Statewide Update
Governor DeSantis announced an unprecedented legislative proposal to create a Teacher’s Bill of Rights that empowers educators to be leaders in their classrooms, enact paycheck protection, reduce terms for school board members from 12 to eight years, and invest another $1 billion in teacher pay.
“This is a huge package to increase teacher pay, support teacher empowerment, and protect teachers’ paychecks by ensuring they have control over their hard-earned salary,” said Governor DeSantis. “We want more transparency into how school unions operate, and we are going to fight against school union haggling that holds teachers and their salary increases hostage. Partisan groups should not be given special privileges.”
Paycheck Protection: The Governor’s proposal will create more accountability and transparency for public sector unions, including K-12 teacher unions and higher education unions. This proposal will require school unions to represent at least 60% of employees eligible for representation, an increase over the current 50% threshold, and allow state investigations into unions suspected of fraud, waste and abuse.
Teacher Empowerment: Since the Governor took office, education has been at the forefront of policy making decisions. Florida law currently contains comprehensive legislation related to students’ rights and parents’ rights in education but does not have a clear compilation of teachers’ rights and authorities.
Raising Teacher Pay: Since 2020, the Governor has secured more than $2 billion in funding for teacher pay, the largest pay increase for teachers in Florida history. The Governor is proposing an additional $200 million to continue raising teacher pay, bringing the total to $1 billion for teacher pay in his recommended budget for the next year.
For a summary of the legislation, click here.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson Highlights Benefits of Prescribed Burns
Last week, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service highlighted the importance and benefits of prescribed burns during Florida’s Prescribed Fire Awareness Week.
“Florida leads the nation in the use of prescribed fire as a safe and controlled way to protect the lands we love and the communities we live in,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “Prescribed burns are a vital tool that protects our communities by clearing overgrowth that fuels catastrophic wildfires and our natural resources by fostering new growth to keep our forests healthy and biodiversity protected.”
In 2021, the Florida Forest Service administered the largest and most active prescribed fire program in the nation, issuing nearly 93,000 open burn authorizations for public and private land managers to treat more than 2.3 million acres with prescribed fire.
Managing these forests is essential to powering Florida’s economy, sustaining the ecosystem, and supporting the state’s infrastructure. Florida’s landscape is a fire-adapted ecosystem, depending on recurring fire to renew the forest and habitats that support native plant and animal species.
To learn more or to view scheduled prescribed burns, visit here.
AG Moody Joins Multistate Action Against President Biden’s New Unlawful Immigration Program
AG Moody is taking action to stop President Biden’s latest unlawful immigration move. AG Moody said, “Biden wants to stop illegal immigration by attempting to legalize unlawful entry for hundreds of thousands of immigrants.”
Just days before AG Moody took Biden to court for refusing to enforce federal immigration laws, the President announced a new parole program that could allow up to 30,000 previously inadmissible immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela into the U.S. monthly.
AG Moody went on to say, “Biden’s new solution to his self-created crisis at the border is to allow illegal immigrants to travel directly into the interior of the country without crossing the southern border—in direct violation of federal law. His unlawful actions will not go unchecked, and we will continue to fight in court to force this President to follow public-safety immigration laws.”
In addition to Attorney General Moody, 20 states’ attorneys general signed onto the complaint which can be read in full here.
Governor DeSantis Announces Hometown Heroes Program Reaches Milestone of $50 Million Awarded
Last week, Governor DeSantis announced that the Hometown Heroes housing assistance program has awarded more than $50 million in down payment and closing cost assistance to Florida’s hometown heroes. The program, which has awarded over 3,500 Hometown Heroes, assists individuals such as law enforcement officers, educators, healthcare professionals, and active military personnel or veterans in purchasing their first home in Florida.
“Law enforcement officers, first responders, veterans, nurses, and other hometown heroes have dedicated their lives to serving their communities, and deserve our thanks,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I am proud that in just over six months we have been able to help nearly 3,500 hometown heroes purchase their first home.”
Eligible homebuyers will receive up to 5% of their first mortgage loan amount (up to a maximum of $25,000) in down payment and closing cost assistance in the form of a 0%, non-amortizing, 30-year deferred second mortgage.
To qualify for this program, homebuyers must connect with one of Florida Housing’s participating loan officers, have a minimum credit score of 640, provide certification for one of the eligible occupations, and meet the income threshold for their county.
For more information on the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, please visit here.
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