State Senator Debbie Mayfield – Mayfield Minutes 02/25/24

Feb 27 2024

State Senator Debbie Mayfield – Mayfield Minutes 02/25/24

Good Morning!

Formal budget negotiations between the Florida Senate and the Florida House are set to begin this coming week. The leadership of both Chambers will begin discussions regarding budget allocations.

While the legislature annually proposes, amends, and passes legislation to be signed into law by the Governor, the only requirement of the Florida Legislature, which is enshrined in the Florida Constitution, is to pass a balanced budget. The Florida Constitution also requires a 72-hour public review period before the budget is presented on the Senate floor and the House floor for final votes. The 2024 legislative session is scheduled to end on March 8th. Therefore, the budget must be agreed upon and published by Tuesday, March 5th for the session to sine die on March 8th.

As I mentioned in the February 11th edition of the Mayfield Minute, we were working diligently to assure the passage of SB 7040 regarding ratification of the Department of Environmental Protection’s rules on stormwater. I’m pleased to report the bill passed on the Senate floor unanimously and has been sent to the Florida House for consideration. This bill is critical as stormwater is a major contributor of nutrient pollution to waterbodies throughout the state and impacts 87% of Florida’s 67 counties.

In support of our Tuskegee Airmen, SB 1312, the Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day bill, passed three Senate committees unanimously and is headed to the Senate Floor for a full vote. SB 1312 seeks to proclaim March 28th (or the fourth Thursday in March) as a legal holiday celebrating the heroic efforts of the Tuskegee Airmen in defending our nation in World War II.

As we approach our final weeks of the 2024 Legislative Session and my final session, I consider it a great honor to represent District 19. Please share this link with your friends and family so they too, can sign up for the Mayfield Minute.

If you or someone you know needs my assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office. My staff and I are here to serve you!

Statewide Update

Governor DeSantis Calls for a Constitutional Amendment for Congressional Term Limits

Last week, Governor DeSantis was invited by the U.S. Term Limits organization to meet with legislative leaders to encourage the passage of state resolutions calling for term limits on members of Congress. Florida passed House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 693 calling for a U.S. Term Limits convention during the 2024 Legislative Session. Our state is among a group of six states (Alabama, Missouri, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin) that have passed resolutions through both chambers of their state legislatures to make application for a convention.

“We need term limits for members of Congress. Florida has already certified a proposed amendment under Article V of the Constitution and other states are poised to follow suit,” said Governor DeSantis. “We will never turn our country around if we don’t change the incentives in DC. Term limits are supported by huge majorities of Americans—it’s time to make it happen.”

The full press conference can be viewed here .

More National Guardsmen and Florida Highway Patrol Troopers Deployed to the Southern Border

On Friday, Governor DeSantis authorized 50 additional National Guardsmen based out of Pensacola and 76 Florida Highway Patrol Troopers for deployment to the Texas border.

“The Biden Border Crisis has made every state a border state, requiring the states to step up and defend our territorial sovereignty,” said Governor DeSantis. “I want to extend my sincerest thanks to every law enforcement officer, National Guardsman and member of the State Guard who is serving in Texas.”

Since 2021, Florida has sent more than 2,400 law enforcement officers to assist Texas at the southern border. The state has also sent more than 600 assets including boats, command buses, and all terrain vehicles to help mitigate the crisis.

To watch the Governor’s full remarks from the send off, click here.

Senate Update

Florida Senate Passes Measure to Protect Children from Dangers of Social Media and Harmful Online Content

The Florida Senate passed House Bill 1 with bipartisan support. HB 1 provides robust online protections for children under age 16 and holds big tech companies accountable for unsafe practices.

Experts have tied the use of social media to increased rates of depression, stress, anxiety, and even suicide. HB 1 requires social media companies to prevent children under age 16 from creating an account or utilizing a social media platform, and establishes guidelines for age verification. These social media platforms are addictive by design and the legislation also seeks to protect all children from harmful material online.

With the constant and rapid evolution of the online space, Florida will take the bold step to ensure our youth are protected from predatory practices that negatively impact mental health and adolescent development.

HB1 has been sent to Governor DeSantis for his consideration. He has until March 1, 2024 to sign HB1 into law or to veto. If he does neither, it will become law without his signature.

Senate Committee on Finance and Tax

The Senate Committee on Finance and Tax passed the Senate’s proposed tax package (SB 7074) for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 with unanimous support.

SB 7074 builds on the historic tax relief passed in the 2023 regular session and delivers over $900 million in broad-based tax savings to families and small businesses across the state. This critical tax relief demonstrates the Senate’s commitment to fighting the inflationary policies of the failed Biden Administration and provides support directly to Floridians.

Some of the key elements of SB 7074 include:

Critical savings on home insurance premiums by establishing a one-year exemption on taxes, fees, and assessments for residential property insurance policy holders
Addressing property insurance affordability issues while significant legislative reforms passed during the 2023 Legislative Session come to fruition
Support to small businesses to reduce the cost of doing business in Florida
Offsetting the cost businesses incur to collect sales taxes by increasing the Sales Tax Collection Allowance
Combining additional support for businesses who hire persons with unique abilities and/or donate to certain charitable organizations
Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday Savings (July 29th thru August, 11th)
Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday (June 1st thru June 14th and August 24th thru September 6th)
Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday on Recreational Items (July 1st thru July 31st)
Skilled Worker Sales Tax Holiday on Tools (September 1st thru September 7th)

The next stop for SB 7074 is the Florida House of Representatives.

Senate Appropriations Committee on Education

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Education passed Senate Bill 1264 with unanimous support. SB 1264 requires schools throughout Florida to offer robust education on the devastating impacts of Communism.

Communism is a horrific, tyrannical, repressive, and broken ideology that directly challenges the American ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all. Communist regimes have stripped innocent civilians of basic rights, separated countless families and imprisoned people simply for speaking out against tyranny, and murdered over 100 million men, women, and children.

Florida has stood as a beacon of hope for so many who have fled the horrors of Communism, welcoming millions of Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who have found new freedom, safety, and opportunity in our state.

SB 1264 requires Florida School Districts to provide a comprehensive, age appropriate education on the history of Communism and the atrocities committed by Communist regimes.

The next stop for SB 1264 is the Fiscal Policy Committee.

Senate Committee on Rules

The Senate Committee on Rules passed two critical resolutions to hold Washington accountable. These resolutions build on the Florida Legislature’s initiative to hold Washington accountable and restore common sense to the Federal Government.

Senate Resolution 7064 calls for a Constitutional Convention to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution which would authorize the President of the United States to eliminate unnecessary spending from the federal budget.

Forty-four states, including Florida, provide the Governor with the power to cut spending from state budgets with a line-item veto.

The national debt is over $34 trillion and Washington’s spending problem is more evident than ever. These resolutions send a clear message to Congress that their constituents are fed up with the status quo.

Senate Resolution 7066 calls for a Constitutional Convention to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution which would prohibit Congress from making any law applying to citizens of the United States that does not equally apply to members of Congress.

Equality under the law is a fundamental aspect of the American Republic, yet Congress has consistently disrespected and disregarded the idea that they should be held to the same standard as those they represent resulting in a culture of corruption.

Senate Resolution 7066 aims to resolve the culture of corruption.

Proceeds from Florida’s Gambling Industry to Pay for the State Wildlife Corridor and Environment Projects

The Florida legislature has agreed to allowing hundreds of millions in gambling industry money to pay for further expansion of the state wildlife corridor and other environmental projects including:

$100 million a year for the Florida wildlife corridor
$100 million a year for the management of uplands and to remove invasive species
$100 million for a Department of Environmental Protection flooding and sea-level rise resilience plan
$150 million in state general revenue for the South Florida Water Management District for operations and maintenance responsibilities and to support a contract with the Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University to conduct a study related to Lake Okeechobee
$79 million toward water-quality improvement grants and $4 million for the Department of Environmental Protection to create a local trail management grant program

The majority of the money would come from a gambling deal Governor DeSantis achieved with the Seminole Tribe of Florida in 2021. The Seminole Tribe is now able to offer online sports betting statewide and provide games such as craps at its casinos. In exchange, the tribe pledged to pay $2.5 billion to the state over the first five years — and possibly billions of dollars more throughout the three-decade pact.

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo highlighted the need for the legislation in stating that the investments preserve working farmland and ranchland, allow for strategic expansion of the wildlife corridor, and help protect endangered native species, including the Florida panther.

The corridor connects 18 million acres of publicly owned land and agricultural properties from the Florida Keys to the Panhandle.

Constituent of the Week

Delores O’Hara Spearman

Our Constituent of the Week is Delores O’Hara Spearman, a longtime member of our community, a tireless volunteer, and the recent recipient of the Rodney S. Ketcham Leadership Icon Award from LEAD Brevard.

The LEAD Brevard Ketcham Icon Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates a history of vision, service, and leadership for the betterment of Brevard, and strives to advance and encourage the next generation of leaders.

Ms. Spearman earned two degrees from Florida State University (FSU), a Bachelor’s degree in History in 1999 and a Master’s degree in Historical Administration and Public History in 2008.

Stepping outside of her history majors in college, she became a dental hygienist and was employed in the field for over 23 years. Yet, community service remained her calling.

“Volunteerism to me is something you must do to uplift the community,” said Spearman.

She has served on numerous boards including Circles of Care, the Brevard County Library Foundation, Brevard Museum of History and Science, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute National Board of Directors, the FSU Alumni National Board of Directors, and the FSU Boosters National Board of Directors.

Ms. Spearman was one of the founding members of Project Hunger which raised more than $500,000 to help feed Brevard County residents experiencing hunger and food insecurity. Currently she serves as a board member of the Brevard Cultural Alliance, the Central Brevard County Children’s Advocacy Center, Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, the Rossetter House Foundation, and the Children’s Hunger Project.

In 2010, the Space Coast Business Magazine honored Ms. Spearman and her husband, Guy Spearman, as one of the 12 most powerful couples on the Space Coast. Together, they created the Guy M. and Delores Spearman Scholarship to help Brevard County students seeking educational opportunities at the FSU College of Social Work. In 2011, Florida Today named Ms. Spearman the Volunteer Recognition Award Citizen of the Year.

Ms. Spearman and her twin sister Dianne were born in Florida. Today, she and her husband reside in Rockledge and are the proud grandparents of Susie and Max. In her little spare time, she volunteers and enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking, and baking.

District 19 is proud to recognize Ms. Spearman’s years of volunteerism and the compassion and inspiration she exemplifies in service to those in need.

District Highlights

First Moon Landing Since Apollo 17 in 1972 is Successful

Last week, Space Florida and Florida-based Lonestar Data Holdings, Inc. announced the successful launch, storage, and transmission of sample data to and from Intuitive Machine’s Nova-C lunar lander’s flight to the Moon. This successful transmission of data is a technical milestone for the viability of disaster recovery data storage, developed and tested in Florida .

The Independence Mission began at 1:05 a.m. on Thursday, February 15th with the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral carrying Intuitive Machine’s Nova-C lunar lander. The Nova-C lander touched down on the surface of the moon on Thursday, February 22nd at 6:23 p.m.

The data stored onboard the lander is a list of Florida state parks, the Florida Constitution, and the founding documents of Space Florida. The data transmitted to and from the lander in flight is a copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. The successful test includes digital storage, refresh, and restore — all critical for the next steps in global disaster recovery from the Moon.

“As Chair of Space Florida’s Board of Directors, I am excited to see Florida lead the way on such a significant mission,” said Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “The success of this operation creates new opportunities for scientific research, cybersecurity, and data preservation. By leveraging the unique conditions of the Moon, we are expanding the horizons of the types of economic activity happening in space.”

Establishing data centers on the Moon has the potential to transcend the limitations of terrestrial storage methods, mitigating the risks of data loss from earthly damage such as natural disasters or human-made catastrophes.

For more information, on the Independence Mission, click here.

The New Goddard School in Viera is Accepting Applications for Enrollment and Hiring Teachers

The Goddard School franchise was established 35 years ago in Pennsylvania and serves 100,000 students in 37 states and Washington D.C. Scott Sheldon opened the first Goddard School in Florida in Oviedo seven years ago, and then set his sights on Viera.

“The fact that Viera was a highly ranked master plan community and was looking for childcare on a specific parcel aligned with us as well. We beat the others vying for it and that brought us to today,” Mr. Sheldon said.

The newest Goddard School location in Viera will be on the corner of Stadium Parkway and Pineda in Viera and will serve approximately 290 students from the ages of six weeks to kindergarten.

The school has its own unique learning program called FLEX (Fun Learning Experience). The curriculum is based in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) and designed for children to learn using fun, play based activities, and hands-on learning experiences.

The campus is approximately 20,000 square feet on two acres with 16 classrooms, multiple playground structures, an outdoor amphitheater, and an athletic field.

The Goddard School Viera will open this summer with classes expected to begin in August. They plan to hire up to 55 teachers this spring.

For enrollment and employment information, click here.

Harbor Beach Oceanographic Institute Foundation Announces $1 Million Grant for Seagrass Restoration in the IRL

The Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation (HBOIF) recently announced a $1 million grant to FAU Harbor Branch for a large-scale seagrass restoration project in the Indian River Lagoon.

This grant will provide funding for a wide-spread seagrass restoration project led by Harbor Branch’s Dennis Hanisak, Ph. D., a leading expert on Indian River Lagoon health.

“This grant will finance the establishment of innovative nursey grown seagrass habitats, one of the most valuable communities in the marine environment, in numerous locations in the Indian River Lagoon,” said Dr. Hanisak.

Seagrass provides habitats for juvenile lagoon fish and is the primary food source for Florida manatees. Over the past several decades, environmental stressors like nutrient runoff, salinity issues, and harmful algal blooms have led to catastrophic losses of these lagoon seagrasses.

Work on this project is scheduled to begin in early April 2024.

For more information about the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation, click here.

Upcoming Events

FDOT Requesting Public Comment for Resurfacing Project at South Patrick Drive and Eau Gallie Boulevard

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is holding a public meeting on Thursday, February 29th at 5:30 p.m. regarding project plans on South Patrick Drive and Eau Gallie Boulevard for a resurfacing project and the addition of bicycle lanes. Indian Harbour Beach and Satellite Beach residents are encouraged to participate.

In-Person Open House Option:

Scotty Culp Municipal Complex Civic Center (565 Cassia Boulevard) in Satellite Beach on Thursday, February 29th at 5:30 p.m.

Virtual Option:

To join virtually on Thursday, February 29th at 5:30 p.m., click here.

If you are unable to attend virtually or in person, you can view the materials that will be presented here or contact FDOT Project Manager Samuel Jumber directly here.

Grant Seafood Festival

The 57th Annual Grant Seafood Festival will take place on Saturday, March 2nd from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 3rd from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 45801 1st Street in Grant.

The annual event is widely known for its exhibition of local seafood menus and includes over 125 vendors providing food, beverages, arts and crafts, and live entertainment including the Landsharks (a Jimmy Buffet tribute band) performing from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

What to know before you go:

Parking and admission are free.
No pets (unless wearing a collar or vest to distinguish service animal credentials)
No coolers, tents, umbrellas, or overnight parking.

For more information, click here.

US Air Force Seeking Public Comment on New SpaceX site at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

United States Air Force officials are studying potential environmental impacts of a future SpaceX launch site supporting Starship heavy-lift rocket operations at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).

The new site is adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center and CCSFS. SpaceX proposes to expand its Roberts Road operations area by 100 acres and will serve as a new site for the company’s two-stage Starship rocket which is designed to transport humans, cargo, and payloads to Earth orbit, the moon, and Mars.

The U.S. Air Force will conduct three public and one virtual meeting for community members to learn more about the new site, answer questions, and receive public comments:

Tuesday, March 5th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Catherine Schweinsberg Rood Central Library, (308 Forrest Avenue) in Cocoa
Wednesday, March 6th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Titusville Civic Center (4220 S. Hopkins Avenue) in Titusville
Thursday, March 7th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Radisson Resort at the Port (8701 Astronaut Boulevard) in Cape Canaveral
Monday, March 12th at 6:00 p.m. an additional virtual meeting will take place, click here to register, view the presentation, and share your comments

Written comments can be mailed by March 22nd to CCSFS Starship EIS c/o Jacobs, 5401 W. Kennedy Blvd. #300, Tampa, FL 33609.

For more information on the additional site for SpaceX, click here.

Cocoa Beach’s Beach ‘N Boards Fest

The City of Cocoa Beach and the Ron Jon’s Beach ‘N Boards Fest will take place Wednesday, March 6th thru Sunday, March 10th at Shepard Park (299 East Cocoa Beach Causeway) in Cocoa Beach.

The event includes surfing, skateboarding, and wakeboarding competitions, a women’s volleyball tournament, Roxy beach yoga, interactive exhibits, and more. Local food and drink vendors will be available.

The Beach ‘N Boards Fest is a highly competitive event attended by thousands and serves to raise awareness of eco-conservation, green practices, and beach preservation.

There are different fees for the competitive events and registration requirements which can be viewed here.

To view the 5-day schedule in its entirety, click here.

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