Big News: we launched our first major initiative of the 2020 Presidential Election yesterday

As of yesterday, there are 21 Democrats running for President -- and that’s great. A competitive primary contest with many highly-qualified candidates will produce the strongest possible Democratic nominee. But on the day after our nominee is picked, we all need to unify behind them. That’s where the We Are Indivisible pledge comes in.

We’re launching a massive grassroots campaign to get every Democratic presidential hopeful and activist to sign on to a simple promise: that no matter our differences in the primary, once Democrats have a nominee, we'll do everything in our power to get the nominee elected. 

The details of the pledge we’re asking candidates to take and our action items are below, but it’s a long email, so if you’re already all in to get as many of them to sign it as possible, here’s our ask: Please sign the pledge now

 so here’s the exact pledge language that we’re asking candidates to sign on to:

YOUR RESISTANCE NEWSLETTER

WEEK OF APRIL 28, 2019

BE SURE TO ATTEND OUR NEXT GENERAL MEETING ON MAY 9  (please note date change from May 2)

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, it will likely also pass the house and be signed into law by the governor. If that happens, we'll need to show up at the school board meetings. Stay up to date by RSVPing to this event

Contact your local legislators.  

The legislative session ends Friday May 3.  If you're a constituent of Cyndi Stevenson and want to raise awareness of your important issue, contact her office before Friday .  District Secretary Shorty Robbins 904-823-2300 or Legislative Assistant Kaley Slattery 850-717-5017
If you're a constituent of Paul Renner, contact Legislative Assistant Samantha Story  850-717-5024                                                            

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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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.

Get tickets here

Next meeting is May 2

Get the weekly
Americans of conscience checklist
Sign up here

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

Legislative Assistants                                                Legislative Assistant

Danielle Curbow and Matthew Kauffmann          John Kotyk

Member of the Florida House of Representatives   Cyndi Stevenson 17th District  Republican District Address Suite 902 309 Kingsley Lake Drive St Augustine, FL 32092-3048 Phone (904) 823-2300 District Secretary: Shorty Robbins

Capitol Address 402 South Monroe Street 303 House Office Building Tallahassee, FL   32399-1300 Phone: (850) 717-5017 Legislative Assistant Kaley Slattery : Kaley

Member of the Florida House of Representatives Paul Renner 24th District  Republican

                                     

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

                                                                                      Legislative Assistant

                                                                                      Samantha Story

Indivisible St Johns Guest editorial

Beach Ban on Plastics a Collective Responsibility


Read more

Have you read the Mueller Report?  

Here’s a PDF copy

Here’s a searchable copy

YOUR RESISTANCE NEWSLETTER

WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2019

Indivisible in the news

Leah and Ezra have built a powerful network of folks ready to fight for justice and inclusion in health care, at our borders and in the Supreme Court. They did not do this work alone, and perhaps most commendably they are quick to step back, create space and center those most impacted by issues. In times of division, they’ve been a constant force for good. Together, our work continues.
Read here

Senate Rules Committee meeting Tuesday, 04/23/19

Email or call your Senator and urge that he or she vote NO on SB 7086 at the Senate Rules Committee meeting this Tuesday, 04/23/19, 2:00 pm.

SB 7086     Voting Rights Restoration               This bill is an unconstitutional overreach that restricts the rights of returning citizens to vote after 64% of the electorate voted for passage of Amendment 4. It expands the definition of “completion of sentence,” and allows non-judicial private and government entities to create additional barriers to voting and de facto imposition of poll taxes.

Include your name and address or Zip Code so your legislator knows you are a constituent.

District	Last Name	Email	Phone
27	Benacquisto	benacquisto.lizbeth.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5027
32	Book	book.lauren.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5032
5	Bradley	bradley.rob.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5005
24	Brandes	brandes.jeff.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5024
35	Braynon	braynon.oscar.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5035
34	Farmer	farmer.gary.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5034
39	Flores	flores.anitere.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5039
6	Gibson	gibson.audrey.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5006
7	Hutson	hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5007
20	Lee	lee.tom.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5020
3	Montford	montford.bill.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5003
28	Passidomo	passidomo.kathleen.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5028
37	Rodríguez	rodriguez.jose.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5037
9	Simmons	simmons.david.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5009
10	Simpson	simpson.wilton.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5010
33	Thurston	thurston.perry.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5033

If you are a constituent of Rules Committee Chair, Lizbeth Benacquisto, ask her to place the following bills on the agenda for the next Criminal Justice Committee meeting. Otherwise, ask your Senator to urge the Chair to place these bills on her next committee agenda.

SB 204       Detention Facilities      Requires that a custodial interrogation at a place of detention be electronically recorded in its entirety in connection with certain offenses to insure its integrity and compliance with procedures.

SB 268       Voting Methods             Requires a voter-verified paper trail and meets the voter accessibility requirements for individuals with disabilities. Insures integrity of voting process.

Visit by Indivisible members to Homestead, Fl children's prison on April 21-23 to protest the inhumane conditions at this children’s prison. 

House and Senate Calendars for week of April 22

There are just two more weeks remaining in the 2019 Florida State Legislative session.

The House and Senate companion bills listed below have all passed their committee hearings and could be voted on in each chamber as early as Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.

Email, call or message your Legialators and let them know how you want them to vote.

To send a message

• Text ‘State’ to 50409, or to Resistbot on Twitter, Messenger, or Telegram and follow the prompts.
• Select ‘Legislature’ to send the same message to just your State Senator and Representative.
• Or select ‘Both’ to send your message to your Representatives and Governor.
• Copy and paste each Bill reference and talking points listed below with any edits you want to add to a Resistbot message.

Vote YES              HB997/SB322 Health Plans           Prohibits insurers or health maintenance organizations from excluding or delaying coverage due to preexisting medical conditions. Affordable health care sustains families and improves quality of life.

Vote YES              HB49/SB332 Incarcerated Women           Provides a more dignified and humane environment for incarcerated women, respectful treatment from male guards and free sanitary products.

Vote YES              HB107/ SB76 Texting While Driving        Prohibits use of a wireless communications device while driving. Distracted driving is a recognized cause of traffic accidents especially with inexperienced teen drivers.

Vote YES              HB259/SB982 Comprehensive Health Education       Revises the required health education in public schools to include information regarding the dangers and signs of human trafficking and requires the Department of Legal Affairs to develop human trafficking awareness campaigns.

Vote YES              HB689/SB268 Voting Methods                 Requires a voter-verified paper trail and meets the voter accessibility requirements for individuals with disabilities. Insures integrity of voting process.

Vote YES              HB7125/SB642 Public Safety         Reduces Florida’s gain time laws, raises the felony theft threshold, makes past reforms retroactive, allowing people who were sentenced under harsher old drug trafficking and aggravated assault laws the opportunity to be re-sentenced and potentially released. The net result is to free an estimated 7,800 prisoners over five years, eventually saving taxpayers about $419 million a year.

Vote NO              HB7093/SB7030 School Safety      An overwhelming body of evidence indicates that arming teachers puts children and the school community at a greater risk of gun violence in our schools and would impede the response of law enforcement to an active shooter incident. Instead, our leaders should be passing measures proven effective at reducing gun violence, like closing the background check loophole by requiring a background check on all gun sales in Florida.

Vote NO                HB7095/SB7070 School Choice      Funneling general revenue dollars to private and religious schools reduces general revenue for public schools and is clearly unconstitutional based on the 2006 Supreme Court Case.

Vote NO               HB527/SB168 Federal Immigration Enforcement     This bill prohibits Sanctuary Cities. It threatens, profiles, harasses and detains immigrant families. It wastes valuable local resources hurting families and local budgets. It corrodes community trust in law enforcement, drains valuable law enforcement resources, and makes Floridians less safe.

Vote NO                HB7089/SB7068 Voting Rights Restoration               This bill is an unconstitutional overreach that restricts the rights of returning citizens to vote after 64% of the electorate voted for passage of Amendment 4. It expands the definition of “completion of sentence,” and allows non-judicial private and government entities to create additional barriers to voting and de facto imposition of poll taxes.

Vote NO                HB131/SB230 Voter Registration Maintenance           Requires that county supervisors of elections receive, on a monthly basis, lists of potential jurors and drivers license applicants who have identified themselves as non-citizens. Previous lists have been inaccurate, out of date and unreliable. Voter registration fraud is not a problem in Florida.

Vote NO                HB7111/SB7096 Constitutional Amendments           Requires volunteers collecting petitions to register with the state. Unfairly regulates compensation. If a petition collector is ruled ineligible the signatures of the voters who signed the petitions will be ruled invalid without their knowledge. It allows the government to place unfair and biased language on the ballot for initiatives it doesn’t support and hinders citizen participation in making public policy.  

Visit by Indivisible members to Homestead, Fl children's prison on April 21-23 to protest the inhumane conditions at this children’s prison. 

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. 

Visit The Witness Homestead group on the ground is small.  They are asking for others to join them at the site to “witness” and report.  Going in groups helps to get coverage and can be linked to activities on site….. speakers, prayer groups, sing alongs.  The FB page Witness: Tornillo.Target:Homestead  has lots of information.  If you click Announcements there’s an application for visitors to plan their stay. There are hotels nearby and campgrounds.  

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”.  There are also organizations that work with the children once released (but I don’t have recommendations).

South Florida Town Demands ICE Stop Mistreating Immigrants at Miami's Immigration Office

Learn more here.    Please get information out through your social media networks, editorials and talking to your legistors

Visit your local legislators.  

If you're a constituent of Cyndi Stevenson and interested in attending, please email   andrea.degeorge@gmail.com. 
If you're a constituent of Paul Renner and interested in attending, please hold on as we have been told that appointments will be available only after the legislative session is complete.

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/

______________________________________

           Saturday, April 27^th at 2 PM

The Blue Wave Coalition and Women's March St. Johns invite you to a private Civil Rights Walking Tour in St. Augustine, led by the indomitable Miss Bernadette!

Did you know that events in St. Augustine were instrumental in leading to passage of the Civil Rights Act? And that in many ways, the ugly legacy of racism lingers yet today in that city?  Help us increase awareness of this history and show our friendship to our African American neighbors in that community. Come walk with us and explore several stops where you will hear stories and see the places where great leaders stood up for dignity, equality and human rights. Learn about the Freedom Fighters who risked their lives here in the pursuit of freedom for all people. You will see history come alive as you follow in the footsteps of Civil Rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King and Andrew Young. Wear your walking shoes and hats, bring your tickets, and meet us at 4 Granada Street, St. Augustine, FL a few minutes before 1:00 PM.  Please sign up here by clicking here, as slots are limited!

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.

Next meeting is May 2

Get the weekly
Americans of conscience checklist
Sign up here

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

Legislative Assistants                                                Legislative Assistant

Danielle Curbow and Matthew Kauffmann          John Kotyk

Member of the Florida House of Representatives   Cyndi Stevenson 17th District  Republican District Address Suite 902 309 Kingsley Lake Drive St Augustine, FL 32092-3048 Phone (904) 823-2300 District Secretary: Shorty Robbins

Capitol Address 402 South Monroe Street 303 House Office Building Tallahassee, FL   32399-1300 Phone: (850) 717-5017 Legislative Assistant Kaley Slattery : Kaley

Member of the Florida House of Representatives Paul Renner 24th District  Republican

                                     

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

                                                                                      Legislative Assistant

                                                                                      Samantha Story