Latest news with #AlexisCalatayud
Miami Herald
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Florida revenge porn victims are about to get more recourse, even if not enough
Social media is a powerful tool, but, in the wrong hands, platforms can be weaponized. For victims of deepfakes and AI-generated revenge porn, the damage is deeply personal and immediate. To have those images removed, victims are left with zero guidance and forced to navigate an evolving landscape with limited recourse against the person posting the fake images. Recognizing the increased concerns over deepfakes — images or audio altered by artificial intelligence — the Florida Legislature is taking action toward cracking down on fake, pornographic depictions of people. Known as Brooke's Law, House Bill 1161 and companion Senate Bill 1400, introduced by Miami Sen. Alexis Calatayud, would require internet platforms to create a way for people to have altered sexual depictions and copies of such depictions removed from their platform upon request of the victim. The bill gets its name from former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry's daughter, Brooke Curry, who was a victim of a deep fake pornographic image circulated on the social media platform Snapchat. Sadly, Brooke's story isn't unique. Sponsor state Rep. Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville, told lawmakers in a committee hearing last week, 'The Department of Homeland Security has declared that deep fakes and the misuse of synthetic content pose a clear, present and evolving threat to the public — 98% of the deep fake videos found online are explicitly pornographic, and 99% of those feature women.' Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle recognize the problem, and the bipartisan consensus is encouraging for victims who have found themselves with little protection. Last week, Brooke's Law unanimously cleared the House and is poised for Senate passage on Wednesday. The legislation avoids sweeping mandates and focuses on civil enforcement, and treats failure by social media platforms to comply as a deceptive business practice under Florida's consumer protection laws. Michael Flynn, a professor at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, said that while the legislation offers a form of recourse, it's only part of the solution. 'Once the content is posted, the damage is done and any remedy for the victim cannot take back what is already out for others to view,' he told the Miami Herald Editorial Board. Flynn argues that, 'criminal penalties in addition to a civil remedy might be more effective.' Florida lawmakers aren't the only ones tackling the issue of deepfakes and revenge porn. The U.S. Senate has taken up the TAKE IT DOWN Act, bipartisan online safety legislation aimed to increase protections against the non-consensual dissemination of sexual images, including artificial intelligence generated images as well as deepfake and revenge porn. The difference between Brooke's Law and the TAKE IT DOWN Act is that Brooke's Law is civil and applies within Florida. The TAKE IT DOWN Act establishes federal criminal penalties against people who post non-consensual intimate images. Both bills would require a platform to remove the content within 48 hours of a request Brooke's Law is a significant step forward. By requiring platforms to create a take-down process, it ensures victims can take immediate action to protect themselves. However, as Flynn noted, 'the law may act as a deterrent but does not protect the victim once the posting of the images is complete.' There should be broader protections, such as creating victim support services and the consideration of criminal implications at the state level. Miami-based First Amendment attorney Tom Julin said Brooke's Law may prompt social media platforms to 'become much more aggressive in terms of limiting the content that they allow to be posted on their sites.' That may not be a bad thing, especially if it means fewer victims of deepfakes and revenge porn. Brooke's Law could have more teeth, but it still progress toward regulation on the destructive ways artificial intelligence can be used. Click here to send the letter.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Schools of Hope' backed by Senate committee for low-performing school zones
A Senate committee Tuesday approved a proposal that could help expand the use of 'schools of hope,' a type of charter school, in areas with low-performing traditional public schools. The Senate Pre-K-12 Appropriations Committee voted 6-1 to support the bill (SB 1708) filed by Sen. Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami. According to a Senate staff analysis, Florida has 12 schools of hope, which operate in the attendance zones or within five miles of what are considered 'persistently low-performing' public schools. The bill, in part, would expand a state law definition of persistently low-performing schools. Under the proposal, that designation would begin to apply to public schools that have been in the bottom 10 percent of schools statewide for student performance on third-grade standardized English-language arts or math exams in at least two of the previous three years. The staff analysis said the change would 'greatly increase the number of schools being designated as persistently low-performing schools' and, as a result, increase the areas where Schools of Hope could operate. 'This creates a pathway for more high-performing, high-outcome (schools of hope) operators to enter into communities,' Calatayud said. Sen. Rosalind Osgood, a Tamarac Democrat who cast the only dissenting vote, raised questions about whether the lowest-performing students would be able to get spots in the schools of hope. The bill must clear the Senate Rules Committee before it can proceed to the full Senate. Two subcommittees have approved a House version (HB 1267), which is pending in the House Education & Employment Committee. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida forges ahead with Gulf of America legislation
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida is moving toward becoming the first state to pass legislation conforming to the Trump administration's Gulf of America name switch. The issue has emerged as a GOP point of pride in the state, where Republicans seek to lead on compliance with the federal designation that some Democrats have contended makes Florida look like a 'laughingstock.' State senators advanced a bill Monday requiring Florida agencies and local schools to update geographic materials to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Similar proposals are on the cusp of final passage in the state House. 'As you've probably already noticed, apps we use every day have already made the change to Gulf of America,' said state Sen. Alexis Calatayud (R-Miami). 'Moving forward, it's important to update geographic and instructional school materials for Floridians.' Bridging the gulf: The legislation backed Monday by the Senate's education budget committee, SB 1058, calls on state agencies, school boards and charter schools to update books and other materials to reflect the Gulf of America change. This policy would be applied to any materials acquired on or after July 1, meaning schools would not have to immediately update all currently used books. For the 2027-2028 school year, Florida is set to adopt new social studies textbooks, and those would be required to include the Gulf of America. This measure is similar to a move by Louisiana officials to update state social studies standards starting next year to include the new language. At the same time, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order earlier this month aiming to replace the Gulf of Mexico name in documents, maps and other materials published by state agencies. The Florida Senate's bill is scheduled for one additional committee hearing, while a House version, HB 549, is now ready for consideration on the chamber floor. The House bill cleared its last committee last week amid opposition from Democrats, who claim the GOP-dominated Legislature's Gulf of America bills are 'arbitrary' and could ultimately require a fix under a president from a different party. To poke fun at the idea, one state House Democrat filed an amendment to rename Florida roads and other landmarks with Star Wars references in state law, switching 'Washington, D.C.,' to the 'Galactic Senate' in one instance. 'While right now it's hot to be Gulf of America … I think we need to prioritize our students being able to function in a world academic market,' said state Rep. Ashley Gantt (D-Miami), who opposed the House legislation. Republican lawmakers, though, suggest the proposals will 'make the Gulf great again.' They downplayed the changes by citing countries that have switched names in the past, with one referencing a quote from the TV show 'Seinfeld': 'You'll most likely know it as Myanmar, but it will always be Burma to me.' 'This isn't out of the historical norm,' said state Rep. Wyman Duggan (R-Jacksonville). 'It's consistent with federal law in the form of the executive order. If it changes in the future, it will change again. I don't understand all the angst.' Another gulf to cross: Another proposed Gulf of America bill would rename the body of water across 52 Florida statutes. This legislation, SB 608, is awaiting a final committee hearing in the Senate, while a companion bill, HB 575, is ready to be taken up on the House floor.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hiring of Florida university presidents would become public again under new bill
Searches for public university and college presidents in Florida may soon return to the sunshine if recently-filed measures are passed this legislative session. Two Republicans – Sen. Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami, and Rep. Michelle Salzman, R-Cantonment – filed the legislation (SB 1726/HB 1321) last week. The identical bills make several changes to state law. Most notably, the legislation would remove the public records and open meetings exemption for those who apply to become a president of a Florida public institution of higher education. Supporters of keeping searches in the dark have argued Florida's open records requirement dissuades many qualified candidates from applying because they don't want their employer at the time to find out. Open government advocates counter that the open process still results in high-quality leaders, using Florida State University President Richard McCullough as an example. The exemptions now are under scrutiny just a few years after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law making applications confidential. The only information the public gets is a list of finalists for an opening. The move allowed for the University of Florida's search committee to name Ben Sasse, a Republican U.S. senator from Nebraska, as the sole finalist for the presidency in 2022, following a national search of more than 700 candidates. After 17 months, Sasse, who said he resigned because of his wife's epilepsy diagnoses, was later investigated for his spending practices during his tenure. More recently, the Florida International University Board of Trustees named Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez its interim president after DeSantis' office contacted Board Chair Rogelio Tovar and asked him to consider her for the post. This year's bill also would require members of the Board of Governors, which oversees the state's public universities, to comply with financial disclosure requirements and remove their ability to ultimately confirm the pick of a university president, transferring that power to the university itself. It also would impose term limits on the Board of Governors' members, as well as require them to live in the state and add rules as to who can recommend a presidential candidate. "The interim or permanent president selected by the (institution's) board of trustees must have been recommended by the presidential search committee," the bill states. For the state college system, which is governed by the Florida Department of Education, the bill allows for the appointment, reappointment, suspension and extension of a president without departmental approval. If passed and signed by DeSantis, the legislation takes effect July 1. As of Monday, the day before the start of the Legislature's yearly 60-day regular session, the bills had not been assigned to any committees in their respective chambers. Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@ This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Bill would make Florida university president searches open to public
