WELL JOINING US TO REVIEW THE REST OF
THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND WHAT
BILLS PASSED AND WHICH ONES
DIDN'T ARE DR.
KATHRYN DEPALO,
POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR AT
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY, AND DR.
SEAN
FORMAN, CHAIR OF POLITICAL
SCIENCE AT BARRY UNIVERSITY.
SEAN, KATHRYN, WELCOME BACK TO
THE PROGRAM.
ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US
ON THE PROGRAM.
WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR
EXPERTISE ON ALL OF THESE
ISSUES.
THANK YOU.
NICE TO BE HERE.
Pam SO KATHRYN, LET'S GO
AHEAD AND START WITH YOU.
GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW DO YOU
THOUGHT THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION
PANNED OUT.
THERE WAS A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING
FOR SOMETHING.
A LOT OF REPUBLICANS GOT WHAT
THEY WANTED WITH A REPUBLICAN
GOVERNOR BUT THE DEMOCRATS GOT
SOME THINGS AS WELL.
ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN I THINK THIS IS KIND OF A
FEEL GOOD SESSION, AND WE
HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF THESE IN
RECENT YEARS.
CERTAINLY GOVERNOR DESANTIS GOT
MANY OF HIS PRIORITIES PASSED,
HOUSE SPEAKER, THE SPEAKER
PRESIDENT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THOSE ISSUES, BUT EVEN THE
DEMOCRATS I THINK ON THINGS LIKE
THE ENVIRONMENT OR EVEN ON THIS
IDEA EXCHANGE, YOU KNOW, THERE
WAS SOMETHING IN COLLABORATION
THAT COULD HAPPEN BETWEEN THE
PARTIES AS WELL.
Pam ABSOLUTELY.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND BREAK DOWN
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PASSED
AND DID NOT PASS, SOME OF THE
BIG ISSUES, SEAN, I WANT TO
START WITH YOU ABOUT HEALTHCARE,
HERE IS WHAT PASSED A
CERTIFICATE OF NEEDS THAT
REMOVES THE REQUIREMENTS THAT
GENERAL HOSPITALS HAVE TO APPLY
TO OBTAIN APPROVAL TO BUILD OR
EXPAND.
FIREFIGHTERS PROVIDE BENEFITS TO
FIREFIGHTERS DIAGNOSED WITH
CANCER, BENEFITS TO THEIR
FAMILIES.
AND THEN DRUG IMPORTS ALLOWS
DRUGS APPROVED BY THE FDA TO BE
IMPORTED INTO OUR STATE BY
CANADA AND OTHER COUNTRIES --
CONVERSION THERAPY THE PRACTICE
OF TRYING TO CHANGE SOMEONE'S
SEXUAL ORIENTATION FOR SOMEONE
YOUNGER THAN 18.
TALK ABOUT ALL OF THAT.
WELL, AS KATHRYN SAID, THE
DEMOCRATS GOT SOME OF WHAT THEY
WANTED IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR,
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF
CONTROVERSIAL BILLS THAT PASSED
THAT THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH AND
THEY MAY FIGHT IN THE COURTS.
WE WILL GET INTO SOME OF THOSE.
ONE OF THE CONTROVERSIES WAS
WITH HEALTHCARE AND SPEAKER JOSE
BIG PRIORITY WAS THIS
CERTIFICATE OF NEED, AS IT IS
CALLED BEFORE YOU OPEN A NEW
HOSPITAL OR IN THIS CASE EVEN
OTHER MEDICAL CENTERS ARE
INCLUDED, NORMALLY YOU HAVE TO
DO A BIG LONG REPORT SHOWING THE
NECESSITY OR A NEW FACILITY IN
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OR THAT
REGION.
THAT IS ELIMINATED, THE IDEA
THAT THIS WILL BRING ABOUT
GREATER COMPETITION, COMPETITION
IT IS HOPED WILL REDUCE COSTS TO
CONSUMERS.
BUT IT IS ALSO A CONCERN THAT
LOW-INCOME AREAS MAY NOT GET THE
BENEFIT OF NEW FACILITIES BEING
PUT THERE, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO GO WHERE THEY THINK
THEY ARE GOING TO GET PROFITS
AND SO AGAIN IT LIMIT IT IS
REGULATION ON THE LOCATION OF
NEW HEALTHCARE FACILITIES AND
LET ME MENTION THE IMPORTATION
OF DRUGS FROM CANADA.
Pam YES.
THIS WAS A BIG DEAL THAT DID
PASS THE GOVERNOR SIGNED.
HOWEVER, SIMILAR TO WHEN FLORIDA
VOTED LAST YEAR TO GET OFF OF
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME, DOESN'T
MEAN IT IS JUST GOING TO HAPPEN
BECAUSE IN FACT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAS TO AM, HAS TO
APPROVE AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE SO
BEFORE FOR OTHER STATES, EXEMPT
FOR VERMONT.
SO IT IS NOT CLEAR IF DONALD
TRUMP AND THE SECRETARY OF
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES WILL
ALLOW THIS TO GO FORWARD, WHILE
IT SOUNDS GOOD WE MIGHT GET
LOWER COST PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
FROM CANADA, THE PROBLEM IS THEY
WON'T BE REGULATED AND
ENFORCEMENT TO MAKE SURE THESE
ARE OF GOOD QUALITY AND TO KNOW
WHAT IS COMING INTO OUR STATE
AND THE OTHER THING IS, THERE IS
NOT MUCH -- FLORIDA HAS MORE
RESIDENTS THAN CANADA DOES,
CANADA DOESN'T WANT THIS
SHIPMENT OF DRUGS COMING TO
FLORIDA, SO THEY HAVE TO WORK
OUT ALL OF THESE DETAILS.
ALL RIGHT.
AND THE OTHER THING TOO THE
FIREFIGHTERS.
DO WE SEE ANY OTHER LIKE FIRST
RESPONDERS BENEFITING FROM THAT?
BECAUSE IT IS A BENEFIT TO THE
FAMILIES OF FIREFIGHTERS WHO DIE
FROM CANCER.
YES.
THIS WAS A BIG PRIORITY OF THE
CFO AND OF THE STATE SENATOR --
FLORES FROM MIAMI-DADE.
THEY GOT THIS THROUGH.
SOME LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS
ALREADY PROVIDE BENEFITS,
MEDICAL BENEFITS, IF YOU HAVE
CANCER ON THE JOB, MANY OTHERS
DON'T.
SO THE ARGUMENT WAS SHOULD WE
ALLOW LOCAL COUNTIES TO MAKE
THIS DECISION OR NOT?
BUT THE STATE STEPS IN AND
PREEMPTS AND SAYS THIS SHOULD BE
AVAILABLE FOR STATEWIDE, ALL
FIRE FIGHTERS WHO CONTRACT
CANCER IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
Pam OKAY.
KATHRYN, LET'S TACKLE EDUCATION.
HERE IS WHAT PASSED.
THE GUARDIAN PROGRAM, THIS COMES
THERE THE MARGERY STILLMAN
DOUGLAS LEGISLATURE THE LAST
TIME, AND ALLOWS TEACH IN OTHER
WORDS CERTAIN DISTRICTS TO
VOLUNTEER TO CARRY WEAPONS,
VOUCHERS PASSED CREATES A
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR PRIVATE
SCHOOLS, FAMILIES OF FOUR WHO
MAKE ABOUT $, OR LESS, AND
THEN WHAT PAID WAS SPENDING
REQUIRES PERCENT OF STATE
EDUCATION FUNDING TO BE SPENT ON
TEACHER SALARIES AND BONUSES,
CLASSROOMS SUPPLIES, TECHNOLOGY
FOR STUDENTS AND TUTORING, SO
TACKLE SOME OF THAT FOR US.
RIGHT.
WELL I THINK THE EXPANSION OF
THE GUARDIANSHIP PROGRAM WAS A
HIGH PRIORITY OF THE REPUBLICANS
THIS TIME AROUND.
YOU KNOW,
LAST YEAR WE WERE RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE SHOOTING THAT TOOK
PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF SESSION
THAT REALLY SUCKED THE AIR OUT
OF THE ROOM.
AND THEY HAD TO DO SOMETHING,
AND SO WE SAW REALLY AMAZING,
YOU KNOW, GUN CONTROL
LEGISLATION THAT I DON'T THINK
WE WOULD HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
BUT THE EXPANSION OF THE
GUARDIAN SHIP PROGRAM IS VERY
CONTROVERSIAL.
TEACHERS DO THIS VOLUNTARILY.
IT IS HOURS OF TRAINING,
ABILITY TO CARRY A CONCEALED
WEAPON, BUT AGAIN THIS IS
VOLUNTARY AND A LOT OF THE
SCHOOL BOARDS INCLUDING
MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD SAID THEY
WON'T JOIN THIS PROGRAM.
I THINK ONLY 25 OF THE 67 SCHOOL
BOARDS HAVE OPTED IN SO WE WILL
SEE WHAT KIND OF EFFECT THIS
NIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE.
I THINK THE VOUCHER PROGRAM AS
WELL THIS IS A HUGE PRIORITY FOR
GOVERNOR DESANTIS, I THINK A
HUGE WIN FOR REPUBLICANS, A HUGE
WIN FOR FORMER GOVERNOR JEB BUSH
ON THE FLOOR CHEERING WHEN THIS
PASSED.
THIS IS GOING TO GO TO THE
COURTS.
AND WE WILL SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN
THERE WAS A SIMILAR
BILL THAT WENT THROUGH THE
COURTS THAT WAS DECLARED
UNCONSTITUTIONAL, PRIMARILY
BECAUSE OF THE RELIGIOUS
INSTITUTION WHICH WOULD GAIN
SOME OF THE FUNDING FROM THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUT NOW WE HAVE A
CONSERVATIVE COURT SO REALLY THE
ARGUMENT IS THERE IS PROBABLY
MORE RECEPTIVITY TO THIS KIND OF
BILL THIS TIME AROUND.
Pam RIGHT.
AND THEN WHAT DIDN'T PASS, WHAT
FAILED WAS REQUIRING 80 PERCENT
OF STATE EDUCATION FUNDING TO GO
TO TEACHERS AND SALARIES AND
BONUSES.
TALK ABOUT WHY YOU THINK THAT
MAY HAVE FAILED.
WELL I THINK AGAIN, IT IS
SORT OF AN INTERESTING
PHILOSOPHY COMING OUT OF
TALLAHASSEE, ON ONE HAND
REPUBLICANS IN THE MAJORITY SAY
WE WANT LOCAL CONTROL TO MAKE A
LOT OF THESE DECISIONS YET THERE
ARE SOME THINGS THEY HAVE PASSED
THAT, YOU KNOW, PREEMPTS THE,
WHAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE
DONE SO THIS REALLY I THINK
STILL IS IN SOME OF THE HANDS OF
THE SCHOOL BOARDS TO DO THINGS
LIKE BUILDING ESPECIALLY DOWN
HERE THIS SOUTH FLORIDA WHICH
MAY BE MORE OF A NEEDABLE IN
SOME AREAS THAN OTHERS.
IT WOULD REALLY HAMSTRING A LOT
OF THE SCHOOL BOARDS AND A WHAT
THEY COULD SPEND.
Pam NOT HAVE A SAY ON WHAT
THEY CAN DO IN THEIR DISTRICT
IS.
RIGHT.
Pam SEAN, LET'S TALK ABOUT
ELECTION PASSED, RAISES THE
NUMBER OF VOTES TO APPROVE AN
AMENDMENT FROM 60 PERCENT TO 66
AND TWO-THIRDS PERCENT.
THE AND THEN OF COURSE AMENDMENT
4 WAS PASSED BY THE VOTERS
ALLOWING FELONS THE RIGHT TO
VOTE, BUT THIS REQUIRES FELONS
TO PAY RESTITUTION, FINE AND
FEES BEFORE THEY CAN REGISTER TO
VOTE.
WHAT DIDN'T PASS WAS BUNDLING
PROHIBITS THE CONSTITUTIONAL
REVISION COMMISSION FROM
BUNDLING MULTIPLE TOPICS ON TO
AN AMENDMENT PROPOSAL WHICH
ALWAYS CONFOUNDING TO MANY OF US
VOTERS.
ABSOLUTELY.
RIGHT.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT
WHAT DID PASS.
THE YES ALSO AGAIN DEMOCRATS ARE
NOT HAPPY ABOUT SOME OF THESE
SUBSTANTIVE BILLS THAT PASSED,
PARTICULARLY ON EDUCATION, THE
GUARDIANSHIP PROGRAM THAT IS
GOING TO EXPAND THE POTENTIAL
FOR STUDENTS, FOR TEACHERS TO
HAVE GUNS IN CERTAIN SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, THEY ARE NOT HAPPY
ABOUT THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, WHICH
TAKES SOME OF THE MONEY FROM THE
EDUCATION PIE AND INCREASES IT
TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.
AND POTENTIALLY TO RELIGIOUS
SCHOOLS.
DEMOCRATS ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT
THE REFORM TO AMENDMENT .
THEY ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE
PASS SUBSTANTIAL OF THE
SANCTUARY CITIES BILL.
SO THERE ARE SOME LAWSUITS
COMING BUT THE FELON RESTORING
THE RIGHTS TO VOTE WHICH WAS
APPROVED BY VOTERS BY
65 PERCENT.
Pam YES.
AND NOW WAS MENTIONED AS WELL
IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE 66 AND
TWO-THIRDS PERCENT FOR FUTURE
AMENDMENTS TO PASS.
BUT THIS ONE IS SAID THAT PEOPLE
WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME IN
PRISON AND PAROLE AND PROBATION
WOULD AUTOMATICALLY GET THE
RIGHTS TO VOTE RESTORED.
HOWEVER, IN THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THIS IT, THERE IS THIS ISSUE
OF IF YOU HAVE FINES OR COURT
FEES THAT ARE ATTACHED TO YOUR
PERIOD OF PROBATION AND PAROLE,
AND SO TO CLARIFY THE
LEGISLATURE SAID YOU MUST PAY
THOSE FINES AND FEES FIRST
BEFORE YOU CAN BE CLEARED TO
VOTE ALTHOUGH THERE XABI PASS
WHERE THE JUDGE CAN WAVE THEM
FOR YOU.
SO --
Pam THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD
IT THEN THEY ARE SAYING YOU ARE
STILL KEEPING MY VOTE TO, TRYING
TO VOTE AWAY FROM ME.
THAT'S TYPICALLY IT, PEOPLE
IN THIS SITUATION CAN'T AFFORD
IT AND HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING
EMPLOYMENT SO PROPONENTS OF THIS
BILL ARE CALLING THIS A NEW POLL
TAX AND POLL TAXES WERE OUTLAWED
OR AN AMENDMENT TO THE FEDERAL
CONSTITUTION SAYS YOU CAN'T
CHARGE SOMEONE TO VOTE AND THIS
IS SEEN IN EFFECT CHARGING
SOMEONE TO VOTE.
IN THE FLIP SIDE THEY ARE PAYING
OFF THE FINES, THOSE THAT ARE TO
CONVICTIONS THEY HAD THERE THE
PAST.
Pam WHAT ABOUT THE FAILED
BUNDLING, PROHIBITING
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION
COMMISSION FROM BUNDLING?
YES.
IT IS FUNNY WHEN WE HEADED INTO
THE SESSION, MANY PEOPLE, EVEN
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS SAID,
BOY, THAT WAS TERRIBLE WHAT THEY
PUT ON THE BALLOT THIS BUNDLING
OF THINGS THAT DIDN'T REALLY
BELONG TOGETHER WE HAVE GOT TO
FIX THAT, AND THEN THAT SORT OF
FELL BY THE WAYSIDE AS THEY GOT
INTO MORE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.
SO WE WILL SEE A CONSTITUTIONAL
REVISION COMMISSION OR AT LEAST
IT HASN'T BEEN ELIMINATED YET
AND SEE IT IN THE FUTURE AND
THEY WILL STILL CONTINUE TO
BUNDLE UNPOPULAR AMENDMENTS.
Pam YEP.
KATHRYN LET'S KIND OF JUMP ON
WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT
REGARDING THE SANCTUARY CITIES,
THAT WAS A BIG DEAL.
THAT WAS PASSED IN THE
LEGISLATIVE SESSION THIS TIME,
PROHIBITS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM
NOT COOPERATING WITH VALUE
OFFICIALS, REQUIRES LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO HOLD UNDOCUMENTED
WORKERS FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS
PAST THEIR DETAINER SENTENCES
AND GIVES THE FLORIDA ATTORNEY
GENERAL THE POWER TO PURSUE
CIVIL ACTION AGAINST GOVERNMENTS
THAT DON'T COOPERATE.
TALK ABOUT THIS ONE.
RIGHT.
WELL AGAIN THIS IS ANOTHER
SIGNATURE POLICY ISSUE OF
GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND WHEN HE
RAN FOR THE GOVERNORSHIP
PARTICULARLY IN THE PRIMARY
AGAINST PUT MAN LAST YEAR HE HAD
ALL OF THESE COMMERCIALS AND
SORT OF BUILDING WALLS, THAT
SORT OF THING AND REALLY, YOU
KNOW, PROBABLY THE MOST CLOSELY
RELATED TO PRESIDENT TRUMP ON
THIS ISSUE IS GOVERNOR DESANTIS,
AND SO IF NOTHING ELSE THIS WAS
ONE OF HIS BIG ISSUES.
WE TECHNICALLY DON'T HAVE A
QUOTE UNQUOTE SANCTUARY CITY IN
FLORIDA AS OTHER CITIES AROUND
THE COUNTRY HAVE SORT OF
DECLARED THEMSELVES.
SO IN SOME WAYS, YOU KNOW, THIS
IS AN ISSUE THAT DIDN'T NEED TO
BE ADDRESS CANNED AND IN THAT
SENSE BUT THE STATE IS TAKING
REALLY THE PRIMARY ROLE.
Pam YES.
IN MAKING SURE THAT FLORIDA
DOESN'T GO FORWARD WITH ANY.
Pam WE ALL WELL REMEMBER
THE MAYOR OF MIAMI-DADE SAYING
WE ARE NOT A SANCTUARY CITY AND
AN UPROAR AND WANTED TO MAKE
SURE HE GOT THE TRANSPORTATION
DOLLARS FROM THE TRUMP TAD
INVESTIGATION.
I REMEMBER THAT
WELL.
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME,
KATHRYN, ABORTION, IT FAILED, IF
A FETAL HEARTBEAT IS DETECTED
ABORTION WOULD BE ILLEGAL, AND
ALSO PARENTAL CONSENT ALL OF
THAT FAILED.
TALK ABOUT THAT QUICKLY FOR A
MOMENT.
RIGHT.
WELL, NEITHER OF THE BILLS
ACTUALLY MADE IT OUT EITHER THE
HOUSE OR SENATE COMMITTEES AND I
THINK THE LEADERSHIP, THAT
WASN'T THEIR PRIORITY, IF YOU
LOOK AT SOME OF THE PRIORITIES
OF THE HOUSE SPEAKER AND SENATE
PRESIDENT GAL HAVE A KNOW ON
TRANSPORTATION AND A LOT OF
THESE SIGNATURE ISSUES THAT
GOVERNOR DESANTIS WANTED I DON'T
THINK THEY WANTED TO EXPEND
THE POLITICAL CAPITAL AT THIS
TIME TO DO THAT BUT WATCH THE
NEXT SESSION .. I HAVE A FEELING
IT WILL BE BROUGHT UP AGAIN.
Pam SEAN BEFORE WE GO
LET'S TALK TRANSPORTATION.
THERE WAS A PASSAGE OF MONEY FOR
TOLL ROADS BUT THE BIG ONE HERE
IS THE TEXTING AND DRIVING, NOW
IT IS -- THEY CAN PULL YOU OVER
FOR THAT.
YEAH.
AND THAT'S THE WAY IT IS IN
STATES AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED
HERE, ESPECIALLY IN SOUTH
FLORIDA, I THINK THE ISSUE IS
WHEN TO PULL SOMEONE OVER, WHAT
IS ACTUALLY TEXTING VERSUS
LOOKING AT YOUR SCREEN.
THERE IS GOING TO BE A GRACE
PERIOD TO GET PEOPLE USED TO IT.
BUT STARTING JULY 1ST, YOU CAN
BE PULLED OVER FOR USING YOUR
PHONE, YOU CAN BE FINED $30 THE
FIRST TIME, $60 AFTERWARDS AND
YOU CAN'T TOUCH YOUR PHONE AT
ALL IN A SCHOOL ZONE OR
CONSTRUCTION ZONE, ALTHOUGH THAT
WON'T GO FULLY INTO EFFECT UNTIL
JANUARY 1ST.
Pam ALL RIGHT.
FOLKS BOTH OF YOU ALWAYS GREAT
TO HAVE YOU HERE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND
BREAKING IT DOWN FOR US.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
Pam WHAT IS YOUR TAKE A ON
FLORIDA'S LATEST LEGISLATIVE
SESSION AND THE BUDGET FOR 2020
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