics: A bill to reign in ballooning Medicaid costs caused by Pharmacy Benefit Managers was whittled down from 23 to 5 pages. The committee substitute gives the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) the authority to regulate audits conducted under the Florida Pharmacy Audit Act. The bill also allows OIR to fine PBMs $10,000 if they fail to register with the state, which is required under Florida law. The bill now heads to its second of three committees, Insurance and Banking. Senate companion legislation (SB 390) is in its second committee, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.

“Foreign influence bill gets full support of Senate Education Committee” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics — A bill winding through the Senate aims to curb foreign influence in Florida’s colleges and universities. The bill (SB 2010) unanimously passed the Senate Education Committee Tuesday, but not before questions from some of the committee’s Democratic members. DeSantis backs the bill. The Governor specifically called out China as a central threat at the initial unveiling of the legislation at a news conference just before Session’s start. Bill sponsor Sen. Diaz was standing alongside DeSantis. The bill amounts to a crackdown on foreign influence and espionage in research conducted at Florida’s colleges and universities.

“Debate brews in Florida about parental consent over sex ed” via Bobby Caina Calvan of The Associated Press — A Senate Committee advanced a measure Tuesday that would require public school boards to hold hearings on what should be included in sex education curricula. Comprehensive sex education is not mandated across Florida, but state law does not bar school districts from offering such instruction. However, current state law requires school districts to provide comprehensive health education, including what it calls “an awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the consequences of teenage pregnancy.” Some lawmakers are seeking to rewrite the law so sex education, if offered by a school district, would not be an automatic part of a child’s school curricula. Under the House proposal, schools would have to get written consent from parents.

Wait, what? — “Despite concern and confusion, Florida Senate panel OKs ban on ‘gay panic’ legal defense” via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat — It’s a rare legal move, but some people have claimed that a same-sex advance or flirtation caused a momentary loss of self-control, even temporary insanity, making them hurt or even kill another person. Now, Florida lawmakers are considering banning what’s known as the “gay panic” or “transgender panic” criminal defense. Sen. Book is sponsoring a bill (SB 718) to create a Gay and Transgender Panic Legal Defense Prohibition Act to block such a legal defense. The bill, however, ran into trouble Tuesday in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee when some members expressed concern about its effects and confusion over whether it was really needed — though it still cleared the panel on a 6-2 vote.

Jeff Brandes wants the state to put some restrictions on the death penalty.

“Black lawmakers push scholarships for descendants of 1920 Ocoee riot victims, but will there be funds?” via Isaac Morgan of the Florida Phoenix — A hundred years ago, dozens of Blacks in Central Florida were killed in a deadly riot for exercising their right to vote — a shameful episode of Florida’s history. A century later, Orlando State Sen. Randolph Bracy is pushing hard to bring awareness of the horrific events in the small Black community through a college scholarship program for direct descendants of the Ocoee Election Day victims Riots of November 1920. The “Randolph Bracy Ocoee Scholarship Program” would allow continued state funds of $305,000 for “up to 50 scholarships to eligible students annually, in an amount up to $6,100, not to exceed the amount of the student’s tuition and registration fees.”

“Human trafficking bill clears House committee” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — Human trafficking victims would receive special protections in Florida under a bill cleared by a House committee Tuesday. The House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee unanimously advanced the bill (HB 523) without questions or debate. Republican Rep. Jackie Toledo is the bill sponsor. The proposal contains a slew of provisions and aims to “send a message that Florida will not tolerate human trafficking and that victims are not treated like criminals,” Toledo said. It creates a privilege between a human trafficking victim advocate and a victim. The privilege, Toledo explained, is similar to those for sexual assault and domestic violence victims.

Sexual assault kit tracking bill clears second committee — Democratic Rep. Emily Slosberg’s bill (SB 673) to set up a statewide system for victims to track the processing of sexual assault evidence kits earned unanimous support in the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee. The proposal, also known as “Gail’s Law,” is named after sexual assault survivor Gail Gardner, whose kit went unprocessed for 30 years unbeknown to her. “I want to thank my colleagues on the Justice Appropriations Subcommittee for their support of this landmark legislation. There is no reason why we should be able to track a pizza more efficiently than we can track evidence in a sexual assault case,” Slosberg said. The bill has one more committee stop before the chamber floor.

‘Serena’s Law’ starts moving in House — Public records shields intended to protect the identity of sex abuse survivors sometimes keep offenders’ identities concealed from background checks. But bipartisan legislation aimed at changing that is moving in the House and Senate. “Serena’s Law,” named after a Southwest Florida victim who discovered her assailant later landed a job working with children, is carried by Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, a Fort Myers Republican, and Sen. Book, who has a reputation for standing up for victims of sexual assault. Persons-Mulicka’s bill (HB 1229) earned unanimous support in its first committee stop Tuesday. Book’s bill (SB 1508), meanwhile has cleared two Senate committees without a single no vote. Tt’s last stop before the floor will be in Appropriations.

“House advances bill to help ensure former foster care youth enroll in Medicaid” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The House Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee unanimously OK’d a measure Tuesday (HB 1071) helping to ensure former foster children are enrolled in Medicaid. Federal law requires states to provide Medicaid coverage to individuals aged out of foster care until they are 26 years old. State law, however, also requires individuals 21 and older to apply for Medicaid coverage on their own and reapply each year. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Rick Roth of West Palm Beach, noted that some foster youth are left behind, either because they forget to opt in to that coverage or because they’re unaware.

“Jury duty postponement backed in emergencies” via News Service of Florida — The House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday unanimously approved a broader courts bill (HB 1197), sponsored by Miami Republican Rep. Vance Aloupis, that includes a provision that would allow Floridians to postpone jury duty for a year during public-health emergencies and states of emergency. A Senate version (SB 748), sponsored by St. Petersburg Republican Brandes, was approved last week by the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee. Under current law, jurors can request jury service postponement for up to six months and can face fines up to $100 and be held in contempt of court if they do not show up for service without providing a sufficient excuse.

Proposal to exempt county attorneys from public records passes first committee — Legislation that would provide a public records exemption for personal information about county attorneys and assistant county attorneys cleared the House Civil Justice and Property Rights Subcommittee in a unanimous vote Tuesday. The bill (HB 1355), filed by Kissimmee Democrat Rep. Kristen Arrington and Hudson Republican Rep. Amber Mariano, would exempt information like home addresses, date of birth, phone numbers and photographs of county attorneys and assistant county attorneys from public record laws. Arrington said this bill would improve the applicant pool for public attorneys. The bill now faces two more committees before it can appear before the House. A similar bill (SB 1602) has been filed in the Senate by Orange County Democrat Sen. Linda Stewart, but it has yet to reach any committees.

Amber Mariano is behind a bill that takes some sensitive information out of the sunshine. 

House subcommittee OK’s CPR school proposal— The House Secondary Education & Career Development Subcommittee advanced a bill Tuesday to require one hour of CPR training in high schools. Sponsored by Republican Rep. Fred Hawkins of St. Cloud, the proposal (HB 157) would also mandate school training on automated external defibrillators and require students to undergo an EKG test before competing in sporting events. Public speakers, including grieving parents, grew emotional as they urged lawmakers to pass the bill. “I question whether or not I’ve been more moved by public testimony than in this committee here today,” said Republican Rep. David Borrero of Sweetwater. “They were truly powerful, and I’m sorry for your respective losses.”

“Pedestrian crosswalk safety bill clears House committee despite concerns” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics: A bill to add safety measures to pedestrian crosswalks received pushback in committee from a lone representative, despite the presence of the parents of a girl who died in a crosswalk in 2019. The bill passed the House Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations committee Tuesday in a 10-1 vote. It would require midblock intersections to swap flashing yellow lights for red. Pinellas County Rep. Linda Chaney, the committee’s only no vote, dug her heels in on the issue, saying the move would create untenable traffic congestion. The bill now heads to its last committee stop, Commerce Committee. Senate companion legislation (SB 1412) is in its second of three committee stops.

Car-sharing bill clears another Senate committee — Despite lingering concerns about insurance and continuing grumbling from airports, a bill aimed at bringing car-sharing taxes, insurance and maintenance in line with traditional rental car companies cleared the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday. Republican Sen. Keith Perry drove his SB 566 through the committee, getting a unanimous vote despite warnings from some members that they want to see insurance and airport issues readdressed. There seemed to be no opposition to the overall idea, however. “Things are changing. We have to adapt. And Florida needs to make sure we are doing it appropriately,” said Republican Gayle Harrell, who chairs the committee. “We need to allow innovation, but we also need to make sure we have an equal playing field.”

Keith Perry’s car-sharing bill has a smooth ride through committee. 

Events could flee Florida if transgender sports ban passes — If lawmakers pass a bill blocking transgender athletes from competing in high school or college sports, the NCAA could ban the Sunshine State from hosting sports events, Equality Florida warned. The LGBTQ rights organization noted widespread opposition to the proposal. Child welfare groups, nationwide coalitions of lawmakers, sports superstars Megan Rapinoe and Dwayne Wade, and even the researcher sponsors cite to justify the legislation. “Simply put: lawmakers in Florida are putting the state’s economy at risk right alongside the health and well-being of transgender kids in a move that puts political pandering ahead of the welfare of children,” Equality Florida executive director Nadine Smith said.

FRLA urges lawmakers to reject tourist tax changes — The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association sent a letter to members of the Florida Senate Committee on Community Affairs on Monday urging them to vote against a bill (SB 2008) that would allow Tourist Development Taxes and Convention Development Taxes to be used for flood mitigation projects. “No industry in Florida has been hit harder than the tourism and hospitality industries,” FRLA President and CEO Carol Dover said. “With a historic drop in visitors from 134 million to 86 million last year — the lowest in a decade — it is more important than ever to protect our tourism dollars and the stated mission of those dollars — to promote tourism so that we can bring back our guests and continue to rebuild.”

SGLF highlights Florida Right-to-Farm bills — The State Government Leadership Foundation released a study on right-to-farm statutes across the country on Tuesday, specifically highlighting the bills Florida Republicans are prioritizing in the 2021 Legislative Session that would shield farmers from lawsuits. The study follows the digital ad campaign heralding the benefits of the Florida bills. Key findings show that some states have instituted their right-to-farm statute to properly protect farmers, while other states have faced legal challenges that have diminished the strength of the protections their statutes provide. “As evidenced by the study, states better protect their food supply when they make common-sense right-to-farm reforms,” said SGLF Deputy Executive Director Casey Dietrich. Click here to read the study.

Amy Bisceglia, AB Governmental Affairs: Unisys Corporation

Mike Corcoran, Jacqueline Corcoran, Matt Blair, Ralph Criss, Andrea Tovar, Corcoran Partners: Lennar Corporation

Kevin Cabrera, Mercury Public Affiars: 911Inform

Sara Clements, Rhett O’Doski, Ryder Rudd, Sean Stafford, McGuireWoods Consulting: BSA Business

Gus Corbella, Hayden Dempsey, Elizabeth Dudek, Greenberg Traurig: Encore Healthcare

Kim McDougal, GrayRobinson: CareerSource Pinellas

Derek Silver, Becker & Poliakoff: City of Miami

Charles Zdebski, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott: Florida Power & Light Company

The Senate Health Policy Committee meets to consider SB 2012, also from Stargel, to prevent transgender girls and women from competing in women’s high-school and college sports, 8 a.m., Room 412, Knott Building.

The House Appropriations Committee meets to consider PCB APC 21-01, the nearly $97.1 billion budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, 9 a.m., Room 212, Knott Building.

The Senate Finance and Tax Committee meets to consider SB 750, from Sen. Joe Gruters, to place additional restrictions on local impact fees, 11 a.m., Room 110, Senate Office Building.

The Senate Rules Committee meets to consider SB 912, from Sen. Ben Albritton, to allow the extension of consumptive-use water permits and development permits during states of emergency, 11 a.m., Room 412, Knott Building.

The Senate Appropriations Committee meets to consider SPB 2500, the Senate’s nearly $95 billion budget proposal for the fiscal year that starts July 1, 1 p.m., Room 412 Knott Building.

The House meets for a floor Session; items include a measure HB 329, from Rep. Josie Tomkow, to allow restaurants to sell or deliver alcoholic beverages to go if accompanied by food. Also, HB 241, from Rep. Erin Grall, to clarify parental rights on issues such as education and health care, 4 p.m., House Chamber.

Also:

The House Ways and Means Committee meets, 9 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building.

Governor names three to the bench — DeSantis announced three new judicial appointments late Tuesday. Carrie Ann Wozniak of Winter Park will serve on the 5th District Court of Appeal. Wozniak has worked as a partner at Akerman LLP since 2013 and is a former staff attorney at the Florida Supreme Court. Michael Deen, also of Winter Park, will join the Orange County Court. He’s been an assistant state attorney in the Ninth Circuit since 2012. Finally, Rebecca White will serve as a judge on the 19th Judicial Circuit Court, where she’s worked as an assistant state attorney since 2007. White is based in Vero Beach.

Carrie Ann Wozniak snags an appointment to the 5th District Court. 

What Dana Young is reading — “Despite spring break mayhem, Florida still one of the top dream vacation destinations” via Connie Ogle of the Miami Herald — After a year of pandemic and growing vaccine availability, Americans are ready to travel. And a lot of them — surprise! — want to travel to Florida. A new survey by travel website TripIt from Concur shows that 94% of Americans are planning vacations in 2021 — and that Florida is one of the top bucket list destinations in the U.S. Here in Miami, we are not surprised by this information, though it makes us a little weary. Despite COVID-19, two-thirds of New York has been cramming itself onto our highways and into our restaurants for months, telling us how superior their highways and restaurants are (even though many of their restaurants seem to be moving here).

Stephanie Murphy is not the first Vietnamese American in Congress. That would be Anh ‘Joseph’ Cao.

“Feds may probe Senate races. Good. But why are state and local officials MIA?” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — Last Wednesday, I wrote about the arrest of a former state Senator accused of paying a buddy nearly $45,000 in undisclosed cash and credit card payments to run as a stooge candidate in a South Florida legislative race. My main question: Why aren’t Central Florida investigators looking into similarly shady behavior in a Seminole County state Senate race won by Brodeur? After all, there are many connections, including the same dark-money group funding ads in both races. The Miami-Dade state attorney looked at the shady activity and declared: “In my community, election crimes will not be tolerated … they will be prosecuted.” But in Seminole County, state attorney Phil Archer said he doesn’t consider investigating crimes to be his job. Only prosecuting.

“DeSantis diverting state COVID-19 vaccine supply to FEMA sites” via Jeff Schweers of the Tallahassee Democrat — DeSantis ordered the state’s Division of Emergency Management and Health department to redistribute part of the state’s allocation to four Federal Emergency Management Agency sites in Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa and Orlando to keep them running past their deadline. “To make this change, Gov. DeSantis directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Florida Department of Health to allocate state vaccine allocations to these federal sites,” the Division said in a news release. “The state is receiving more than 683,000 doses of vaccine this week, the most we have ever received since the vaccination efforts began,” DOH spokesman Jason Mahon said in an email. “We have been able to use this additional vaccine to expand access at pharmacies and large vaccination sites across the state, including the federally supported sites.”

Ron DeSantis is shoring up FEMA vaccine supplies.

“Florida COVID-19 numbers face new scrutiny” via Alexander Nazaryan of Yahoo News — New research published earlier this month in the American Journal of Public Health argues that Florida is undercounting the number of people who died from COVID-19 by thousands of cases, casting new doubt on claims that DeSantis navigated the coronavirus pandemic successfully. Conservatives have celebrated DeSantis for his handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 30,000 residents of the state. Meanwhile, critics of the combative Governor say that many of those deaths would have been prevented if he had listened more diligently to health experts.

“‘It’s been like a prison lockdown’: Polk nursing homes begin opening doors wider for visits” via Gary White of the Lakeland Ledger — About a year ago, DeSantis suspended all visits to residents of nursing homes. COVID-19 has ravaged those facilities, and the state has recorded 11,014 deaths of residents or employees linked to the viral illness. That includes 419 in Polk County, 33.9% of the county’s 1,237 COVID-related deaths. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued new guidance on March 10, saying nursing homes should allow indoor visits “at all times and for all residents, regardless of vaccination status.” There are some exceptions — for example, if an area’s positivity rate is above 10% or if less than 70% of residents have been vaccinated. Florida’s Division of Emergency Management followed last week, instructing nursing homes to follow the federal recommendations.

When Ron DeSantis suspended all visits to residents of nursing homes, it was like a ‘prison lockdown.’

“City of Jacksonville offers $4 million for mortgage relief” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — The city of Jacksonville will take applications starting Wednesday morning for $4.25 million in mortgage relief for Duval County residents who lost income because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to those who meet the eligibility requirements for household income and provide the required documents. The city’s Housing and Community Development Division is running the program, which is separate from nearly $29 million in assistance rolled out Monday to help pandemic-stressed residents catch up on rent and overdue utility bills.

“‘It’s a crisis:’ Restaurants fighting to rebound from the pandemic are encountering a surprising new challenge” via Amber Randall of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — As restaurants reopen in South Florida after a difficult year marked by hundreds of thousands of laid-off or furloughed workers, they are facing a new and surprising problem: A shortage of staff. It’s a mystery restaurant owners are struggling to understand: In an economy where unemployment is still high, especially in the restaurant and hospitality industry, why can’t they find enough kitchen workers, servers and hosts to staff their establishments? That shortage is forcing restaurants to make tough decisions about how to operate. Some restaurants in South Florida have had to shut down early, limit seating areas or pay workers overtime.

“As inmate labor is scaled back due to COVID-19, litter in Santa Rosa County piles up” via Annie Blanks of Pensacola News Journal — Litter pickup in Santa Rosa County was previously done by inmates at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility in Milton. The Department of Justice provides inmates to perform various public works service for municipalities across the state. But when the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, the DOJ scaled back its inmate labor program, especially after a coronavirus outbreak at the Blackwater prison left about 100 inmates sick with the disease between March and May 2020. Trash lies on the side of the road on Bell Lane in Santa Rosa County on March 20. Litter in the neighborhood has piled up as inmate labor was scaled back because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Or — “Vaccines become a race against time as CDC warns of COVID-19 surge” via Emma Court of Bloomberg — The U.S. could soon go the way of Europe, with a burgeoning resurgence of the coronavirus, as states loosen restrictions and more contagious variants become increasingly prominent, the nation’s top public health official warned. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said she had a feeling of “impending doom” amid a new wave of infections even as the number of Americans vaccinated continues to rise. Scientists nationwide are calling out the dangers of loosening state measures like mask mandates and capacity restrictions.

Or — “‘We’re skating on a knife’s edge right now’: Scientists worry U.S. could be headed for yet another COVID-19 surge” via Karen Weintraub of USA Today — As COVID-19 cases creep up again across the country, federal officials and epidemiologists say they’re worried we could hit another tipping point, leading to a fourth significant surge of infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Average daily reported cases are up 10% compared to a week earlier, data from the CDC shows, with more than 30 million COVID-19 cases reported since early last year. Hospitalizations and deaths, which usually lag cases by a few weeks, have inched upward as well, after a decline and plateau that began in early January. Walensky said in a White House briefing with media Monday that she’s anxious about what the next few weeks could bring.

Or — “The fourth surge is upon us. This time, it’s different.” via Zeynep Tufekci of The Atlantic — We appear to be entering our fourth surge. The good news is that this one is different. If we act quickly, this surge could be merely a blip for the U.S. But if we move too slowly, more people will become infected by this terrible new variant. The U.S. has an advantage that countries such as Canada, France, Germany, and Italy, which are also experiencing variant surges, don’t. The U.S. has been vaccinating more than 3 million people a day. Also, the country has had one of the largest outbreaks in the world. This has caused us immense suffering and loss, but it also means that we are now less vulnerable to future waves.

“Joe Biden administration builds volunteer network to boost vaccine confidence” via Adam Cancryn of POLITICO — The Biden administration is creating a network of outside health experts and community leaders charged with building trust in coronavirus vaccines, as the shots become available to the entire adult population. The all-volunteer group, dubbed the COVID-19 Community Corps, would amplify the government’s vaccine messaging within their own communities, and lead on-the-ground efforts to combat skepticism and misinformation. The new program, set to be unveiled Thursday, comes as the administration’s focus shifts from expanding supply of the shots to ensuring people seek them out as soon as they’re able.

The White House is developing a volunteer network to combat vaccine hesitancy.

“Satisfaction with U.S. vaccine rollout surges to 68%” via Megan Brennan of Gallup — With well over 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered, the public’s satisfaction with the rollout has surged 24 percentage points to 68% in the last month. Satisfaction with the COVID-19 vaccine process has doubled since January and is now at the majority-level among all major demographic subgroups. It is particularly high among adults aged 65 and older (77%), a group that has been prioritized for vaccines, those who have received at least one vaccine dose (75%), and Democrats (73%), whose satisfaction has more than tripled since Biden took office.

“How long will the coronavirus vaccines protect you? Experts weigh in.” via Lindsey Bever of The Washington Post — You may be among the more than 95 million people in the United States who have taken at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. Or you may still be awaiting your turn. Regardless, there’s a crucial question on most of our minds: How long will the vaccine really protect us? As with most aspects of the virus, the answer is not completely clear. Why? Because although we have been battling the pandemic for more than a year, the vaccines were granted emergency use authorization relatively recently. So experts have not had time to observe their long-term effectiveness. However, that research is underway, and in the meantime, experts say we can make an educated guess.

“Getting one vaccine is good. How about mix-and-match?” via Carl Zimmer of The New York Times — In January, Britain made a change to its vaccine guidelines that shocked many health experts: If the second dose of one vaccine wasn’t available, patients could be given a different one. The new rule was based on sheer guesswork; there was no scientific data at the time demonstrating that mixing two coronavirus vaccines was safe and effective. But that may change soon. In February, researchers at the University of Oxford began a trial in which volunteers received a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine followed by a dose of AstraZeneca’s formulation, or vice versa. This month, the researchers will start analyzing the subjects’ blood to see how well the mix-and-match approach works.

“We need to talk about the AstraZeneca vaccine” via Hilda Bastian of The Atlantic — The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is indispensable right now. It’s one of just a handful of vaccines that are already being produced and distributed on such a massive scale that they might change the near-term course of the pandemic. That’s why the past few weeks have felt so catastrophic. Earlier this month, regulators in more than 20 European countries suspended distribution. The English-language media cited scattered reports of “blood clots” as the reason. A few days later, the European Medicines Agency’s recommended the vaccine’s continued use. The cost of losing time from a temporary pause was bad. Worse, it exacerbated concerns among vaccine-wary Europeans. Close to 60% of French adults now say they have little or no confidence in the vaccine.

A few missteps by AstraZeneca are not helping with vaccine skepticism.

“Pair of COVID-19 drugs performed well in studies, makers say” via Joseph Walker of The Wall Street Journal — A pair of experimental COVID-19 treatments produced positive results in clinical trials, the companies developing the drugs said Monday. Humanigen Inc. said hospitalized patients receiving its drug lenzilumab had a 54% greater likelihood of surviving without the need for mechanical ventilation with a breathing tube after one month than a comparison group that received placebos in a late-stage, or Phase 3, study. Separately, a midstage study of healthier patients with mild to moderate symptoms showed encouraging results for a cocktail of monoclonal antibody drugs from Eli Lilly & Co. and partners Vir Biotechnology Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline PLC.

“Americans itching to travel as TSA notches 18 days of 1 million-plus passenger screenings” via David Koenig and Zeke Miller of The Associated Press — Evidence is mounting that Americans are eager to drive or fly somewhere after being mostly cooped up at home for a year. American Airlines said Monday that bookings are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels as more people get vaccinated … The strongest travel demand is for domestic and short-haul international trips. American said that as of Friday, its seven-day moving average of net bookings — new trips minus cancellations — was about 90% of bookings during the same period in 2019. American said strong bookings should continue into the second quarter, which starts Thursday. As a result, the airline expects to return most of its planes to service in the second quarter after grounding hundreds during the pandemic.

Americans are eager to travel, anywhere.

“Three steps to solving Florida’s service industry labor shortage” via Carlos Gazitua in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Florida is ahead of the curve when it comes to reopening its economy as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes. The Sunshine State was one of the first to fully reopen restaurants last fall. This first-mover advantage gives Florida small businesses a broader perspective than their national counterparts of the challenges associated with fully returning the economy to pre-pandemic operational levels. One of the biggest impediments to such a robust reopening is finding qualified workers. Florida restaurants like mine, which were among the pandemic’s biggest economic victims, are struggling to find enough workers to operate at capacity. Our cooks, servers and support staff are working nearly every day and are on the verge of burnout if help doesn’t arrive soon.

“You’re going back to the office. What happens to your nap habit?” via Ray. A Smith of The Wall Street Journal — When high school teacher Ryan Tibbens learned he would be resuming in-person school in March, he embarked on a mission. He wanted to continue the naps he’d been taking while working from home over the past year. “I didn’t want to pull the classic ‘Seinfeld’ episode where George Costanza sleeps under his desk,” said Tibbens, who is 37 and lives in Berryville, Virginia. So, he bought a cot online and installed it in a backroom at school. He naps there for about 12 minutes during his 30-minute lunch break at least three days a week.

Retuning to the office is paying havoc with worker’s rhythm.

“We’re doing shots! Vaccinated or not, America wants to party again.” via Lisa Bonos of The Washington Post — It’s been over a year since Ryn Pfeuffer slipped into her sheer black bodysuit, fastened her rhinestone choker and stepped into her thigh-highs and Jimmy Choo stiletto heels before heading to a swingers party near the Seattle airport. Pfeuffer, a 47-year-old writer who lives alone, is starved for touch and human interaction. She’s also freshly vaccinated. So on Friday, she’ll swap her yoga pants for that bodysuit ensemble and return to Club Sapphire. Before the coronavirus pandemic, Pfeuffer would get a thrill out of being intimate with a partner while surrounded by others. However, this time, none of her usual dates are fully vaccinated, so she’s going alone.

Joe Biden makes false claims about Georgia’s much-derided new voting laws.

“Voter-restriction laws favor the party, not the public” via Randolph Bracy for the Orlando Sentinel — As the pendulum of partisan political power swings from right to left through each election cycle, the losing party’s post-loss “autopsy” has become an inevitably routine and increasingly obligatory performance. This perfectly natural reflex is as much an earnest consideration of the shortcomings of the preceding campaign, as it is a self-preserving assurance to stakeholders that matters are now reliably “under control.” While such retrospection and restructuring undoubtedly make for good politics, the post-2020 election reflex has brought with it some nefarious underpinnings that appear to cross the line of adept strategy into worrisome, undemocratic territory.

“Group backed by Rupert Murdoch daughter-in-law targets primary elections as a ‘threat to democracy’” via Jon Ward of Yahoo News — American politics is being held hostage, says a group of reformers with growing access to big-donor money who define their mission as trying to set it free. The hostage-takers, to hear them tell it, are the small group of voters who decide party primaries. Only about 10% of American voters choose about eight out of 10 members of Congress, says a new report out Tuesday from Unite America, a group that is pushing states to adopt nonpartisan primaries and ranked-choice voting. This small group encourages extremism and gridlock rather than bipartisan cooperation, the report argues, in a conclusion that is widely echoed by many political scientists.

“Biden gets much better marks on handling of coronavirus than immigration, new poll finds” via John Wagner of The Washington Post — Biden gets much better marks from Americans on his handling of the coronavirus pandemic than on his handling of immigration, a new poll finds. On the coronavirus, 65% of Americans say they approve of the job Biden is doing, compared to 28% who disapprove. Those who approve include almost one-third of Republicans. On immigration, by contrast, 34% of Americans approve of the job Biden is doing, compared to 53% who disapprove. Those who disapprove include a majority of independents and nearly a quarter of Democrats.

Joe Biden is getting props for his handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

“Biden’s infrastructure and climate plan emerges as congressional wrangling begins” via Jeff Stein, Juliet Eilperin and Alyssa Fowers of The Washington Post — The White House on Wednesday is expected to unveil a plan to spend $2.25 trillion on a jobs and infrastructure package that could form a cornerstone of Biden’s economic agenda. Biden’s plan will include approximately $650 billion to rebuild the country’s infrastructure, such as its roads, bridges, highways and ports, the people said. The plan will also include in the range of $400 billion toward home care for the elderly and the disabled, $300 billion for housing infrastructure, and $300 billion to revive U.S. manufacturing. And it will include hundreds of billions of dollars to bolster the nation’s electric grid, enact nationwide high-speed broadband and revamp the nation’s water systems to ensure clean drinking water, among other major investments.

“Biden to pay for infrastructure plan with 15 years of corporate taxes” via Jim Tankersley and Emily Cochrane of The New York Times — Biden intends to pay for the $2 trillion package of infrastructure spending he will propose on Wednesday with a substantial increase in corporate taxes, people briefed on the plan said Tuesday. The scale of the infrastructure program — one of the most ambitious attempts in generations to shore up the nation’s aging roads, bridges, rail lines and utilities — is so big that it will require 15 years of higher taxes on corporations to pay for eight years of spending. Despite his ambitious programs, Biden had pledged that his long-term economic agenda would not add further to the growing national debt. Biden’s proposals include raising the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21% and forcing multinational corporations to pay significantly more.

“Top Republicans form new group to fight Biden tax hikes” via Jonathan Swan of Axios — Top GOP operatives have formed a group to fight Biden’s plans to raise taxes to pay for his expected $3 trillion-plus infrastructure package. The Coalition to Protect American Workers is the first major conservative group formed exclusively to block Biden’s tax agenda. Its leaders include Marc Short, who was former Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff. The group plans to spend at least $25 million on TV and digital ads and organizing, a person familiar with the plans told Axios. It will target Congress members considering backing Biden’s plans, including moderate and vulnerable House Democrats in swing districts.

“Antony Blinken ends Trump rights plan promoting conservative agenda” via Matthew Lee of The Associated Press — In a sharp rebuke to Trump-era policies, Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday formally scrapped a blueprint championed by his predecessor to limit U.S. promotion of human rights abroad to causes favored by conservatives like religious freedom and property matters while dismissing reproductive and LGBTQ rights. Blinken said a report prepared for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that sought to pare down the number of freedoms prioritized in U.S. foreign policy was “unbalanced,” did not reflect Biden administration policies, and would not guide them. Blinken also reversed a Trump administration decision to remove sections on reproductive rights from the State Department’s annual human rights reports on foreign countries. “Women’s rights — including sexual and reproductive rights — are human rights,” he said.

“Trump’s heir? Mike Pence reemerges, lays groundwork for 2024 run” via Jill Colvin of The Associated Press — When Trump was asked to list those he considers the future leaders of the Republican Party, he quickly rattled off names including DeSantis and Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Ted Cruz of Texas. Conspicuously absent from the list: Pence. The former Vice President is steadily reentering public life as he eyes a potential run for the White House in 2024. He’s joining conservative organizations, writing op-eds, delivering speeches and launching an advocacy group that will focus on promoting the Trump administration’s accomplishments. But Trump’s neglect in mentioning Pence during a podcast interview earlier this month signals the former Vice President’s unique challenge.

Is Mike Pence the Donald Trump heir apparent?

“Former Trump official Kayleigh McEnany will be a co-host on Fox News’ ‘Outnumbered’” via Stephen Battaglio of The Los Angeles Times — Kayleigh McEnany, who served 10 months as press secretary for the Trump White House, has landed a co-host seat on the Fox News daytime program “Outnumbered.” According to people familiar with the plans, the cable news network is expected to announce her new role Tuesday. McEnany, 32, worked in cable news before she entered politics. She was a paid on-air commentator for CNN during the 2016 presidential campaign and a talk show producer at Fox News. McEnany was already back in the Fox News family, joining as a paid contributor earlier this month.

Ted Deutch is doing his part to sell the massive COVID-19 stimulus bill.

Responsible Growth group brings on Francis Rooney — Former U.S. Rep. Rooney, who represented Florida’s 19^th Congressional District for years, just joined the advisory board for the Partnership for Responsible Growth. The moves make sense, as Rooney, during his four-year stint in Congress, remained one of the most prominent Republican advocates for a carbon tax, a top policy priority for the environmental advocacy group. Besides his time in Congress, Rooney brings experience as a former U.S. Ambassador to The Holy See. The Naples Republican also served for years as the CEO of Rooney Holdings, giving him a comprehensive knowledge of private-sector challenges in achieving sustainability goals.

Personnel note: Alex Glenn named to Duke Energy senior management team — Utility company Duke Energy announced a slate of changes to its senior management team. The changes include naming Alex Glenn senior vice president and CEO for Duke Energy Florida and Midwest. The role will put Glenn in charge of regulatory and legislative affairs and the overall financial performance of the company’s regulated utilities in the Florida and Midwest markets. He will now report directly to the company chair, President and CEO Lynn Good. The company also announced that Diane Denton, currently vice president of state energy policy, will become vice president of integrated planning for the Florida and Midwest regions. Duke Energy serves a combined 7.7 million customers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.

“A Miami Beach restaurant owner says the city should ‘remove all curfews’ after Spring Break season as tourism continues to suffer” via Molly O’Brien of Business Insider — As a business, we’ve been heavily impacted as people are deciding not to come to South Beach. Unfortunately, some crowds have gotten out of control. You can see and feel that South Beach and Ocean Drive have fewer people now. It’s like the low season in the middle of high season. As a business, our concern is also about the future reservations getting canceled and visitors deciding to go to another place. It’s probably going to be this way until the end of Spring Break. It’s going to be two hard weeks for businesses here. We believe in Miami Beach, and we believe in our officials to take care of us in the long-term.

Curfews are wreaking havoc on Ocean Drive.

“Report: Palm Beach County schools use Baker Act on ‘shockingly high’ number of children” via Andrew Marra of The Palm Beach Post — Palm Beach County public schools use Florida’s Baker Act to send hundreds of children to psychiatric facilities each year, while giving administrators inaccurate guidance about when to use the powerful legal tool, a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center found. In total, the district involuntarily committed 1,217 students for psychiatric examinations between 2016 and 2020, including 254 elementary school students. “This explosion in Baker Act use has coincided with a drastic increase in police presence in schools, suggesting that the Baker Act is being used punitively in some cases, like juvenile arrests and incarceration, to target and remove children that teachers, administrators, and school police perceive as uncontrollable or undesirable,” the report stated.

“Pasco County Schools will only offer in-person learning next school year, superintendent says” via WFLA staff reports — The Pasco County superintendent announced the county will only provide in-person learning again starting this fall. Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning said the county will no longer offer the mySchool Online option next school year “based on trends, data, and our goal of doing what’s best for our students and staff.” He also cited mental health challenges students have faced learning at home during the pandemic. The superintendent said there will be no changes to Pasco eSchool.

“Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson announces he’s not running for reelection in 2022” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — Robinson made the announcement during his weekly news conference at City Hall. He said he decided not to run again after experiencing growing frustration with divisiveness in politics at the local level during the past year. “I’m concerned about what I see dividing into sides and politics,” Robinson said, then held up his mask. “When a mask here becomes no longer a device for fighting a virus but becomes a political tool. When we begin to make decisions that are more about politics than about how we make Pensacola better.” Robinson said the divisiveness the country has seen at the national level the past year also has gotten worse at the local level of politics.

Grover Robinson is done with the division in politics.

“Leak at old phosphate plant could cause discharges into Tampa Bay” via Zachary T. Sampson of the Tampa Bay Times — Wastewater appears to be leaking at an old phosphate plant in Palmetto, records show, and Florida environmental officials are allowing the company in charge of the property to discharge some of the water to Port Manatee on Tampa Bay to prevent “a potential catastrophic failure.” The emergency order from the Department of Environmental Protection comes after HRK Holdings, which manages phosphogypsum stacks at the old Piney Point facility, reported it seemed to have a leak at the site, a state spokeswoman said. The property holds old byproducts of the fertilizer industry, including what’s known as process water that can contain phosphorus and nitrogen.

“As Floridians die, DeSantis takes another victory lap” via Randy Schultz of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Family members of Florida’s nearly 33,000 COVID-19 victims shouldn’t be sad. They should be proud. Their loved ones didn’t die in vain. They died so that Gov. DeSantis could boast about how he showed the “elites” and the “corporate media” the proper pandemic response. Two weeks ago, DeSantis took yet another victory lap. He took one last spring, after beginning to reopen the state. A second COVID-19 wave followed, bigger than the first. More people died. DeSantis claimed victory again last September, when he overrode local restrictions and fully reopened the state. A third wave followed, bigger than the second. More people died. Yet the Governor persists.

“Heavy hand of Heritage Foundation guides Florida’s election overhaul” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — It’s bad enough that the Republicans who run the Florida Legislature want to make it harder to vote. But as with so much that goes on in Tallahassee, it’s even worse than it looks. GOP legislators are following a script written by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that wants to institutionalize voter-suppression policies under the myth of “election integrity.” Never mind that Florida’s 2020 election had a record turnout and was a model for the nation with timely results and surprisingly few spoiled ballots. It also produced big Republican victories. For The Heritage Foundation and its allies in Florida’s Capitol, too many Democrats voted.

“‘We want Florida to succeed’” via Scott Shalley and Brewster Bevis for The Fort Myers News-Press — SB 72 provides protections for businesses, charities, educational institutions and others against predatory COVID-19-related lawsuits. The legislation requires a court to dismiss a lawsuit related to a COVID-19 claim if the complaint lacks particularity. If the court determines that the defendant has made a good-faith effort to substantially comply with government-issued health standards or guidance, the defendant is immune from liability. We know that the vast majority of Florida businesses worked diligently to reopen in good faith. Their priority was to protect their teams and safely serve their customers and community. Under Gov. DeSantis’ strong leadership, Florida was one of the first in the nation to reopen and get people back to work.

“Victims deserve to know the status of their rape kits” via Emily Slosberg in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Despite all its best efforts, your government just cannot seem to get it right on the issue of rape kits. We let thousands of them pile up untested on warehouse shelves. Then, as we worked to clear that backlog, we left many survivors of sexual assault out of the loop and in the dark about the status of the evidence in their kit. Some were notified, some were not, and some did not even know that their kit had been tested. That was unacceptable, but now we have an opportunity to make things right for survivors by creating a tracking system for rape kits.

Martha Baker: Stand by our health care heroes, vote no on Senate Bill 84 — We’ve lived our lives in numbers over the past year: Number of patients, number of deaths, number of jobs lost, or businesses closed. Yet, numbers do not tell the full story. They don’t tell you about the Jackson nurse who went from patient to patient to help them FaceTime their loved ones. They don’t tell you about the emergency room doctor who slept outside after his shifts so he wouldn’t put his family at risk. Right now, our long-term livelihood is on the line. Senate Bill 84 would force health care heroes into a retirement plan not of their choosing; force them to accept a less stable economic future. The current retirement system is favored by our front line workers.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Republican leaders do NOT agree with that assessment. They’re quite happy with the way Session is unfolding.

— A Senate committee votes to outlaw the death penalty if the killer was suffering from a serious mental illness at the time of the crime.

— The GOP war against citizen initiatives continues. The Senate Ethics Committee approves a bill to limit donations to groups trying to place an amendment on the ballot. Opponents say it’s one more way they’re trying to silence the opposition.

— All those amendments passed in spite of the Legislature.

— Another Senate committee votes to give small farmers more protection from nuisance lawsuits … opponents claim it will do more for agriculture interests by undermining efforts to stop cane field burning in South Florida.

— DeSantis heads for the Glades to watch workers start removing a five-mile stretch of the Tamiami Trail, part of the effort to restore the flow of water to the river of grass.

— And finally, the latest on a Florida Man facing federal charges for his actions on Insurrection Day, and a Florida Congressman facing a federal investigation about sex trafficking a 17-year-old girl.

To listen, click the image below.

Is ‘Game of Thrones’ coming to Broadway?

“Disney MagicMobile, a park entrance option, launches for Apple devices” via DeWayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Disney MagicMobile, a new option for gaining entrance into Walt Disney World’s theme parks, launched to the general public with Apple devices Tuesday morning, Disney has confirmed. Visitors can set up the method using the My Disney Experience app. After that, they can use the iPhone, Apple Watch and other products to enter in a touchless manner, much like MagicBands. “Just hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near a reader,” the setup screen instructs. There is no need to unlock the device.

“Miami’s REEF brings robot dinner delivery to downtown. Tips not required” via Rob Wile of the Miami Herald — The future is here — and it is rolling through Brickell delivering dinner. Miami-based REEF has officially launched a robot delivery service, using Miami’s urban core to test bringing food orders from its network of delivery-only kitchens, also called ghost kitchens. REEF is partnering with Mountain View, California-based robot designers Cartken on the rollout. Anyone within a ¾-mile radius of Brickell and downtown Miami could be on the receiving end of a robotic courier. For now, customers can’t choose whether they get a robot. But consumers who order from a REEF partner brand like Postmates, UberEats, DoorDash, or Grubhub may find themselves prompted with the option for one.