Gulf1-E-Ford

The Ford Update for 5/22/09

My office staff and I welcome your contact regarding any issue that is important to you.  As always, I consider it a pleasure to serve you, and the people of our district.
I also encourage you to visit “Online Sunshine,” the official website of your Florida Legislature.  At http://www.leg.state.fl.us/ you’ll find links to both the Senate and the House websites.  The site also provides links to Florida Statutes and other governmental information and entities.  There is also a link to kid’s pages that are designed to educate young ones about how our state government works.

Happy Memorial Day
 
On Memorial Day we take time to commemorate the men and women of our Armed Forces who throughout our nation’s history have paid the ultimate price to protect and preserve our freedom.
They all sacrificed and we honor our fallen heroes.
These days, the words “hero” and “sacrifice” are bantered about to the point where they seem to have lost their significance.  It seems that too many Americans have become numb to their meaning. From our earliest days as a nation, America has been blessed with citizens who place themselves in harm’s way and sacrifice much to defend and uphold our tradition of freedom and liberty. The sacrifices made by these true American heroes transcend political rhetoric or party affiliation.  That is why Memorial Day is so important. 
Think back for a moment and try to recall when you first became excited in your heart as our flag passed you during a parade or at an event as you sang the national anthem.  Was it during your days in elementary school when you learned the Pledge of Allegiance or sang “My Country ‘Tis of Thee?”  Is it at the start of a ballgame when the crowd rises for the “Star Spangled Banner”?  Think for a second about it - because without patriotism, America would not be what we are today – a beacon of freedom and liberty that draws untold numbers of people from around the world to our shores and borders in search of a better life and freedom.
Memorial Day should remind us all that without patriotism, without a love for our country, we would have no heroes to honor today.  Without patriotism and the willingness to sacrifice, America would be no more.
In his famous Memorial Day speech of 1884, Oliver Wendell Holmes called Memorial Day “…our most sacred holiday.” And he urged that “…we not ponder with sad thoughts the passing of our heroes, but rather ponder their legacy – the life they made possible for us by their commitment and pain.”  The famous jurist and author’s words give life to this day as we honor our service men and women who gave their lives for their country. I believe our ability to honor, appreciate and cherish our nation’s greatness comes on behalf of those who stand in harm’s way to protect us.
President Abraham Lincoln memorialized those who fought and died for freedom when he spoke at the Gettysburg Battlefield when he said, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.”
On this Memorial Day take time to remember…and more importantly, we must never forget.
Today, brave American men and women find themselves far from America’s shores, in lands foreign to them, where they face situations their parents hoped - and prayed - their children would never have to experience.  But when the call to defend America and our freedom came, they answered. They left it all behind for their families, for their country. They are all heroes – facing enemies every day and resolved to carry out their mission to keep America safe. Many will return home with the pride of having served their country honorably. And others will return to be honored for fighting and falling in the line of duty.
Just as their predecessors in two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, Grenada and the Persian Gulf, the Global War on Terrorism is being won by ordinary Americans making extraordinary sacrifices. 
And let us not forget the sacrifice made by our military families. I think of the children missing their parent on a birthday or holiday.  I think of the spouses who miss their husband or wife on their anniversary. And parents who pray daily that their son or daughter return home safe and sound.  I have come to appreciate the personal commitment, sacrifice and devotion of our military families and the loved ones at home who pray for and support our military. They too deserve our praise and thanks.
Today our armed forces maintain this same commitment and honor that was declared over two centuries ago when America first fought for her freedom.  They come from all walks of life and span economic, racial and religious divides.  They are our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters.  And they are our heroes. With that in mind, let us remember…let us honor…those men and women who gave their lives to defend our freedom…to ensure that we can gather here today without fear, without hesitation to publicly honor our fallen heroes.
We recognize that freedom is not free.  And while it is often said, it is worth repeating.  Our freedoms are bought at a high price.
On this Memorial Day remember to say “thank you” – but we should say “Thank You” everyday to those who for generations have paid so dearly with ultimate of sacrifices.   

Thank God for our patriots and God Bless America!

End of Session 2009 Wrap-up

End of Session 2009
 
This year Florida faced the worst budget environment in the state’s history. With an unprecedented deficit, an uncertain economic outlook and the coming federal stimulus flameout, the budget process took a few days longer than normal to conclude. It was more important to make the right decisions than the quick ones.  It’s important to take a fiscally responsible, long-term view that puts Florida in the best shape possible to rebound when the economy recovers. That means making tough choices now to stop spending more than we can afford, but it is the responsible thing to do for Florida’s economic future.
Florida’s constitution only requires us to pass a balanced budget for this year, but it’s irresponsible to pass a budget that leaves us in a deficit next year, so we made decisions in the best interest of Florida’s long-term future. We ensured that Floridians are not burdened with a billion dollar tax increase starting next year because we ignored the fact that the federal stimulus dollars run out soon.  We were responsible in our use of federal stimulus dollars as well as with new revenues.  We did not use those dollars to grow government or recurring program costs in future years and we did not radically expand our tax system in a way that would discourage economic recovery and job creation. Our responsible decisions today should save Floridians billion of dollars over the next few years.
Over the past two years the state budget has been reduced by over $5 billion. Because of the strings attached to the stimulus package, reducing the state budget significantly was not a viable option this year. We also did not ask anyone to do more than we ourselves were willing. We reduced our own pay by 7% because we understand the importance of making tough decisions to save taxpayer dollars.
 
The House focused on the core missions of state government when it came to investing in Florida’s future:
 
• Increased per-student funding for our K-12 schools to $6873
• Fully funded the MEDS-AD and Medically Needy Programs, which were scheduled to expire on July 1, 2009
• Worked to stimulate economic recovery with $30 million for first-time homebuyers
• Protected services and provider rates for Florida’s developmentally disabled
• Maintained our commitment to restoring the Everglades with continued funding
• Expanded the Nursing Home Diversion Program, which will enable more Floridians to receive vital services in their communities
• Maintained our commitment to public safety by providing full funding for Florida’s sworn officers
• Invested in the future of Florida’s economy by increasing funding for state universities
• Provided $13.5 million in the Quick Action Closing Fund to attract new companies to Florida
• Increased funding for Film and Entertainment Incentives to attract more film and entertainment jobs to Florida
• Prioritized public safety by protecting funding for vital probation and security officers who work with offenders
 
Education
 
My commitment to providing all students in Florida the opportunity to earn a world‐class education did not waver during the difficult economic times facing our state. Our budget for the next year protects classroom funding and actually provides an increase in per‐student funding, to a statewide‐average of $6873. In fact, over the last ten years, we’ve increased per student funding by over 43%. In a classroom with 18 students, we’re investing over $123,000 per classroom.
I am proud that our budget places the highest priority on education. But we know it is not only how much we spend on education that matters; how we spend it matters too. In recent years, we’ve raised standards, demanded accountability and offered innovative opportunities for Florida’s students. And student achievement results show that Florida’s students are doing better than ever.
The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress scores, which is the only way to compare reading and math test results from around the country, show that Florida made remarkable educational gains over the past two years. In fact, Florida was one of only four states with significant increases in both fourth and eighth grade reading since 2005. Florida’s fourth graders improved from 28th to 18th in reading and from 24th to 19th in math. This is real progress, but we still have much work to do.
We also know that investing in higher education is investing in the future health of Florida’s economy. Our budget for the next Fiscal Year actually increases funding for our state universities by almost 3% over the current year. We know that many students rely on financial aid to attend college so we maintained full funding for the state’s primary need‐based aid program.

 Insurance
 
We still face significant challenges in Florida’s property insurance market. Right now the State of Florida is the largest insurer in the State. And the state’s insurance company‐ Citizen’s
Insurance‐ doesn’t have enough money to pay the claims if a major hurricane hits – and that means taxpayers are at risk in the aftermath of next major hurricane.
But we also know that right now is not the time for a dramatic insurance rate increase for Floridians. Under current law, Citizens’ insurance rates were set to increase by 40‐50% for personal policies this year and over 100% for commercial policies. So we took a responsible approach to beginning to fix Florida’s insurance problem‐ stopping the mandated 50‐100% rate increases but also significantly reducing the risk that Florida taxpayers will have to bear in case of a storm.
I also know that Florida’s homeowners face a difficult challenge in choosing their homeowners’ insurance policy in an increasingly less‐competitive Florida insurance market. Too often,
Floridians are left with few choices to insure the largest investment they will make in their lives. I supported legislation to put the power to make insurance choices back into the hands of the consumer. While providing for necessary consumer protections, the measure allows the consumer to make insurance choices and encourages a sustainable and competitive private insurance market. I trust Floridians, armed with all of the relevant information, can make the best decision for their residential property insurance policy and company.
 
CS/CS/HB 1171 - Residential Property Insurance
 
The bill allows property insurers meeting specified requirements to offer a residential property insurance policy that is not subject to Office of Insurance Regulation determinations that the rate is “excessive.” These requirements include requiring insurers to meet certain “financial strength” requirements such as:
Having surplus equal to or greater than $500 million based on insurer’s most recent annual statement;
Have surpluses greater than or equal to $200 million and a ratio of net written premium to its surplus not exceeding 2 to 1 based on the insurer’s most recent annual statement, or
If the insurer’s primary function is to offer insurance as a service or member benefit to members of a nonprofit corporation, then the insurer must have surpluses equal to or greater than $150 million based on the insurer’s most recent annual statement.

Qualified insurers must provide notice to Florida’s consumers before the policy is issued or initially renewed that indicates that the rate is not regulated by OIR and may be higher than rates approved by that office, and that residential property insurance subject to full rate regulation may be available from another private company or Citizens Property Insurance Corporation.
Before the policy is issued or at the time of first renewal, the consumer must have received a quote from Citizens or an insurer offering a fully regulated policy willing to insure the risk that provides substantially similar coverage, limits and deductibles to the extent available.
These new provisions don’t apply to residential property insurance policies that exclude hurricane or windstorm coverage.
Insurance companies must provide customers 180 days written notice of intent to Non renew, cancel or terminate a policy.
 
Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.
As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Secretary, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

Utilizing email as a newsletter distribution tool is a fiscally-responsible means to distribute information to my constituency about what is going on in their Florida Legislature. 
Please feel free to e-mail The Ford Update to your friends and relatives.  Alternatively, please let others know they can be added to my email list by going to www.gulf1.com/ford.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 595-5550

Emailing me will allow for the most prompt reply to your issue. 

To view my Committee assignments, please visit www.myfloridahouse.gov.  Click on the Representatives tab for an alphabetical listings of all Representatives.  This website provides a multitude of other legislative information including Committee Schedules, Legislative Bill Search Engines, a Kid’s page, End-of-Session Reports, etc.

The Ford Update for 5/1/09

My office staff and I welcome your contact regarding any issue that is important to you.  As always, I consider it a pleasure to serve you, and the people of our district.

I also encourage you to visit “Online Sunshine,” the official website of your Florida Legislature.  At http://www.leg.state.fl.us/ you’ll find links to both the Senate and the House websites.  The site also provides links to Florida Statutes and other governmental information and entities.  There is also a link to kid’s pages that are designed to educate young ones about how our state government works.

Weekly Wrap-up

End of Week Update – Week Nine
May 1, 2009

This week, the Florida House began the final sprint toward approving a responsible, balanced budget as mandated by the Florida Constitution by meeting with the Senate to iron out differences in each chamber’s budget proposals.  Due to extensive negotiations, both chambers decided to extend the regular Session through next week to address the budget.  The extended Session is not without precedent, and House Republicans believe that it is more important to get the budget done right than to do it quickly.  Although the budget process took a little longer than anticipated, it is important that the priorities of both the House and the Senate are fairly represented in the final budget.  Because we know that Florida will only receive federal stimulus funds for a few years, I felt we must insist on a responsible long-term approach that prudently balances the budget.  This means both revenues and reductions must be included if we want to avoid billions of dollars in tax increases next year.

LONG-TERM VIEW ON BUDGET: The House’s priority has been to identify responsible spending reductions to help us balance the budget long-term.  I feel strongly that the budget should have a prudent long-term outlook so Floridians are not burdened with a billion dollar tax increase next year because we ignored the fact that the federal stimulus dollars will run out soon.  I believe it is important to have a fiscally responsible long-term view that puts Florida in the best shape possible to rebound when the economy picks up.  This means House Republicans have to make some tough choices.  The responsible thing to do is stop spending more than Florida can afford so that we can create a stable financial environment for Florida's economy to rebound.

A HELPING HAND FOR FLORIDA’S UNEMPLOYED: I know that times are tough and that Floridians are hurting.  House Republicans are committed to lending a helping hand to those Floridians who have lost their jobs due to the economic downturn.  That is why I voted to accept nearly $2 billion in federal stimulus money to extend the length of time that unemployed workers receive assistance.  Part of the $2 billion will also be used to increase the weekly unemployment benefit by $25, to help Floridians until they can find another job.  I realize that federal stimulus dollars are not a silver bullet for the problems facing Florida, but these funds can help us bridge the gap for unemployed Floridians until they can find another job.

PRESERVING WOKERS’ RIGHT TO A SECRET BALLOT: It is no secret that our state and our nation face unprecedented economic challenges. And my focus is to help put Florida’s economy back on track and generate jobs for Floridians. Included in that focus is the protection of workers’ rights. To that end, the Florida House took a significant step toward helping our economy by voting to provide Floridians with the opportunity to enshrine their right to vote by a secret ballot in the Florida Constitution. I supported passage of House Joint Resolution 1013 because it is a pro-worker protection proposal.  No workers should ever fear retaliation from their unions, their employers or their fellow employees.

PROTECTING FLORIDA HOMEOWNERS:  It is vital that we use every opportunity available to provide fairness and relief to Florida taxpayers, particularly during difficult economic times. The current property appraisal system unfairly favors government at the expense of taxpayers, and it needed to change. That’s why I supported House Bill 521, which maintains that a property appraiser’s assessment is presumed to be correct, but only if they have shown that they have complied with applicable Florida Statute and professionally accepted practices.  If that standard is met, then the burden will shift to the homeowner to show that the property in question exceeds the just value or that the assessment is based on an uneven standard to similar properties.

PROVIDING CHOICE FOR FAMILIES PREPARING FOR COLLEGE:  Paying for college is a difficult challenge for parents, especially during these difficult economic times. Many families have planned ahead for college expenses by purchasing the Florida Prepaid College Plan, and I supported House Bill 315 to maximize their choice for the use of their Prepaid College Plan dollars.  House Bill 315 permits the use of a Prepaid College Plan at any learning center recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
 
Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.
As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Secretary, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

Utilizing email as a newsletter distribution tool is a fiscally-responsible means to distribute information to my constituency about what is going on in their Florida Legislature. 
Please feel free to e-mail The Ford Update to your friends and relatives.  Alternatively, please let others know they can be added to my email list by going to www.gulf1.com/ford.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 595-5550

The Ford Update for 4/24/09

My office staff and I welcome your contact regarding any issue that is important to you.  As always, I consider it a pleasure to serve you, and the people of our district.
I also encourage you to visit “Online Sunshine,” the official website of your Florida Legislature.  At http://www.leg.state.fl.us/ you’ll find links to both the Senate and the House websites.  The site also provides links to Florida Statutes and other governmental information and entities.  There is also a link to kid’s pages that are designed to educate young ones about how our state government works.

Weekly Wrap-up

 End of Week Update – Week Eight
April 24, 2009

The Florida House met this week to discuss and debate bills that go to the heart of our focus this Session - recharging Florida’s economy and helping create jobs for Floridians. Included among the week’s highlights are bills that streamline the growth management process, prevent drastic rate increases for Citizen’s Insurance customers, allow for consumer choice in the residential property insurance market, protect Floridians’ freedom of speech and a measure to eliminate a state-pay practice known as “double-dipping.”  All of these measures serve as a backdrop to our main goal – passing a balanced and responsible budget that meets Florida’s future needs without penalizing Florida’s families and businesses. 

ENDING “DOUBLE-DIPPING”: I have always valued the hard work and dedication of our state employees.  All too often, their dedicated service to the state goes unrecognized and like all Floridians, they are also feeling the effects of the economic downturn. Unfortunately, the current retirement system includes a loophole which not only increases costs for the government (and Florida taxpayers) but also creates a situation which is not fair to either the taxpayer or the rank-and-file state employee.  Under the current system, a state employee can retire and return to work in 30 days while collecting retirement benefits and a state salary at the same time. This unfair, costly loophole needed to be closed. To that end, the House took a significant step toward increasing government accountability by passing House Bill 479, which extends the period of time state employees must stay in retirement to six months or they will be required to forfeit their pension. It also prohibits renewed enrollment, meaning state employees cannot accrue a new pension in addition to the original pension they already earned.

PROTECTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS FROM TALLAHASSEE INSIDER INFLUENCE: Protecting taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars is the main focus of House Republicans this Session.  This is particularly true when considering who will sit on boards and councils that make decisions of how to spend taxpayer money.  The process must be fair and free from undue influence and conflict of interest.  To protect Floridians’ dollars, the House passed House Bill 285 which alters the membership of the Low Income Pool (LIP) Council by prohibiting lobbyists who are not employed full-time by a public entity from serving on the Council. The LIP Council provides direct payments and distributions to hospitals and other health care providers in Florida for care provided to uninsured Floridians. This bill ensures that the Legislature is receiving unbiased information about the best way to use your taxpayer dollars. 

PROVIDING CHOICE TO HOMEOWNERS: Florida’s homeowners face a difficult challenge in choosing their homeowners’ insurance policy in an increasingly less-competitive Florida insurance market.  Too often, Floridians are left with few choices to insure the largest investment they will make in their lives.  I found this situation to be counterproductive to energizing Florida’s economy.   To address this issue, the House overwhelmingly approved House Bill 1171 this week. House Bill 1171 puts the power to make insurance choices back into the hands of the consumer. While providing for necessary consumer protections, House Bill 1171 allows the consumer to make insurance choices and encourages a sustainable and competitive private insurance market. I trust Floridians, armed with all of the relevant information, can make the best decision for their residential property insurance policy and company.

PREVENTING DRASTIC RATE INCREASES FOR CITIZENS’ CUSTOMERS: Florida homeowners are arguably hit the hardest when it comes to the rising cost of insurance.  This is particularly true for those insured by Citizens Property Insurance, the state insurer.  To help alleviate this situation, the House passed House Bill 1495 which will prevent drastic rate increases for Citizens customers.  Without this bill, on January 1, 2010, Citizens’ customers will likely face dramatic overall average statewide rate increases - in excess of 40% for personal residential multi-peril policies, 55% for personal residential wind-only policies, 60% for commercial residential wind-only policies and 140% for commercial nonresidential properties. This bill lowers rates of increase for Citizens policyholders in anticipation of the mandated expiration of the rate freeze.

STREAMLINING THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT PROCESS: Intelligent, common-sense growth will play an important role in recharging Florida’s economy.  To create incentives that will promote responsible development in urban areas and reduce sprawl, the House passed House Bill 7127 this week. House Bill 7127 strikes a balance between state and local control of growth management by retaining state regulatory oversight of planning and development processes, while recognizing the role and responsibility of local elected officials to make land use decisions in the best interests of their local community.  Additionally, local oversight leads to more responsible environmental controls over growth.

PROTECTING FLORIDIANS’ FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Freedom of speech is a right we, as Americans and Floridians, hold very dear. To underscore my belief in the fundamental right to freedom of speech, I supported House Bill 949 that protects Floridians from libel lawsuits filed in foreign courts, often by individuals with ties to organizations like al Qaeda and Hamas. The measure will help in the fight against a tactic known as “Libel Tourism.”  I am pleased that the measure supports both freedom of speech and freedom of the press while helping to fight terrorism by closing a loophole in the law which gave shadow groups a cash cow to fund their activities.

Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.
As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Secretary, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

Utilizing email as a newsletter distribution tool is a fiscally-responsible means to distribute information to my constituency about what is going on in their Florida Legislature. 
Please feel free to e-mail The Ford Update to your friends and relatives.  Alternatively, please let others know they can be added to my email list by going to www.gulf1.com/ford.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 595-5550

Emailing me will allow for the most prompt reply to your issue. 

To view my Committee assignments, please visit www.myfloridahouse.gov.  Click on the Representatives tab for an alphabetical listings of all Representatives.  This website provides a multitude of other legislative information including Committee Schedules, Legislative Bill Search Engines, a Kid’s page, End-of-Session Reports, etc.

The Ford Update for 04/20/09

 My office staff and I welcome your contact regarding any issue that is important to you.  As always, I consider it a pleasure to serve you, and the people of our district.

I also encourage you to visit “Online Sunshine,” the official website of your Florida Legislature.  At http://www.leg.state.fl.us/ you’ll find links to both the Senate and the House websites.  The site also provides links to Florida Statutes and other governmental information and entities.  There is also a link to kid’s pages that are designed to educate young ones about how our state government works.

Weekly Wrap-up

 End of Week Update – Week Seven
April 20, 2009

The full Florida House met this past week to debate and pass our budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.  We have not undertaken this task lightly.  The decisions made in Florida’s $65 billion budget were made to help Florida’s economy recover quickly and to better position Florida above other states to benefit from the eventual turnaround in the economy. Our focus remains on recharging Florida’s economy and helping create jobs for Floridians. To that end, even in the face of historic budget deficits, the House has proposed a responsible state budget that reflects Florida’s economic realities without penalizing Florida’s families and businesses.

PRESERVING CORE MISSIONS: House Members are constitutionally mandated to balance the budget. Over the course of the Session, we have reviewed the state budget line-by-line and have examined state government spending to make sure that we are focusing on the core missions of government and finding ways to make government more efficient and effective.  House Republicans accomplished this in the face of an unprecedented $6.4 billion deficit.

FEDERAL STIMULUS: Millions of Americans marked this week by filing their federal tax returns.  It is this very money that comprises the federal stimulus sent to the states by Washington.  In fact, every state in the nation has decided to put to use the stimulus dollars.  House Republicans recognize that the federal stimulus funds are not “free” money but rather the product of hard work and sacrifice by real people in Florida and across America.  With that in mind, the House has used federal stimulus dollars thoughtfully and responsibly. Likewise, House Republicans realize that these federal dollars are not a silver bullet to solving Florida’s budget problems. The state’s budget problems will only be solved by strengthening Florida’s economy and helping create jobs for Floridians.

EMPOWERING TAXPAYERS: On Tuesday, the House Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council unanimously passed House Bill 971, known as the Florida Transparency Act. The measure will allow citizens to track their tax dollars online and will be the strongest legislation of its kind in the nation. The website would provide information on the date, amount, and source of every expenditure, affording Floridians an unprecedented level of access to information on government spending. Underscoring this legislation is our fundamental belief that every dollar the government spends is a dollar out of your pocket and you should have the tool to know how your money is being spent.

PROTECTING FREE SPEECH: On Thursday, the House passed House Bill 949 that protects Floridians from libel lawsuits filed in foreign courts, often by individuals with known ties to terrorist organizations like al Qaeda and Hamas. Underscoring my belief in freedom of speech, this bill supports both freedom of speech and freedom of the press by closing a loophole in the law which gives supporters of such organizations an opportunity to suppress their critics from speaking out.  This is a common-sense measure which I am proud to support.

GIVING PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS NEEDED FLEXIBILITY: In 2002, Florida voters approved an amendment to the Florida constitution to reduce class size. Florida students benefitted from smaller classrooms and test scores improved.  That said, Florida’s struggling economy placed a difficult financial burden on Florida schools and the amendment became too difficult to implement. To address this new reality, the House passed House Joint Resolution (HJR) 919 on Friday. If the Joint Resolution is passed by the Legislature, voters will have the opportunity to support this common-sense revision that will keep class sizes small in Florida while giving principals and teachers the flexibility they need to maximize student learning in their schools and classrooms.

Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.
As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Secretary, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

Utilizing email as a newsletter distribution tool is a fiscally-responsible means to distribute information to my constituency about what is going on in their Florida Legislature. 
Please feel free to e-mail The Ford Update to your friends and relatives.  Alternatively, please let others know they can be added to my email list by going to www.gulf1.com/ford.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 595-5550

The Ford Update for 04/10/09

Weekly Wrap-up
End of Week Update – Week Six
April 10, 2009

Due to the Easter and Passover holidays, the Florida House conducted council meetings during an abbreviated Session week.  But the shortened schedule did not slow down our work as we focused intently on crafting a responsible state budget that reflects Florida’s economic realities without penalizing Florida’s families and businesses. To that end, House Republicans have reviewed the state budget line-by-line and examined state government spending over the past few weeks to make sure that we are focusing on the core missions of government while finding ways to make government more efficient and effective.  Next week we will pass our House budget and are scheduled to begin to negotiate with the senate on the final product.

JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR CALLS FOR MORE CIVICS EDUCATION: The Florida Legislature held a Joint Session on Tuesday to welcome retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner to the Legislature. Justice O’Conner was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Reagan and became the first woman Supreme Court justice.  As part of a national tour, she addressed the Legislature on the importance of teaching civics in the nation’s schools.  Justice O’Conner lauded Florida for leading the way in this area. As Justice O’Connor remarked, when more Americans can name the judges on American Idol then can name the justices on the U.S. Supreme Court, we need to do a better job making sure our students understand the fundamentals of our system of government.

PRIORITIZING SPENDING: As Florida’s families and businesses already know, we are currently experiencing the worst economic crisis in Florida’s history.  House Republicans know that Floridians are concerned about their economic future.  We understand that many Floridians are hurting.  With this in mind, the House crafted a state budget proposal that prioritizes spending and protects per-student classroom dollars, continues to fund health care services to those in need, and makes sure that public safety is maintained, all in the face of a $6-billion budget deficit. 

EDUCATION
The education budget bill authorizes nearly $30-billion in spending among Florida schools.  The proposed total budget for PreK-12 funding is $13.4 billion, which is a 14.5% increase from last year. Per-student funding was increased by over $30 to a statewide per-student average of $6,891.  With our proposed increase in per-student funding, we will have increased funding for K-12 students by over 43%, or over $2087 per-student, over the past ten years. The average per-student increase over the past ten years is $229 per-student, per year.

Even in tight budget times we continue to place a priority on classroom spending and making sure our children receive a world-class education. The House budget prioritizes per-student spending, because that is money spent in the classroom where the learning occurs.  Making sure that our teachers and kids have the resources they need to be successful is our highest priority in education.

HEALTH CARE
During this time of historic budget shortfalls, the House is prioritizing health care spending and has made the decision to preserve eligibility and access to services to the greatest extent possible. Overall funding for health and human services programs grew by $2.3 billion dollars from the appropriations made in the 2008-09 budget and we were pleased to be able to continue to fund the state’s Medicaid programs at current levels.  We also are pleased to babe able to restore the Medically Needy and Meds-AD programs, which will benefit 34,000 Floridians. 

But facing an unprecedented $6.3 billion deficit for the upcoming Fiscal Year, even with federal stimulus money, the House had to reduce spending in certain health and human services programs. Within the health care budget, we examined our priorities and gave greatest weight to funding programs that provide services core to the missions of health and human services agencies and direct critical services to Florida’s most vulnerable citizens.

PUBLIC SAFETY
The public safety budget proposal crafted by House Republicans focused on ensuring that constitutional due process was not hindered and that our communities remained safe places to live and raise a family. To that end, no reductions were made to state attorneys, public defenders, Capital Collateral Regional Counsels and Regional Conflict Counsels. Just as importantly, funding for prison beds will be increased to eliminate the need for early release of inmates into our communities. Additionally, the budget proposal includes no reductions in vital probation or security officers who work with offenders and protect the public.  We all agree that providing support for juvenile offenders provides our young offenders with a second chance and saves money down the road.  House Republicans recognize this and offered no reductions to either PACE Center for Girls or Child In Need of Services / Families In Need of Services. Keeping our dedicated law enforcement officers on the street and investigating crimes is vital to keeping Florida’s crime rate low.  To accomplish this, we did not propose any reductions to sworn officers or to crime labs.

 
Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.
As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Secretary, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

Utilizing email as a newsletter distribution tool is a fiscally-responsible means to distribute information to my constituency about what is going on in their Florida Legislature. 
Please feel free to e-mail The Ford Update to your friends and relatives.  Alternatively, please let others know they can be added to my email list by going to www.gulf1.com/ford.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 595-5550

The Ford Update for 03/27/09

To see results of pre session survey Click Here

My office staff and I welcome your contact regarding any issue that is important to you.  As always, I consider it a pleasure to serve you, and the people of our district.
I also encourage you to visit “Online Sunshine,” the official website of your Florida Legislature.  At http://www.leg.state.fl.us/ you’ll find links to both the Senate and the House websites.  The site also provides links to Florida Statutes and other governmental information and entities.  There is also a link to kid’s pages that are designed to educate young ones about how our state government works.

Weekly Wrap-up

End of Week Update – Week Four
March 27, 2009

This week marked the end of committee meetings in the Florida House. Action this week was focused on moving legislation through the first steps of the legislative process.  Once bills have been through their initial committees, they are moving closer to the House Floor and final passage.  This is always a fast-moving week as each member works to have their bills heard favorably and to listen to other members seek support for their own legislation. 

CHAMBERS DIFFER ON GAMBLING:  As both the House and Senate begin to look towards legislation dealing with the impact of Governor Crist’s decision to sign a gaming compact with the Seminole Indian Tribe- a compact that was later invalidated by the Florida Supreme Court- it is apparent that the two Chambers differ in their approach.  The House’s proposal grants the Seminoles a slot-only agreement and the offer of geographic exclusivity in certain areas of Florida.  This is less than the offer that Governor Crist offered them with blackjack and slots.   The Senate has taken a different approach by looking to offer the Seminoles full Atlantic City-style casinos- not just slots and blackjack, but also other table games like craps and roulette- and lower the legal age limit to gamble from 21 to 18 years old.  The Senate has also indicated they are prepared to place video lottery terminals at other locations throughout the state in an effort to bring in more revenue for the state.  Both Chambers will continue their work on this matter throughout the rest of the Legislative session.

ENDING WELFARE FOR POLITICIANS: Public financing for political campaigns is an outdated practice that has outlived its usefulness and is a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money.  In the presidential elections, then-candidate Obama proved that candidates can raise record amounts of campaign cash without taking a dime of public financing.  It adds insult to injury that Florida taxpayers would be adding to multi-million dollar campaign coffers at a time when they can least afford it.  To end this outdated practice, which has come to be known as “Welfare for Politicians,” House Republicans supported House Joint Resolution (HJR) 81 this week. If passed, the measure would end public financing of political campaigns and save Florida taxpayers millions of dollars.  In 2006, Florida taxpayers gave over $11 million to statewide politicians to spend on their political campaigns.

IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR STUDENTS: On Wednesday, House Republicans reaffirmed their commitment to helping parents and students save money for higher education. It is unfair and costly that so many parents are already paying for health insurance coverage and their children cannot continue to use that insurance while away at school.  To remedy this situation, House Republicans introduced House Bill 885, known as the Student Health Insurance Protection Act, which requires universities to become an in-network provider with at least five major health insurance companies and managed care plans in Florida.  This measure will lower the cost of services, such as office visits, for students seeking medical attention on campus.  Parents also win with this forward-looking proposal by saving on their children’s fees for services provided by the university. If passed, the bill will provide parents with an incentive to maintain coverage for their dependent children and prevent the number of uninsured students in Florida from increasing.

ENDING THE MARRIAGE PENALTY: Under a common-sense bill headed for the House floor, the playing field will be leveled for newlyweds wishing to add a spouse’s name to a property deed.  Under the current law, a document tax must be paid by a property owner if they marry and wish to add their spouse’s name to the property deed.   In an unfair twist, divorced spouses who remove their ex-spouses name from the property deed are not charged a document tax.  As a tax fairness issue, I expect that House Bill 237 will have broad support.

BUDGET PROCESS TO BEGIN MOVING NEXT WEEK: Next week we will see the budget process begin as budget committees meet to make their first budget proposals.  Throughout the session House members have been reviewing the budget line-by-line to find ways to have the state spend more efficiently and effectively.  We have also examined the budget to make sure that state agencies are focused on the core missions of government.  Facing a multi-billion dollar shortfall, these reviews should serve House members well as we look for ways to meet our constitutional mandate to balance Florida’s budget.
 
Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.

As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Secretary, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

Utilizing email as a newsletter distribution tool is a fiscally-responsible means to distribute information to my constituency about what is going on in their Florida Legislature. 
Please feel free to e-mail The Ford Update to your friends and relatives.  Alternatively, please let others know they can be added to my email list by clicking here.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32501
(850) 595-5550

Emailing me will allow for the most prompt reply to your issue.  Please feel free to email me.

To view my Committee assignments, please visit www.myfloridahouse.gov.  Click on the Representatives tab for an alphabetical listings of all Representatives.  This website provides a multitude of other legislative information including Committee Schedules, Legislative Bill Search Engines, a Kid’s page, End-of-Session Reports, etc.

The Ford Update for 03/13/09

My office staff and I welcome your contact regarding any issue that is important to you.  As always, I consider it a pleasure to serve you, and the people of our district.

I also encourage you to visit “Online Sunshine,” the official website of your Florida Legislature.  At http://www.leg.state.fl.us/ you’ll find links to both the Senate and the House websites.  The site also provides links to Florida Statutes and other governmental information and entities.  There is also a link to kid’s pages that are designed to educate young ones about how our state government works.

Weekly Wrap-up 2009 Session- Week 2

We expect a sobering economic forecast from the state’s Revenue Estimating Conference, fittingly on Friday the 13th.  In this light, my House colleagues are more committed than ever to rolling up our sleeves and continuing to work hard on crafting a responsible budget that reflects Florida’s economic realities without raising taxes on Florida’s families.  We understand that it is bad economic policy to raise taxes during a recessionary period.  Just as important, your elected representatives have an obligation to clean up government’s house before they ask any more from any Floridian’s house. 

STATE BUDGET: The Revenue Estimating Conference is meeting on Friday to release their revenue projection for the current and coming fiscal years.  It comes as no surprise to Floridians that state economists are likely to note that the state’s fiscal situation has slipped and the state budget is expected to face a shortfall this coming year.    The practical impact for Legislators is that the state’s budget deficit for the coming year is expected to grow in excess of $6 billion.  Because of the continued decline in revenues, the Governor’s original budget proposal- based off of previous revenue estimates that are now out of date- is now billions of dollars out of balance and is no longer a viable option for consideration by the Legislature. The best way to improve the state’s budget outlook is to help improve the budgets of Florida’s families.   To that end, House Republicans will continue to focus on our top priority – revitalizing Florida’s economy and helping create jobs for Floridians.

PROTECTION OF WORKERS RIGHTS: This week, the Governmental Affairs Policy Committee passed House Joint Resolution (HJR) 1013, a constitutional amendment to protect Floridians’ right to a secret ballot.  With politicians in Washington trying to deny workers the right to a secret ballot, we are working to make sure that Floridians’ rights are protected.  This pro-worker protection proposal is designed to help voters remain free of fear of intimidation and retribution in the election process.  Harassment and intimidation is wrong whether it is coming from a union boss or a management boss. With a secret ballot, Florida's workers are the boss. 

PROPERTY TAX REFORM: With Florida’s lagging real estate market lagging and families’ budgets tighter than ever, recharging our state’s real estate market and helping Floridians keep more of their hard earned dollars is a top priority for House Republicans.  Wednesday saw several measures passed out of their respective committees, each of which is an important step to reducing the glut of unsold properties across the state and providing tax relief to Floridians.  This legislation will provide additional homestead exemptions for first-time property owners, cap all property taxes at 1.35% of total assessed valued, make it easier for property owners to challenge their assessments and limit assessment increases to 5 % for non-homestead property.  They continue to move forward in the legislative process and we are hopeful that property tax relief can be passed this year.

GIVING PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS NEEDED FLEXIBILITY: In 2002, 52% of Florida voters approved an amendment to the Florida constitution to reduce class size. Florida students have benefitted from smaller classrooms and test scores improved.  But if we’re going to continue to make small class sizes a priority, we must implement a common-sense fix so our students continue to have the benefit of smaller classes while giving our principals and teachers the flexibility they need to keep Florida’s education focus where it belongs: classroom learning.   To address this issue, Rep. Will Weatherford (R- Wesley Chapel) is sponsoring House Joint Resolution 919 to give voters the opportunity to support this common-sense revision that will keep class sizes small in Florida while providing flexibility to avoid disruptions with mid-year moves and transfers affecting entire classes as students are shuffled around to meet the impending requirements. School board and school superintendents associations are supportive of this measure, along with representatives of Florida’s principals and school administrators.
 
KIDNEY FAILURE MEDICAL COVERAGE: Former Miami Heat basketball star Alonzo Mourning visited the Capitol on Tuesday to promote legislation that would assist patients with kidney failure gain access to the health care coverage they need.  House Bill 675, sponsored Rep. Ritch Workman (R-Melbourne), would enable patients under 65 to buy Medigap coverage assistance instead of expensive out of pocket payments for treatments not covered by existing government health care programs. If House Bill 675 is signed into law, End Stage Renal Disease patients will be able to purchase private health insurance to cover the costs of treatment thereby saving these individuals from financial ruin.  In addition, this legislation will keep approximately 2,000 people out of the state’s Medicaid system.  Mourning has first-hand experience in this matter - he saw his pro basketball career endangered by kidney failure.

FIGHTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY: It is estimated that 25% of American children are obese and the incidence of numerous chronic illnesses is rising as the trend toward obesity continues.  To consider options on how to address this health crisis, the Health and Family Services Council met jointly with the Education Policy Council to conduct a workshop on childhood obesity.  Council members heard from several speakers who described innovative community-based programs focused on addressing childhood obesity. Olympic swimming gold medalist Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a member of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, also participated.

Article on HB 745 as it appeared this week

Bill would study extending pre-paid program to the developmentally disabled

Posted 3/11/2009 2:31 PM EDT 
When Michele Poole's granddaughters were 2 years old, she signed on of the fraternal twins up for Florida's pre-paid college program.

Now 15, granddaughter Michele's fraternal twin, Gabbi, has different needs. But their grandmother wants to extend to Gabbi -- wheel-chair bound, developmentally disabled and in need of round-the-clock care -- the same opportunity for advancement that the pre-paid college plan affords. The pre-paid plan Poole envisions would cover Gabbi's vocational and therapeutic needs after she completes her charter-school exceptional-student education.

Sen. Thad Altman, a Melbourne Republican, and Rep. Clay Ford, R-Gulf Breeze, have bills to pursue the idea. House and Senate versions of the proposals would set up a study group on pre-paid services for children with developmental disabilities. Both moved through their first committees this week.

Poole testified before a Senate committee Wednesday, telling lawmakers that the private special-needs trust she and her husband established is not a perfect option as it depends on the Pooles' deaths to pay out.   Poole, from Lake Worth, has taken care of her grandchildren since they were 3 months old. She and her husband are their adoptive parents.

At a time when Medicaid budget cuts reduce services for the developmentally disabled, Poole said a pre-paid plan to cover training and vocational pursuits would be helpful. There are more than 18,000 on a waiting list for the vocational and therapy waiver services funded by the state's Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

"Many parents find themselves on a on a long waitlist for Medicaid Waiver services," Ford said. "This legislation looks to find a way to give these parents help in obtaining services."

Altman and Ford's bills would require a report to the Legislature on the feasibility of the pre-paid idea by Jan. 29.
--Paul Flemming

Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.

As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Secretary, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

Utilizing email as a newsletter distribution tool is a fiscally-responsible means to distribute information to my constituency about what is going on in their Florida Legislature. 

Please feel free to e-mail The Ford Update to your friends and relatives.  Alternatively, please let others know they can be added to my email list by going to www.gulf1.com/ford.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32501
(850) 595-5550

Emailing me will allow for the most prompt reply to your issue.  Please feel free to email me at: clay.ford@myfloridahouse.gov

To view my Committee assignments, please visit www.myfloridahouse.gov.  Click on the Representatives tab for an alphabetical listings of all Representatives.  This website provides a multitude of other legislative information including Committee Schedules, Legislative Bill Search Engines, a Kid’s page, End-of-Session Reports, etc.

The Ford Update for 03/06/09

My office staff and I welcome your contact regarding any issue that is important to you.  As always, I consider it a pleasure to serve you, and the people of our district.

I also encourage you to visit "Online Sunshine," the official website of your Florida Legislature.  At http://www.leg.state.fl.us/ you'll find links to both the Senate and the House websites.  The site also provides links to Florida Statutes and other governmental information and entities.  There is also a link to kid's pages that are designed to educate young ones about how our state government works.

Weekly Wrap-up

2009 Legislative Session Week 1
 
This week began the 111th Regular Session of the Florida House of Representatives since statehood in 1845 began.  At no time has our state ever faced a broader and more difficult set of challenges, but one issue is clear in my mind:  finding a way to revitalize Florida's economy and help create jobs for Floridians is our most important mission this year.
 
111th REGULAR SESSION OPENS: On Tuesday morning, the House convened with Representative Sandy Adams (R-Oviedo) presiding.  Representative Adams made history by becoming the first woman ever to preside over Opening Day ceremonies.  The first step the House took was to elect Representative Larry Cretul (R-Ocala) as Speaker. Representative Cretul will serve as Speaker through November 2010.  Tuesday evening, the House and Senate came together for the Governor's traditional State of the State address.  During Governor Crist's speech he acknowledged the economic troubles facing Florida and said that while the state of the state is challenged "the determination of our people is strong."

STATE BUDGET: With the state economy struggling, House members are continuing to scrutinize the state budget line-by-line looking for duplication, inefficiencies, and other non-essential activities on which the state could stop spending taxpayer dollars.  We are still early in the budget process, but it is already clear that balancing the budget will be a tough challenge.  Just like Florida's families, we are going to prioritize our spending on core issues like health care, classroom education, and public safety.
 
CUTTING THROUGH RED TAPE AND REDUCING BUREAUCRACY:  Legislation to help create jobs and revitalize Florida's economy by streamlining bureaucracy in Florida's permitting process won unanimous approval from the Governmental Affairs Policy Committee today.  House Bill (HB) 73 by Representative Robert Schenck (R-Spring Hill) eliminates delays for companies attempting to establish businesses in Florida by requiring the Department of Environmental Protection and water management districts to adopt programs that create a 45-day expedited permitting process for businesses identified by a municipality or county as engaging in one of the target industries in Florida.
 
Editorial that appeared in the PNJ on HB 1243
March 4, 2009
Voyeurism law needed

News Journal editorial
We're pleased to see state Rep. Clay Ford sponsoring legislation, to outlaw an ugly form of voyeurism, that common sense says shouldn't be needed - but the law plainly shows is needed.
Last year, a local man managed to dodge more serious charges related to his efforts to use a mirror to look under a woman's skirt at a local store.Because of the way the law is written, the man's lawyer was able to successfully argue that the victim didn't have a "reasonable" expectation of privacy in a public space like a store. That violates the most basic concept of common sense.  But vague or misleading laws just as easily can be used against innocent people as they can to protect guilty ones.
Here's how Ilse Knecht, deputy director of public policy at the National Center for Victims of Crime in Washington, D.C., put it last year when the loophole in the law was being debated: "It seems ridiculous, but we have to really, really be clear in laws about things like that because every single word gets evaluated, and it makes a difference."  And in dismissing the voyeurism charge last year, Escambia County Circuit Court Judge G.J. Roark III made it clear his hands were tied: "As of the moment ... there is no clear prohibition of this reprehensible conduct anywhere in the State of Florida, especially in the section under which the defendant was charged."  So it is important that the law be precise.
Last year, we urged the Legislature to close the loophole, and Ford, R-Gulf Breeze, is working with the State Attorney's Office to craft legislation with the proper wording to ensure that the law - and not just society's moral sense - recognizes this sort of voyeurism is wrong.
 
FORD  SPONSORED LEGISLATION 2009 SESSION
 
In the next few Ford Updates, I will be highlighting the legislation I have sponsored during the upcoming legislative session.  Each Representative can sponsor 6 bills during a legislative session
 
HB 141- Annuity Contracts for Senior Consumers
HB 187- Motor Vehicle Registration Fees
HB 745- Prepaid Services for Children with Development Disabilities
HB 959- Credit Counseling Organizations
HB 1175- Recovery, Towing & Storage of Vehicles & Vessels
HB 1243- Voyeurism
 
HB 959- Credit Counseling Organizations
This legislation, proposed in partnership with the State Attorney
General, will educate consumers on their rights when they are signing a credit-counseling contract and will include further protections for Floridians who face mounting credit card bills. 
 
Key provisions of the legislation include:
-A five-day right of cancellation period that allows the consumer to cancel the agreement with the credit-counseling company. For those that do cancel, the company must refund the consumer's money within 10 business days.
-Prohibits a company from charging a consumer prior to the execution of a written service contract.
-Limits the initial set-up fee for consultation to $50.00.
-Requires that the credit counseling contract include in large bold font notification to consumer of a right of cancellation on the contract, a recommendation that the consumer contact their creditor prior to the signing of the agreement, and that the agreement informs the
consumer that the credit counseling company may not: prohibit the consumer from contacting their creditor, exclude any material fact in the offer of sale of their services, engage in fraudulent or deceptive practices in the connection or offer of sale of their services.
-Provides definitions of such terms as "Credit Counseling
Organization", "Credit Counseling Services", and "Debt Management Services".
-Requires Credit Counseling Organizations to register with the Office of Financial Regulation ($500.00) and maintain and provide a surety bond.
Makes all violations of this act an unfair and deceptive trade practice and are subject to the penalties included in Part II of Chapter 501, Florida Statutes (civil); the violation may also be punishable by a third-degree felony.
 
Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.
As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Secretary, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

Utilizing email as a newsletter distribution tool is a fiscally-responsible means to distribute information to my constituency about what is going on in their Florida Legislature. 
Please feel free to e-mail The Ford Update to your friends and relatives.  Alternatively, please let others know they can be added to my email list by going to www.gulf1.com/ford.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32501
(850) 595-5550

Emailing me will allow for the most prompt reply to your issue.

Weekly Wrap-up 2-13-09

Appropriations Committee Week Wrap-up
 
This past week the Government Operations Appropriations Committee , on which I serve, met each day to go through the budgets of the departments that they oversee.  The purpose of the budget workshops were to go line by line through the budget to find ways for each of the departments to reduce their budgets to operate more efficiently and responsibly.
 
In the tough budget times that we face, we need to seize the opportunity to reduce the size and cost of government.  We asked each department to submit a list of programs and areas that they recommend to be cut and a list of areas that must be protected.  Our objective is to reduce spending rather than increase taxes, and to avoid as many cuts to Education and Health Care as possible.
 
This process has been long and tedious but necessary.
 
These Departments fall under our Jurisdiction:
            Department of Business and Professional Regulation
            Department of Financial  Services
                        Office of Insurance Regulation
                        Office of Financial Regulation
            Department of the Lottery
            Department of Management Services
            Department of Revenue
            Public Service Commission
 
 Pensacola’s 450th Anniversary
 
As part of the celebration of the 450th Anniversary of the first settlement at Pensacola, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain will be visiting Pensacola on Thursday February 19th.  A ceremony will be held Plaza de Luna  at the south end of Palafox Street at 11:30 am.
 
Events like these highlight the rich history of Pensacola as well as the status of our area and Florida in the world today.  Florida is a leading state in foreign exports and last year increased our exports by 25%.  It is important that we continue to foster our relationships with countries such as Spain, as we remember our heritage and maintain or leadership in world affairs and commerce. 
 
We hope you join in the celebration of the Royal visit as our shared history has brought us together on this occasion.
 
 
FORD  SPONSORED LEGISLATION 2009 SESSION
 
In the next few Ford Updates, I will be highlighting the legislation I have sponsored during the upcoming legislative session.  Each Representative can sponsor 6 bills during a legislative session.
 
HB 103– Voyeurism
HB 141– Annuity Contracts for Senior Consumers
HB 187– Motor Vehicle Registration Fees
HB 745- Prepaid Services for Children with
               Development Disabilities
Credit Counseling Organizations
Homestead Property Assessment
 
HB 187– Motor Vehicle Registration Fees
 
Currently, certain types of motor vehicles pay a $1.50 fee that is designated to go directly to the Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund; this fee currently generates over $20 million dollars to fund additional transportation services in every single county in Florida.
Last year alone, over 1 million trips were denied to Florida residents due to a lack of funding.
This increase will raise additional funds for Florida’s elderly, disabled and low income individuals to gain much needed access to health care, employment or other life-sustaining services.
 
HB 745- Prepaid Services for Children with
                Development Disabilities
This bill explores the concept that the State of Florida could institute a prepaid service plan modeled after the prepaid college tuition program.  The financial stability of the college tuition program is based on a combination of private pay, investment earnings and not having tuition increases outpace the private pay and investment earnings of the fund.  The comparable “rate of inflation” in the developmental disabilities arena which translates to the increase in rates paid for services under the Developmental Disabilities Waiver program has actually lost ground in the past decade for many services. 
 
Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.
As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Secretary, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

Utilizing email as a newsletter distribution tool is a fiscally-responsible means to distribute information to my constituency about what is going on in their Florida Legislature. 
Please feel free to e-mail The Ford Update to your friends and relatives.  Alternatively, please let others know they can be added to my email list by going to www.gulf1.com/ford.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32501
(850) 595-5550

Emailing me will allow for the most prompt reply to your issue.  Please feel free to email me.

To view my Committee assignments, please visit www.myfloridahouse.gov.  Click on the Representatives tab for an alphabetical listings of all Representatives.  This website provides a multitude of other legislative information including Committee Schedules, Legislative Bill Search Engines, a Kid’s page, End-of-Session Reports, etc.

The Ford Update for January 30, 2009

The Ford Update

 

My office staff and I welcome your contact regarding any issue that is important to you.  As always, I consider it a pleasure to serve you, and the people of our district.

I also encourage you to visit “Online Sunshine,” the official website of your Florida Legislature.  At http://www.leg.state.fl.us/ you’ll find links to both the Senate and the House websites.  The site also provides links to Florida Statutes and other governmental information and entities.  There is also a link to kid’s pages that are designed to educate young ones about how our state government works.

 

Weekly Wrap-up for January 30, 2009

 

Balanced Budget and Stimulus Package

 

Florida lawmakers recently concluded what will hopefully be the first and last special session of 2009 passing an agreement to fill the 2.4 billon dollar hole in the current year budget. State Senate and House leaders agreed to $1.2 billion in spending cuts, as well as spending $400 million from the budget stabilization fund, $700 million from the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund, $190 million from the housing trust fund, and more than $300 million from various other trust funds to fill the gap. The Legislature also set aside approximately $300 million to fill future shortfalls between now and the end of the fiscal year.

 

Lawmakers paired an economic stimulus package with the challenging cuts to the State Budget. The plan put forth by Governor Crist makes an initial $10 million investment from the state, which will be used for a pilot program to provide loans to small businesses with 10 to 50 employees.

 

Special Session was hard, but the worst is yet to come. Lawmakers will face at a least a $4 billion deficit, and maybe as much $6 billion deficit, in the 2009-10 budget. The good news is that Florida's gross domestic product is $800 billion. The bad news is that another $4 to $6 billion in budget cuts, after the $10 billion in cuts and sweeps already incurred, will make the cost cutting done last week look like a walk in the park.

 

New Ethanol Plant

 

Florida's first commercial ethanol plant is coming. Lykes Bros., a Tampa based company and Verenium, of Massachusetts, will build a commercial ethanol plant capable of producing $36

million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year. The facility will be functional by 2011 and is estimated to create 140 full time jobs.

 

The plant will be built in Highlands County and will receive a $7 million grant as part of Florida's "Farm to Fuel" initiative.

This announcement is good news for Florida. The fact that gas prices have dropped in the short term doesn't lessen the need to pursue a sustainable future in the long term through alternative and renewable energy solutions like ethanol. 

 

Excerpts included from “The Lemieux Report”,

Issue 43,  Jan. 19, 2009

 

FORD  SPONSORED LEGISLATION 2009 SESSION

 

In the next few Ford Updates, I will be highlighting the legislation I have sponsored during the upcoming legislative session.  Each Representative can sponsor 6 bills during a legislative session

 

HB 103– Voyeurism

HB 141– Annuity Contracts for Senior Consumers

HB 187– Motor Vehicle Registration Fees

Prepaid Services for Children with Development Disabilities

Credit Counseling Organizations

Homestead Property Assessment

 

HB 103– Voyeurism: Prohibits secretly viewing, for specified purposes, either under, over or through clothing being worn by another person without that person's knowledge or consent to view body of, or undergarments worn by, that person.

 

This bill stems from a case locally in which a man was caught looking up a women’s skirt in a store, but because of the vagueness of the statute was not able to be convicted.  The states attorney’s office has asked us to file this bill to fix the statute.

 

HB 141- Annuity Contracts for Senior Consumers:  Specifies annuity contract protection criteria for senior consumers.

 

The “Florida Senior Annuity Bill of Rights”  guarantees certain protections will be incorporated into any annuity contract purchased by an individual who, at the time of purchase, is a senior consumer.  Each contract must contain the following provisions:

 

The maximum surrender charge period shall be 9 years from the date of each purchase payment.

The maximum annual surrender charge percentage shall be 9% of the purchase payments.

After the first contract year senior consumers shall be allowed free annual withdrawals in each contract year of up to 10% of the purchase payments for annuity contracts with a surrender charge period of 7 years or longer unless a greater percentage amount is specified in the annuity contract.

 

Suggestions and Public Appearances

I and my staff use the newsletter as a cost-effective tool to keep you in touch with what is happening in your State and in your Florida Legislature.  We welcome all suggestions and comments.  Do not hesitate to contact my District Office to let us know of issues you are concerned about and would like us to address in this newsletter.

As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest.  My Legislative Assistant, Ray Walker, or my Administrative Assistant, Mary Katherine Peebles, will be happy to work with you in making such arrangements. 

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As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any of your needs or concerns.   My district office is open Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The address is: 

1804 West Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 595-5550

Emailing me will allow for the most prompt reply to your issue.  Please feel free to email me at: clay.ford@myfloridahouse.gov

To view my Committee assignments, please visit www.myfloridahouse.gov.  Click on the Representatives tab for an alphabetical listings of all Representatives.  This website provides a multitude of other legislative information including Committee Schedules, Legislative Bill Search Engines, a Kid's page, End-of-Session Reports, etc.