While we have all been working hard this year to prevent the passage of anti-democracy bills that will paralyze our free speech and suppress our voting rights, Republicans in the Florida Legislature have been furtively moving through two dangerous bills behind the scenes hoping that we will not notice.
SB 1028 Charter Schools will allow state universities & Florida College System institutions to sponsor publicly funded charter schools, which is a responsibility that currently falls under the purview of local, duly elected school boards. SB 220 Public Records and Public Meetings will hide the initial hiring process of applicants for president of state university and Florida College System institutions from public review, which is allowed under current law.
How are the two bills connected you might ask? Well... if the initial hiring process for state university presidents is done in secret, it is easier to promote advocates of charter schools for advancement in the process. And if the newly hired president is a charter school advocate, s/he will likely sponsor more charter schools. Get the drift? You see, Republicans in Tallahassee will stop at nothing to find any way to kill the public K-12 education system in Florida.
So, we need your help to OPPOSE these bills.
SB 1028 Charter Schools will be heard Monday April 19 in the Senate Appropriations Committee. This will be the final committee stop for this bill before going to the Senate floor for a vote. So please contact the following Senators before Monday and urge them to VOTE NO.
Chair: Senator Kelli Stargel (R), stargel.kelli.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5022
Vice Chair: Senator Aaron Bean (R), bean.aaron.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5004
Senator Ben Albritton (R), albritton.ben.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5026
Senator Lauren Book (D), book.lauren.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5032
Senator Randolph Bracy (D), bracy.randolph.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5011
Senator Jeff Brandes (R), brandes.jeff.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5024
Senator Doug Broxson (R), broxson.doug.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5001
Senator Manny Diaz, Jr. (R), diaz.manny.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5036
Senator Gary M. Farmer, Jr. (D), farmer.gary.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5034
Senator George B. Gainer (R), gainer.george.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5002
Senator Audrey Gibson (D), gibson.audrey.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5006
Senator Ed Hooper (R), hooper.ed.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5016
Senator Travis Hutson (R), hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5007
Senator Debbie Mayfield (R), mayfield.debbie.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5017
Senator Kathleen Passidomo (R), passidomo.kathleen.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5028
Senator Keith Perry (R), perry.keith.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5008
Senator Jason W. B. Pizzo (D), pizzo.jason.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5038
Senator Bobby Powell (D), powell.bobby.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5030
Senator Darryl Ervin Rouson (D), rouson.darryl.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5019
Senator Linda Stewart (D), stewart.linda.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5013
SB 220 Public Records and Public Meetings was supposed to have been heard yesterday in the Rules Committee, but it was not considered. It may be heard next week, so we need you to contact the following Rules committee members as soon as possible and urge them to VOTE NO.
Chair: Senator Kathleen Passidomo (R), passidomo.kathleen.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5028
Vice Chair: Senator Ileana Garcia (R), garcia.ileana.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5037
Senator Ben Albritton (R), albritton.ben.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5026
Senator Dennis Baxley (R), baxley.dennis.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5012
Senator Aaron Bean (R), bean.aaron.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5004
Senator Lauren Book (D), book.lauren.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5032
Senator Randolph Bracy (D), bracy.randolph.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5011
Senator Jeff Brandes (R), brandes.jeff.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5024
Senator Manny Diaz, Jr. (R), diaz.manny.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5036
Senator Gary M. Farmer, Jr. (D), farmer.gary.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5034
Senator Audrey Gibson (D), gibson.audrey.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5006
Senator Joe Gruters (R), gruters.joe.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5023
Senator Travis Hutson (R), hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5007
Senator Debbie Mayfield (R), mayfield.debbie.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5017
Senator Bobby Powell (D), powell.bobby.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5030
Senator Kelli Stargel (R), stargel.kelli.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5022
Senator Perry E. Thurston, Jr. (D), thurston.perry.web@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5033
Thank you, Jean Siebenaler Santa Rosa Democrats Legislative Liaison