Latest news with #FloridaChamberof
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Casey DeSantis to speak at Daytona economic summit on reducing childhood poverty
DAYTONA BEACH — Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis will be one of the featured speakers at the 2025 Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solutions Summit that will be held at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. The event, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is being put on by the Florida Chamber of Commerce to look at ways to reduce by half the number of children living in poverty in the Sunshine State by the year 2030, according to Kristina Donahue, the chamber's director of prosperity. More than 250 business leaders, community advocates and policy makers are expected to take part in the summit, which is held in a different part of the state each year. This will be the first time it is held in Volusia County. The event will "address the 10 root causes of generational poverty, the business impacts of poverty, and ways to get involved at the ZIP code level to create a pathway to prosperity for all Floridians," according to a statement put out by the chamber. "Our goal is for attendees to walk away and have a key action item they can implement within their community, to get them to say 'I can do this piece,'" said Donahue, in a phone interview. "It's really all about collaboration. No one sector can solve it alone, but if we work together, things can move in the right direction." The goal of reducing poverty levels is part of a statewide initiative called the Florida 2030 Blueprint that launched in 2018. According to the chamber, more than 730,000 children live in poverty statewide, including many in Volusia County. "32114 (in Daytona Beach) is one of the poorest ZIP codes in the state of Florida," said Forough Hosseini, the founder and chair of Food Brings Hope, a local nonprofit that provides food for families with children struggling to make ends meet. Hosseini is also the chair of this year's Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity summit. The summit will feature nearly two dozen speakers and panelists. Kevin Thompson of the Florida Prepaid College Board & Foundation and Frank Kelleher, president of Daytona International Speedway, will give the welcome and opening remarks. Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber, will deliver a report on the current state of childhood poverty in Florida. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University President Dr. P. Barry Butler will moderate a panel discussion on how the space economy is driving Florida's workforce and economic opportunities. The panelists will include Robert Long, president and CEO of Space Florida, Brandon Burroughs of The Boeing Co., Jeanette Nunez, interim president of Florida International University, and Dr. Mark Rendell, superintendent of Brevard Public Schools. Casey DeSantis and Dr. Audrey Gregory of AdventHealth will give a presentation on "Hope Florida: Building Pathways to Prosperity Through Community Partnerships across Florida." Hosseini will give a talk on "Forming Impactful Partnerships to Create Prosperity & Homeownership." The event will include breakfast and lunch. For more information, including how to buy tickets to attend, visit the chamber's website or call Thelma Givens, the chamber's director of events, at 850-521-1284. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona to host economic summit to help reduce childhood poverty
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How a controversy over Medicaid funds and marijuana complicates Casey DeSantis' potential run for governor
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — One of the biggest potential hurdles to Casey DeSantis running for Florida governor in 2026 may have just been knocked down — for now. For weeks, Republicans in the Florida state House of Representatives have been investigating whether Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration illegally used $10 million tied to a federal Medicaid settlement to help defeat a 2024 ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana in the leading the investigation suggested that DeSantis and his top allies broke the law by transferring the money to a political organization helmed by James Uthmeier, the governor's former chief of staff and current state attorney general, saying it represented 'wire fraud and money laundering.' One of the groups the money flowed through along the way was an organization tied to Florida's first lady. But the main subcommittee leading the probe abruptly said it was ending its investigation Thursday after key figures declined to offer testimony. 'The House might continue investigating in a different venue than my subcommittee,' Republican state Rep. Alex Andrade, the chairman of the subcommittee, told NBC News. 'As far as my role, I have the information I need to confirm that James Uthmeier engaged in wire fraud and money laundering. I'll be coming back next [legislative] session with proposals to address the corruption within the DeSantis administration.' Even though Casey DeSantis has statewide recognition as Florida's first lady, she would be something of an underdog if she were to run for governor — especially facing a Trump-backed candidate. The Hope Florida investigation simmered down significantly this week, but the scrutiny it brought to the DeSantis administration, and Casey DeSantis in particular, may continue to cast a shadow over the race. The investigation, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald, centered on what the DeSantis administration did with money from a $67 million settlement with Medicaid contractor Centene, which inked the deal after overbilling the state for prescription drugs. As part of that settlement, Desantis administration officials 'directed' $10 million from that pot of money to the Hope Florida Foundation, the nonprofit arm of an organization led by Casey DeSantis, according to records the group had to file as part of its nonprofit status. Of that money, $5 million was then sent to a group aligned with the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and another $5 million to a group called Save Our Society from Drugs. Those groups then sent a total of $8.5 million toward a political committee led by Uthmeier that was working to defeat the recreational marijuana amendment. It's not clear how much of the $10 million went directly to the PAC. The ballot measure received 57% of the vote but it needed 60% to pass. Andrade and House Republicans said the money represented an illegal use of public funds for political purposes. He requested testimony this week from Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson and Hope Florida attorney Jeff Aaron, both of whom declined to testify before Andrade's committee. On Thursday morning, Andrade told reporters that the GOP-led Florida House would end its investigation, his focus on Hope Florida concluded after the two men declined to appear before his committee. The Hope Florida saga is shaping up to be among the most contentious political fights for the DeSantis family as Casey DeSantis openly mulls a run against Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who has already jumped in and been endorsed by President Donald Trump. Casey DeSantis was the public face of the organization, which aimed to offer grants to help low-income state residents become more financially self-sufficient. Both Ron and Casey DeSantis have said that the settlement money was a 'cherry on top' — funds negotiated as part of the settlement, but that the money that went to Hope Florida was separate from the Medicaid portion of the agreement. They have argued the probe was politically motivated, and defended the program throughout the investigation, including as recently as Thursday morning. Critics of the arrangement, however, contend that all the money should have gone back to taxpayers. 'Hope Florida is not a program. Hope Florida is an idea,' Casey DeSantis told reporters during a Thursday morning news conference. 'Hope Florida is a philosophy. It is: How can we help people in need and do better legitimately? It's not about just giving somebody a check and hoping it goes well,' the first lady said. It's not entirely clear what the political fallout on the governor's race will be now that the Legislature's investigation appears to be stalled, at least for now. There are some DeSantis allies who believe the end of the probe is helpful to her potential run, while others say that the damage has already been done. 'Can you imagine millions of dollars in ads being put behind that?' said a person supportive of a Casey DeSantis gubernatorial bid. 'She has not really, in a serious way, had to answer for any of this. That's going to change if she actually runs.' Andrade said that there is no indication that Casey DeSantis herself broke any laws but that the entire saga is a stain on her resume. 'I don't know if she committed any crimes, but she certainly looks incompetent at running a small charitable organization,' he said. After Andrade announced he was ending his subcommittee's investigation, DeSantis allies said the entire Hope Florida issue was 'debunked.' 'It was clearly all a public student to get sound bites,' a DeSantis ally familiar with the governor's thinking said. While the Hope Florida investigation seems likely to be coming to an end, Casey DeSantis still would face an uphill battle if she were to run for governor. Not only does Donalds have Trump's endorsement in a state he won by 13 percentage points in 2024, but he also has already raised more than $12 million and a political operation in place, something that is lacking for the DeSantis family. The only political staffer currently working for the governor and likely political team for Casey DeSantis is Taryn Fenske, a longtime DeSantis adviser and Republican communications veteran. A handful of former DeSantis political staffers — including Ryan Tyson, who helped helm Ron DeSantis 2024 presidential race; Makenzi Mahler, a top former DeSantis fundraiser; and Alex Valdes, also a fundraiser for DeSantis — have left the operation and would not work for Casey DeSantis if she ran in 2026, three people familiar with the matter said. 'I don't know who her team is, or who would work for her at this point,' said a person familiar with Casey DeSantis' attempt to build a political operation. 'If she runs, I assume people will come, but for the most part those who have helped the DeSantises in the past are gone.' Casey DeSantis does continue to enjoy significant support from Florida Republicans. A February poll conducted by the University of North Florida showed 57% have a favorable opinion of the first lady, compared to 27% for Donalds. 'She likely enjoys some favorability by association as Florida's first lady,' UNF political science professor Michael Binder said. 'But most of these potential candidates suffer from a lack of recognition, some suffering more than others.' 'That said, I expect we'll see a few of them become household names by the time the August 2026 primary rolls around,' he added. This article was originally published on
NBC News
25-04-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
How a controversy over Medicaid funds and marijuana complicates Casey DeSantis' potential run for governor
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — One of the biggest potential hurdles to Casey DeSantis running for Florida governor in 2026 may have just been knocked down — for now. For weeks, Republicans in the Florida state House of Representatives have been investigating whether Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration illegally used $10 million tied to a federal Medicaid settlement to help defeat a 2024 ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana in the state. Those leading the investigation suggested that DeSantis and his top allies broke the law by transferring the money to a political organization helmed by James Uthmeier, the governor's former chief of staff and current state attorney general, saying it represented 'wire fraud and money laundering.' One of the groups the money flowed through along the way was an organization tied to Florida's first lady. But the main subcommittee leading the probe abruptly said it was ending its investigation Thursday after key figures declined to offer testimony. 'The House might continue investigating in a different venue than my subcommittee,' Republican state Rep. Alex Andrade, the chairman of the subcommittee, told NBC News. 'As far as my role, I have the information I need to confirm that James Uthmeier engaged in wire fraud and money laundering. I'll be coming back next [legislative] session with proposals to address the corruption within the DeSantis administration.' Even though Casey DeSantis has statewide recognition as Florida's first lady, she would be something of an underdog if she were to run for governor — especially facing a Trump-backed candidate. The Hope Florida investigation simmered down significantly this week, but the scrutiny it brought to the the DeSantis administration, and Casey in particular, may continue to cast a shadow over the race. The investigation, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald, centered on what the DeSantis administration did with money from a $67 million settlement with Medicaid contractor Centene, which inked the deal after overbilling the state for prescription drugs. As part of that settlement, Desantis administration officials 'directed' $10 million from that pot of money to the Hope Florida Foundation, the nonprofit arm of an organization led by Casey DeSantis, according to records the group had to file as part of its nonprofit status. Of that money, $5 million was then sent to a group aligned with the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and another $5 million to a group called Save Our Society from Drugs. Those groups then sent a total of $8.5 million toward a political committee led by Uthmeier that was working to defeat the recreational marijuana amendment. It's not clear how much of the $10 million went directly to the PAC. The ballot measure received 57% of the vote, but it needed 60% to pass. Andrade and House Republicans said the money represented an illegal use of public funds for political purposes. He requested testimony this week from Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilscon and Hope Florida attorney Jeff Aaron, both of whom declined to testify before Andrade's committee. On Thursday morning, Andrade told reporters that the GOP-led Florida House would end its investigation, his focus on Hope Floridaconcluded after the two men declined to appear before his committee. The Hope Florida saga is shaping up to be among the most contentious political fights for the DeSantis family as Casey openly mulls a run against Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who has already jumped in and been endorsed by President Donald Trump. Casey DeSantis was the public face of the organization, which aimed to offer grants to help low-income state residents become more financially self-sufficient. Both Ron and Casey DeSantis have said the settlement money was a ' cherry on top ' — funds negotiated as part of the settlement, but that the money that went to Hope Florida was separate from the Medicaid portion of the agreement. They have argued the probe was politically motivated, and defended the program throughout the investigation, including as recently as Thursday morning. Critics of the arrangement, however, contend that all the money should have gone back to taxpayers. 'Hope Florida is not a program. Hope Florida is an idea,' Casey DeSantis told reporters during a Thursday morning news conference. 'Hope Florida is a philosophy. It is: How can we help people in need and do better legitimately? It's not about just giving somebody a check and hoping it goes well,' the first lady said. It's not entirely clear what the political fallout on the governor's race will be now that the Legislature's investigation appears to be stalled, at least for now. There are some DeSantis allies who believe the end of the probe is helpful to her potential run, while others say that the damage has already been done. 'Can you imagine millions of dollars in ads being put behind that?' said a person supportive of a Casey DeSantis gubernatorial bid. 'She has not really, in a serious way, had to answer for any of this. That's going to change if she actually runs.' Andrade said there is no indication that Casey DeSantis herself broke any laws but that the entire saga is a stain on her resume. 'I don't know if she committed any crimes, but she certainly looks incompetent at running a small charitable organization,' he said. After Andrade announced he was ending his subcommittee's investigation, DeSantis allies said the entire Hope Florida issue was 'debunked.' 'It was clearly all a public student to get sound bites,' a DeSantis ally familiar with the governor's thinking said. While the Hope Florida investigation seems likely to be coming to an end, Casey DeSantis still would face an uphill battle if she were to run for governor. Not only does Donlads have Trump's endorsement in a state he won by 13 percentage points in 2024, but he also has already raised over $12 million and a political operation in place, something that is lacking for the DeSantis family. The only political staffer currently working for the governor and likely political team for Casey DeSantis is Taryn Fenske, a longtime DeSantis adviser and Republican communications veteran. A handful of former DeSantis political staffers — including Ryan Tyson, who helped helm Ron DeSantis 2024 presidential race; Makenzi Mahler, a top former DeSantis fundraiser; and Alex Valdes, also a fundraiser for DeSantis — have left the operation and would not work for Casey if she ran in 2026, three people familiar with the matter said. 'I don't know who her team is, or who would work for her at this point,' said a person familiar with Casey DeSantis' attempt to build a political operation. 'If she runs, I assume people will come, but for the most part those who have helped the DeSantises in the past are gone.' Casey DeSantis does continue to enjoy significant support from Florida Republicans. A February poll conducted by the University of North Florida showed 57% have a favorable opinion of the first lady, compared to 27% for Donalds. 'She likely enjoys some favorability by association as Florida's first lady,' UNF political science professor Michael Binder said. 'But most of these potential candidates suffer from a lack of recognition, some suffering more than others.' 'That said, I expect we'll see a few of them become household names by the time the August 2026 primary rolls around,' he added.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scott Maxwell: Florida should repeal ‘free kill' law
You may have read about something known as Florida's 'free kill' law — a bizarre law that exists only in Florida. It basically says that, even if you can prove that a health care provider's negligent actions killed an adult member of your member, you can't sue for pain and suffering — unless the dead family member has a spouse or minor children. In other words, the lives of single Floridians, including widows and widowers and those over 25 who haven't yet married, are worth less here. The law essentially channels George Orwell's satirical declaration that all animals are equal — but some are more equal than others. If you know nothing else about this law, it should be a bright, red flag that Florida is the only state with this special protection for negligent practitioners. Well, after decades of criticism, there's momentum to change that. A repeal bill has already cleared several committees this legislative session with broad bipartisan support. But first, it's worth understanding how Florida ended up with a law like this is the first place — namely because Florida lawmakers have systematically stripped you of your rights to sue companies that do you wrong. Florida's 'free kill' law limits who can sue for medical malpractice. Will it end in 2025? You've seen it before. Most recently, GOP lawmakers teamed up with insurance lobbyists to make it harder for you to sue your insurance company — even when your company tries to stiff you out of benefits to which you're clearly entitled. The rationale for stripping you of your right to go after bad actors is usually the same: Businesses shouldn't be bothered with frivolous lawsuits. They drive up everyone's costs. But these laws strip everyone's access to the courts, not just frivolous filers. And the arguments about savings for consumers are usually a bunch of trickle-down fiction. On the heels of Florida's so-called insurance 'reform,' rates shot up for nine consecutive quarters. And 'free kill' critics say Florida never saw the benefits that health care lobbyists promised in exchange for shielding negligent doctors and hospitals from lawsuits. You got conned. Home insurance costs still rising in Florida | Commentary South Florida Republican Rep. Hillary Cassel lit into a health-care lobbyist last week when he made another round of dubious claims, suggesting that repealing this law would simply enrich estranged family members looking for a cash grab. Cassel said the representative for the Florida Chamber of Commerce-created Florida Justice Reform Institute didn't have 'an ounce of data to support that,' calling the claims 'scare tactics.' But Florida's business lobby does more than just try to scare lawmakers. It also threatens them. In 2021, the Florida Chamber of Commerce warned that any lawmaker who voted in favor of repealing the 'free kill' law that year would have their vote negatively double-weighted in the chamber's annual 'How They Voted' report card, according to a Tampa TV station. (The report card lets business lobbyists know which politicians will follow their orders and are consequently worthy of endorsements and campaign checks.) The Chamber wields this double-counting strategy when it knows it's on the wrong side of public opinion and needs to exert extra pressure. It used a similar tactic last year when pressuring lawmakers to make it illegal for Florida counties to pass laws that would guarantee outdoor workers the right to things like shade and water on blistering hot days — a law I dubbed 'The most shameful law Florida passed this year.' Floridians outraged by shameful anti-worker heat law. Here's how it happened | Commentary Historically, the heavy-handed lobbying tactics have been effective with both parties. Democrats, after all, controlled Florida when the 'free kill' provision was enacted in 1990. But this year, both parties seem poised to push back, probably because the horror stories are piling up: A father who died after being given a toxic dose of medication. Or a son whose routine hospital visit ended in death. This year's measure that would repeal Florida's 'free kill' provision, HB 6017, has strong support, passing with committee votes along the lines of 20-1. Its local sponsors include Democrat Johanna Lopez with co-sponsorship from Republican Susan Plasencia and Democrat Anna Eskamani. Lawmakers were moved by stories they've heard from people like Mary Jo Cain Reis, who says her father died of medical negligence at a hospital in Brevard. 'These bad doctors and medical personnel cannot continue to keep killing people and be able to move on,' said Reis, who put up billboards in Central Florida that called for reform. 'There needs to be accountability.' Theoretically, the state has other accountability measures for medical negligence. Families can still sue for economic damages. But complaints to the state are often ignored or slow-rolled. A 2018 investigation by the South Florida Sun Sentinel found Florida's system was slow to punish doctors and quick to let them settle charges without accepting responsibility. Certainly some doctors make earnest mistakes. Some are unfairly sued. But Florida's 'free kill' law doesn't address that. It just says that a health care provider could negligently kill your 75-year-old mother without being sued for pain and suffering — as long as your mom isn't still married. And what kind of sense does that make? Not much, even according to one physician and former GOP legislator who urged lawmakers to repeal Florida's 'free kill' law this year. As Florida Politics reported, Dr. Joel Rudman told lawmakers to ignore the scare tactics. 'Doctors aren't going to leave Florida because of this bill — no good doctor,' Rudman said. 'If a bad doctor wants to leave, bye.' smaxwell@
Politico
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Florida's immigration battle may be over soon. But will Republicans' good times last?
TALLLAHASSEE, Florida — The standoff between the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis over illegal immigration may be coming to a close. But a new era for the state's governing party is just beginning. Despite a contentious intraparty civil war party that turned hostile at times online, Republican legislative leaders and the governor crafted a sweeping new proposal behind closed doors that aims to help President Donald Trump carry out his massive deportation effort. This type of compromise negotiation had fallen out of fashion in Florida recently, as DeSantis enjoyed unprecedented sway and was able to push legislators to follow his lead. The question now is whether it will continue — and how it will shape the upcoming legislative session, where DeSantis has both budget recommendations and additional high-profile policy pushes on the line. The final legislation expected to be passed this week includes items that DeSantis wanted. But it also had notable changes, including eliminating the ability of the governor to unilaterally transport migrants out of state like he famously did in 2022, when the state shipped migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard. 'We have shown the world we are serious about the legislative branch, we have shown the world we can think for ourselves,' state Senate President Ben Albritton said Tuesday morning at an annual Florida Chamber of Commerce event held in Tallahassee. Legislative leaders — and more notably DeSantis — have hailed the new immigration proposals as the toughest in the country, even though some measures appear destined to draw legal challenges. When announcing the deal, the acid-tinged commentary of the past few weeks evaporated. Albritton, along with House Speaker Daniel Perez, thanked DeSantis, while the governor also praised legislators for moving ahead. 'All in all, I think this is really, really strong,' DeSantis said in a video he posted on social media. 'I commend the Legislature for stepping up to the plate.' It was a turnabout from recent weeks. Before Trump took office, DeSantis called for legislators to hold a special session in late January to consider immigration enforcement changes, among other major issues. Legislative leaders said the special session was 'premature' but eventually opted to reject DeSantis' own immigration proposal. Lawmakers passed an alternative bill that the governor called 'weak' and vowed to veto. DeSantis directed much of his ire at a plan to strip him of immigration enforcement duties and instead hand them over to Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, a Republican who may run for governor next year. He said giving Simpson control was like putting a 'fox in charge of the hen house,' suggesting that the commissioner would cave to powerful agricultural interests that want cheap labor. The compromise resulted in Simpson and DeSantis sharing enforcement power along with two other state officials, alongside a provision that gives any one of them veto power. In addition, the law would require the state to coordinate with federal authorities before shipping anyone out of the state. DeSantis got national publicity after the state flew nearly 50 migrants from Texas. State Sen. Joe Gruters said the governor didn't need the power to do that unilaterally anymore. 'President Trump has already closed the borders. There's no need for the political-type events like that anymore, and so it's completely irrelevant,' Gruters said. But Albritton made it clear that, even though legislative leaders and DeSantis have brokered a deal on immigration, not all is forgiven. On the Senate floor, he lashed out at DeSantis supporters and allies who had trashed Simpson as the standoff simmered for nearly two weeks. 'The threats against Commissioner Simpson must stop now,' Albritton said. The Legislature's power plays may not be over yet. Perez gave the green-light late last week for several House panels to examine budget vetoes made last year by DeSantis. Lawmakers late last month voted to override two 2023 budget vetoes, the first time a sitting GOP governor had been successfully overridden by a Republican-controlled Legislature during their 25 years of control. The state Senate, however, isn't following the House on additional vetoes for now. For some lawmakers, though, it all points to a new day in Tallahassee. DeSantis became a conservative star during the Covid-19 pandemic and launched closely watched battles over gender and racial identity ahead of his unsuccessful bid for president. 'I think the real victory was getting him to realize that there's two branches of government: the executive branch and the legislative branch,' said state Rep. Debbie Mayfield, a Melbourne Republican who is currently suing the DeSantis administration over an election dispute. 'And for so long, we have been treated like staff.' State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, the House Democratic leader, said it appeared to her that DeSantis 'negotiated himself back into the picture.' 'And so we didn't, we didn't land in the position where the governor controls it all,' Driskell said. 'So that lets you know a little something in terms of him being a lame duck and his power starting to wane, but we also see that he still has some influence.' Strong supporters of DeSantis downplayed the idea that the governor, who still has line-item budget veto power, is now a lame duck who won't continue to push the Legislature. DeSantis has two more years in office and cannot run for another term. 'The bottom line is that this governor has sort of been super aggressive with pushing conservative policies,' said state Sen. Blaise Ingolia. 'And, you know, sometimes you have to drag people along. …The governor still has very good policy and political radar. He knows what people are going to want out of the Legislature. So, from now on until the time he's termed out of office, I don't see him turning off the spigot.' Rep. Mike Caruso, a Delray Beach Republican, said he felt 'vindicated' over where legislators have landed on the immigration bills. Caruso was the lone House Republican who voted against the previous bill passed by the House. Perez stripped Caruso's committee chairmanship after the vote. He contended that the bill that will likely pass this week is close to legislation he had initially introduced on behalf of the governor. 'We come here and we bring our principles with us, and, you know, we got to live by our principles, and that's what I was doing,' Caruso said. 'I had my own opinion on it, and it was based on my principles, and I wasn't going to yield to pressure. … I found it strange that others didn't feel the same way.' Kimberly Leonard contributed to this report.
