Martin County Democrats celebrate Black History Month! This year's theme is Black Resistance, a topic that seems especially relevant with DeSantis's recent attack on AP African American Studies. Click here for an overview of Black History Month. Click here to sign a letter to the DeSantis Administration condemning their decision to deny the AP African American studies course from being offered in Florida.

Voter Guide 2022 Vote for Your Democratic Candidates US Senate Val Demings US House District 21 Corinna Balderramos Robinson Governor/Lt Governor Charlie Crist & Karla Hernandez-Mats Attorney General Aramis Ayala Chief Financial Officer Adam Hattersley Commissioner of Agriculture Naomi Esther Blemur State House District 85 Curtis Tucker District 86 Raymond Denzel Go to the Martin County Supervisor of Elections website to view your sample ballot.. Go here to fill in your name and birthdate and the app will display your personalized sample ballot so you can get acquainted with the categories and layout. Print it out so you have a copy. Dates and times to remember: Oct 11: Voter registration deadline Oct 30: Vote-by-Mail request deadline Oct 26 - Nov 5: Early in-person voting, 8am - 5pm daily Nov 8: Vote-by-Mail ballots must be received in the SOE office by 7pm Nov 8 : ELECTION DAY! Polls open 7am - 7pm Still have questions? Call the Martin County Democrats office at 772-221-0405 Do you want to print out a copy of this guide? Click here for a printable copy of this page. Florida Supreme Court Justices: Should they be retained? Short answer: Either vote NO for all the justices, or vote NO for all justices except Justice Labarga, who is considered less conservative than the others. Some detail: Justices are initially appointed by governors but face a retention vote on the first general election more than one year after their appointment. If elected, they serve six-year terms . Currently all justices on the ballot were appointed by Republican governors. Out of the 5 justices up for retention, Justice Jorge Labarga seems to be the most moderate. While some Democrats advocate NO for all the justice retentions, others believe they should vote YES for Justice Labarga and NO for all the others. The Palm Beach Editorial Board recommends a YES for Labarga and a NO for all the others. Click here to view their discussion. If you'd like to research the justices further, here are some sites to consider: https://www.floridabar.org/public/faircts/votes010/2020-merit-retention-biographies/ https://www.votingforjustice.com/candidates/florida-supreme-court https://ballotpedia.org/Florida_Supreme_Court_elections,_2022 4th District Court of Appeals Judges: Should they be retained? Short answer: Either vote NO for all the judges, or vote NO for all the judges except Justice Gross, who was appointed by a Democratic governor. Some detail: Similar election process as Supreme Court judges. All were appointed by Republican governors except for Justice Gross, who was appointed by Lawton Chiles. Check out these websites to learn about the 7 judges up for retention. https://www.4dca.org/Judges https://ballotpedia.org/Florida_Fourth_District_Court_of_Appeal Amendments : There are 3 constitutional amendments on the ballot. Short answer: Vote NO on all amendments. Some detail: Note that all of these were brought about by the Legislature, not the public, which requires us to look at these amendments closely. Many Democrats are voting NO for all 3 amendments. In fact, the Palm Beach Post Editorial Board recently recommended a NO vote for all amendments: Click here to view their analysis . Here is our own breakdown of the amendments: Amendent #1: Effective January 1, 2023 this amendment authorizes the Legislature to prevent flood resistance improvements made to a home (such as putting on stilts) from being considered when determining a property's assessed value for property taxes. Analysis: Some would argue this is good because it provides an incentive to homeowners to make their buildings more resilient to storms. Others argue this would reduce the ad valorem taxes available for local government, that this would primarly benefit the wealthy, and that the state should not be amending the constitution for such purposes. Amendment #2: This amendment would abolish the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC). This body meets every 20 years to determine what amendments to the State Constitution are needed and, if approved, the amendment is then put on the ballot. Analysis: Those supporting this amendment say the CRC has put forth unpopular and sometimes confusing amendments and this body is no longer needed. Others say that this is one significant means by which the public can update the state's constitution periodically and should be left in place. Safeguards could be enacted to improve amendment wording and to prevent bundling of issues within the amendments, which has caused confusion in the past. Amendment #3: This amendment would let the Legislature give an additional homestead tax exemption of $50,000 on the assessed value of homestead property owned by classroom teachers, law enforcement officers, corrrectional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, child welfare services professionals, active-duty members of the United States Armed Forces, and Florida National Guard members. Analysis: Some would argue this is an appropriate benefit to provide to workers in these fields, while others would argue providing an additional $50k property tax exemption is unwise. They point out that salaries for these professions should be increased and that government should work to provide more affordable housing, not reduce local government money by providing additional tax exemptions. For more discussion on the merits of these amendments, you might check out these sites: https://lwvfl.org/amendments-2022/ (League of Women Voters) https://bit.ly/3M0qNc8 (Florida Tax Watch) https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/politics-issues/2022-09-15/constitutional-amendments-florida-2022-ballot-explanation *********************************************************** *Details on In-Person Early Voting* Oct 26 – Nov 5 8am – 5pm daily Early Voting Locations: STUART Elections Center (SOE Office), 135 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Robert Morgade Library, 5851 SE Community Dr HOBE SOUND Hobe Sound Library, 10595 SE Federal Hwy INDIANTOWN Elisabeth Lahti Library, 15200 SW Adams Ave JENSEN BEACH Hoke Library, 1150 NE Jack Williams Way J PALM CITY Cummings Library, 2551 SW Matheson Ave You are required to provide current and valid photo and signature identification in order to vote in person. Acceptable forms: • Florida driver’s license • Florida Identification Card (ID) issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles • U.S. passport • Debit or credit card • Military identification • Student identification • Retirement center identification • Neighborhood association identification • Public assistance identification • Veteran health identification card issued by the US Dept. Of Veterans Affairs • A license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm • Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the Federal Government, the state, county or municipality Visit the Martin County Supervisor of Elections website at https://www.martinvotes.gov/ for further details on all matters related to voting. To reach SOE by phone, call 772-288-5637 during office hours 8am – 5pm.

We need you! Click on location to sign up to be a Poll Greeter at these sites: Election Center Stuart https://mobilize.us/s/U8YGDq Morgade Library Stuart https://mobilize.us/s/p7yKQn Hoke Library Jensen Beach https://mobilize.us/s/sKxCt0 E. Lahti Library Indiantown https://mobilize.us/s/uvWSMq

Culinary Tour of Martin County Opportunity to enjoy culinary delights from around the world at our finest area restaurants: TapasTerra (Mediterranean, French, and Spanish) $300 in certificates just for Tapas Terra !! Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House (Seafood & American) Michelina's (Italian) Nostalgia (Greek) Renato's & Josephine's (Italian) These are some of the area's most popular restaurants. Whether you buy these for yourself to use throughout the year or for birthday or Christmas presents for your friends and family, you can't go wrong!

Docktails 2023 Join us Saturday, November 4 6:30 - 8:30 pm Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House 1401 NE India n River Dr Jensen Beach S upport your Martin County Democratic Party by purchasing a ticket or sponsorship to Doc ktails. I t is VITALLY IMPORTANT that we have a good showing next year in the election - from school board mem bers to Biden. Our democracy depends on it. Help us reach our goals. Help us Get Out the Vote ! The night's festivities for this FUNdraiser include: a delicious buffet with appetizers, salad, bread, entree with side, dessert...beverage and tip included cash bar guest speaker Da ve Aronberg , State Attorney from Palm Beach County and frequent guest on MSNBC and CNN an appearance from Grace Linn , local centenarian activist local candidate speeches a silent auction featuring donated items from local b usinesses and artists a chance to be with your fellow Democrats to rekindle friendships and make new ones BUY A TICKET OR SPONSORSHIP

Formed in September 2025, the LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus of the Treasure Coast has at its core the mission of promoting good will between gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied members of the Democratic Party on the Treasure Coast and furthering the political advancement of the LGBTQ+ community. We follow political campaigns, endorse candidates, and support our DECs in getting out the vote through promoting voter registration and vote by mail. We are a chapter of the statewide LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus of Florida: https://lgbtqdems.org/ Go to our website, Facebook page, and Instagram page to see more about our chapter. Website: https://lgbtqdemcaucustc.org/

An Afternoon with Handyman Doug Stewart Our Vice Chair of the DEC, Doug Stewart, is offering an afternoon of handyman service. "Hire" Doug to repair some of those pesky issues you're seeing around your house, or perhaps have Doug work on a special project you have been wanting to undertake. Doug has started his own handyman business, Doug Stewart Services, LLC. Take advantage of this opportunity to hire Doug!! Remember that proceeds from this item go directly to the Martin County Democratic Party. Help yourself and help the DEC at the same time!

Environmental Caucus of the Martin County Democratic Party CAUCUS AMBIENTAL DEMOCRÁTICO DEL CONDADO DE MARTIN Haga clic en los accesos directos a continuación o desplácese por esta página para ver estos temas: Descripción general de Caucus Declaraciones de misión Principales problemas en los que nos centramos Otros grupos ambientales Calendario Minutos Estatutos Donaciones El Caucus Ambiental Democrático del Condado de Martin es un capítulo local del Caucus Ambiental Democrático de Florida (DECF). El caucus se reúne a las 6:30 pm el tercer martes de cada mes, actualmente a través de Zoom. Las reuniones consisten en una discusión general sobre temas ambientales en las noticias y cómo podríamos responder. Más específicamente, entre otras preocupaciones, abordamos los asuntos de la ciudad de Stuart, la actividad de la Junta de Comisionados del Condado de Martin y el trabajo de la legislatura estatal y más allá. La mayoría de las reuniones incluyen un orador invitado para informarnos sobre un tema ambiental en particular o para escuchar directamente a un funcionario o candidato demócrata local que se postula para un cargo. Damos la bienvenida a todos los demócratas a ser parte de nuestro caucus mientras aprendemos, hablamos y trabajamos para defender nuestro medio ambiente. Para participar en nuestro grupo, complete el formulario de contacto indicando su interés en MC Dem Env Caucus y alguien se comunicará con usted. Volver arriba Overview Declaraciones de misión MC Caucus Ambiental Democrático El Caucus Ambiental Democrático del Condado de Martin tiene la intención de: Identificar y priorizar las preocupaciones ambientales que afectan a nuestros municipios locales, condado, estado, país y mundo. Contemplar soluciones a esas preocupaciones y recomendar cursos de acción. Educar, colaborar y respaldar a los candidatos demócratas que adoptan nuestra agenda. Educar al público y generar apoyo para nuestros objetivos Coordinar con otros grupos ambientales dentro de nuestros distritos legislativos: Distrito del Senado 25 y distritos 82 y 83 de la Cámara Como capítulo del Comité Ambiental Democrático de Florida (DECF), en MC Dem Env Caucus también apoyamos los objetivos de DECF. Caucus Ambiental Democrático de Florida El Caucus Ambiental Democrático de Florida (DECF) se esfuerza por apoyar a los legisladores, candidatos, legislación y empresas de Florida que preservan, protegen y mejoran los recursos naturales de Florida. Las preocupaciones del DECF pueden incluir, entre otras, la calidad del aire, las costas y las costas de Florida, los acuíferos, las vías fluviales, los humedales, la vida silvestre, las áreas naturales restantes y las tierras y parques silvestres de propiedad pública. DECF tiene la intención de: Ayude a elegir candidatos demócratas que respalden acciones adecuadas en cuestiones ambientales críticas. Proporcionar a los miembros del partido y al público en general datos creíbles relacionados con cuestiones ambientalmente sensibles, como opiniones informadas, alertas legislativas y conocimientos técnicos y científicos. Supervisar la legislación y las políticas locales y estatales que afectan el medio ambiente de Florida y alertar a los legisladores y al público. Fomentar la administración ambiental responsable como parte de la política del Partido Demócrata de Florida. Volver arriba Mission Statements Principales problemas medioambientales Con la creciente población de Florida y con nuestros gobiernos locales y estatales que a veces eligen el crecimiento y el desarrollo y los intereses corporativos sobre la protección de nuestro medio ambiente, los problemas que enfrentamos son infinitos. Aquí hay una muestra de las preocupaciones que abordamos en nuestro caucus: Descargas del lago Okeechobee Restauración de los Everglades, incluidas las áreas de tratamiento de aguas pluviales (STA), el depósito EAA, la finalización del CERP Contaminantes que ingresan a nuestras vías fluviales: fertilizantes, pesticidas, herbicidas con glifosato, desechos agrícolas, biosólidos, contaminación de fuentes difusas Amenazas ambientales debido al desarrollo de la ciudad y el condado, así como a la legislación local y estatal. Degradación del hábitat de la vida silvestre, incluida la disminución de pastos marinos para los manatíes y la acumulación de lodo en nuestras vías fluviales, lo que reduce la producción de criaderos de ostras y la calidad del agua. Cambio climático y aumento del nivel del mar Pozos de perforación petrolera, fracking y de inyección de aguas profundas Transporte de materiales peligrosos (oleoductos, transporte ferroviario de alta velocidad de GNL y otros materiales peligrosos) Volver arriba Top Environmental Issues CALL TO ACTION ! Here are ways for you to get involved in speaking up for the environment PETITIONS Sign the "Stop Overdevelopment in Martin County" petition! http://chng.it/MRZYCqsDPD WRITE YOUR OWN LETTER Educate and influence the public. Choose a topic and write a Letter to the Editor to the Stuart News and/or Palm Beach Post. See this for links to each newspaper's online LTE form. . LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES/MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS Attend Martin County Board of County Commissioners meetings. Learn what the Commission is doing. Speak up for the environment, for keeping our Comp Plan intact, for minimizing growth and depletion of our natural resources. Check our Calendar for info on when they meet. Back to Top Resources Environmental Resources There are many groups locally, statewide, and nationally that focus on environmental issues. To view a list of some of the groups we learn from and work in concert with while advocating for the environment, go here . Here are links to various organizations that provide information on plants, bugs, growing gardens in Florida, and other topics of interest. UF/IFAS Extension Martin County https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/martin/ Wildflower seeds https://www.floridawildflowers.com/ Native Plant Finder https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/ Bug guide https://bugguide.net/node/view/15740 Butterflies and Moths of North America https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/ Atlas of Florida Plants https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ Audubon Native Plants for Birds https://www.audubon.org/native-plants Bylaws Estatutos Estatutos actuales de MC Dem Env Caucus ... próximamente Estatutos anteriores de MC Dem Env Caucus Donaciones Para apoyar al Caucus Ambiental Democrático del Condado de Martin, haga clic en este botón. Te llevará a nuestra cuenta ActBlue donde podrás realizar tu donación. ¡Gracias! Si prefiere enviar un cheque por correo, hágalo a nombre de MC Dem Env Caucus y envíelo a: MC Dem Env Caucus 948 SE Central Parkway Stuart, FL 34994 ¡Done ahora! Bylaws and Donations

Online Docktails Auction through Noon on Nov 3 You can avoid the bidding process entirely by purchasing any item at the retail price. We'll make arrangements to get the item to you. Any items not purchased by noon on 11-3 will only be available through the silent auction held during the even t. Click on each picture to view larger photo. 1 Angela Crow "Cascading Water" SOLD Cold Wax and Acrylic Original 11x14 Framed 16x20 Retail Value $400 2 Barbara Bucci "Liberty for All" Collage Treasure Box 12 X 8.5 X 4 Retail value $225 To purchase, click HERE. 3 Chris Kling "Talking at Gilbert's" SOLD Oil 11 x 14, linen panel 18 x 20, framed Retail value $750 4 Dot Galfond "Waterfall in Blue" **Click here for full view** Fused Glass 12 x 6 Retail value $400 To purchase, click HERE . 5 Jacquelyn Roesch-Sanchez "Regal Raiment XXX, 2020" **Click here for full view* Fiber Art/Art to Wear Viscose thread: Handloom knitted, hand sewn, crochet edging H: 26", W: 48" D: .125" (size M/L) Retail value $750 To purchase, click HERE . 6 Lynne Morgan "Energy" **Click here for full view** Oil & cold wax 24" x 24" Retail Value $900 To purchase, click HERE . 7 Mallo Bisset "Royalty," 2023 Oil painting, palette knife H: 16" x W: 20" x 1.5" Retail value $650 To purchase, click HERE . 8 Atlantis Health Solutions - Dr. Thomas Kleinman Gift certificate and two pillows Consultation/examination by Dr. Kleinman, x-rays if needed, first day treatment AND two Chiroflow Waterbase pillows Retail value $500 To purchase, click HERE . 9 Beth Rosenberg Condo Getaw ay * * Click here for pictures of this beautiful c ondo** 4-night Condo stay (2 bedrooms, 2.5 bath) and gift certificate to Hudson's or Boathouse restuarant This is a great place to have friends and family stay while visiting....or treat yourself to the downtown experience! Retail value $1600 for 4 nights for 2 bdrm, 2.5 bath and study...and two $50 gift certificates from Hudson's/Boathouse. To purchase, click HERE . 10 Fine Wine Celebration Donated by Docktails Committee Celebrate the new year right - or give great Christmas presents - by purchasing this assortment of fine wines, including a bottle of Dom Perignon, two Tiffany flute wine glasses, and decorative wine holder. Retail value $300 To purchase, click HERE . 11 Dimar Florist SOLD $150 Gift certificate Select a beautiful floral arrangement from Dimar Florist with this $150 gift certificate. 12 Martin Downs Country Club Pro Shop Gift certificate for 4 includes cart. Valid anytime between now and Nov 4, 2024 Retail value $300 To purchase, click HERE . 13 Martin Downs Country Club Pro Shop Gift certificate for 4 includes cart. Valid anytime between now and Nov 4, 2024 Retail value $300 To purchase, click HERE .

This is a listing of the bills considered by the Florida House and Senate during the Florida legislative session of 2022. BIlls Being Considered in the 2022 Florida Legislative Session Session Ends March 11 Overview: How to view the bills Call to Action: What to do with this information General Bills (non-environmental) Environmental Bills General Bills These are non-environmental bills. Topics include Abortion, Equality, Healthcare, Education, Guns, Criminal Justice, etc. Remember: Click on Sponsor for contact info. Click on Bill TItle for official bill info, including its status and committee it is on. Click here for writing LTE. Local legislator info can be found here. If both HB and SB are essentially the same, this page only gives link to SB. Within the SB info, you will see link to HB if you want to view it. ***One of the anti-abortion bills for this session*** HB 5 ( Grall and Persons -Mulicka ) and SB 146 ( Stargel ) – Fetal and Infant Mortality Reduction Among other things, these bills prohibit a physician from performing an abortion if gestational age of fetus is more than 15 weeks. See also HB 167. OPPOSED by Equality Florida HB 7 ( Avila ) and SB 148 ( Diaz and Rodrigues ) – Individual Freedom Sometimes referred to as the “Stop WOKE Actl” …. Similar to SB 148, HB 57, SB 242, which in part prohibit schools from discussing systemic racism or sexism, unconscious bias, and race or sex stereotyping. OPPOSED by Equality Florida HB 35 ( Roach ) and SB 244 ( Gruters ) – Partisan Elections for Members of District School Boards Proposes amendments to the State Constitution to require members of district school board to be elected in partisan election. HB 75 ( Sabatini ) – Limiting COVID-19 Restrictions Prevents state and local governments from issuing mask mandates, vaccine passports, requiring proof of vaccination status before entering business. Voids any mandates currently in place. HB 103 ( Sabatini ) – Carrying of Firearms without Licenses Removes requirement that a license to carry concealed firearm is required in order to carry such firearm; limits areas in which concealed carrying of firearm is prohibited; revises criminal penalties, etc. SUPPORTED by Florida Equality HB 111 ( Geller )) and SB 308 ( Berman ) – Offenses Evidencing Prejudice (aka Hate Crimes Law Expansion) Amends existing hate crimes law so that crimes of prejudice based on gender or gender identity are also considered hate crimes. HB 117 ( Fetterhoff an d Omphroy ) and SB 774 ( Gruters ) – Communicable and Infectious Diseases Adds COVID-19 and infectious diseases to the list of conditions that, if suffered by an emergency rescue or public safety worker, are presumed to have been contracted while at work for purposes of workers' compensation. Unlike similar presumptions in current law for hepatitis, meningococcal meningitis and tuberculosis, the bills do not require the public safety worker or emergency rescue worker to receive immunization against COVID-19 in order to receive the presumptive eligibility provisions afforded by workers' compensation coverage. HB 167 ( Barnaby ) – Abortion This is a “Texas-style Six-Week Abortion Ban.” Requires physician to conduct test for, and inform woman seeking abortion of presence of detectable fetal heartbeat; prohibits physician from performing or inducing abortion if fetal heartbeat is detected or if physician fails to conduct test to detect fetal heartbeat; provides exceptions; authorizes private civil cause of action for certain violations; provides for civil remedies & damages. See also HB 5 and SB 146. SUPPORTED by Florida Equality HB 6015 ( Rayner ) and SB 168 ( Polsky ) – Marriage Between Persons of the Same Sex This bill would delete outdated, patently unconstitutional provisions that ban recognizing same-sex marriage and still defines marriage as only between a man and a woman. HB 171 ( Hart and Valdes ) – Criminal Rehabilitation Specifies that to rehabilitate offender to transition back to community successfully is one of the primary purposes of sentencing; reduces minimum sentence that must be served by defendant from 85 percent of sentence to 65 percent; revises provisions concerning gain time to provide for outstanding deed gain-time, good behavior time, & rehabilitation credits; revises limits on awards. SUPPORTED by Equality Florida HB 199 ( Smith ) and SB 214 ( Farmer ) – Assault Weapons and Large-capacity Magazines Prohibits sale, transfer, or possession of assault weapon or large-capacity magazine; requires certificates of possession for assault weapons or large-capacity magazines lawfully possessed before specified date; limits sales or transfers of assault weapons or large-capacity magazines documented by such certificates; provides enhanced penalties for offenses committed with assault weapon or large-capacity magazine. HB 205 ( Smith ) and SB 374 ( Book ) – Gay and Transgender Panic Legal Defenses Prohibition Act Prohibits using “panic defense” when committing crimes against an LGBTQ person. OPPOSED by Equality Florida HB 211 ( Sabatini ) – Youth Gender and Sexual Identity Sometimes referred to as the "Transgender Youth Medical Care Ban." It would criminalize doctors for providing care to transgender youth. SB 524 ( Hutson ) - Elections This is a bill with wide-ranging changes to Florida's voting laws. Among the changes: Remove limitations on fines that 3rd party voter registration organization can encounter for violations. Require voter driver license or Social Security # on ballots. Bans rank-choiced voting in local elections. Require elections officials in each county to update voter rolls every year, instead of current every odd year. Gives power to the Governor to appoint a special FDLE agent in each of the agency's seven regions to investigate alleged violations of election laws. Creates the Office of Elections Crimes and Security with the Florida Dept of State. HB 549 ( Omphroy ) – Legalization of Recreational Marijuana Would authorize recreational use of marijuana under certain conditions. See bill for details. SB 580 ( Torres ) - Rent Control Measures This is meant to give some rental control authority to local government. Specifically, it deletes previous statue requirements for the termination, expiration, extension, and renewal of local governmental rent control measures. Other Rent Control bills that have been filed: HB 6017 , HB 6113 , SB 1900 OPPOSED by Equality Florida HB 747 ( Snyder and Altman ) and SB 1820 ( Baxley ) – Protections of Medical Conscience Some have called it the “Healthcare Discrimination BIll" or “No Medical Service to Gays” bill. It allows healthcare providers and insurers to deny a patient any sort of care on the basis of religious, moral, or ethical beliefs. Also allows for employment discrimination in healthcare for the same reasons. Many feel this bill would codify discrimination against LGBTQ, non-Christians, etc. SUPPORTED by Equality Florida HB 883 ( Slosbert-King ) – Reclassification of Crimes Evidencing Prejudice Provides for reclassification of felony & misdemeanor offenses for defacing, damaging, or destroying victim's property based upon perpetrator's prejudice; includes certain entities in the definition of "victim." It basically updates current Florida hate crime laws to allow government, public and private organizations to be classified as victims of misdeeds motivated by race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, or disability. HB 1055 ( Rommel ) – Video Cameras in Public School Classrooms Authorizes school districts to adopt policy to place video cameras in public school classrooms; provides requirements for such policy; provides for viewing video recordings; provides DOE, school district, school, & certain employee responsibilities. SUPPORTED by Equality Florida HB 6065 ( Arrington ) and SB 212 ( Farmer ) – Fairness in Women’s Sports Act Repeals the transgender youth sports ban that was voted in by the legislature in 2021. This bill is called the “Let Kids Play Act” and it repeals provisions related to the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act from 2021. HB 943 ( Harding ) and SB 1124 ( Gruters ) -- Preemption of Local Government Wage Mandates Creates the “Minimum Wage Act.” Prohibits local governments from mandating a wage higher than the state minimum -- another attack on home rule. SUPPORTED by Equality Florida HB 1409 ( Eskamani ) – Education in Public Schools Concerning Human Sexuality Calls for the “Florida Healthy Adolescent Act” which includes having public schools provide information regarding human sexuality. This bill requires certain public schools that provide information or offer programs to students relating to human sexuality to provide information or offer programs that meet specified criteria; requires public schools to make certain curriculum available to parents & guardians upon request; authorizes students to be excused from certain portions of program without penalty; provides compliance review process. HB 1547 ( Overdorf ) and SB 1848 ( Gruters ) -- Personal Information Protection Act Also as a reference see Overdorf's HB 1547 by clicking here. Currently the HB has more provisions for donor privacy. Prohibits a public agency from requiring, publicly disclosing, or requesting specified personal information; provides construction and applicability; provides for the right of civil action and award of damages; provides penalties, etc. Currently the HB and SB have differences in scope. Overdorf's House bill would protect corporations, associations, and nonprofit organizations from disclosing information while the Senate bill focuses solely on 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. In practical terms, the House bill, acting as a public records exemption bill, would allow donors to political campaigns to stay anonymous, and many opponents to this bill fear it will lead to hampering legitmate investigations into fraud and corruption. OPPOSED by Equality Florida HB 1557 ( Harding ) and SB 1834 ( Baxley ) – Parental Rights in Education This bill has been called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Requires district school boards to adopt procedures that comport with provisions of law for notifying student's parent of specified information; requires procedures to reinforce fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding upbringing & control of their children; provides requirements for such procedures, school districts, & personnel; requires DOE to review & update specified materials. OPPOSED by Equality Florida SB 1842 ( Baxley ) – Reproductive Health and Disease Education Requires school districts or schools within a district to notify and request the written consent of parents and guardians before the teaching of reproductive health or any sexually transmitted disease; prohibits schools from allowing students to be exposed to such teaching without the written consent of their parents or guardians; prohibits a student whose parent or guardian does not give such written consent from being penalized, etc. SUPPORTED by Equality Florida SB 1870 ( Jones ) – Conversion Therapy Prohibits state-funded conversion therapy and calls for educating the public on the dangers of conversion therapy. HB 6007 ( Sabatini ) – Licenses to Carry Concealed Weapons or Firearms Would remove provision prohibiting concealed carry licensees from openly carrying handgun or carrying concealed weapon or firearm into college or university facility HB 6009 ( Sabatini ) – Vaccinations During Public Health Emergencies Would remove provision that State Health Officer could order vaccination of individuals during public health emergency HB 6023 ( Eskamani ) – Abortion Clinic Regulations Addresses issues with last year’s SB 390 on abortion clinics. Removes requirement delaying abortion procedure; removes prohibition on expending funds for benefit of, paying funds to, or initiating or renewing contracts with certain organizations that perform abortions under certain circumstances; removes requirement that AHCA review abortion clinic patient records as component of licensure inspections. HB 6037 ( Snyder ) and SB 360 ( Harrell ) – Traveling Across County Lines to Commit a Burglary Removes requirement that travel across county lines be for specified purpose in order to reclassify burglary offense to the next higher degree. General Bills Environmental Bills Remember: Click on Sponsor for contact info. Click on Bill TItle for official bill info, including its status and committee it is on. Click here for writing LTE. Local legislator info can be found here. If both HB and SB are essentially the same, this page only gives link to SB. Within the SB info, you will see link to HB if you want to view it. Several of these bills deal with Local Control, an area many Republicans in office want to see weakened. They want the state to dictate policy rather than local government. It's a recurring theme in many bills this year. Bills are listed in the same categories used by 1000 Friends of Florida, an organization many in the MCDEC follow. These categories are Community Planning, Resilience, Conservation, Water, and Transportation COMMUNITY PLANNING (Local Rule type bills) SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida and Friends of the Everglades SJR 152 ( Farmer ) - Supermajority Vote for Legislative Preemption Requires a 2/3 vote of each house to preempt to the state matters of local control. OPPOSED by 1000 Friends of Florida, Friends of the Everglades, Florida League of Women Voters, and Equality Florida SB 280 ( Hutson ) – Local Ordinances Changes the legal standards and processes used by courts to assess the validity of municipal ordinances. Requires local governments to prepare a business impact statement before adopting a local ordinance that includes direct and indirect economic effects. Authorizes the courts to assess and award attorney fees, costs, and damages in certain civil actions filed against local governments. This bill is a direct attack on home rule. See also SB 403 (Giallombardo). OPPOSED by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 325 ( Fischer ) and SB 512 ( Burgess ) – Vacation Rentals Preempts to the state most regulation of vacation rentals. OPPOSED by 1000 Friends of Florida, Friends of the Everglades, and Florida League of Women Voters HB 569 ( McClure ) and SB 620 ( Hutson ) – Local Business Protection Act Allows businesses engaged in a lawful business for at least three years to claim damages if a local ordinance reduces their venue or profits by at least 15%. Like SB 280 and SB 403, this bill undermines home rule by making local governments afraid to govern for fear of lawsuits. SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 729 ( Aloupis ) and SB 932 ( Rodriguez ) – Everglades Protection Area Requires any comprehensive plan or plan amendment changes that apply to land within the Everglades Protection Area to follow the state coordinated review process and would require the change to be reviewed by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for adverse impacts. DEP would work with the state land planning agency and involved local governments to identify planning strategies to eliminate or mitigate adverse impacts and require the local government to modify proposed plans or plan amendments. The bill would also prohibit the adoption of small scale development amendments for properties located within or near the Everglades Protection Area. HB 1145 ( Mooney ) – Regulation of Single-use Plastic Products Authorizes certain coastal communities to establish pilot programs to regulate single-use plastic products; provides requirements for establishing such pilot programs; requires DEP to submit updated retail bag reports with conclusions & recommendations to Legislature by specified dates. SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida and Florida League of Women Voters HB 6033 ( Greico ) – Preemption of the Regulation of Vacation Rentals Repeals previous bill that preempted to the state the regulation of vacation rentals. HB 6113 ( Eskamani ) and SB 1900 ( Torres ) – Preemption to the State (Regaining Local Rule) Removes & repeals provisions preempting certain authority to state. Specifically, this measure would repeal 35 state laws that remove local policy making passed by Republican legislators. The 35 statutes repealed in the Local Freedom Act pertain to earned sick time measures, tenant protections and developer subsidies, plastic bag and styrofoam regulations, municipal broadband and 5G, gun violence and public safety, public health, clean energy, rights of nature, fertilizer regulation, and tree-trimming policy, local budgeting authority, seaport regulations, and campaign finance reform. RESILIENCE SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 571 ( Mooney ) and SB 442 ( Rodriguez ) – Powers of Land Authorities Authorizes local land authorities to assist in administering grants for residential flood and sea-level rise mitigation projects, including grants for the elevation of structures above minimum flood elevations; the demolition and reconstruction of structures above minimum flood elevations; and the acquisition of land with structures at risk of flooding. SUPPORTED BY 1000 Friends of Florida SB 1940 ( Brodeur ) - Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise Resilience Establishes the Statewide Office of Resiliency within the Executive Office of the Governor; provides for the appointment of a Chief Resilience Officer, etc. CONSERVATION SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida, Friends of the Everglades, and Florida League of Women Voters HB 81 ( Eskamani ) and SB 366 ( Berman ) – State Renewable Energy Goals Prohibits oil exploration, drilling or production on Florida land or in Florida waters; requires that all electricity in the state be derived from renewable sources by 2040 and carbon emissions be reduced to net zero by 2050; creates an advisory committee to reach these goals. SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 105 ( Fine ) and SB 224 ( Gruters ) – Regulation of Smoking in Public Places Authorizes counties and municipalities to further restrict smoking within the boundaries of public beaches and public parks under certain circumstances; prohibits smoking within the boundaries of a state park, etc. SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida and Friends of the Everglades SB 208 ( Farmer ) – Well Stimulation (Fracking) "Stop Fracking Act" - Prohibits FDEP from issuing permits for extreme well stimulation, also known as fracking. OPPOSED by 1000 Friends of Florida and Friends of the Everglades HB 349 ( Sirois and Overdorf ) and SB 198 ( Rodriguez ) – Seagrass Mitigation Banks Authorizes the state Board of Trustees to create “seagrass mitigation banks” on state-owned submerged lands which would be used to offset the unavoidable loss of seagrass from coastal development projects. In essence, if developers seek permits for coastal or marine development projects that would destroy seagrasses, this bill would give them the option of buying credits in a mitigation bank to cover costs of seagrass restoration projects elsewhere. Those opposed to the bill say mitigation banks like this often fail and they believe having such a system would enhance development elsewhere. NO OPINION by 1000 Friends of Florida. SUPPORTED by Florida League of Women Voters HB 449 ( Mooney ) and SB 602 ( Rodriguez ) – Land Acquisition Trust Fund Dedicates $20 million from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to environmental projects in the Florida Keys. NO OPINION by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 463 ( Melo ) and SB 380 ( Rodriguez ) – Greenhouse Gas Emissions Prohibits state agencies from adopting or enforcing greenhouse gas emissions limits without legislative authorization. HB 711 ( Diamond ) and SB 238 ( Jones ) – Endangered and Threatened Species Directs the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to protect certain endangered or threatened species, regardless of the status of their federal classification; prohibis the commission from considering certain costs when designating a species as endangered or threatened; directs the department, in consultation with the Endangered Plant Advisory Council, to protect certain endangered or threatened species, regardless of the status of their federal classification; prohibits the department from considering certain costs when designating a species as endangered or threatened, etc. HB 741 ( McClure ) and SB 1024 ( Bradley ) -- Renewable Energy Generation (Net Metering) This bill would lower the utility savings for Floridians using rooftop solar panels by limiting net metering incentives. Many view this bill would hurt lower income Floridians by making it more difficult to transition to solar. SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 761 ( Truenow ) and SB 882 ( Brodeur ) – Inventories of Critical Wetlands Requires each water management district governing board, in cooperation with local governments, to develop a list of critical wetlands for acquisition using funds from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund. HB 1129 ( Avila ) and SB 1416 ( Garcia ) – Mangrove Replanting and Restoration Requires the DEP to adopt rules for mangrove replanting and restoration. SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida and Florida League of Women Voters HB 6025 ( Eskamani ) SB 316 ( Stewart ) – Preemption of Tree Trimming, Pruning, and Removal Repeals provision in last year’s bill that preempted local government from regulating tree pruning, trimming, and removal on residential property. SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 6063 ( Greico ) and SB 320 ( Stewart ) – P reemption of Recyclable and Polystrene Materials Removes the state preemption of local home rule on disposable plastic bags, auxiliary containers, and wrappings. NO OPINION by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 1555 ( McClain ) SB 518 ( Brodeur ) – Private Property Rights to Prune, Trim, and Remove Trees Revises state regulation of local government requirements for tree trimming, pruning, and removal by requiring an assessment by a certified arborist. HB 1377 ( Roth ) and SB 1816 ( Stewart ) – Land Acquisition Trust Fund Specifies that lawmakers would guarantee $100 million a year for the Florida Forever Trust Fund and extend the retirement date of bonds issued by the Land Acquisition Trust Fund (LATF) to fund the Florida Forever Act. The measure would extend the bond life to 2054, adding roughly 14 years to the current retirement date of 2040. SUPPORTED by Friends of the Everglades HB 6085 ( Eskamani ) and SB 1102 ( Farmer ) – Farming Operations Last year’s SB 88 “Right to Farm Bill” protected Big Sugar from lawsuits related to sugar cane burning. These bills revise the definition of “farm operation” and “nuisance” and remove “particle emissions” from the list of protected activities. WATER SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 201 ( Daley ) and SB 356 ( Jones ) – Sales Tax Holiday for Energy Star and WaterSense Products Provides a sales tax exemption for energy efficient products designated with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star label, and irrigation and household appliance water conserving products designated with the EPA’s WaterSense label. HB 309 ( Fetterhoff and Giallombardo ) and SB 856 ( Brodeur ) – Private Provider Inspections of Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems Authorizes private provider inspections of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems under certain conditions; prohibits the Florida DEP from charging certain inspection and permit fees; specifies requirements for private providers and onsite sewage treatment and disposal system owners and authorized contractors; revises the list of providers authorized to perform onsite sewage treatment and disposal system evaluations, etc. SUPPORTED by 1000 Friends of Florida and Friends of the Everglades HB 393 ( Hinson ) and SB (604) Berman – Safe Waterways Act Requires the Florida Department of Health to monitor public bathing locations, notify local governments of bacterial contamination and require local governments to post warning signs. Current law does not require government to inform residents. HB 421 ( Truenow ) and SB 834 ( Brodeur ) – Long-term Cleanup of Harmful Algal Blooms Authorizes the Florida DEP to procure “innovative” technology to physically remove and reduce blue-green algae blooms from impacted waterways. Friends of the Everglades believes that though this was originally recommended by the state’s Blue-Green Algae Task Force, this measure should be augmented to require that all new technologies be evaluated by a panel of experts to ensure no long-term harm is done to the water being cleaned. HB 473 ( Casselo ) and SB 798 ( Taddeo ) – Bottled Water Excise Tax Imposes a 12.5 cent per gallon excise tax on bottled water operators and deposits the proceeds into the wastewater and stormwater revolving loan trust fund. HB 579 ( Melo ) and SB 1128 ( Harrell ) – Aquatic Plant Management Directs the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in consultation with UF/IFAS & FGCU/Water School, to implement and study nutrient removal technologies and mechanical aquatic plant management techniques within Lake Okeechobee watershed. SUPPORTED by Friends of the Everglades and by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 561 ( Goff-Marcil ) and SB 832 ( Stewart ) – Implementation of the Recommendations of the Blue-Green Algae Task Force Enacts additional measures originally recommended by the Governor’s Blue-Green Algae Task Force. Requires owners of certain onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems to have the systems periodically inspected, beginning on a specified date; requires the Florida DEP to administer the inspection program; requires new or revised basin management action plans to include a list that identifies and prioritizes certain spatially focused projects, etc. SUPPORTED by Friends of the Everglades HB 807 ( Rayner ) and SB 904 ( Farmer ) – Agricultural Practices Revises the definition of “best management practice” and requires, rather than merely authorize, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to devise and adopt rules to reduce pollution statewide and penalize those who don’t follow them. OPPOSED by 1000 Friends of Florida and by Friends of the Everglades SB 1000 ( Albritton ) – Nutrient Application Rates Adjusts nutrient regulation based on needs of individual farms…..Environmentalists believe this bill waters down state standards. Specifically, it defines the terms "certified professional" and "rate tailoring"; authorizes the use of rate tailoring in specified circumstances; authorizes producers to use written recommendations from certified professionals to tailor their recommended nutrient application rates under certain circumstances; requires revisions to recommended application rates by certain state universities and Florida College System institutions to authorize rate tailoring, etc. 1000 Friends says this bill would allow producers to pick and choose different nutrient application rates and would weaken site-specific fertilizer application rates. HB 1339 ( Diamond ) and SB 1744 ( Brandes ) – Phosphogypsum Stacks Requires DEP to submit annual report to Governor, Legislature, & certain entities; notify Governor, Legislature, and certain entities of imminent hazards within specified timeframe; and create, maintain, & update database on its website. HB 1475 ( McClure ) and SB 1418 ( Albritton ) – Soil and Groundwater Contamination Requires the Florida DEP to adopt rules for statewide cleanup target levels for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in soil and groundwater; prohibits such rules from taking effect until ratified by the Legislature; requires the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct a specified analysis of certain assessment and cleanup programs and submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature by a specified date, etc. TRANSPORTATION OPPOSED by 1000 Friends of Florida HB 157 ( Andrade ) and SB 398 ( Hooper ) – Transportation Projects Caps funding for public transportation projects in the state transportation trust fund at 25 percent. This share would exclude state matches for federal transportation funds. Environmental Bills

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