Tampa election
The last day to vote in the City of Tampa election is tomorrow. On Sunday, members of historically black churches, elected officials, and campaign volunteers joined together for “Souls to the Polls,” a community-based event to raise awareness on voting.
WMNF board member, Yvette Lewis, is the president of the Hillsborough County Branch of the NAACP and hosted Souls to the Polls at an East Tampa library.
She says that “the NAACP, the Florida State conference… sued the state of Florida, and won the case, [which is why] we’re still able to have that.”
New House proposal directed at transgender youth
Two Florida House Republicans filed a proposal Friday that would make it illegal for doctors to provide treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender minors. Also, a Senate Republican filed a bill that similarly seeks to prevent such treatments. The bills are called HB 1421 and SB 254. They are the latest in a series of moves by lawmakers and Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration aimed at transgender people. Last month the Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine moved forward with rules that would prevent doctors from providing such treatments to minors. But the bills would go further by placing a prohibition in state law. The House version would require that doctors lose their licenses if they commit violations, while the Senate bill could lead to criminal charges for a person who “willfully or actively participates in a violation.”
Self-defense class for marginalized communities
Because of rising violence and hostility to the LGBTQ community, a grassroots collective is hosting self-defense classes at a St. Petersburg church.
Bill proposal would change Florida union member funds
On Friday, a Republican in the Florida House filed a proposal that would make a series of changes targeting public employee unions. Representative Dean Black filed a 17-page bill named HB 1445. It includes changes, such as preventing public employee union members from having dues deducted from their paychecks. Members would have to separately pay dues. Tomorrow, the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee is scheduled to take up the Senate version of the bill, SB 256. The bills would exempt unions representing law enforcement officers and firefighters from the changes.
Preemption bills in the legislature
Many local government officials are concerned about the Florida Legislative session that begins tomorrow. It’s because of the state’s continued preemption of city and county autonomy. The Tampa Bay Times reports, at the Mayor’s Council of Pinellas County meeting last week, the “Florida League of Cities field advocacy director Scott Dudley flagged about a dozen bills affecting the ability of cities and towns to govern themselves with home rule.” Three of those bills are sponsored by Indian Rocks Beach Republican State Senator Nick DiCeglie. Seminole Mayor Leslie Waters, a fellow Republican, said, “we may not be receptive to his reelection.”
Preemption of water rules
Governor Ron DeSantis has touted his efforts to protect the environment, including his support for Everglades restoration. Earlier this year, the governor announced plans to spend 3.5 billion dollars on environmental projects during his second term in office. Gil Smart is with the environmental advocacy organization, Vote Water. Speaking Friday on the Florida Roundup, Smart said that a proposal going before the legislature that would preempt local control over water quality, pollution and wetlands could harm the environment. Says Smart, this bill would also invalidate county ordinances that ban fertilizers as a way to control water pollution in their areas.
