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February 7, 2022Catholics from across Florida converged in Tallahassee from February 1-2 to attend Catholic Days at the Capitol. The event began on Tuesday afternoon with a briefing for participants to learn the details of four initiatives currently being considered by the Florida legislature. Early Wednesday morning, bishops and lawmakers joined Catholic Days pilgrims for an awards breakfast. At the breakfast Senators Jeff Brandes and Debbie Mayfield were honored with Defensor Dignitatis (Defender of Dignity) Awards in grateful appreciation for their efforts to protect human dignity.
Senator Brandes poses with Archbishop
Wenski and Christie Arnold.
Catholic Days participants were a visible presence at the Capitol on Wednesday, wearing red attire in advance of the annual Red Mass of the Holy Spirit held later that evening. Throughout the day, participants had the opportunity to attend meetings with their elected lawmakers and witness the House chamber and Senate committees convene in person. This year's advocacy efforts centered around four initiatives currently being considered by the Florida legislature:
Abortion Limits
SB 146 (Stargel) / HB 5 (Grall) would prohibit abortion after 15 weeks gestation. This would align with research demonstrating that unborn children have the capacity to feel pain at this gestational period. The state has a valid and important interest in protecting unborn life and especially in protecting developed unborn children from suffering the physical pain of being killed during an abortion. This bill closely aligns with the Mississippi law at issue in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in which a Supreme Court ruling is expected this year.
Exempting the Seriously Mentally Ill from the Death Penalty
SB 770 (Brandes) / HB 1251 (Aloupis) would prevent those diagnosed with serious mental illness from receiving a death penalty sentence. It is unjust to apply the death penalty to those who had a serious mental illness at the time of the crime, as these individuals could not appreciate the wrongfulness of their actions, and neither make rational decisions nor conform his or her conduct to the law. It is also unnecessary to apply the death penalty to the seriously mentally ill, because society can be kept safe through the alternative sentence of life without parole.
Senator Mayfield accepts her award.
Healthcare Ethics and Liberty Protection (HELP) Act
SB 1820 (Baxley) / HB 747 (Snyder) support conscience protections for health care providers. In an increasingly secular society, moral and ethical considerations are too often inadequately considered. This bill protects individual and institutional providers from being required to perform specific procedures that would violate their moral, ethical or religious beliefs. In the case of self-insured employers, they are not required to pay for objectionable services.
Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Funding Increase in 2022-2023 Fiscal-Year Budget
The state can promote the common good by protecting the right of children to receive an education. While the FCCB supports a strong system of public schools, no one segment of society should have a monopoly on education. Therefore, each family should have the option to educate their children as they see fit. Florida's VPK program is an important school choice opportunity. Florida's Catholic schools have successfully served children throughout the state over the past 17 years. However, the program must be adequately funded if private providers are going to continue serving Florida's youngest learners.
Not able to make the trip to Tallahassee for Catholic Days at the Capitol? You can still make a difference by amplifying the efforts of Catholic Days participants. Click here to send a message to your state legislators urging their support of our four issues.
