Senate Committee Leaders Named; Broxson Chair Of Banking, Insurance
November 28, 2018
State Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, was named chairman of Banking and Insurance Committee on Tuesday.
Senate President Bill Galvano put his stamp on the Florida Senate on Monday, as he slimmed down the number of lawmakers holding committee chairmanships and trimmed the number of Democrats in leadership spots.
Galvano, a Bradenton Republican who was sworn in last week as president, kept some Republicans in the same spots they held last year under former Sen. President Joe Negron, including Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, a Fort Myers Republican who will remain in her role as chairman of the Rules Committee, and Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who returns as chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
But other senators who were in Negron’s inner circle — including Sen. Anitere Flores, a Miami Republican who chaired the Banking and Insurance Committee and the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee — will have smaller roles. Flores will chair the Community Affairs Committee.
“It was with much deliberation that the appointments were made, input from the members and the knowledge of having served with many of them either in the House or the Senate or watched them from across the rotunda,” Galvano told The News Service of Florida. “Our team is well-positioned to serve the people of Florida with the many issues we’re presently facing.”
Helping round out Galvano’s leadership team is Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican who assumes the post of Senate majority leader. Galvano said he named her to the position because she has a “good rapport” with Republican caucus members.
Democrats picked up a seat during the Nov. 6 elections, leaving Republicans with a 23-17 advantage in the Senate. But Galvano reduced the number of Democrats in charge of committees from four to two.
Sen. Lauren Book, D-Plantation, will chair the Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee. Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, will chair the Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
Galvano’s biggest structural move was to merge four committees into two, resulting in fewer chairmanships to give out.
He combined the former Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities Committee and Regulated Industries Committee into the new Innovation, Industry and Technology Committee, which will be chaired by Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby. Simpson is expected to succeed Galvano as president in 2020 if Republicans keep their majority.
Galvano also combined the Transportation Committee and the domestic-security portion of the Military and Veterans Affairs committee to form the new Infrastructure and Security Committee. It will be chaired by Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa.
The changes also extended to budget-writing panels.
Galvano merged two education-spending panels — the former Higher Education and PreK-12 Education subcommittees — into one spending panel called the Education Appropriations Subcommittee. That will be chaired by Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland.
He also merged the former General Government and Environment and Natural Resources Appropriations subcommittees to form the Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee. That panel will be chaired by Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Rockledge.
Another change on the fiscal end is that Galvano elevated the former Finance and Tax Appropriations Subcommittee to a full standing committee, which will be chaired by Sen. George Gainer, R-Panama City.
Rounding out the committee chairmanships Galvano announced are:
— Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, chairman of the Agriculture Committee.
— Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, chairman of the Commerce and Tourism Committee.
— Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee.
— Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, chairwoman of the Health Policy Committee.
— Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, chairman of Banking and Insurance Committee.
— David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
— Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, chairman of the Education Committee.
— Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, chairman of Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee.
— Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, chairman of the Ethics and Elections Committee.
— Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, chairman of the Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee.
— Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee.
— Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, chairman of the Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee.
— Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach, chairman of the Military and Veterans Affairs and Space Committee.
For more on the Senate committee assignments, click here and here. Galvano’s memo announcing the assignments is here.
by Christine Sexton and Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Blood Drives Upcoming At Tate, Northview, WFHS, Molino And Century
November 28, 2018
Several blood drives are upcoming in the North Escambia area.
The Big Red Bus will be at:
- Tate High School on Thursday from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
- West Florida High School on Friday from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
- Hillcrest Baptist Church on Sunday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.
- Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Sunday from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m.
- Highland Baptist Church on Sunday from noon until 3 p.m.
- Northview High School on Monday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.
- Century Correctional Institution on December 10 from noon until 5 p.m.
OneBlood welcomes blood donations from donors 16 years old and older. Donors that are 16 years old must present a signed permission form from their parent or a guardian before the donation.
Pictured: The OneBlood Big Red Bus recently at the Molino Branch Library. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Cantonment Highway 29 Wreck
November 27, 2018
At least one person was injured in two vehicle accident Tuesday evening on Highway 29 at Woodland Street in Cantonment.
The driver of a car was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, which occurred in front of the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue.
NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Trailer Used By Cantonment Church For Food Bank Is Stolen
November 27, 2018
A trailer used by a local church to transport items for their food bank has been stolen.
The trailer was stolen from the Harvest Christian Center at 1095 Muscogee Road. It has the words “Journey by Pace” and “Made in America” on it with Florida tag 427RGC. The picture is similar to the one stolen, but the one belonging to the church was much older and only has doors on the rear.
Harvest Christian Center’s food bank has distributed nearly 50,000 pounds of food this year to help feed the community. The church is in need of a trailer by December 9 to pick up food for another distribution.
Anyone with information on the stolen trailer should call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
‘Keep The Wreath Green’ Fire Safety Campaign Kicks Off Saturday
November 27, 2018
Escambia County Fire Rescue, in collaboration with the Pensacola Fire Department, will launch its annual “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign Saturday. While a joyous time of year, cold weather, holiday decorations and festivities can create serious fire dangers. Firefighters hope to reduce the number of fires by promoting simple, lifesaving holiday safety tips each day in December.
During the month-long campaign, five-foot wreaths will also be on display at 18 county fire stations and five city fire stations, with wreaths also be placed outside Escambia County’s Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building downtown, the Escambia County Public Safety Building, Pensacola City Hall and Cordova Mall near the food court entrance. Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in residential home. In 2017, 10 bulbs were changed to red on county wreaths, and the city had seven red bulbs.
According to the United States Fire Administration, fires occurring during the winter claim the lives of over 900 people and cause over $2.1 billion in damage. Nationally, cooking is the leading cause of home winter fires, with 5 to 8 p.m. being the most common time for a fire to occur. A working smoke detector cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half. For information about obtaining a home smoke detector, call Escambia County Fire Rescue at (850) 595-HERO (4376) or (850) 436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.
Escambia Tax Collector Offers Property Tax Payment Plan
November 27, 2018
Need a little time to pay your property taxes?
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford is offering taxpayers a chance to make partial payments.
If a property owner decides to make partial payments, the following information applies:
- Property owner must submit an application (found on the back of the tax bill, available at the tax collector’s office and on our website) with initial partial payment.
- Partial payments are accepted for current year taxes only from November 1 until March 31.
- No discount allowed for partial payments.
- A $10 processing fee deducted from each partial payment.
- Partial payments are not accepted after March 31, and any remaining balance as of April 1 is delinquent and subject to all applicable penalties and fees.
For additional information, visit at EscambiaTaxCollector.com/property-tax/payment-options.
Bratt Elementary Collects Supplies For Hurricane Victims
November 27, 2018
Students and staff at Bratt Elementary School collected supplies for Hurricane Michael victims. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Sheriff Morgan Congratulates New Escambia Sheriff Jackson
November 27, 2018
Escambia County (FL) Sheriff David Morgan recently offered his congratulations to Heath Jackson, who was elected as sheriff of Escambia County, AL. Jackson, who is currently a sergeant at the Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office, will take office in Alabama in January. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Supreme Court Gives Go Ahead To Judicial Appointment
November 27, 2018
With one dissenting justice calling the situation a “travesty,” the state Supreme Court on Monday tossed out a challenge to Gov. Rick Scott’s authority to appoint a replacement for a retiring Northeast Florida circuit judge.
The Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, said it would not rule on the case — effectively keeping in place a lower-court ruling that backed Scott’s authority. The Supreme Court indicated in August that it would rule in the case and heard oral arguments in October.
But in a one-page order Monday, the majority said it was dismissing the case and that the earlier decision to hear it had been “improvidently granted.” The majority was made up of Chief Justice Charles Canady and justices Ricky Polston, Jorge Labarga and Alan Lawson.
The case centered on whether Scott — or voters — should pick a replacement for 4th Judicial Circuit Judge Robert Foster, who was originally slated to leave office Jan. 7, 2019, which would have been the end of his term because of a mandatory retirement age. But on April 2, Foster sent a letter to Scott making the resignation effective Dec. 31, four business days ahead of schedule.
The Scott administration argued that the governor’s acceptance of a judicial resignation before the start of an election-qualifying period created a vacancy that should be filled by appointment, rather than election. If Foster retired on Jan. 7, the post would be filled by election.
Jacksonville attorney David Trotti, who wanted to run for the seat, filed a lawsuit challenging Scott’s authority to appoint a replacement for Foster. The 1st District Court of Appeal sided with Scott, leading Trotti to take the dispute to the Supreme Court.
The decision Monday to reverse course and not decide the case drew a scathing opinion from Justice R. Fred Lewis, who said Foster and other judges in the past have manipulated the process to ensure the appointment of successors. Lewis started his 10-page dissent by giving a dictionary definition of the word “travesty.”
“This accurately describes the circumstances in this case, which allow judges to make a mockery of our Florida Constitution with impunity. The issue is whether a judge can prospectively resign during an election year to manufacture a vacancy that will be filled by gubernatorial appointment instead of a regularly scheduled election,” Lewis wrote. “Rather than addressing this direct affront to our constitutional system of checks and balances, the (Supreme) Court neglects its duty and turns a blind eye to this sham.”
Lewis wrote that nothing in state law or the Florida Constitution gives trial judges the right to delay their resignations for eight months. He added that if “judges would like to resign early, then they should actually resign and leave office. By allowing these judges to remain on the bench, the (Supreme) Court effectively allows its own qualifying period cutoff to be rendered nugatory — subject to the whims of individual judges in election years.”
Justice Peggy Quince, in a dissent joined by Justice Barbara Pariente, argued that, under the circumstances, Foster’s vacancy should be filled by election. She wrote that the “gamesmanship on display here could serve to undermine the voters’ respect for the courts.”
“Surely when the people determined that they would prefer to elect certain judges, they did not intend for that desire to be circumvented by artificial vacancies,” Quince wrote.
But during oral arguments in October, Daniel Nordby, general counsel for Scott, called it “long-settled law” that a judicial vacancy occurs at the time a resignation letter is submitted to the governor and accepted — not at the time the judge leaves office.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Northview, Flomaton Basketball Games Rescheduled
November 27, 2018
Northview versus Flomaton basketball games set for this week have been rescheduled due to Flomaton’s playoff football game Friday night.
The games were scheduled for November 26 and November 29. They will not be played at Flomaton on January 14 and at Northview on January 28.
Flomaton will host Providence Christian Friday night at 7:00 in the state football championship semifinal round.