Florida evacuates hundreds from Israel & judicial consolidation proposal meets strong opposition
October 19, 2023 — This Week's Top Stories in Florida
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Here’s the latest from Florida…
Israel evacuees land in Tampa, receive welcome from DeSantis
More than 300 American evacuees from Israel have landed in Florida this week, receiving a welcome from Governor Ron DeSantis after he signed an executive order last Thursday, declaring a state of emergency to help Floridians seeking to depart Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and Tampa-based nonprofit Project DYNAMO organized the state-funded charter flights to deliver necessary supplies to Israel and evacuate the stranded residents overseas. On Sunday, a EuroAtlantic Airways jet containing 270 evacuees landed at Tampa International Airport, traveling 17 hours from Tel Aviv. The passengers included 91 children and four dogs, with almost all the children being U.S. citizens. Upon landing and after going through U.S. Customs and Border Patrol security, DeSantis and his wife, Casey, were there to greet them, with American and Israeli flags in the background. On Wednesday, a second flight carrying 47 people arrived in Tampa, many of whom resided in different states across the U.S. These evacuees were among the first to arrive in Florida from Israel among the estimated 700 to 1,000 Floridians still in Israel. DeSantis has lobbed criticism at President Biden and the federal government for not moving quickly enough to evacuate Americans. DeSantis and FDEM say additional flights are planned in the coming week, all landing at Tampa International Airport, as part of the ongoing effort to assist Americans stranded in Israel due to the ongoing crisis.
Judicial consolidation meets widespread opposition
In 2022, the Florida Legislature reorganized the state’s appeals courts by adding a sixth district court of appeal and realigning four judicial circuits into existing appellate districts, but House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast) is urging consolidation in the 20-circuit system that has remained unchanged amid decades of population shifts. Over the summer, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos Muniz responded to Speaker Renner’s push by appointing a 14-member “assessment committee” to examine whether the state’s judicial circuits deserve to be consolidated and make recommendations to the Legislature, which possesses the authority to reshape boundaries. The committee is comprised of judges, clerks, and attorneys, and is tasked with submitting recommendations to the state Supreme Court by December 1. A recent public hearing held by the committee last week in Tampa featured dozens of speakers from across Florida voicing their opposition to shrinking the number of judicial circuits from twenty. This was the final public meeting by the Judicial Circuit Assessment Committee after holding an August hearing in Orlando. Elected state attorneys, public defenders, lawyers, sheriffs, state lawmakers, judges, and ordinary citizens expressed concerns about inefficiencies, backlogs, larger caseloads, and inconsistencies with hearing times that could occur with reducing circuits. Elected state prosecutors could also be redistricted from their seats. Speaker Renner has argued that merging some districts could reduce costs, increase efficiency, and provide “uniformity in the judicial process” that would increase “public trust and confidence.” The public, court personnel and legal professionals have expressed strong disapproval in surveys, with 94% of the public and 83.5% of professionals disagreeing that consolidation would enhance the effectiveness of their circuit.
Republican lawmakers consider relaxing child labor laws
Republican lawmakers are considering a bill that would loosen child labor laws in Florida, joining a national trend of states considering legislation that impacts young workers by repealing or narrowing workplace protections. The proposed bill (HB 49) filed by state Rep. Linda Chaney (R-St. Petersburg) aims to provide teenagers with more flexibility in their work schedules and meet their financial goals, eliminating several regulations in place. It would remove all employment guidelines for minors aged 16- and 17-year-olds, such as restrictions on working more than eight hours on school nights and 30 hours a week during the school year. The bill would preempt authority from local governments that seek to pass stricter ordinances. Current regulations to work hours for 14- and 15-year-olds would remain in place, but changes in language from “shall” to “may” when referring to working before 7 AM and after 7 PM have drawn concerns that this provision would be optional. Critics of the proposal argue that this could negatively affect graduation rates and harm lower-income families. However, it could potentially replace immigrant workers as Florida faces a labor shortage, which includes jobs previously held by undocumented migrants that are unfilled after the state intensified scrutiny on undocumented workers. Rep. Chaney says the legislation seeks to match federal law and could help provide opportunities for families struggling in a difficult economy without the government interfering in their ability to “make a living.” The existing minor employment laws in Florida have been in place for over a century, coming at a time when children were being exploited for paltry wages and hazardous work.
Florida’s labor shortage threatens various industries
The state’s labor shortage is affecting a wide range of industries, including construction, restaurants, hotels, roofing, landscaping, and farming. Florida’s fast population growth, aging demographics, and reliance on migrant labor contribute to the issue, but a new immigration-related law is believed to be exacerbating the situation. The measures passed by lawmakers during the 2023 Legislative Session and signed by Gov. DeSantis in May crackdown on immigrants lacking permanent legal status from being transported into the state and invalidated any U.S. government IDs they may possess while banning local governments from issuing them separate ID cards. Additionally, businesses with 25 or more employees are compelled to use E-Verify to verify the immigration status of their workers. Florida is unique because of its significant reliance on migrant labor for both skilled and unskilled jobs, which is estimated at 11% of the state’s total workforce and more than one-third of agricultural workers. The strengthened immigration laws implemented this year have had a chilling effect on available workers in other industries beyond agriculture such as construction, transportation, and hospitality, as migrants leave for neighboring states with friendlier policies. However, the problems expand beyond immigrant workers as employers have reported issues in recruiting qualified candidates. Most companies have been forced to increase base pay rates to remain competitive. Despite its growth, Florida's labor force hasn't kept pace with demand, leading to challenges as new residents over the past few years quickly find an opportunity when they arrive, have existing remote jobs, or are retirees who don’t contribute to the labor force. Time may be the only factor that resolves many of the issues related to worker shortages, but faster processing of visas, encouraging company sponsorships, and expanding the federal H-2A and H-2B temporary worker programs could encourage more immigrants to enter the labor market. Meanwhile, Florida’s unemployment rate is hovering near record-low levels.
DeSantis draws hardline stance on Palestinian refugees from Gaza: They’re “all antisemitic”
While on the presidential campaign trail in Iowa on Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis didn’t mince words on his support for Israel and uncompromising stance on the Palestinian-Arab state. Immediately sparking controversy, DeSantis stated that the U.S. should not accept Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip because he believes they are "all antisemitic." “We cannot accept people from Gaza into this country as refugees. I am not going to do that," DeSantis said at an Iowa campaign event. "If you look at how they behave — not all of them are Hamas, but they are all anti-Semitic, none of them believe in Israel’s right to exist. None of the Arab states are willing to take any of them.” As soon as news of Hamas’ horrid attack on Israel broke, which has claimed the lives of more than 1,300 Israelis, the Republican governor and presidential candidate was quick to take sides, denouncing the terror group that governs Gaza and anyone sympathetic to Palestinians. He also told the Iowa audience that bringing large numbers of refugees from Gaza to the U.S. would “increase antisemitism” and “anti-Americanism” in the country. DeSantis followed up by saying there "was never a Palestinian-Arab state" in the region, arguing in favor of the Jewish people’s ancient right to occupy the area of modern-day Israel. The presidential contender also dismissed international appeals for Israel to provide clean running water and utilities to the 2.3 million civilians in the Gaza Strip, which has faced a dire humanitarian situation. DeSantis argued that withholding such services might pressure Hamas to release hostages taken during the conflict. His remarks have drawn criticism, as the United Nations, aid groups, and Israeli human rights organizations have called for the delivery of essential supplies to Gaza to prevent a humanitarian crisis.
DeSantis proposes imposing sanctions on Iran after Israel attack
Gov. DeSantis is pointing the finger at the Iranian government for Hamas’ recent attack in Israel, citing the nation’s long financial support to the political and military terrorist group governing Gaza. In response, DeSantis has unveiled his plan to impose new sanctions on Tehran with forthcoming legislation introduced in the upcoming session that begins in January. The sanctions would expand prohibitions on state investments in Iranian businesses across nearly a dozen industries, including a ban on state and local governments from contracting with such companies. In 2008, Florida introduced limits on state agencies and local governments from contracting with any company that does business with the Iranian government over $1 million. Legislative leaders have backed DeSantis’ plan and support for Israel by announcing carry forward legislation to address business ties between Florida and Iran-based companies. State House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast), even floated the possibility of calling a special session in the next few weeks to pass the legislation prior to the start of the 2024 session.
$1.6M of alcohol missing from Florida heist
Brazen burglars orchestrated a Hollywood-style heist in which they used tractor-trailers to steal over $1.6 million worth of alcohol from the Republic National Distributing Company, located in Hillsborough County near Tampa. Despite occurring in the early morning hours of July 8, news of the theft surfaced after a search warrant was recently unsealed, detailing that the culprits making off with 4,277 cases of liquor, including brands like Jose Cuervo and Malibu, as well as products from Franzia Wines and Sutter Home Winery. In addition to the alcohol, digital video recorders used for surveillance at the distribution company were also stolen. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputies identified the tractor-trailers used in the theft by reviewing surveillance videos from nearby businesses and a convenience store. Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) is one of the country's largest wholesale beverage alcohol distributors in the nation and is cooperating with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation.
Tampa Bay home values stabilize after unprecedented growth
The housing market in Tampa Bay is beginning to stabilize after experiencing significant appreciation in recent years that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a Tampa Bay Times analysis of Zillow data, the average home value in the region has decreased by 1.79% since 2022, in contrast to the rapid 28% one-year increase experienced during the pandemic. The slowdown is attributed to soaring home prices, which saw a peak in August 2022, and higher mortgage and insurance rates – two factors making homeownership less affordable for many buyers alone. This has led to fewer sales and longer time on the market, thereby causing property values to decline as the costs in the Tampa Bay market have disqualified many prospective homebuyers. While the decline in property values is most noticeable in areas that experienced the most substantial appreciation during the pandemic, home values remain well above their pre-pandemic levels. The ZIP code 33579 in Riverview saw the area’s steepest decline in value but that was just shy of 7%. For comparison, from 2020 through 2022, many parts of the Tampa Bay market experienced prices escalate more than 50%. However, experts suggest that the market is rebalancing as population growth levels and housing inventory slowly rise, but high mortgage rates and still-elevated prices are keeping buyers away.
FDOT seeks to expand controversial proposal to use radioactive waste in road construction
The Mosaic Company, a Florida-based Fortune 500 fertilizer producer and phosphate mining company, is seeking to expand its controversial plan to use radioactive phosphate manufacturing waste in road construction across the state. At the request of Mosaic, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has recommended more than doubling the size of its proposed plan, which initially sought permission to use 500 tons of its waste, called phosphogypsum, in a test road near Mulberry. Now, in a request to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, they seek to increase the amount to 1,200 tons and expand the length of the company’s test road by 2,000 feet. This request follows legislation signed by Gov. DeSantis earlier this year that allows the study of this byproduct to be used as a road construction ingredient after Mosaic successfully lobbied for the bill. Critics argue that using phosphogypsum in roads could pose health and environmental risks due to phosphogypsum containing radioactive radium-226, which may cause cancer. Mosaic has said it could be a safer option than storing it in gypstacks, which gained national attention in 2021 following the Piney Point disaster in the Tampa Bay area. However, environmentalists and critics alike see this as an inadequate solution to the toxic waste disposal problems tied to phosphogypsum. Mosaic lobbied heavily for the bill’s successful passage, contributing $25,000 to the Republican sponsor at a fundraiser in May and giving $200,000 to the Republican Party of Florida in January. They were also a featured sponsor of DeSantis’ inauguration ceremony.
Hurricane losses mount as Florida’s population climbs
Florida's population boom has contributed to more significant hurricane losses, despite the state's strict building codes – the most stringent in the nation. A report from Swiss Re, a global reinsurance company, states that even though building codes have improved significantly through the decades, the growing coastal population has driven up damage costs from hurricanes. This has led to insurance premiums across Florida to skyrocket. For example, Hurricane Ian’s landfall in September 2022 was the state’s most expensive storm to date, had it occurred fifty years ago, it would have caused half or even one-third the damage. While newer homes and upgraded older domiciles have fared better against hurricanes since 2002, when the state introduced significantly improved building codes, many older properties remain vulnerable, comprising most of Florida's housing stock. But large population centers along at-risk coastal areas exposed to the effects of climate change, such as sizeable Southwest Florida cities like Fort Myers and Cape Coral, which took the brunt of Ian, have had a disproportionate impact on statewide losses.
Increasing property values, especially near the beaches, have compounded the financial impacts of hurricanes and insurance costs for Floridians. However, robust building codes for new construction are the solution to withstanding the strengthening storms, according to code experts. Florida’s modern building code took shape in the years following Hurricane Andrew in 1992 when there were more than 400 different building codes across the state. In 2002, officials adopted the Florida Building Code (FBC), mandating that new construction be able to withstand hurricane-force winds and feature shutters or impact-resistant glass in all openings. The problem is most homes in the state were built before 2002, and 69% of properties that experienced high winds from Ian last year were constructed before 2000, according to a review of National Hurricane Center records and census data by the Wall Street Journal. Bringing existing or hurricane-damaged homes to modern code is expensive and impractical when it includes elevating structures above the floodplain, but high-priced insurance premiums would likely remain unchanged due to population volume. In short, more buildings packed into an area means a higher chance losses will be tallied in the aftermath of a storm. Even with strict building codes, insurance calculates risk, and due to the effects of climate change causing oceans to warm, making hurricanes more intense, Floridians remain at threat. The future of development will have to consider the appropriateness of living in areas so susceptible to sea level rise and worsening storms, but as expenses mount for homeowners and taxpayers often forced to subsidize losses, many residents will have few options but to leave altogether.
U.S. Navy’s newest ship commissioned in Tampa
The USS Jack H. Lucas, the Navy's newest and most advanced guided missile destroyer, was officially commissioned into service at a grand ceremony in front of thousands at the Port of Tampa earlier this month. The ship, measuring 511 feet in length, is named in honor of Pfc. Jack H. Lucas, a heroic Marine in World War II who became the youngest service member awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II for his bravery at Iwo Jima when he was just 17. The city of Tampa was previously approved to host the historic ceremony that included a week of events and festivities for the public and more than 300 sailors of the USS Jack H. Lucas. After the ceremony, the ship will set sail for San Diego's naval base, where it will undergo training before being assigned for deployment.
Florida State Park passes are now 50% off
Floridians can now save 50% on annual state park passes until January 13, thanks to the Great Outdoors initiative recently announced by Gov. DeSantis. In addition to state park passes half off, DeSantis's executive order extends the 50% discount to Gold Sportsman hunting and fishing licenses issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC). The governor encouraged residents to take advantage of this offer, highlighting the state's exceptional natural resources, including 175 state parks, and the right to enjoy hunting and fishing. During this limited-time offer, a family annual state park pass is priced at $60, plus tax, while individual annual passes cost $30. The discount also applies to annual, five-year, and lifetime Gold Sportsman licenses for hunting and fishing. For more information and to purchase these passes, individuals can visit floridastateparks.org.
BayCare announces new children’s hospital in Tampa
BayCare Health System, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare networks in Tampa Bay and the West Central Florida region, is set to construct a new children’s hospital in Tampa by 2030. St. Joseph's Children's Hospital aims to replace its existing Tampa pediatric facility with a new hospital located on the current campus near Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the exact cost and future plans for the existing hospital have not been disclosed, BayCare intends to expand pediatric specialty medical services at the new facility. Moreover, the expansion will include pediatric graduate medical education programs, encompassing teaching, research, and training. The newly announced children’s hospital reflects BayCare's ongoing commitment to the West Central region as this will be the organization's fourth new hospital project in the last five years.
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