Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development — Closed Captions

>> Chair: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, TOURISM, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL NOW COME TO ORDER. BROOK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >>Sen. Arrington: >>Sen. Avila: >>Sen. Bernard: HERE >>Sen. Bracy Davis: HERE >>Sen. Grall: >>Sen. Leek: >>Sen. Martin: >>Sen. Mayfield: >>Sen. McClain: >>Sen. Smith: >>Sen. Truenow: >>Sen. Wright: >>Vice Chair Polsky: >> Chair: HERE. >> A QUARUM IS PRESENT. >> Chair: THANK YOU BROOK. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK FOR THE COMMITTEE SHOULD COMPLETE AN APPEARANCE FORM AND HAND IT TO A MEMBER OF THE SERGEANTS OFFICE. SHOULD YOU SELECT TO WAIVE YOUR SPEAKING TIME YOUR POSITION WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING RECORDS. WE HAVE THREE BILLS TODAY AND I AM TRYING TO DRAG THIS OUT A FEW SECONDS SO THAT SENATOR CALATAYUD CAN GET HERE. BUT I CAN ONLY DO THAT FOR SO LONG. I CAN'T TELL A STORY. I COULD BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IS APPROPRIATE. SO WE ARE GOING TO TAB NUMBER 2 SENATE BILL 214 ON SPECIAL DISTRICT FUNDING BY SENATOR McCLAIN. >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBER SENATE BILL 214 IS A TARGETED ROLE ACCESS BILL THAT PUTS SPECIAL DISTRICT AND RURAL COMMUNITIES OF OPPORTUNITY ON THE SAME FOOTING OF COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES FOR CERTAIN STATE AND FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT SO THEY CAN RECEIVE INVOICE PAYMENTS FOR VERIFIED WORK RATHER THAN BEING FORCED INTO A REIMBURSEMENT LEVEL THAT OFTEN THEY CANNOT CASH FLOW. THAT IS THE BILL MR. CHAIRMAN. >> Chair: THANKS SENATOR WE DO HAVE AMENDMENT IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE UP AMENDMENT BARCODE 451338. SENATOR McCLAIN PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR AMENDMENT. >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN SENATORS THIS IS FAIRLY NARROWLY DEFINED AND WOULD ALLOW INDEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICTS IN THE SAME RURAL AREAS TO RECEIVE THAT BUT ALSO A LOT OF THE TIME YOU HAVE WATER AND WASTEWATER AGREEMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE FROM THE RURAL COMMUNITIES WHILE THEY ARE GETTING THE WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE SET UP THERE IS NO REVENUE COMING IN AND SO THIS WOULD ALLOW THEM TO PROCEED WITH THE SAME BENEFIT. >> Chair: OKAY THANK YOU. SENATORS ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT? WE DO HAVE AN APPEARANCE FORM. WE'VE GOT EDGAR FERNANDEZ WITH W3C WATER AND SEWER COOPERATIVE IS WAIVING IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE SIR. IS THIS ON THE AMENDMENT, TOO? THEN WE'VE GOT LAURA DONALDSON WITH THE IMMOKALEE I KNOW I CAN'T PRONOUNCE OUT RIGHT. IMMOKALEE WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT IS WAIVING IN SUPPORT. ANY DEBATE? SENATORS ANY DEBATE ON THE AMENDMENT? SENATOR McCLAIN YOUR RECOGNIZED TO CLOSE ON YOUR AMENDMENT. >> WAIVE CLOSED. >> Chair: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT SAY YAY ANY OPPOSE SAY NAY. SHOW THE AMENDMENT AS ADOPTED. WE ARE BACKON THE BILL AS AMENDED. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BILL AS AMENDED? SEEING NONE ANY APPEARANCE FORMS. OKAY WE'VE GOT DAVID ROCKEY WITH RESILIENCY FLORIDA IS WAIVING IN SUPPORT. EDWARD HERNANDES WITH WC3 WATER SEWER COOPERATIVE WAIVING IN SUPPORT. AND WE GOT JIM MILLIKEN FLORIDA ASSOCIATION WITH SPECIAL DISTRICTS. THERE HE IS. I CAN SEE YOU JIM. HE IS WAIVING IN SUPPORT. SENATORS ANY DEBATE ON THE BILL AS AMENDED? SEEING NONE SENATOR McCLAIN YOUR RECOGNIZED TO CLOSE ON YOUR BILL AS AMENDED. >> I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT THANK YOU. >> Chair: LETS CALL THE ROLL ON CS FOR SENATE BILL 214. >>Sen. Arrington: YES >>Sen. Avila: YES >>Sen. Bernard: YES >>Sen. Bracy Davis: YES >>Sen. Grall: >>Sen. Leek: >>Sen. Martin: >>Sen. Mayfield: YES >>Sen. McClain: >>Sen. Smith: >>Sen. Truenow: YES >>Sen. Wright: >>Vice Chair Polsky: >> Chair: YES >> Chair: BY YOUR VOTE CS FOR SENATE BILL 214 IS REPORTED FAVORABLY. THANK YOU SENATOR McCLAIN. OKAY SENATORS WE ARE NOW GOING TO TAB NUMBER 4. CS FOR SENATE BILL 1266 ON CYBERSECURITY INTERNSHIPS BY SENATOR CALATAYUD. SENATOR CALATAYUD YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO EXPLAIN YOUR BILL AND WELCOME. >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. THE FBI HAS RANKED FLORIDA THIRD IN THE NATION FOR CYBER CRIME THREATS. OUR DIGITAL ECONOMY RELIES ON TRUSTED DATA AND NETWORKS. FLORIDA CURRENTLY FACES A GAP IN THE CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE DUE TO LACK OF JOB READINESS AND TIME TO CLEARANCE. THAT IS THE BILL MR. CHAIR. WE DO HAVE A DELETE ALL AMENDMENT. >> Chair: OK, WE ARE GOING TO WITHOUT OBJECTION WE ARE GOING TO BARCODE 528986 - SENATOR CALATAYUD YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO EXPLAIN YOUR AMENDMENT. >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. THE AMENDMENT DESCRIBES A CYBERSECURITY EXPERIENCIAL LEARNING PROGRAM AND CLEARANCE READINESS PROGRAM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WILL WORK WITH CYBER FLORIDA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA TO FURTHER THE PROGRAM. AT 22NSA NCAC DESIGNATEWD INSTITUTION DESIGNATED INSTITUTIONS PROVIDE COMP CIA SECURITIES CLEARANCE AND EXAMINATION OF SECURITY READINESS CURRICULUM. THE PROGRAM ELEMENTS WERE SUCCESSFULLY TESTED. OUTCOMES INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM THE SKILLS CREDENTIAL SECURITY CLEARANCE EARNED. THAT'S THE AMENDMENT MR. CHAIR. >> Chair: THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT? ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE ANY APPEARANCE FORMS NO APPEARANCE FORMS? SENATORS ANY DEBATE ON THE AMENDMENT? SENATOR CALATAYUD YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO CLOSE ON YOUR AMENDMENT. >> WAIVE CLOSE. >> Chair: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT SAY YAY. ANY OPPOSE SAY NAY. SHOW THAT AMENDMENT ADOPTED. SENATORS WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT BARCODE 721228 BY SENATOR BERNARD. SENATOR BERNARD YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO EXPLAIN YOUR AMENDMENT. >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR I WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAW THIS AMENDMENT SENATOR CALATAYUD WE HAVE SOME WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO. SO WE WILL WAIVE THIS AMENDMENT. >> Chair: ALRIGHT, THAT AMENDMENT HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN SO WE ARE NOW BACK ON THE BILL AS AMENDED. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BILL AS AMENDED? SEEING NONE? ANY APPEARANCE FORMS? NO APPEARANCE FORMS, ANY DEBATE. THIS IS EXCITING. SENATOR CALATAYUD YOUR RECOGNIZED TO CLOSE ON YOUR BILL AS AMENDED. >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR BERNARD I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ON THIS WITH YOU. >> Chair: EXCELLENT. ROLL CALL FOR CS FOR CS SENATE BILL 1266. >>Sen. Arrington: YES >>Sen. Avila: >>Sen. Bernard: YES >>Sen. Bracy Davis: YES >>Sen. Grall: >>Sen. Leek: >>Sen. Martin: >>Sen. Mayfield: YES >>Sen. McClain: >>Sen. Smith: >>Sen. Truenow: >>Sen. Wright: >>Vice Chair Polsky: YES >> Chair: YES >> Chair: BY YOUR VOTE CS FOR CS SENATE BILL 1266 IS REPORTED FAVORABLY. THANK YOU. SENATORS FINALLY TAB NUMBER 3 CS FOR SENATE BILL 694 ON COMPENSATION ON THE DESCENDENTS OF CHARLES GREENLEE, WALTER IRVIN, SAMUEL SHEPARD AND ERNEST THOMAS BY OUR VERY OWN SENATOR BRACEY DAVIS. YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO EXPLAIN YOUR BILL. >> THANK YOU CHAIR DICEGLIE GOOD AFTERNOON VICE CHAIR POLSKY AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT SENATE BILL 694. THIS BILL IS ABOUT JUSTICE, NOT MERELY REMEMBERED AS HISTORY BUT CARRIED FORWARD AS RESPONSIBILITY. IF I MAY, ON JULY 16TH 1949 A 17-YEAR-OLD WHITE WOMAN ALLEGED SHE HAD BEEN RAPED BY FOUR BLACK MEN OUTSIDE OF GROVELAND IN LAKE COUNTY. DESPITE THE LACK OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AND ESTABLISHED ALIBI OF THE ACCUSED CHARLES GREENLEE, WALTER IRVIN, SAMUEL SHEPARD AND ERNEST THOMAS THEY WERE PRESUMED GUILTY FROM THE START. THEY WERE BEATEN; CONFESSIONS WERE COERCED. ERNEST THOMAS WAS HUNTED DOWN AND SHOT MORE THAN 400 TIMES. THE OTHER THREE WERE CONVICTED. EVEN AFTER THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT OVERTURNED TWO OF THOSE CONVICTIONS VIOLENCE FOLLOWED. SAMUEL SHEPARD WAS LATER KILLED AND WALTER IRVIN WAS SHOT BY SHERIFF WILLIS McCALL WHILE HANDCUFFED IN CUSTODY. FOR DECADES THEIR FAMILY CARRIED THE WEIGHT OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS, WRONGFUL INCARCERATIONS AND WRONGFUL DEATH. FLORIDA HAS SINCE ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRUTH. IN 2017 THE LEGISLATURE FORMALLY APOLOGIZED. IN 2019 GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS GRANTED FULL POSTHUMOUS PARDONS. IN 2021 THE COURTS VACATED THE CONVICTIONS. SB 694 REPRESENTS THE FINAL STEP. THIS BILL PROVIDES COMPENSATION TO THE NEXT OF KIN OF THE GROVELAND FOUR. CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE'S OWN FINDINGS OF INNOCENCE. IT FULFILLS AN OBLIGATION THE STATE HAD ALREADY RECOGNIZED TO REDRESS THE LOSS OF LIFE AND THE VIOLATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS THESE MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES ENDURED. LET ME SAY THIS. NO AMOUNT OF MONEY CAN RESTORE A LIFE TAKEN. A FUTURE STOLEN AND FAMILY SHATTERED. BUT COMPENSATION IS A REMEDY THE LAW PROVIDES. AND IT IS A REMEDY THAT THE STATE OWES. THAT IS THE BILL MR. CHAIR. >> Chair: SENATOR BRACEY DAVIS THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BILL? SEEING NONE, WE HAVE ONE APPEARANCE FORM AND I CANNOT READ THE FIRST NAME SO FORGIVE ME BUT I BELIEVE IT IS MR. HOLLINGER? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE SIR, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST NAME SO I WILL REMEMBER FOREVER. THANK YOU CHAIR, IT IS DELATREE. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR. VICE CHAIR AND SENATORS. I AM DELATREE HOLLINGER OF TALLAHASSEE. 76 YEARS AGO A GREAT AMERICAN TRAGEDY OF JUSTICE TOOK PLACE WHEN ERNEST THOMAS, CHARLES GREENLEE, SAMUAL SHEPARD AND WALTER IRVIN WERE FALSLY ACCUSED OF RAPE IN LAKE COUNTY. KNOWN AS THE GROVELAND FOUR OR THE GROVELAND BOYS SENATOR LAVON BRACEY DAVIS AND RICK SEAN YOUNG HAVE BEEN STALWARTS IN CONTINUING TO WORK TOWARDS ENSURING THAT TRUE JUSTICE PREVAILS. I FIRST LEARNED OF THE GROVELAND FOR DURING MY SERVICE AS A LEGISLATIVE AIDE TO SENATOR GERALDINE THOMPSON. SENATOR THOMPSON SPOKE WITH ASTOUNDING REGIONAL AND SHE ELOQUENTLY DESCRIBED THE HARROWING STORY THAT HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF BOOKS AND DOCUMENTARIES. DURING THE 2016 LEGISLATIVE SESSION I DROVE HER TO LAKE COUNTY AND THE GROVELAND CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION APOLOGIZING TO THE FAMILIES OF THESE GENTLEMEN. THE FOLLOWING YEAR THE LEGISLATURE ACKNOWLEDGED THE WRONGFUL ACTIONS PERPETRATED AGAINST THE GROVELAND FOUR. IN 2018 SENATOR MARCO RUBIO ADVOCATED FOR THEM TO BE PARDONED AND IN 2019 HUNDRED THE SANTOS GRANTED THEM A FULL PARDON. IN 2021 ERNEST THOMAS, CHARLES GREENLEAF, SAMUEL SHEPARD AND WALTER IRVIN WERE EXONERATED IN LAKE COUNTY. TODAY WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY BRING JUSTICE TO A FAMILY WHO HAS SOUGHT IT FOR NEARLY 8 DECADES BUT I YES VOTE ALSO HONORS THE LEGACY OF MY LATE BOSS SENATOR GERALDINE THOMPSON. HER MELLIFLUOUS ELOCUTION WHEN PRESENTING HER BILL WAS SPELLBINDING AND WE WILL ALL MISS HER PRESENCE IN THESE HALLOWED HALLS. THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL CAN ENSURES HER LEGACY CONTINUES TO INDOOR AS A LEGISLATOR LEADER HISTORIAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE, THANK YOU. >>Chair DiCeglie: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, ANY DEBATE ON THE BILL? ANY DEBATE, SENATOR SMITH AND DEBATE. >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. AND I WANT TO APPLAUD SENATOR DAVIS FOR BRINGING THIS VERY VERY GOOD BILL FORWARD. THIS IS A VERY VERY IMPORTANT STEP FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO BE TAKING HERE TODAY AND IT IS A GOOD DAY IN THE FLORIDA SENATE WHEN WE PASS THIS BILL UNANIMOUSLY THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA AND ESPECIALLY SENATOR DAVIS FOR LEADING ON THIS VERY VERY IMPORTANT BILL. >>Chair DiCeglie: ANY FURTHER DEBATE, SENATOR BRACEY DAVIS I WILL SAY AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS, WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS CAME HERE TODAY AND HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE AND IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO OBVIOUSLY CHAIR THIS COMMITTEE AND I LOOK FOR THIS BILL TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. WITH THAT SENATOR YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO CLOSE. >>Sen. Bracy Davis: THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF SENATOR SMITH, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS BILL ON THE AGENDA AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU THAT COSPONSOR, TO THOSE THAT HAVE NOT COSPONSORED BY PURGE YOU TO DO SO. SEND BILL 694 ALLOWS FLORIDA TO CLOSE THIS CHAPTER WITH INTEGRITY. MARTIN LUTHER KING SAID IT'S ALWAYS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING. MEMBERS, SENATORS, THIS IS THE RIGHT THING AND WITH THAT I CLOSE. >>Chair DiCeglie: THANK YOU, PLEASE CALL THE RULE ON CS FOR SENATE BILL 694. >>Sen. Arrington: YES. >>Sen. Avila: >>Sen. Bernard: YES. >>Sen. Bracy Davis: YES. >>Sen. Grall: >>Sen. Leek: YES. >>Sen. Martin: >>Sen. Mayfield: >>Sen. McClain: >>Sen. Smith: YES. >>Sen. Truenow: >>Sen. Wright: >>Vice Chair Polsky: YES. >>Chair DiCeglie: YES. BY YOUR VOTE CS FOR SENATE BILL 694 IS REPORTED FAVORABLY, WELL DONE, THANK YOU. SENATORS WE ARE FINISHED, DOES ANY SENATOR WISH TO BE RECORDED AS VOTING ON BILLS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE? IS THERE BUSINESS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, EVEN BETTER. SENATOR GRALL MOVES WE ADJOURN, IS THERE OBJECTION, SEEING NONE WE ARE ADJOURNED.