Latest news with #Polsky
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Weighing run for governor, David Jolly proposes gun liability insurance to reduce violence
When it comes to guns, doing nothing can be an accomplishment for the Florida Legislature. Now, David Jolly is asking voters if they are OK with that. Jolly is a former Republican congressman from St. Petersburg introducing himself to voters elsewhere as a potential Democratic candidate for governor. He's holding a series of town halls; among the things he's talking about is gun violence. At an April 30 town hall in Broward County, he said lawmakers should look into requiring liability insurance for firearms as a way to reduce gun violence. The idea is to leverage the profit motives of insurance companies as part of a responsible gun ownership framework. One catch: The idea is under challenge in the courts. Nonetheless, a change in approach is needed, according to Jolly: Florida witnessed six mass shootings – defined as an incident involving four people injured or killed, not including the shooter – in the first four months of 2025. The shootings claimed 10 lives and injured 20. There have been 19 mass shootings in the state since 1987, when lawmakers began a spree of repealing gun control measures to make firearms more easily accessible. According to information from the Statista data company, combined with the Gun Violence Archive daily totals, Florida is third in the number of mass shootings since 1982, behind California with 35 and Texas with 29. In a follow-up conversation with the Democrat, Jolly said a major obstacle to reducing gun violence is that the 'Republican majority in Tallahassee won't even consider talking about gun safety measures.' While Luis Valdes of Gun Owners of America calls liability insurance for firearms a violation of civil liberties – 'We don't force insurance on free speech. Why guns?' Valdes said – he probably doesn't need to worry about the conversation Jolly wants to have. The GOP supermajority at the Capitol, backed by a base of Second Amendment absolutists, rarely allow such a proposal or any gun safety measure to see the light of a committee hearing. For seven years straight, Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, has filed bills to strengthen background checks for firearms purchases and require safe storage requirements to no avail. None of her bills have ever been scheduled for a hearing. Polsky said legislative leaders do not want to expose their members in a discussion or recorded vote about public safety and the Second Amendment. 'If they vote for gun safety, then the people on the right go nuts. If they vote against gun safety, then people in the middle and on the left go nuts. So, they kind of feel like there's no winning, and we do nothing,' Polsky said. This year, when a proposal to lower the minimum age to purchase a rifle was defeated, advocates for gun safety, Democrats and Republicans all declared victory – albeit behind closed doors. Nothing was done to make the state's gun laws worse, Polsky said, but lawmakers 'certainly are not making them any better.' Jolly says he does not know if leveraging insurance companies' profit motives to vet potential gun owners as responsible adults would be any more effective than relying on the political motivations of elected officials to do it. Jolly responded to two Florida mass shootings as a member of Congress, explaining Florida's gun culture and laws to reporters, including after the Pulse nightclub killings in Orlando, the second worst mass shooting in U.S. history. And he served as an MSNBC commentator during coverage of eight more Florida shootings after he left Congress in 2017. The idea of liability insurance for firearms dates to the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six staff members died. In 2022, the San Jose City Commission approved a Gun Harm Reduction Ordinance that requires gun owners to obtain an insurance policy to cover any damages created by a shooting. New Jersey requires a $300,000 liability policy to carry a handgun in public. Both laws are currently tied up in lawsuits. It's a conversation Jolly wonders whether Floridians are interested in having as he weighs a decision to enter the 2026 gubernatorial contest. 'I do know we're not doing enough, and everything should be on the table,' Jolly said about gun safety. If the goal, as Jolly says, its to construct "an architecture around gun ownership that increases the level of responsibility," then Valdes has an idea for the table to discuss. "Let's make the (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's) hunter safety course part of the high school curriculum so that every student learns responsible firearm use and graduates smarter – and safer," Valdes said. James Call can be reached at jcall@ and is on X as @CallTallahassee. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Liability insurance for guns? David Jolly's plan to curb violence
CBS News
02-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
EPIC Diabetes Conference in Aurora addresses unique needs of women with diabetes
The Children's Diabetes Foundation is holding its 8th annual EPIC Diabetes Conference on Saturday, May 3, 2025. EPIC stands for Empowering Patients for Individualized Care. The Conference brings together experts from various aspects of disease care and gives patients and their families the opportunity to get their questions answered. Topics covered at the conference include the latest in technology, research, and care of the disease. "It's a conference that's really an educational opportunity for people living with diabetes and their supporters, could be family, friends, could be extended family coming together to learn more about diabetes," said Dr. Sarit Polsky, Director of the Pregnancy & Women's Health Clinic at the Barbara Davis Center. Among the presentations, there will be one on the impact of diabetes on women over the course of their lives. "Everyone who is diagnosed with diabetes before adolescence has to deal with some challenges due to pubertal growth and increased insulin resistance," Polsky explained. "Women, on top of that, have to deal with changes in their glucose levels related to where they are in their menstrual cycle." Hormones associated with a woman's reproductive system can impact her glucose levels and insulin tolerance. She'll see extra highs and lows throughout her monthly cycle, but then also through pregnancy and menopause. "Pregnancy poses very unique challenges. In pregnancy, we're caring for not just one person but two, so we want to make sure the health of both the mother and the child," Polsky said. High glucose levels during pregnancy can lead to large babies born with high blood sugar. If not checked, high glucose levels can also cause miscarriage. "You can have a happy healthy pregnancy. You just have to work harder than someone who doesn't have diabetes," Polsky said. CBS "I think a lot of women living with Type 1 diabetes, it can be a what's pregnancy going to look like? How am I going to deal with the hormonal changes?" said Sydney Lundgren, a Type 1 diabetic. In the 18-years that Lundgren has been living with Type 1 diabetes, technology has transformed her care. She wears a continuous glucose monitor that regularly tells her what her blood sugar level is. She also wears an insulin pump which administers insulin when she needs it. "I like to wear mine (devices) where you can see them for that very reason, I want people to come talk to me. I love talking about it," she said. That kind of education is actually part of her job. Lundgren works for the Children's Diabetes Foundation, which is the fundraising arm for the Barbara Davis Center. "I love getting to work with other people living with Type 1 every single day," she said with a smile. As a woman living with Type 1, Lundgren deals with some extra highs and lows. She needs every bit of technology she can get to keep her blood sugar levels on an even keel. I can tell where in my cycle I am based on what my blood sugar is," she confirmed. Lundgren will face new challenges when she enters into menopause. Working with qualified doctors and getting thorough answers to her questions a long the way will be key to Lundgren's ongoing good health. "I think education is a great way to be more supportive," she said. LINK: For Tickets and Information for EPIC Diabetes Conference The EPIC Diabetes Conference is Saturday, May 3, 2025 on the Anschutz Medical Campus.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate votes to codify DeSantis' faith initiative, drawing criticism over anti-abortion campaigning
Erik Dellenback addresses the crowd during the Tallahassee stop on Oct. 15, 2024, of the Florida Family Voice and Vote No on 4 statewide tour. (Photo by Jackie Llanos/Florida Phoenix) The Senate voted Thursday to codify Gov. Ron DeSantis' faith and community initiative amid scrutiny of the initiative's former leader's involvement in campaigning against the unsuccessful abortion-rights amendment. Senators' 27-9 vote to ensure that an office of faith and community would remain in the executive branch after DeSantis' term ends came a week after it became known that the initiative's liaison had stepped down to lead an anti-abortion policy council. Although all Republicans voted for the bill, SB 820, two also supported an amendment from Boca Raton Democratic Sen. Tina Polsky prohibiting the liaison from participating in political campaigns while on duty and using the office to influence people's votes. Polsky read emails from Erik Dellenback, the former liaison, sent to faith leaders across the state advocating against the amendment to protect abortion access under the governor's masthead. Polsky brought up Dellenback's remarks framing the abortion-rights amendment as a biblical issue during an event held by Florida Family Voice, the group he's now CEO of. 'We've seen the abuse in this last election cycle of using the governor's office, using state agencies, and using this office of faith and community to promote a particular viewpoint, and you can't say it's not political,' Polsky said. Her amendment failed. Former Senate President Don Gaetz and Miami Republican Sen. Alexis Calatayud voted for Polsky's amendment. Dellenback left both his role with the faith and community initiative and as executive director of Hope Florida. News of the resignation emerged as the House deepened its probe into the Hope Florida Foundation, the charity associated with First Lady Casey DeSantis' initiative. Jacksonville Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough, who's sponsoring the proposal, said that the Florida Supreme Court dismissed a complaint over state officials' involvement against the abortion-rights amendment. The court said the attorney who filed the suit lacked standing to do so as a civilian. 'My opinion on the issue is not relevant to the bill that's before us,' Yarborough said regarding how he felt about the emails Dellenback had sent. However, Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo said that DeSantis' influence makes it impossible for Floridians to file complaints against government officials, pointing out that the governor appointed his former chief of staff, James Uthmeier, as the new attorney general. 'There's not even a lieutenant governor to try to reason with,' Pizzo said. 'Right now, in the four corners of Florida, where is the ability to redress or have recourse of your grievance?' The House bill, HB 293, has cleared all of its committee stops but has not been scheduled for a House vote. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Axios
24-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
A power titan calls transmission key to Trump's agenda
Michael Polsky, founder and CEO of independent power giant Invenergy, has plenty on his plate. But one priority stands out. "If I could only be allowed to give one [piece of] advice to the administration, what to do, what's most important, I would say, 'Support transmission development. Everything else will come,'" he tells Axios. Why it matters: The breadth of the privately held firm's assets and plans gives Polsky a wide-angle view as the U.S. faces newly rising power demand. Invenergy is among the country's largest renewable and storage developers. Its assets and pipeline also include large transmission and gas projects, and solar panel manufacturing. Driving the news: Polsky called interregional transmission a tech-neutral key to unlocking and moving power needed for supporting AI and other large industries, and re-shoring manufacturing. That dovetails with the heavy White House emphasis on energy infrastructure — including grid updates — but Polsky has some specifics in mind. What we're watching: In late November, the Biden-era DOE announced a conditional $4.9 billion loan guarantee for phase 1 of Invenergy's proposed five-gigawatt Grain Belt Express line from Kansas to Indiana. The first 2.5 gigawatt phase would run nearly 600 miles from Kansas to Missouri, but faces some political opposition, notably from GOP Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). Invenergy is in discussions with the administration about the loan financing, a spokesperson said. "President [Trump] said we want to unleash American energy, we want to have abundance, low cost, independence. This is what Grain Belt is all about," Polsky said. Asked about other policy goals, he said FERC has historically not been "proactive" on large-scale transmission. "Perhaps the politicians have to take things in their hands and create some political enablers, legislation to support these initiatives," he said. The big picture: Permitting help is key, but not enough, Polsky said. Independent developers need access to cost-recovery mechanisms to make the economics work — and reflect the resilience and reliability benefits the lines provide, he argues. Catch up quick: The multinational Invenergy's 209 generation and storage projects total 33 gigawatts of capacity to date, mostly in the U.S. Roughly 20% comes from natural gas, according to a spokesperson. Its project pipeline has an estimated value of $150 billion, private equity giant Blackstone, a major investor, told the WSJ. Gas is playing a growing role thanks to customer demand from data centers and other factors, the Invenergy spokesperson said via email. Threat level: Polsky warned that nixing IRA incentives could raise consumer costs for two reasons. One is that it makes solar, wind and storage less expensive. Another is that killing IRA subsidies would lessen competition with fossil fuels at a time of rising demand, which would also be inflationary for energy costs, he said. "If we remove all IRA support, prices for energy would go up, definitely," Polsky said. The bottom line: Meeting Trump's energy goals will require a mix of sources, he said.
CBS News
17-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Florida Senate passes bill to ban fluoride in public water supplies
As cities and counties across the state debate the issue, the Florida Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would prevent local governments from adding fluoride to water supplies . The proposed ban, included in a broad bill dealing with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, comes after decades of communities adding fluoride to water to help prevent cavities and other dental problems. But with people such as state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo arguing fluoridation can carry other health risks, many communities have reconsidered the practice. The bill does not specifically mention fluoridation, but it would prevent adding substances to public water supplies that are not about "water quality." "We're here to hydrate, not medicate," bill sponsor Keith Truenow, R-Tavares, said before the Senate voted 27-9 to pass the measure (SB 700) on Wednesday. But during a debate Tuesday, Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, said attacks on fluoridation are the "conspiracy theory du jour." Opponents of the bill said eliminating fluoride from water supplies could particularly lead to dental problems for children. "This has been proven science for the last 50 years," Polsky said. "This is why we have healthy teeth." The fluoridation ban is included in what has been dubbed the "Florida Farm Bill," which involves numerous issues related to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The House Commerce Committee on Monday approved a similar bill (HB 651), which also includes a fluoridation ban. That bill is ready to go to the full House. If Florida passes a ban, it would follow the lead of Utah, another Republican-controlled state that approved such a measure in March. Debates have played out throughout Florida. In one high-profile example, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava last week vetoed a decision by the Miami-Dade County Commission to end adding fluoride to the water system. In a statement, she said fluoridation is a "safe, effective, and efficient way to maintain dental health in our county — and halting it could have long-lasting health consequences, especially for our most vulnerable families." But after the commission approved the ban April 1, Ladapo praised the move in a social-media post on X. "What a win for the people! Today, the Miami-Dade County Commission voted to stop fluoridating their water. Comm. @RobJGonzalezFL's courageous leadership, and all who supported him, made this possible. Current science supports the decision, and it's a good day for medical freedom!" Ladapo said in the post, referring to County Commissioner Roberto J. Gonzalez. Nine Democrats opposed the Senate bill Wednesday. In addition to Polsky, they were Sen. Kristen Arrington, D-Kissimmee; Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton; Sen. Mack Bernard, D-West Palm Beach; Sen. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville; Sen. Rosalind Osgood, D-Tamarac; Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg; Sen. Barbara Sharief, D-Davie; and Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando. Sharief, an advanced practice registered nurse, urged senators Wednesday to "stand with science." "This isn't a debate about liberty," she said. "It's a debate about responsibility." But during the Tuesday debate, Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, framed the issue as being broader than fluoride because of the possibility other products could eventually be added to water supplies. "First, it's fluoride, and then potentially what's after that?" Burgess said.
