In Florida Politics for June 2020: DeSantis vetoes more than $1 billion before signing budget. Coronavirus cases rise after reopening. Court speeds up voting rights appeal.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Reopening the State
The month began as Florida entered Phase 2 of reopening. By months end, Florida was one of the latest coronavirus epicenters.
- Most of Florida entering Phase 2 reopening. Orlando Sentinel, 6/3/20; Executive Order 20-139
- Ron DeSantis, Florida Department of Education release plan to reopen K-12 schools. Florida Daily, 6/11/20; Governor’s Office Press Release
- Florida restaurants under no obligation to report employees who test positive for COVID-19. Naples Daily News, 6/15/20
- DeSantis says state won’t shut down again despite spike in COVID-19 cases. NEWS4JAX.com, 6/16/20
- DeSantis won’t order statewide mask use but says local mandates are OK with him. Orlando Sentinel, 6/19/20
- Florida Medical Association urges local mask requirements. Florida Politics, 6/19/20
- DeSantis pivots on Covid-19 surge, says testing doesn’t account for spike. Politico Florida, 6/20/20
- ’All individuals should wear masks,’ Florida Department of Health issues recommendation. CBS Miami, 6/20/20; FDOH Press Release, 6/20/20
- Ron DeSantis to bars and restaurants: Follow social distancing guidelines, or else. Tampa Bay Times, 6/23/20
- Florida university reopening plans given green light. News Service of Florida via The News-Press, 6/23/20
- Florida bans drinking at bars again as COVID-19 cases spike. Naples Daily News, 6/27/20
- Ron DeSantis doesn’t rule out masks for Jacksonville GOP convention. Florida Politics, 6/28/20
- Gov. Ron DeSantis, medical leaders urge young people to help prevent spread of COVID-19. Florida Politics, 6/28/20
Effects on Upcoming Elections
- Governor Ron DeSantis issues emergency order ahead of Florida’s primary elections. Miami Herald, 6/17/20
- Coalition of voting rights organizations express concern over governor’s recent action, does not meet needs for upcoming elections. League of Women Voters of Florida et.al., 6/19/20
- Secretary of State defends Florida Governor’s election order. NEWS4JAX.com, 6/23/20
- Florida governor signs into law bill to speed up recounts. Associated Press, 6/28/20
Coronavirus Testing
- As second month of reopening begins, Florida coronavirus testing still falls short. Gainesville Sun, 6/1/20
- Florida nearing its goal of testing all nursing home, assisted living residents and staff for COVID-19. Naples Daily News, 6/12/20
- Making sense of recent rise in coronavirus cases: What the daily data really means in how we’re dealing with the pandemic. NEWS4JAX.com, 6/24/20
Can the Data be Trusted?
- A numbers game: The Florida COVID-19 data said one thing while Gov. DeSantis sometimes said another. Miami Herald, 6/12/20
- Florida State College at Jacksonville data scientist says the way Fla. presents COVID-19 numbers is misleading. WLRN.org, 6/16/20
- Deleting deaths? Former Florida COVID-19 data scientist says numbers cooked. Florida Politics, 6/24/20
- Don’t report COVID-19 patients in ICUs, Florida surgeon general tells hospitals. Tallahassee Democrat, 6/24/20
- Here’s why Florida is changing the way it is reporting ICU beds. News Service of Florida, 6/23/20
- Gov. DeSantis hides no-bid COVID contracts from public in defiance of state law. Florida Bulldog, 6/28/20
Unemployment and the State’s Still-Troubled System
- Florida’s unemployed must now wait in ‘virtual room’ before logging in, frustrating many. Tampa Bay Times, 6/1/20
- DeSantis was warned of unemployment system woes in 2018. Politico Florida, 6/3/20
- Florida extends waiver on important requirement for unemployment benefits. Miami Herald, 6/12/20
- Judge weighs battle over unemployment system. Ocala Star Banner, 6/22/20
Corona-conomics
- Counties want DeSantis to release federal COVID-19 aid. News Service of Florida via Gainesville Sun, 6/4/20
- With pandemic wiping out tax collections, Florida faces tricky balancing act. Gannett Capital Bureau via Sarasota Herald Tribune, 6/11/20
- Florida hoarding nearly 1M doses of hydroxychloroquine for unproven COVID-19 treatment. The News-Press, 6/12/20
- Despite COVID-19 economic shutdown, Florida retains AAA bond rating. The Center Square | Florida, 6/12/20
- Florida economy ranked highest in its exposure to COVID-19 disruptions. The Center Square | Florida, 6/18/20
- Report: Florida workforce among slowest in U.S. to recover from pandemic. The Center Square | Florida, 6/19/20
- Are legislators AWOL? State faces massive budget hole and no role for Legislature. Miami Herald, 6/25/20
- Florida jobless claims rise as deadlines loom for rent relief, federal checks. Tampa Bay Times, 6/25/20
- Gov. Ron DeSantis extends eviction moratorium in order’s final hours. Florida Politics, 7/1/20
2020 Legislative Session (conclusion)
Florida’s legislative session officially ended on March 19, but it’s not really over until the Governor signs the budget. He had said all along that he would wait as long as possible in order to assess the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the state’s sales tax collections and tourism revenue, as well as the unbudgeted costs of fighting the virus and how much federal CARES Act money the state would receive.
On June 29, the day before the deadline, DeSantis signed the budget. After $1 billion of line-item vetoes, it came in at $92.2 billion. It preserved his “number one priority” — teacher pay raises, as well as a state worker pay raise, a corrections pay increase and a pilot program to transition corrections officers from 12 hour workdays to 8.5 hours. It also retains $322 million for Everglades restoration, $50 million for springs and $40 million for alternative water supplies. The Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund also survived, although supplemented with CARES Act dollars to keep it fully funded.
- Governor Ron DeSantis signs the fiscal year 2020-2021 budget. Governor’s Press Release, 6/29/20
- Gov. DeSantis signs corona-impacted state budget; vetoes more than $1 billion. Florida Politics, 6/29/20
- DeSantis nails down pay increases for Florida’s teachers. News Service of Florida via Naples Daily News, 6/24/20
- Ron DeSantis vetoes of ‘big hit’ to health care budget. News Service of Florida via Florida Politics, 6/30/20
While the budget-signing was the highlight of the month’s news about the Legislative Session, these articles describe some of the bills signed into law this month:
- DeSantis signs electric vehicle study, emergency response staging area bill. Florida Politics, 6/9/20
- DeSantis signs bill to transfer broadband policy to Department of Economic Opportunity, bolster internet service to rural areas. Florida Politics, 6/9/20
- DeSantis approves $2.15 million for man wrongfully imprisoned for nearly 43 years. News Service of Florida via Sun Sentinel, 6/10/20
- Deaths of Florida’s elderly who were abused or neglected to get increased scrutiny under new law. Naples Daily News, 6/11/20
- Gov. Ron DeSantis signs Florida name, image and likeness bill benefiting athletes. Tampa Bay Times, 6/12/20
- DeSantis signs Florida guardianship bill into law, expanding oversight of program. Spectrum News, 6/19/20
- DeSantis signs bill creating dementia director to manage Alzheimer’s services. The Center Square | Florida, 6/22/20
- Disabilities revamp, heat stroke bill among 23 measures signed by DeSantis. News Service of Florida via WLRN.org, 6/24/20
- DeSantis signs measure to prevent local sunscreen bans. Orlando Sentinel, 6/30/20
And in what 1000 Friends of Florida, a not-for-profit smart growth advocacy organization, counts as a victory:
- Gov. DeSantis shoots down bill amending growth management laws. Politico Florida, 7/1/20
Law, Justice & the Courts
Voter Registration for Former Felons
- As elections near, Florida legal battles over felon voting, ballot design continue. The Center Square | Florida, 6/4/20
- State seeks to fast track voting rights appeal. News Service of Florida via WLRN.org, 6/10/20
On June 11, a federal appellate court agreed to fast track the state’s appeal of a ruling that paved the way for hundreds of thousands of Florida felons to register and vote in the November elections. The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals scheduled oral arguments in the case during the week of Aug. 10.
- Court speeds up voting rights appeal. News Service of Florida via WFSU Public Media, 6/14/20
- Judge won’t delay Amendment 4 felon vote ruling as DeSantis appeals. News Service of Florida via Orlando Sentinel, 6/15/20
- Gov. Ron DeSantis: Ex-felons voting despite fines, fees would ‘corrupt’ elections, asks for stay of ruling. News Service of Florida via Orlando Sentinel, 6/18/20
Voting & Elections
- Florida’s long-running voter fraud probe ends with no charges. The finding comes after an 18-month investigation into allegations of voter fraud and other election law violations that surfaced amid the raucous recount following the 2018 election. Politico Florida, 5/20/20
- Groups ask judge to clear way for vote-by-mail fight. Lawyers for Priorities USA accused Florida officials and the Republican organizations of adopting “the remarkable position … that voting by mail is simply a luxury.” News Service of Florida, 6/16/20
- Postage not a ‘poll tax’, Florida judge rules. A federal judge rejected the plaintiffs’ argument that requiring voters to pick up the tab for stamps amounts to an unconstitutional “poll tax.” Tampa Bay Times, 6/25/20
- Judge sets July 20 trial date for lawsuit seeking to expand Florida’s mail-in-voting laws. The Center Square | Florida, 6/29/20
Other Law News
- Florida Supreme Court weighs reinstating death sentences. NEWS4JAX.com, 6/2/20
- Florida Supreme Court’s conservatives are reversing longstanding criminal protections. Orlando Sentinel, 6/8/20
- U.S. Supreme Court discrimination ruling addresses issue Florida leaders ignored. USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida Capital Bureau via Tallahassee Democrat, 6/15/20
- Florida Supreme Court affirms governor’s emergency powers during pandemic. Sarasota Herald Tribune, 6/26/20
- Florida joins call for SCOTUS to end Obamacare. News Service of Florida via Florida Politics, 6/27/20
In the Aftermath of George Floyd
- Florida Gov. DeSantis calls George Floyd death ‘appalling,’ while citing ‘zero tolerance for violence, rioting, looting’. CBS Miami, 6/1/20; statement
- Florida Attorney General Moody calls defunding police ‘irresponsible’, offers insights on White House roundtable. Florida Politics, 6/9/20
Other Noteworthy State News
- Florida to buy 10,000 acres for panther habitat at site of controversial Alico water farm. TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers, 6/4/20
- Florida’s Common Core replacement ‘weak,’ in need of revisions, new study says. Orlando Sentinel, 6/9/20
- Department of Transportation panel cites broadband in pitch to build new toll road between Orlando and Naples. The News-Press, 6/11/20
Coronavirus
- Rubio urges everyone to ‘just wear a damn mask’. Talking Points Memo, 6/24/20
- Rick Scott demands social distancing, masks for Republican National Convention. Florida Politics, 6/23/20
Domestic Affairs
- Rubio delivers floor speech on the unjust death of George Floyd and racism in America. Rubio Press Release, 6/9/20
- Sen. Rick Scott: Attempts by the radical left to defund the police are dangerous and short-sighted. Scott Press Release, 6/8/20
That’s it for Florida Politics News for June 2020! Stay safe, everyone!