Author: Grant Holcomb

Florida-Based Publix Hiring 30,000 Employees

Grant Holcomb

The Florida-based grocery chain, Publix, announced they are planning to hire 30,00 employees for its stores, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities before the end of the year.

“As we continue to grow, having a dedicated team ready to meet our needs is vitally important,” said Publix vice president of human resources, Marcy Benton, in a press release. “Whether associates are new to the workforce or making a career change, Publix provides great benefits and a strong culture in which its associates build long, fulfilling careers.”

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Florida School Mask Mandate Fight Heading to Appeals Court

Grant Holcomb
Back to School

After Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won a temporary ruling last month, the parents suing the State of Florida over its mask mandate ban filed a notice in 11th Circuit Court of Appeal to overturn the previous decision.

The attorneys said DeSantis’ executive order banning mask mandates violates the Americans with Disabilities Act which is designed to protect students with disabilities who are more susceptible to illness or death, specifically to COVID.

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Group Seeking to Legalize Marijuana by Amending the Florida Constitution

Grant Holcomb

A group behind a proposed ballot initiative to Florida’s Constitution in 2022 is seeking to legalize marijuana growth for personal, recreational use. However, the plan would only afford for 18 plants grown per household.

The organization behind it, Sensible Florida, filed the ballot measure and has a long way to go before it can be validated for approval to the 2022 general election ballot.

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Stephanie Murphy Calls Out Pelosi over Delayed Infrastructure Package Vote

Grant Holcomb

Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL-7) has called out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) for delaying a vote on a $1.2 billion infrastructure package on the House floor. Pelosi previously made concessions to Democrat moderates, of which Murphy is often categorized since she is co-chair of the Blue-Dog Coalition, that the package was to be voted on last week.

Murphy said she is “profoundly disappointed and disillusioned” and said that some of her fellow Democrats have been using the infrastructure package to “gain ‘leverage’” over other Democrats.

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Florida Lawmaker Proposes Film Industry Incentives

Grant Holcomb

Florida State Rep. Dana Trabulsy (R-FL-84) has filed legislation with the intention of reviving Florida’s television, media, and film industry. Trabulsy filed HB 217 which would create the Film, Television, and Digital Media Targeted Rebate program within the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO).  

Companies that produce shows in Florida would be eligible for the rebate, which would cover the lesser value of either 23 percent of the total cost of the production, or $2 million.

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Appeal Court to Hear Florida Transgender Bathroom Case

Grant Holcomb

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is set to hear a transgender bathroom case in February originating out of St. Johns County, Fla. The case revolves around a student at a high school, Drew Adams, who desired to use the boys’ bathroom. Adams was previously required to use a gender-neutral or girls’ bathroom, as Adams was born a biological female.

Adams identifies as a transgender male, and a 3-judge panel ruled this past July that the St. Johns County school board policy preventing Adams from using the boys’ bathroom was “arbitrary.”

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Florida Lawmaker Proposes Ballot Measure to Establish ‘Minimum Working Wage’

Grant Holcomb

Florida State Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-FL-52) filed a ballot proposal to establish a “minimum working wage” for employees. The wage would be for new hires so that employers may ay their inexperienced workers at a lower rate before being legally required to pay the constitutionally mandated increased minimum wage.

The resolution, SJR 382, first has to pass through the Florida Legislature to be placed on the general election ballot in 2022. Then, Florida voters will have to approve the measure with at least 60 percent of the vote.

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Florida’s Office of Safe Schools Facing Personnel Shortages, Extended Safety Needs

Grant Holcomb

In 2018, the State of Florida launched the Office of Safe Schools within the Department of Education to determine the best practices to ensure Florida’s schools remain safe in the years following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

The office is scheduled to sunset in July 2023, and the chairman of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission in concerned about the office going forward regarding personnel and safe plans not being executed.

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Florida Democrats File All-Green Energy by 2040 Bill

Grant Holcomb

Two progressive Florida Democrats filed legislation to require all of Florida’s energy to be generated by renewable energy by 2040. State Sen. Lori Berman (D-FL-32) and State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-FL-47) filed SB 366 and HB 81, respectively.

Each bill contains language including “prohibiting the drilling or exploration for, or production of, oil, gas, or other petroleum products” and that the state has to put together a plan to “generate 100 percent renewable energy.”

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Steward Health Enters Florida Market After Billion-Dollar Deal

Grant Holcomb

Steward Health has now become one of the largest health care providers in South Florida after buying five hospitals in a $1.1 billion deal. The health care entity is the largest physician-owned hospital network in the country.

Steward Health is expanding its presence in cooperation with North Shore Medical Center, Hialeah Hospital, Palmetto General, Coral Gables Hospital, and Florida Medical Center.

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DeSantis Announces Investigation into Facebook

Grant Holcomb

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced yesterday the intentions to direct Florida Secretary of State, Laurel Lee, to launch an investigation into Facebook for alleged election interference. The allegations and subsequent investigation come after the Wall Street Journal published a report saying Facebook affected certain state and local races by exempting certain powerful users from their own rules.

DeSantis said he is not surprised to see a report about Facebook in this manner, but that some Florida elections might be compromised as a result of Facebook’s decisions.

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Afghan Refugees Coming to Florida, Backed by Terrorist-Tied Groups

Grant Holcomb

Since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban and the military blunder by the President Joe Biden administration, Afghan refugees coming to the Untied States could be as high as 125,000. South Florida is likely one of the new landing spots for a chunk of the refugees.

Approximately 300 families will be brought to South Florida and provided with training to learn about American customs like banking, health care, and the legal system. The training will come from the Refugee Assistance Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated in supporting refugees.

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DeSantis Announces Over $100M for Florida Water Quality Projects

Grant Holcomb

Last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $114 million for wastewater treatments grants in order to improve water quality across Florida. The Wastewater Grant Program was a part of the Clean Waterways Act intended to reduce nutrient pollution in Florida’s waterways.

A large chunk of the money, $53 million, is going to the Indian River Lagoon to help with connecting approximately 3,000 septic thanks to central sewer and upgrading wastewater treatment facilities.

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Florida Mayor Threatening Reprimands for Unvaccinated Employees

Grant Holcomb

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is threatening reprimands for unvaccinated workers. Demings said he has not wanted to fire anyone over vaccination status saying the county is a “caring” employer.

“It was never my intention to terminate anyone from our employment,” Demings said. “We’re a compassionate and caring employer, but we also must balance that with protecting our employees and the public.”

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Florida’s New Surgeon General Makes Waves

Grant Holcomb
Gov. Ron DeSantis stands behind newest appointed Surgeon General: Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Dr. Joseph Ladapo as Florida’s new Surgeon General earlier this week and made waves in his first few days as Florida’s top doctor.

Ladapo announced Florida is “done with fear” and signed off on new health department COVID rules for students in Florida’s public schools. Among the new rules is allowing parents to decide of their child should stay home from school if exposed to COVID and show no symptoms.

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DeSantis Taking Control of Jacksonville Subsidized Housing Complex over ‘Deplorable’ Conditions

Grant Holcomb

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he is no longer waiting on the federal government to move take action on a “deplorable” subsidized housing complex in Jacksonville. DeSantis slammed the “lack of interest” from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for allowing the living conditions to become so run down that rats have infested the complex.

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Florida Surgeon General Signs Off on New COVID Rules for Students

Grant Holcomb

Florida’s new Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, signed off on new COVID rules for students in Florida’s public schools. Among the new rules is a provision that students will no longer have to quarantine if they are exposed to COVID and remain asymptomatic.

Previously, based on contact tracing, the rules stated that Florida’s students would be required to stay home for at least four days if they were exposed to COVID. Now, the decision is entirely up to the parents.

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Florida Judge Issues Temporary Injunction Against Gainesville Vaccine Mandate

Grant Holcomb

Judge Monica Brasington of the 8th Judicial Circuit Court has issued a temporary injunction against the City of Gainesville’s COVID vaccine mandate. The decision indicates a slight, early victory for employees who are seeking to not receive the vaccine.

Brasington said in her ruling that the city did not provide ample evidence showing a vaccine mandate serves “a compelling interest through the least restrictive means.” She also said the city bears the burden of proof to determine that the mandate is in the best interest of the public.

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State Rep. Paul Renner Selected as Next Florida House Speaker

Grant Holcomb

Florida State Rep. Paul Renner (R-FL-24) has been selected as the next Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Renner will succeed current Speaker Chris Sprowls (R-FL-65) when Sprowls’ term ends after the 2022 legislative session.

After being selected, Renner touted traditional conservative policies, and moving toward policies rooted in freedom rather than a vision of moving away from freedom.

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Nikki Fried Considering Legal Action over Florida Gov. DeSantis’ Department of Environmental Protection Selection

Grant Holcomb

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is weighing legal action against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his appointment of Shawn Hamilton to the position of secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

DeSantis and Fried have gone back and forth for weeks over an interpretation of the Florida Constitution related to the appointment power of the Florida Cabinet in comparison to the governor’s complete discretion of hiring and firing of secretaries.

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Tampa General Hospital CEO Highly Critical of Biden’s Monoclonal Rations

Grant Holcomb
Tampa General Hospical

The CEO of Tampa General Hospital has gone on the offensive, criticizing the President Joe Biden administration’s decision to ration monoclonal antibody treatments to states like Florida. The Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) announced they will be handling the nationwide distribution of the treatments, earning much criticism from Florida officials who have been implementing the treatment for months.

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Florida Lawmakers Launch Congressional Redistricting

Grant Holcomb
Florida Senate Capitol

As a result of the 2020 census, Florida will gain one additional congressional seat, and Florida lawmakers will begin the process to redraw district lines in the upcoming fall committee weeks with the 2022 legislative session beginning in January.

“Prior to the start of the 2022 Regular Session the Legislature will hold interim committee meetings, at which time the committees that conduct the redistricting and reapportionment processes may meet,” according to the Florida Senate’s redistricting site.

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Florida Democrats Close to Losing Voter Registration Advantage

Grant Holcomb

Florida’s Republican Party is close to catching Florida’s Democrats in terms of voter registrations. The Democrat Party of Florida once held a 700,000-voter registration advantage, and now only holds approximately a 23,000-voter advantage.

According to POLITICO Florida, Florida’s Democrats have known about it for years, but little could be done to maintain their once large margin.

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Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried Opposed to Biden Administration’s Monoclonal Reduction

Grant Holcomb

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has indicated her opposition to President Joe Biden administration’s decision to limit the amount of monoclonal treatment therapies being sent to Florida.

The Biden Administration, lead by the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS), announced last week they will be taking over the distribution of the treatments and rationing the amount of treatments states like Florida can receive. The treatment will be allotted on an “equitable distribution” basis.

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Florida Attorney General Moody Supporting Challenge to Vaccine Mandate

Grant Holcomb
Ashley Moody

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has offered her support for the plaintiffs suing the City of Gainesville over its vaccine mandate policy.

Moody filed an amicus brief in the 8th Circuit Court saying the vaccine mandate does not hold constitutional muster as well as acting as a deterrent for recruiting new members to Florida’s law enforcement agencies.

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Florida COVID Hospitalizations Continue to Drop

Grant Holcomb

For weeks, Florida has been seeing a consistent decline in COVID-related hospitalizations. As of Thursday, Florida has a total of 9,917 confirmed hospitalizations, according to the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) through the Department of Health and Human Services.

Over the last seven days, Florida has seen a 19 percent decrease in hospitalizations and approximately a 32 percent decrease over a 14-day average.

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Florida Sen. Brandes Files Civics Education Bill

Grant Holcomb
Jeff Brandes

Florida State Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-FL-24) filed a bill this week for the 2022 legislative session similar to a bill he previously filed during 2021’s session. The bill will seek to expand civics-education which would instruct high school students on how to engage as an educated citizen.

Students will be able to seek internships with governmental agencies or entities and would establish a “Citizen Scholar Program” at the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus.

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Florida Cabinet Considering Land Deals

Grant Holcomb

The Florida Cabinet, comprised of Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, are considering selling a tract of land in Miami-Dade County while buying and preserving land in Northeast Florida.

The South Florida land considering being sold is 82 acres located north of Hialeah to a private developer. The land is listed for over $12 million and the stipulations for the transaction would be the requirement of the land to provide at least 5,000 jobs over the next 10 years.

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Fried Criticizes DeSantis over Not Seeking Low-Income Program

Grant Holcomb

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, among other Florida Democrats, criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the DeSantis administration opting to decline application into the federally run Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program.

The program was developed by the President Donald J. Trump administration to provide states with grocery benefits for low-income children during the COVID pandemic. President Joe Biden’s administration continued the program. So far, Florida is the only state to decline the extension.

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DeSantis Administration Slams Biden over Reduced Monoclonal Treatments

Grant Holcomb

The administration for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has blasted President Joe Biden for capping the amount of monoclonal antibody treatments states like Florida can receive. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken over the national distribution of the treatments.

The HHS says their leadership will provide “equitable distribution” and “with consistent, fairly distributed supply over the coming weeks.” However, DeSantis’ press secretary, Christina Pushaw, said the move by the Biden administration was “regrettable.”

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Gov. DeSantis to Levy Fines on Florida Cities That Implement Vaccine Mandates

Grant Holcomb

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced this week the state will be imposing $5,000 fines per violation toward cities and local municipalities that implement vaccine mandates for their employers.

“People that have put in 10, 15, 20 years, and now they’re just going to get cast aside by some onerous mandate? That is wrong, and so we let it be known today, we’re going to be enforcing Florida law against that,” DeSantis said.

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Gov. DeSantis to End Florida’s Yearly Standardized Testing

Grant Holcomb

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced yesterday his intentions to end Florida’s yearly standardized testing requirements for public schools, known as the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA). The replacement for the FSA would be known as the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) and will be a progress monitoring system.

DeSantis made the announcement along with Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran with the hopes of reducing testing in the classrooms by up tot 75 percent, with the hopes of teachers being able to get back to traditional instruction and not concerning themselves with standardized test prep.

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Florida Supreme Court Justice Stephen Grimes Dies at 93

Grant Holcomb

Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Stephen Grimes passed away at 93. He was the 72nd justice to serve on Florida’s high court since Florida’s statehood. Grimes served from 1987 to 1997 and served as Chief Justice from 1994 to 1996.

Grimes was appointed by Florida Gov. Bob Martinez after a long career as a lawyer with Holland & Knight in Bartow, Fla. After his Supreme Court retirement in 1997, Grimes returned to Holland & Knight to continue practicing law.

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Alachua County Officials’ Request to Impose Mask Mandates Rejected by University of Florida and Santa Fe College

Grant Holcomb

Alachua County officials have called upon the University of Florida (UF) and Santa Fe College (SFC) to mandate masks for all students, faculty, and staff. The higher education institutions have rejected the request from the county commissioners.

Alachua County sent a letter to UF and SFC, located within Alachua County, last week asking them to join the county, the county school board, and the City of Gainesville in an effort to be of one accord in mandating masks.

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Appeal Court Reinstates Mask Mandate Ban

Grant Holcomb

In another step in the saga between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and local school districts, the 1st District Court of Appeal has given DeSantis a temporary victory by reinstating Florida’s mask mandate ban. The ban was initially signed by DeSantis through executive order in July.

The mask mandate ban has faced multiple steps in legal challenges by local school districts and parents seeking to have their school districts impose mask mandates for their students.

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Biden Administration Investigating Florida’s Mask Mandate Ban

Grant Holcomb

President Joe Biden’s U.S. Department of Education (U.S. DOE) is opening an investigation into Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ mask mandate ban. Specifically, the U.S. DOE’s civil rights office will be leading the probe after the 1st District Court of Appeal ruled in favor of reinstating DeSantis’ mask mandate ban.

The Acting Assistant Secretary for the civil rights office, Suzanne Goldberg, wrote a letter to Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran saying the federal government is concerned about Florida’s mask policies.

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Florida’s Farmers Lost $4B to Mexico’s ‘Crop Dumping’

Grant Holcomb

Florida’s farmers are still struggling even after the signing of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which received bipartisan support in Congress. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is also calling on Floridians to buy Florida-grown products after Mexico’s “unfair trade practices.”

A new report from the Florida Department of Agriculture shows Florida is losing its market share for seasonal produce while Mexico’s share has continued to increase. The tactic is being referred to as “crop dumping,” which is when Mexican producers intentionally flood the American market with lower priced blueberries, strawberries, and other seasonal crops.

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Florida Supreme Court to Hear Contentious Gun-Rights Case

Grant Holcomb
Guy shooting hand gun at gun range

The Florida Supreme Court is taking up a gun-rights case related to a 2011 state law which implements penalties on local governments if they pass stricter gun-control laws.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and a group of municipal governments brought the case to Florida’s high court. Before Fried was elected in November 2018, a coalition of local officials filed suit against the law after the February 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

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Judge Blocks Florida’s Anti-Riot Law

Grant Holcomb
Protest in street with sign that reads"I CAN'T BREATHE. SAY HIS NAME! George Floyd"

U.S. District Judge Mark Walker has issued a preliminary injunction against Florida’s “anti-riot” law, at the request of the plaintiffs who have filed suit against the state. Walker called the law unconstitutional and could be a “a trap for the innocent.”

The law, originally known as HB 1, was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a response to last year’s riots engulfing major American cities in the wake of the George Floyd incident.

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DeSantis Appealing to Reinstate Stay on Florida Mask Mandate Ban

Grant Holcomb

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has filed an appeal to reinstate a stay on Florida’s mask mandate ban. The filing was an emergency order after Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper lifted a stay after the state’s appeal, permitting school districts to impose mask mandates.

Cooper was the judge who struck down DeSantis’ mask mandate ban last month, siding with parents who have sued to have their districts be permitted to impose a mandate.

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State Rep. Smith Filing Suit Against Florida Department of Health and Surgeon General Scott Rivkees

Grant Holcomb

Florida Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-FL-49) filed suit against the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and outgoing Surgeon General Scott Rivkees over a public records request for Orange County pediatric COVID data.

Smith has said the DOH and Rivkees denied him the request and said they “falsely stated they were ‘confidential’ under state law, even after making those same records available for nearly a year on the Department’s daily COVID dashboard.”

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Three Florida School Districts Challenge Mask Mandate Ban

Grant Holcomb

As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is appealing a ruling over the state’s mask mandate ban, three school districts are directly challenging the state’s rule by filing a challenge in the Florida Department of Administrative Hearings (DOAH).

Attorneys for the Alachua, Broward, and Orange counties filed the challenge targeting the Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) rule to block mask mandate bans. The ban keeps school districts from imposing a mask mandate so long as there is a parent permission opt-out.

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Florida Gov. DeSantis Shuts Down 2024 Rumors

Grant Holcomb

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dispelled speculation and rumors around his prospects of being a 2024 Republican presidential candidate. DeSantis was asked about if he and former President Donald J. Trump would run for president while visiting a monoclonal treatment site in St. Cloud, Fla.

“All the speculation about me is purely manufactured,” DeSantis said. “I just do my job. We work hard. Obviously, our state has led on a lot of things, including on this (monoclonal antibody treatment) now. Other states are copying us. But that’s what it’s really all about, just helping folks here. I hear all this stuff and, honestly, it’s nonsense.”

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