YOUR RESISTANCE NEWSLETTER
WEEK OF MAY 5, 2019
BE SURE TO ATTEND OUR NEXT GENERAL MEETING ON MAY 9 (please note date change from May 2)
FOLLOW UP TO INDIVISIBLE STJ SESSION ON NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE
From Pam Edwards-Roine, Speakers’ Bureau, League of Women Voters
The Florida state legislature is closing down today Saturday for this year’s session. What has happened with NPV legislation in Tallahassee? Once again, Representative Geller introduced the NPVIC bill into the House and Senator Torres introduced it into the Senate. The bills were assigned to committees, but there were no hearings. Do not be discouraged; this is a common route for all legislation. So, generally which legislation is considered and brought to vote? First, legislation that has been knocking at the door for a time, often years and second, the headline-grabbers of which Florida has many. For example, this year consider the gun legislation and restoration of voting rights. From that we can learn a lot here in Northeast Florida as so many before us have. The message I take away is we need to make ourselves heard. More on that later.Let’s start with the big picture and look at what has been happening nationwide. The good news is that there is much to report!This spring, three additional states have passed NPV legislation and are now added to the compact. That brings the electoral vote total to 189 of the 270 needed. Significantly, that means that represents more than 2/3 of the necessary votes. But, there’s more. Oregon (7 votes) and Nevada (6 votes) are making their way towards passing the NPV legislation. If that happens, that means the electoral count will top 200 and there is something magnetic about that number and it is almost 75% of the way there. Wow! And, it doesn’t end there. Several states have already had hearings on the committee level. Stay tuned!So how do we in North Florida make ourselves heard?
- Continue to contact your state rep and senator and let them know of your continued interest and concern and that you want them to push for NPV legislation. (Probably need to cool this for the summer unless you see them in person. The 2020 legislative session starts up in January, so October is probably a good time to start nagging, er…, calling again.
- Talk it up among family, friends and other contacts and urge them to call.
- Tell those organizations or groups of friends about the League of Women Voters speakers’ bureau. We’re happy to come out and do a presentation. (Just respond to the above address.)
Finally, more good news. The League will be joining with Common Cause and other public interest organizations in setting up an independent entity that will jointly work on furthering the NPV cause. We’ll be sharing the work and the resources while spreading the word with citizens and legislators.
Homestead, Fl children's prison Call to Action
What is Homestead Detention Center? Homestead, Florida is the site of the largest child detention center in the country, the ONLY for-profit center, and the only shelter deemed “temporary”. It was opened in June 2016 to house what HHS calls unaccompanied alien children (UAC). From June 2016 to April 2017 it sheltered 8,500 children, then closed. It was reactivated in March 2018 and currently houses more than 2,000 children. HHS now plans to expand to house up to 3,200 children beginning in mid-April. Children at Homestead are 13-17 yrs of age. About 75% are male and 25% female. According to HHS children remain an average of 52 days (although there are reports of children staying much longer).
What can we do? While media coverage of the Homestead detention facility is growing, there is a need for greater awareness and action.
Lobby Contact your representatives at state and local levels. Write letters to local newspapers. Share on Facebook. Follow the Witness Homestead Facebook page. Write petitions to close Homestead. Support Senator Merkley’s Bill 397 “Shut Down Child Prison Camps Act”.
Donate The Witness Homestead group is requesting donations to help keep monitors on the ground. There is a Go Fund Me account called “Witness Homestead Support”. Donate here
Arming Florida school teachers
The bill to arm Florida's public schoolteachers has passed the Senate and the House and is now with Governor DeSantis for signature into law. If that happens, we'll need to show up at the school board meetings. Stay up to date by RSVPing to this event
Medicaid Expansion drive continues - Anyone who has ideas about venues and wants to help out can email andrea.degeorge@gmail.com. If you want to understand the benefits of expanding Medicaid, follow this link https://www.ncpssm.org/documents/medicaid-legislation/medicaid-expansion-benefits-states-and-beneficiaries/
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Homestead, Fl children's prison Call to Action
What is Homestead Detention Center? Homestead, Florida is the site of the largest child detention center in the country, the ONLY for-profit center, and the only shelter deemed “temporary”. It was opened in June 2016 to house what HHS calls unaccompanied alien children (UAC). From June 2016 to April 2017 it sheltered 8,500 children, then closed. It was reactivated in March 2018 and currently houses more than 2,000 children. HHS now plans to expand to house up to 3,200 children beginning in mid-April. Children at Homestead are 13-17 yrs of age. About 75% are male and 25% female. According to HHS children remain an average of 52 days (although there are reports of children staying much longer).
Donate The Witness Homestead group is requesting donations to help keep monitors on the ground. There is a Go Fund Me account called “Witness Homestead Support”. Donate here
What can we do? While media coverage of the Homestead detention facility is growing, there is a need for greater awareness and action.
Lobby Contact your representatives at state and local levels. Write letters to local newspapers. Share on Facebook. Follow the Witness Homestead Facebook page. Write petitions to close Homestead. Support Senator Merkley’s Bill 397 “Shut Down Child Prison Camps Act”.
Arming Florida school teachers
The bill to arm Florida's public schoolteachers has passed the Senate and the House and is now with Governor DeSantis for signature into law. If that happens, we'll need to show up at the school board meetings. Stay up to date by RSVPing to this event
Medicaid Expansion drive continues - Anyone who has ideas about venues and wants to help out can email andrea.degeorge@gmail.com. If you want to understand the benefits of expanding Medicaid, follow this link https://www.ncpssm.org/documents/medicaid-legislation/medicaid-expansion-benefits-states-and-beneficiaries/
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THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WILL TAKE UP PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR TREE PROTECTION.
THE GROUP "CITIZENS FOR A NEW TREE ORDINANCE" HAS TAKEN THE LEAD IN OPPOSITION TO THESE CHANGES, WHICH WOULD BE HARMFUL TO OUR COUNTY'S TREE CANOPY, AND PERMIT EVEN MORE RESIDENTIAL GROWTH THAT IS PERMITTED UNDER CURRENT CODES. CLICK ON THE Click here for more information.
Date/Location: Tuesday May 7 at the County Auditorium, 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, FL 32084
· This is a link to the Meeting agenda.· The meeting starts at 9 AM but the Tree Protection item is Number 9 in the Land Development Code Discussion. It may be possible to watch the meeting progress on television at home and then proceed to the Auditorium when it looks like they are advancing to that agenda item. This is the link for the SJC television link .· Please wear green to the meeting!The commissioners need to understand development can be accomplished while retaining the beauty of our trees and habitat for our wildlife!
St. Johns County Legal Aid is sponsoring a training on Section 8 Housing on May 8, 2019, 11AM – Noon.Gainesville attorney and Section 8 expert, Kevin Rabin, will be leading the session.All are welcome to join the meeting in the Kingfisher Conference Room at the SJC Health and Human Services Building, 200 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, FL 32084.
Refreshments will be available. No reservation is needed. Please share this information with your contacts.
COME TO OUR
SECOND BIRTHDAY PARTY!!
MONDAY, MAY 13
6:00-8:OOPM
UNITY CHURCH FOR CREATIVE LIVING
Please join us in celebrating our 2nd BIRTHDAY with a PARTY!! We will gather in the garden area outside to enjoy appetizers, beer/wine, and a politically-themed cake! We are inviting all of our current Democratic & NPA office holders in the county to attend as well. Now is the time to get to know them and ask them questions! We will also hold our popular 50-50 raffle again.
Appetizer/snack contributions are appreciated.
Please sign up here
The next meeting of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of St. Johns County is on Tuesday, May 14th, 6:00, at the Dem office on 71 South Dixie Highway.Guest speaker: Nancy Sikes-Kline, St. Augustine City Commissioner.
Nancy has spent quite a bit of time recently lobbying for our coastal community in Tallahassee. She has been cited by the Florida League of Cities as a "Home Rule Hero," meaning that she has consistently lobbied against the FL state legislature's use of preemption. This abuse of state government's power prevents a local government enacting certain local ordinances, such as banning the sale of plastic straws, a.k.a., "banning the ban."
Click here to learn more about fate of environmental bills in this legislative session.
Topics for May 2 included
WE ALWAYS WELCOME NEW MEMBERS AND NEW IDEAS!
Email us at indivisible.st.johns@gmail.com
KNOW YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS
Senator Travis Hutson District 7 Republican
District Office Tallahassee Office
4875 Palm Coast Parkway, NW 314 Senate Building
Suite 5 404 South Monroe Street
Palm Coast, FL 32137 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
(386) 446-7610 (850) 487-5007
Senate VOIP: 40700 Senate VOIP: 5007
FAX (888) 263-3475
Suite 5 404 South Monroe Street
Palm Coast, FL 32137 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
(386) 446-7610 (850) 487-5007
Senate VOIP: 40700 Senate VOIP: 5007
FAX (888) 263-3475
Legislative Assistants Legislative Assistant
Danielle Curbow and Matthew Kauffmann John Kotyk
District Address
Suite 902
309 Kingsley Lake Drive
St Augustine, FL 32092-3048
Phone (904) 823-2300
District Secretary: Shorty Robbins
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Capitol Address
402 South Monroe Street 303 House Office Building Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300 Phone: (850) 717-5017
Legislative Assistant
Kaley Slattery
:
Kaley |
District Office Capitol Office
Suite 1 418 The Capitol
4877 Palm Coast Parkway Northwest 402 South Monroe Street
Palm Coast, FL 32137-3677 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone (386) 446-7644 Phone (850) 717-5024
4877 Palm Coast Parkway Northwest 402 South Monroe Street
Palm Coast, FL 32137-3677 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone (386) 446-7644 Phone (850) 717-5024
Legislative Assistant
Samantha Story
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