Latest news with #DebbieMayfield
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is Eight Enough? Sitting and former lawmakers debate term limits in the Legislature
Former GOP state Sen. Tom Lee, Tampa Bay Democratic Sen. Darryl Rouson, Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez, and lobbyist Ron Pierce at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club in Ybor City on May 16, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) Florida voters amended the state Constitution subjecting legislators to eight-year term limits more than three decades ago. But as this year's legislative session continues with no end in sight, the issue of whether term-limits are working for all Floridians was the topic of debate at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club on Friday afternoon. 'I've seen a lot happen,' said Tampa Bay area Democratic Sen. Darryl Rouson, the longest-serving member of the Legislature, who was first elected to the House in 2008. 'The downside is the experts become the staff, and to some extent, the lobbyists, and to a larger extent, not so much the legislator … so I think it has its drawbacks.' 'Term limits have completely empowered lobbyists,' agreed Ron Pierce, a lobbyist himself who worked for eight years as a legislative staffer and has headed RSA Consulting Group since 2009. The term-limit law became an issue earlier this year when Brevard County House Republican Debbie Mayfield filed to run for the Senate seat in which she had served from 2016-2024. After she was term-limited from running again last fall, she instead ran and won a seat in the Florida House. But after the newly elected senator in District 19, Randy Fine, quit to run for and win a seat in Congress, Mayfield filed to run for that Senate seat again in a special election. The Florida Division of Elections ruled that she couldn't run again for the seat because of the term limit law. She challenged that ruling, and the Florida Supreme Court ruled for her unanimously in February, stating that her gap in serving in the Senate from November until February allowed her to run again for the Senate seat in a special election (which is slated to take place on June 10). Concurrent to that drama, Hernando County Republican Blaise Ingoglia filed a resolution during the session (SJR 536) that would have clarified that the law imposes a lifetime limit of 16 years in state legislative office — 8 years max in the House, 8 years max in the Senate — with a caveat for senators who serve reduced two-year terms due to redistricting. The measure would have gone to the voters as a constitutional amendment in 2026, but stalled after being approved in one committee stop. 'Let's stop the practice of people continually running for the same office and bouncing back and forth between chambers,' Ingoglia said on X. 'Serving the people of Florida should be a privilege, and an honor, not a career.' The 'Eight is Enough' constitutional amendment in 1992, which passed with 77% of the vote, did not just include eight-year term limits for the state Legislature, but also for members of Congress, former Hillsborough County Republican state Sen. Tom Lee noted on Friday. 'That was the primary motivation behind it, and term limits for Congress was ultimately ruled to be unconstitutional,' he noted. Former Tampa Democratic Sen. Janet Cruz, who served in the Legislature for more than a decade before losing a bid for re-election to the Senate in 2022, asked the panelists whether term limits even matter anymore because of 'gerrymandered districts.' Pierce insisted they absolutely do matter, citing the fact that when Rouson does leave the Senate next year because of term limits, his successor will not be nearly as experienced or have the same amount of influence. 'It has been around forever and isn't going away,' Lee said regarding the issue of gerrymandering. He added that the way that Republicans gained more seats in the Legislature starting in the late 1980s and early 1990s was because they built a coalition with Black and Hispanic Democrats to carve out seats 'to ensure their election in minority-access districts in exchange for the rest of the map looking very Republican. And before you knew it, you had a Republican-dominated Legislature. That's what happened.' Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez, a Democrat, served in the Florida House from 1998 until 2006, when he was term-limited from his seat. He said he could make the argument that the state would be better off if term-limits could be extended to 12 or even 16 years, but it would be 'controversial' for any lawmaker to push for that proposal. 'There have been efforts to try increase term limits to a different number. I don't know what that sweet spot is — 12 years, 16 years. None of those have gone very far within the state Legislature,' Henriquez said. Pierce said he could support getting rid of term limits outright, but added that there's no way that could possibly happen, since it would require getting them repealed via a constitutional amendment. 'You've changed some things in Tallahassee this year, I think, that made it a little more difficult for citizen's initiatives in the future, that's number one,' he said, referring to the legislation signed by Gov. DeSantis that will make the process more difficult to get a measure on the ballot. The second problem, he said, is that it would look 'self-serving' for lawmakers to push the measure. But he added that the biggest hurdle would be finding anyone to educate the public about why term-limits should be repealed. 'Who in the world is going to try to educate the public on why you're trying to change term-limits?' he asked. 'Who's going to pay for that?' The discussion took place just days after Gov. Ron DeSantis travelled to Ohio to give his support for a resolution in that state's Legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot calling for a constitutional convention to impose congressional term limits. The Florida Legislature passed a resolution last year calling for a U.S. Term Limits convention. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers pass restrictions on state employees' politicking, cut off funds for agency heads' travel
Brevard County Republican Rep. Debbie Mayfield. (Photo courtesy of the House of Representatives) In a near-unanimous vote, the Florida House gave final approval Friday to a bill tightening restrictions against state employees' participation in political campaigning. The bill, HB 1445, is narrower than what the Florida House first proposed. The lower chamber wanted to bar state employees from soliciting contributions for political parties, committees, or candidates during working hours. The Senate changed that language, replacing it to prohibit contribution solicitations that are coercive, explicitly stating that state employees suggesting someone make a political donation is OK under the bill. The language lawmakers agreed upon also stops state employees from participating in any political campaign, not just those for elective offices, when they're supposed to be working. Throughout the legislative session, the involvement by state officials in Gov. Ron DeSantis' political campaign against last year's failed ballot initiatives to legalize recreational marijuana and restore abortion access prompted legal challenges came under scrutiny. The move to restrict politicking from state employees came after NBC News first reported that state employees in the governor's office called lobbyists to request donations for a political committee aligned with DeSantis as he and First Lady Casey DeSantis hinted that she was considering a run for governor. Although the proposal from Republicans Rep. Debbie Mayfield of Melbourne and Sen. Erin Grall of Vero Beach is on its way to the governor's desk, DeSantis has already said he would veto it. 'They're pulling it out of their rear ends and trying to jam it through this process. Over my veto pen,' DeSantis said of the proposal during an April 15 press conference in Pensacola. DeSantis' main criticism of the bill at the time involved a provision requiring agency heads to live in Tallahassee, which the governor referred to as a 'swamp.' However, the final version cuts off reimbursement for agency heads to travel to Tallahassee. For example, state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo lives in Pinellas County. Final passage of HB 1445 came well into the evening of the 60th day of the legislative session and with little debate. Mayfield reminded the chamber that the sole vote against the bill when the chamber first passed it on April 16 came from Delray Beach Republican Rep. Michael Caruso, a staunch DeSantis ally. Caruso was also the sole vote against the bill on Friday. Two provisions that remained intact in the compromise between the House and Senate require people appointed to universities' boards of trustees and the board that oversees Florida's public higher education institutions to live in the state or have graduated from the specific school they serve, or from any state university for the statewide board. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Citizens gun rights during local state of emergency would be restored under bill passed by House
A customer tries out a semi-automatic pistol at The Gun Store on Nov. 14, 2008, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by) Update: A Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare representative said staff were caring for an undisclosed number of casualties. 'TMH is actively receiving and caring for patients related to an incident that has occurred at Florida State University. At this time, details are still unfolding, and we do not yet have specific information to share. However, we want to assure the community that our teams are fully mobilized and prepared to provide the highest level of care and support to all those affected,' a written statement says. 'We remain in close coordination with emergency responders and public safety officials. Out of respect for patient privacy and to ensure accurate information, we will provide updates as soon as they are available. We ask for your patience and compassion during this difficult time.' The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, meanwhile, posted on X that its officers were on the scene and would issue an update 'with more information as soon as possible.' === A proposal that would prohibit local governments from suspending the sale of guns and ammunition during a declared state of emergency was approved in the Florida House on Wednesday. The measure (HB 6025) sponsored by Brevard County Republicans Monique Miller and Debbie Mayfield, repeals current state law that prohibits the sale of firearms and ammunition during a local state of emergency. The bill would also repeal the prohibition banning anyone intentionally possessing a firearm in a public place during a local emergency. South Florida Democratic Rep. Mike Gottlieb said that he had voted for the bill in an earlier committee meeting, but that upon reading the actual state statute that it would repeal (section 870.044) was now opposing it. 'What we're saying is that if there's a riot or public disturbance we're just going to let everybody sort of willy-nilly, without the controls that we have in place, get their firearms, and that's adding fuel to that riot,' he said. 'That's adding fuel to that fire.' Gottlieb added that he believed it had 'wide-ranging implications that could endanger us in society.' But Republicans said it was more than an appropriate change. 'When our communities are ripped by unrest or emergency, when the lights go out and the sirens grow louder and the sense of order is fading, that is precisely the moment when Floridians deserve the freedom to defend themselves, their children, their homes and their livelihoods,' said Seminole County Republican Rachel Plakon. 'When I came up here I promised my constituents that one of the most important things that I would do is I would fine laws that violate their constitutional rights, and I would get rid of them,' said Miller. 'This is one of the most egregious that I found.' The measure passed 86-28, mostly along party lines. The Senate version (SB 952) sponsored by Hernando County Republican Blaise Ingoglia has passed all of its committees and is awaiting a floor vote in that chamber.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Over DeSantis' objections, House votes to require appointees to live in Tallahassee
Brevard County Republican Rep. Debbie Mayfield. (Photo courtesy of the House of Representatives) With no debate, the House voted 111-1 on Wednesday to prohibit unelected state employees from conducting campaign-type activities during working hours and require agency heads to live in Tallahassee. Similar legislation is advancing in the Senate, but Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled that he will veto the proposal if it reaches his desk. The governor has targeted Melbourne Republican Rep. Debbie Mayfield's bill, HB 1445, during press conferences this week, saying it would become law 'over his veto pen.' State employees couldn't participate in political campaigns, solicit contributions, or use their authority to influence people's votes under the bill. Those prohibitions would apply both to candidate and issue campaigns, and employees could face first-degree misdemeanor penalties if they do so. The sole vote against HB 1445 came from Delray Beach Republican Rep. Mike Caruso, the only House lawmaker standing with the governor this year. Mayfield referred to her proposal on the House floor as good public policy. HB 1445 makes 'several changes with the goal of ensuring that our elected officials and our appointed officials are fully committed and focused on their primary duties of serving the state of Florida,' the sponsor said. DeSantis hasn't publicly addressed the anti-politicking aspect of the legislation. Instead, he has focused on the requirement that his appointees live in the state capital by Oct. 1, the location of all agency headquarters. 'They're pulling it out of their rear ends and trying to jam it through this process. Over my veto pen,' DeSantis said, likening Tallahassee to the D.C. swamp. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The involvement by state officials in DeSantis' campaign against the ballot initiatives to legalize recreational marijuana and restore abortion access prompted legal challenges last year and has come under renewed scrutiny this legislative session. State House deepens probe of Hope Florida Foundation's political activity A House panel is investigating the transfer of legal settlement money through the Hope Florida Foundation to campaign against the marijuana initiative. Then-DeSantis' chief of staff, now state attorney general, James Uthmeier organized the money transfer to the anti-pot committee, Keep Florida Clean, which he ran, according to evidence unearthed by reporters and a House committee. Uthmeier played down any suggestion of wrongdoing during a press conference Monday, saying there's 'not a problem.' Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo appeared in press conferences against the marijuana constitutional amendment and got sued over the health department's letters threatening broadcasters that aired ads on behalf of the pro-abortion-rights campaign, Amendment 4. Additionally, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration's creation of a webpage stating that Amendment 4 'threatens women's safety' and its then-secretary Jason Weida's promotion of it prompted a complaint to the Florida Supreme Court, which ultimately sided with the DeSantis administration because the plaintiff lacked standing to sue. Aside from the DeSantis administration's use of state resources against the ballot initiatives last year, state employees in the governor's office called lobbyists to request donations for a political committee aligned with DeSantis as he and First Lady Casey DeSantis hinted that she was considering a run for governor, according to NBC News. The Senate version, SB 1760, doesn't include the provision against state employees' involvement in campaign activities, and needs to go through one more committee before it could be eligible for a floor vote. Both bills would require university trustees and members of the Board of Governors that oversees public universities to be U.S. citizens and live in Florida, unless they graduated from a state higher education institution. Mayfield, sponsor of the House bill, won a suit against the Florida Department of State Secretary Cord Byrd, a DeSantis appointee, after Byrd attempted to block Mayfield from appearing on the ballot for a special election in the state Senate district seat she previously held. The Republican representative won the primary for the Brevard County district with 60.81% of the vote on April 1. The general election is June 10 and Mayfield has resigned from the House effective June 9. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida election results are in. Quick hit to see winners in each race and what's next for some
Election Day is over and the results are in. Not everyone in Florida headed to the polls Tuesday, April 1. The election was only for voters in specific districts, filling seats left vacant by the departure of other politicians. For some winners, the next step will be to go before voters again on June 10. Here's who won Tuesday. Voters cast their ballots in the following races: 1st Congressional District, left vacant by the departure of Matt Gaetz 6th Congressional District, left vacant by Mike Waltz, who became President Trump's national security adviser State Representative, District 3 State Representative, District 32, left vacant by departure of Debbie Mayfield State Senate, District 19 Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis will be Northwest Florida's next Congress representative, taking 56.9% of the vote over Gay Valimont. Just as polls closed Tuesday, Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender announced some sites experienced "temporary ballot shortages," but vowed every voter in line before 7 p.m. when polls closed would get to cast a ballot. ➤ See the election results Despite being outraised and outspent, Randy Fine earned 56.7% of the vote, winning all six counties that make up the 6th district. ➤ See the election results breakdown by county Nathan Boyles won the Florida House District 3 race, with 35.85% of the vote, followed by Shon Owens with 31.91%, in the crowded GOP race. Boyles will face Democratic candidate Dondre Wise in a June 10 general election. ➤ See the election results Brian Hodgers won the nomination for the State House in the District 32 race with 35.02% of the vote, beating out Bob White and Terry Cronin in a tight race. The winner will face Democrat challenger Juan Hinojosa on June 10. ➤ See the election results Florida Rep. Debbie Mayfield easily beat three other candidates in the race for the Florida Senate District 19 seat. She took 60.81% of the vote in the field of four. Mayfield will face Democrat Vance Ahrens in the June 10 general election. ➤ See the election results This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida election results: Randy Fine, Jimmy Patronis, Debbie Mayfield
