On Monday morning, Governor Ron DeSantis used debunked rumors and misinformation to justify his HB1 bill. DeSantis signed the bill into law while flanked by a group of law enforcement officials and Republican legislators at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office headquarters. Listen: Depending on who you ask, HB1 is either an anti-riot bill or an… Read more »
With the specter of Florida’s HB1 “anti-riot” bill looming, protestors in St. Pete returned to the streets Friday to demand justice for Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old Black man killed by police in a Minneapolis Suburb, and others. Protestors didn’t know if the bill’s new restrictions on protesting would go into effect as they marched or… Read more »
Gov. Ron DeSantis is lambasting the growing number of major corporations pushing back on Republican-backed legislation. But civic groups want those corporations and more to ramp up the pressure and fight bills targeting voting rights and protests. LISTEN: Will Smith is not filming his $100 million movie, Emancipation, in Georgia. The MLB will not hold… Read more »
HRK holdings spent months warning Manatee commissioners and state officials of impending disaster at Piney Point. Despite the pleas for help, Florida officials said HRK will be on the hook for a narrowly avoided catastrophe at the shuddered phosphate plant that it owns. Florida DEP head Noah Valenstein said a legal team in Tallahassee is… Read more »
A group of civic organizations hopes to avoid a repeat of the 2012 redistricting debacle that led to numerous court battles and uncovered gerrymandering in the drawing of maps. The Fair Districts Coalition is calling on legislators to pledge they will have a fair, transparent and interactive redistricting process. LISTEN: Ellen Freidin helped lead the… Read more »
Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren joined a former Florida Supreme Court Justice and a former Sheriff Thursday in blasting the HB1 protest bill. The group called the bill an unconstitutional affront on democracy. No solutions, just more problems Of the 20 State Attorneys in Florida, Warren is one of the few who’s actually dealt… Read more »
Supervisors of Elections and advocates for voting access said changes to existing laws could disenfranchise millions of elderly and disabled persons in Florida. Some of the greatest impacts would be felt in minority communities. LISTEN: Republican Rep. Blaise Ingoglia presented a House version of the election bill during a Monday meeting of the Public Integrity… Read more »
March 19, 2021 Good Morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. The Florida House will consider a controversial bill next week that would increase penalties on protests. Democrats and others argue the measure would violate First Amendment rights and have a chilling effect on peaceful protests. The bill (HB 1),is a priority of House Speaker Chris… Read more »
Leaders of the Florida Democratic Party are calling on GOP Sen. Ileana Garcia to resign her District 37 seat immediately following the current legislative session. The call comes a day after a Republican operative was arrested and accused of paying a sham candidate to confuse voters and siphon votes from the Democratic incumbent. LISTEN: In… Read more »
By Javan Frinks The Florida legislature’s trend of pushing bills superseding local regulation continues this year with proposed laws touching everything from renewable energy to impact fees, apprenticeship programs, campaign finance and ports. Tampa’s sustainability efforts led by City Council member Joe Citro is the target of a bill that seeks to prevent local governments… Read more »
Hundreds of Florida teachers, some representing thousands of union faculty members, headed to Tallahassee Wednesday to protest a bill they call “anti-educator.” The bill cleared Wednesday’s Senate committee meeting anyway, but teachers are not giving up the fight. Listen: As far as Senator Victor Torres is concerned, the message was loud and clear. “There’s no… Read more »
A group of mostly Black civic and faith leaders gathered in Tallahassee’s Captiol Courtyard Wednesday to denounce the controversial HB1 bill. Many fear the Republican-backed bill being fast-tracked through the legislative process would silence minority voices while attacking home rule and the First Amendment. LISTEN: State Representative Kevin Chambliss, a Democrat who represents parts of… Read more »
Here is a link to many coronavirus resources Thursday, Democrats in the State House Thursday introduced a wide-ranging COVID-19 bill that offers alternatives to some Republican proposals. The sweeping bill offers protection from evictions, protects some businesses from COVID-related suits, looks to provide more transparency in data reporting and much more. LISTEN: At 69-pages, representatives… Read more »
A group of more than 30 civic organizations in Florida is calling on lawmakers in the Sunshine State to shed some light on the legislative process. Representatives from the groups held a Zoom conference Thursday. They’re asking for citizens to have meaningful participation in the process even with COVID-19 precautions in place. LISTEN: Olivia Babis… Read more »
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gave the annual State of the State address Tuesday on the first day of the Florida Legislative session. Here are his remarks, as provided by his office: Opening Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the House and Senate and fellow citizens: I see, in many parts of our country, a sad… Read more »
Members of Hillsborough County’s legislative delegation seem to agree on a lot when it comes to what to tackle in Tallahassee this year, but not always on how to execute it. Republican and Democratic senators and house representatives met with Tampa’s Tiger Bay today and few priorities were as divisive as the HB1 protest bill…. Read more »
February 18, 2021 Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. There is a bill in Tallahassee (SB 90) that would make it harder to vote by mail – if it passes. As the Tampa Bay Times reported this morning: “Florida Senate Republicans agreed Tuesday that Florida’s vote-by-mail process (which) worked smoothly in the last… Read more »
On Saturday social justice groups will demonstrate in Tampa against bills in the Florida Legislature that would crackdown on some protests. The bill was proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis and has been moving through legislative committees. The groups call it a “dangerous bill that is actively trying to curtail the speech of people speaking out… Read more »
January 12, 2021 Good morning, welcome to WMNF’s Radioactivity, I’m Rob Lorei. The Florida chapter of a national non-profit dedicated to open and honest government is calling for most of Florida’s Republican members of Congress to resign after voting last week to overturn the results of the presidential election. Our guest today is Common Cause… Read more »
Florida lawmakers are calling for sweeping reforms after a Department of Justice investigation alleged a culture of “systemic” sexual abuse and cover-ups at a women’s prison in Ocala. State legislators last week held a Zoom call with former inmates of Lowell Correctional Institution to talk about how to move forward. LISTEN: Laurette Philipsen expected to… Read more »
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