Mayfield Minute - February 4, 2024_Session Week 5

Good Morning!

We are approaching the halfway mark of the 2024-2025 Legislative Session. We've had countless meetings with constituents to discuss their support or opposition on various bills moving through the legislative process. We continued our committee meetings for members to present their bills and last week the appropriation committee presented their proposed budget to their committee members.

The Senate's 2024-2025 proposed budget will be brought to the floor for a vote this coming week.

Last week, I supported Senator Blaise Ingolia's legislation that calls on Congress to convene a constitutional amendment convention through passage of the House Joint Resolution 703 Balanced Federal Budget and House Joint Resolution 693 Congressional Term Limits.

“Term limits and balanced budget requirements have worked quite well here in Florida, and help our state guard against the rampant corruption, abuses of power, and overspending we see in Washington,” said Senate President Kathleen Passidomo.

“Our founding fathers envisioned elected officials as short-term public servants, not lifelong bureaucrats. With these initiatives, Florida is sending a strong message that the federal government must be accountable to the people,” she added.

I agree with President Passidomo. I stated on the Senate floor during debate, "Members, I just 'googled' our national debt and it is 34 trillion, 172 billion, 927 million [$34,172,927,000+]. And, if that doesn't scare people in this room, it should. The national debt will never get paid off unless we take dramatic action to require the federal government to put a plan in place to balance our budget."

The Florida Legislature and the Florida Executive branch are bound by term limits. I'm in my last term as your State Senator due to term limits and I truly respect the importance of passing the baton.

Also in debate on the Senate floor, I stated that House Republicans and House Democrats have been up in DC way too long, and this is one way to put pressure on them to pass a term limit bill. They may have signed a term limit pledge or co-sponsored a term limit bill but if you truly believe in term limits, why do you need a law to impose what you believe is the right thing to do? But unfortunately, you have to. And, this is one way of making sure it happens, to get new blood in office with new ideas, and to limit the amount of time that you have to get done what you went up to DC to do.

I have supported Senator Ingolia's efforts for these reasons. A further explanation of the bills can be found below in the Senate Update below.

I consider it a great honor to represent District 19. Please share this link with your friends and family so they too, can sign up for the Mayfield Minute.

If you or someone you know needs my assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office. My staff and I are here to serve you!

Statewide Update

FL Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson Calls for Nominations for 2024 Woman of the Year in Agriculture and Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Awards

Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Wilton Simpson, has announced the opening of the nomination process for the 'Woman of the Year' in Agriculture Award and the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Awards.

The 'Woman of the Year' in Agriculture Award annually recognizes the achievements of women who have made outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture. The Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Awards recognize the achievements of environmentally innovative growers and ranchers who share a commitment to protecting and preserving Florida’s natural resources while continuing to produce the world-class agricultural products.

Nominations are due by March 1, 2024. For more information or to apply online and nominate your choice for "Woman of the Year" click here.

Florida National Guard and State National Guard to Assist Texas at the Southern Border

Last week, Governor DeSantis announced the deployment of approximately 1,000 members of the Florida National Guard (FLNG) and members of the Florida State Guard (FSG) to Texas to assist in ‘efforts to stop the invasion at the border.' The new deployments are in addition to the 90 Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Florida Department Law Enforcement officers already serving in rotation at the border.

In December, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data showed that more than 302,000 illegal immigrants were encountered attempting to cross the southern border – the highest month ever recorded.

Due to Texas Governor Greg Abbott's recent action to circumvent the federal government's dereliction of duty to protect Americans from the illegal invasion occurring on the Southern border, and the support of 25 state governors providing resources and personnel, the U.S. CBP has reported, in just one week, illegal immigrant crossings at Eagle Pass in the Del Rio sector of Texas decreased from 3,000 to 4,000 per day to 200 per day.

Governor DeSantis stated that since President Biden took office, more than 10 million illegal immigrants have crossed the border, including more than 1.7 million known gotaways. In December alone, roughly 260 million lethal doses of Fentanyl were seized at the border.

Florida's 22nd Statewide Grand Jury Releases First Report, Finds Masks and Lockdowns Were Harmful and Ineffective

The 22nd Statewide Grand Jury, convened by the Florida Supreme Court at the request of Governor DeSantis, released their first interim report, which includes findings on the inefficacy of masks and the years of lockdowns. The Governor petitioned the court to investigate crimes and wrongdoing against Floridians related to COVID-19 vaccine.

Excerpts from the report’s major highlights include:

On nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs): "A wealth of contemporaneous scientific information already existed in major publications that could have informed a much more robust and meaningful response with respect to NPIs, but much of it was ignored or even attacked by mainstream public health and media entities in the early months of the pandemic.”
On lockdowns: “Lockdowns were not a good trade. Comparative data showed that jurisdictions that held to them tended to end up with higher overall excess mortality.
On safety and efficacy: “It should also be apparent that establishing the ‘safety’ of a biological product necessitates a comprehensive, meaningful and accurate evaluation of the risk presented by the disease that product is designed to address.”
On masking: Once it became clear that the primary transmission vector of SARS-CoV-2 was via aerosol, their (masks) potential efficacy was further diminished. Public health agencies failed to adequately explain this important distinction to the American public in favor of a broad mask recommendation that did not make nearly enough distinction between the types of masks available and put at risk those it sought to help.
On hospitalization risk: “It is highly likely that the CDC’s number of total hospitalizations is inflated to some degree with asymptomatic or minor SARS-CoV-2 infections that were classified as 'hospitalizations' in order to financially benefit the hospital.”
On collateral consequences: “It is clear to this Grand Jury that whatever benefits inured from mandates, they were not worth the price.”

Senate Update

Update from the Senate Floor

The Florida Senate passed House Joint Resolution 703 and House Joint Resolution 693, sponsored by Senator Blaise Ingoglia with strong support. House Joint Resolution 703 calls on the U.S. Congress to convene a Constitutional Convention for the purpose of proposing a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. House Joint Resolution 693 builds on this proposal and urges Congress to enact Congressional term limits through a Constitutional Convention.

While excess spending, career politicians, and ineffective leadership have left Washington helpless – Florida has thrived. Every single year, the Florida Legislature, in conjunction with the Governor, has been able to deliver tangible results for Florida families. In the 2023 Legislative Session alone, the Florida Senate returned money to families through record tax breaks, funded historic investments in affordable housing, and delivered universal school choice to every student – all while maintaining a balanced budget.

Forty-six states have balanced budget requirements and 16 have legislative term limits, including Florida, yet the Congress has either responsibilities.

Both of these measures enhance accountability, improve the function of government, and weaken the influence of special interest groups.

The next stop for HCR 703 and HCR 693 is the Governor's desk.

Senate Committee on Appropriations

The Senate Committee on Appropriations, Chaired by Senator Doug Broxson, introduced their proposed balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 which makes significant investments in infrastructure, provides record funding for public schools and school choice, and supports an ongoing commitment to responsible spending.

Additionally, the proposed budget places a specific emphasis on the environment with over $1 billion for water quality improvements and Everglades restoration, more than $400 million for conservation acquisitions, and $120 million to address flooding and sea level rise.

Critical funding to improve the health and wellbeing of Floridians is included in the budget and is complemented by funding in the Live Healthy legislative package which addresses the healthcare needs of seniors, children, and those with disabilities.

Other Senate budget proposed highlights include:

Support for Florida's child welfare system
Construction of the State's ninth Veteran’s nursing home
Continued pay off of the State debt in the amount of $455 million
Additional consumer tax relief
Maintaining of the State's emergency financial reserves

Unlike other states who utilized pandemic funding on recurring expenses that they can no longer afford – Florida has focused on one-time generational investments in our infrastructure, the economy, and our families.

The next stop for the proposed budget is the Senate Floor.

Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy

The Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy passed Senate Bill 328, sponsored by Senator Alexis Calatayud, with unanimous support. SB 328 provides strategic policy enhancements to SB 102, the Live Local Act passed in 2023, which addressed the issue of affordable workforce housing.

Through record funding for affordable housing developments, removal of burdensome local regulations, and critical home ownership and rental assistance, SB 102 is empowering Floridians to live local in the communities they serve.

Additionally, this legislation expands tax exemptions for affordable housing developments and provides an additional $100 million in funding for the Florida Hometown Hero Program that provides interest-free down payment assistance, to income-qualified, first-time homebuyers who live in Florida and work for a Florida-based company.

The next stop for SB 328 is the Senate Floor.

The Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy also passed Senate Bill 1758, sponsored by Senator Jason Brodeur, with unanimous support. SB 1758 enhances care for individuals with disabilities in Florida.

This legislation slashes bureaucratic red tape and streamlines the application process for individuals with disabilities seeking services from Florida’s Agency for Persons with Disabilities, ensuring that those who need critical care are able to receive services in a more efficient manner.

SB 1758 expands support for aging caregivers, ensuring that critical services are provided to a greater number of Floridians without separating families. By lowering the minimum age for a caregiver to receive home and community-based services, Florida is tackling challenges for services while empowering families to provide the best quality care possible.

The next stop for SB 1758 is the Senate Floor.

Senate Committee on Regulated Industries

As part of the Live Healthy legislative package, the Florida Senate Committee on Regulated Industries passed Senate Bill 1600, sponsored by Senator Jay Collins, with unanimous support. SB 1600 creates the MOBILE Act, which expedites the issuance of licenses and certifications for health care professionals.

This legislation requires the Florida Department of Health to issue a license or certificate within 15 days of receiving all required documents for out-of-state health care practitioners moving to Florida. This legislation maintains strict qualification requirements for testing, training, and experience.

This legislation empowers seasoned health care practitioners who move to Florida to build their lives and careers in the Sunshine State.

The next stop for SB 1600 is the Fiscal Policy committee.

Senate Committee on Criminal Justice

The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice passed Senate Bill 1036, sponsored by Senator Blaise Ingoglia, with unanimous support. SB 1036 enhances penalties for illegal immigrants who commit felonies in the U.S.

In 2023, the Florida Senate passed SB 1718 which requires businesses with 25 or more employees to utilize E-Verify, establishes stricter penalties for human trafficking, and provides Florida with the tools to understand the cost that illegal immigration has on our state.

SB 1036 builds upon this essential legislation by increasing felony charges for illegal immigrants who reenter the U.S. after being deported for committing a felony.

As tens of millions of illegal immigrants flood across our southern border each year, with more than the population of Orlando crossing in the month of December alone, the Florida Senate must work to stop the invasion that is bringing weapons, fentanyl, dangerous criminals, and potential terrorists into our communities.

The next stop for SB 1036 is the Senate Floor.

Senate Committee on Judiciary

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bill 1680, sponsored by Senator Jennifer Bradley, with unanimous support. SB 1680 provides transparency and accountability measures for artificial intelligence use.

This legislation establishes the Government Technology Modernization Council which will study and monitor the development and deployment of artificial intelligence systems. This council will also recommend policy proposals that work to protect the privacy of Floridians, ensure that Floridians are free from discrimination, and promote the responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence systems.

SB 1680 strictly prohibits the generation, possession, distribution, or viewing of AI generated child pornography and those that choose to use AI to exploit and harm children, families, and communities will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

The next stop for SB 1680 is the Senate Floor.

Constituent of the Week

Ms. Tammy Bursick

Our Constituent of the Week is Ms. Tammy Bursick, Vero Beach City Clerk. Ms. Bursick began her career at the Vero Beach City Hall nearly four decades ago as a switchboard operator. Five years later in 1989, she was named City Clerk and has held the position for 35 years. She recently announced that she will retire in June.

The role of City Clerk is to record and maintain orderly and accessible records of all City Council meetings, discussions and other communications, and to transcribe and maintain the records of all advisory commission activities. The City Clerk is also the Supervisor Elections for all City referenda and elections among other assignments.

"Tammy has always been the consummate professional," said City Manager Monte Falls. "She has always come to work with a cheerful attitude and a can-do approach to whatever task was given to her."

In addition to her public service, Ms. Bursick is well known throughout Vero Beach and Indian River County. She was a contestant in the annual Dancing with Vero’s Stars fundraiser and has served as the Co-Chair of the Vero Vino Wine & Food Festival and the Vero Beach Centennial Celebration.

In a recent media article she recalled that the greatest highlight of her nearly 40 years at Vero Beach was the Centennial Celebration in 2019.

"My proudest moment is definitely the centennial," said Ms. Bursick of the city's 100th birthday celebration. "I watched the whole community come alive. It was something that made everyone happy."

From 2007-2008, Ms. Bursick served as president of the Florida Association of City Clerks and she was selected as City Clerk of the Year in 2007.

Given her life-long commitment to the residents of Vero Beach, she is dedicated to ensuring a successful transition for the new city clerk. She will continue to assist with a program she started at the Florida Association of City Clerks which supports interim city clerks as vacancies come about.

In retirement, she looks forward to spending time with family, especially her grandchildren. We congratulate Ms. Bursick on her successful nearly 40-year career and wish her much well-deserved rest and relaxation to come in retirement.

District Highlights

Port Canaveral Sets Records for One-Day and One-Month Passenger Counts in December, Earns Industry Award

According to Port Canaveral officials, 734,485 passengers embarked on cruise ships from the port in December 2023 versus 698,595 in December 2022. December 30th set a port record one-day traffic with 61,208 passengers, followed closely by December 23rd with 59,443 passengers.

"It's an incredible transition, when you think about the numbers," Canaveral Port Authority Vice Chair Wayne Justice. Further he stated that, as recently as a few years ago, the one-month passenger record was less than 500,000.

Additionally, Port Canaveral earned the recognition of the Best US Homeport for 2023 in the annual Cruise Hive awards. It’s the fourth consecutive year Port Canaveral has won the honor earning 34% of the vote, nearly twice the vote received for PortMiami.

“We’re very excited for the future,” said Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO, at November 2023’s State of the Port address. “We have some great assets coming online in the next few years and a lot of surprises for the business as a whole.”

Three more ships will be home-ported ships at Port Canaveral before the end of the year, increasing the total to 16 ships. Disney is bringing a third ship to Port Canaveral, and both Celebrity and Princess are basing new ships at the port for the first time.

For 2024, port officials plan to host a record 7.3 million passengers and expect 913 ship calls.

Additionally, a $68.16 million construction project is underway on the port's north side to build new parking garages near cruise terminals 6 and 10. Each are scheduled to open later this year.

Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez Announces Goal for 111 Rocket Launches from the Space Coast in 2024 as Space X Plans for February Manned-Flight to ISS

The 111 projection will by far surpass the 2023 record 72 launches and LG Nuñez added that 68% of all U.S. launches that took place year departed from the Space Coast.

"On any given day, you can look up and see one of those amazing launches. And I'll tell you, it is a sight to be seen. And we're just so proud of our Space Coast," LG Nuñez said. "Our track record is undeniable. And it's signaling to the aerospace industry that in Florida, you can meet your aerospace objectives," she added.

In other space news, NASA and SpaceX are planning for Thursday, February 22nd for the launch of the Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station.

NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick of Colorado, commander; Michael Barratt, of Washington, pilot; mission specialist Jeanette Epps of New York; and Alexander Grebenkin, Roscosmos cosmonaut mission specialist, will travel to the orbiting laboratory aboard Crew-8 for approximately six months for research and operation assignments.

Crew-8 is the ninth human spaceflight mission supported by a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the eighth crew rotation mission to the ISS since 2020 for NASA.

Upcoming Events

Indian River County VA Town Hall and Enrollment Fair

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is holding a Veteran Town Hall and Enrollment Fair on Tuesday, February 6th at the Richardson Center on Indian River State College's Mueller Campus (6155 College Lane) in Vero Beach from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The following activities are planned:

VA Healthcare Enrollment: Veterans will receive assistance in navigating the enrollment process
FDVA Claim Examiners: Veterans will connect directly with experts for assistance in filing and managing claims
Toxic Exposure Screening: Officials will address screening services available for Veterans concerned about toxic exposure
IRSC Guidance Counselors: College counselors will be on site to assist Veterans with educational options and GI Bill assistance.

This event is open to all Veterans and appointments are not necessary. For more information, contact the Veterans Council of IRC by email here or by phone at 772-410-5820.

Space Coast "Girls in Aviation" Day

Educators, career professionals, Women in Aviation International (WAI) and the Space Coast Women in Aviation Alliance (SCWAA) have teamed up to host “Girls in Aviation Day” to the Space Coast on Saturday, February 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. FIT Aviation at the Melbourne Orlando International Airport (1 Air Terminal Parkway).

The free event, open to elementary, middle, and high school students, highlights aviation and aerospace careers and industry efforts to recruit women and minorities.

Guest speakers are experts in the areas of aviation safety, spaceport integration and services, NASA, machinery and supply chain functions, logistics, and air transportation management representing the Orlando Executive Airport, Sheltair, FIT, NASA, and many other local and regional aerospace and aviation companies.

For more information on the “Girls in Aviation Day”, reach out by email here.

Merritt Island 12th Annual Pioneer Day

The 12th Annual Pioneer Day celebrating the history of Merritt Island will take place on Saturday, February 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at St. Luke’s Church (5555 North Tropical Trail) and Sam’s House Conservation (6195 North Tropical Trail) in Merritt Island.

Most events are free of charge and primary parking is available at St. Luke’s with limited parking at Sam's House. Free continuous shuttle service between the venues is available throughout the event.

For more information and the event schedule, click here.

Galentine's Day at the Brevard Zoo

Brevard Women Connect is hosting a Galentine's Day for women on Monday, February 12th at the Brevard Zoo (8225 North Wickham Road) in Melbourne from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The keynote speaker is Emma Reynolds, Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships, and she will be discussing the power of purpose and updates on the aquarium. Other activities include photo-ops, signature cocktails, refreshments, vendors with products and services focused on women, and an animal encounter.

For more information and to register, click here.