Summertime is upon us and that means that there are only a few short months left before the mid-term elections. During this time, many candidates will present their philosophies and ideas to the people about how they will serve them and improve the efficiency of their government. For those of us seeking re-election, one of the most common questions we get is, “what have you done so far?” It is a fair and direct question that can be answered in different ways. Today, I have chosen to highlight some of our biggest victories and the recognition that your Senate seat (I just sit in it for you) has received from advocacy groups and organizations from across the State of Florida.

In 2017, your Senator was recognized as the Legislator of the Year from the Florida Coalition for Children (FCC) in recognition of the service and dedication to the children of Florida. The Florida Coalition for Children’s mission is to advocate on behalf of Florida’s abused, abandoned, neglected, and at-risk children, and to support the agencies and individuals who work on their behalf. Each year, this organization helps over 50,000 children and families in crisis. I am proud to work alongside this great organization. [Read more…]

6/16/18

Florida is home to more than three million seniors. Many retire to Florida, bringing with them a lifetime of memories, wisdom and their life savings. Too often scammers target our seniors in an effort to steal their hard-earned retirement money. This is despicable.

Our seniors deserve honor and respect. They served in WWII and Korea, made the economy boom and played a major role in strengthening our state and nation. Anyone who preys on these great citizens in their golden years is lower than dirt, and my office will aggressively investigate anyone targeting them.

Just this week, working with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, we stopped a scam targeting Spanish-speaking seniors in grocery store parking lots. The scammers claimed to have a winning lottery ticket that they could not claim because of immigration status. [Read more…]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With Florida’s red snapper season beginning this Monday, June 11, Governor Rick Scott encourages Floridians and visitors to take full advantage. Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World and recreational saltwater fishing contributes $8 billion annually to Florida’s economy. Fishing is just one of Florida’s incredible natural treasures. Florida’s fishing, like the state’s world-renowned beaches, attract millions of visitors to the Sunshine State every year and led to Governor Scott announcing this week that Florida experienced the highest quarter ever for tourism with more than 33 million visiting the state in the first quarter of 2018. Also, last week, Governor Scott announced that this Saturday and Sunday, June 9-10, are license-free freshwater fishing days in Florida.

Governor Scott said, “Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World and now is the perfect time to get outdoors and go fishing. I am proud that Florida’s world-class fishing continues to attract visitors from around the world, fueling our incredible tourism industry which supports more than 1.4 million jobs across our state. I encourage all Florida families and visitors to spend time with their loved ones this weekend enjoying Florida’s beautiful outdoors and head out for red snapper next week.” [Read more…]

Removal, Omits Context and Facts

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – CBS-Miami ran a story yesterday that is critical of the state’s effort to clear debris and reopen US 1 in the Florida Keys following Hurricane Irma. This story got it wrong on debris removal, and omitted facts.

Governor Rick Scott said, “Let’s not forget, the Florida Keys, a chain of islands with only one way in and one way out, took a direct hit by a Category 4 hurricane. It’s easy for these vendors to look back and say they would have shown up and completed the work for cheaper, but in the days following the storm, they were clearly over leveraged and did not have the people or equipment to fulfill their commitments. I will never let special interests get in the way of storm recovery. We sent additional resources to get the job done for a community that needed help and given a choice, I would do the same thing again. [Read more…]