TALLAHASSEE, FL – Raoul G. Cantero, III, former Florida Supreme Court Justice, was honored on Wednesday, March 27, 2019, with the Thomas A. Horkan, Jr. Distinguished Catholic Leader Award. The award was presented at the annual Catholic Days at the Capitol luncheon attended by the Catholic bishops of Florida, current Florida Supreme Court Justices, state lawmakers, and nearly 400 Catholic faithful from across the state.
HB 1335, which requires that a parent shall provide consent before a minor can terminate her pregnancy, passed its first committee of reference, Health Quality Subcommittee (10-4). FCCB indicated its support for the bill during the meeting.
The House version of a costly and unnecessary immigration enforcement proposal was heard by its first committee of reference. The House Civil Justice Subcommittee passed HB 527 (10-3) despite that almost all testimony was in opposition to the measure. Ingrid Delgado, associate for social concerns and respect life, testified against the bill on behalf of the FCCB.
SB 7070 was passed by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education (5-3). The bill creates the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, a new taxpayer-funded program for students from lower-income families to attend eligible non-public schools that meet their educational needs.The measure also increases educational opportunities for lower-income families who would otherwise be eligible to participate in the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship Program by helping to reduce a nearly 13,000-student waiting list.
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Catholic Mass participants will pray for divine inspiration and guidance for those serving in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government and for members of the legal profession at the annual Red Mass of the Holy Spirit.
The Senate Infrastructure and Security Committee advanced (5-3) a proposal that would mandate local jurisdictions comply with all requests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold individuals 48 hours beyond the time they would otherwise be released. Complying with detainer requests is and should remain at the discretion of the county.
The House Education Committee advanced a proposal that includes a new school-choice program. The bill will provide increased scholarship opportunities to lower-income families who would otherwise be eligible to participate in the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) program by alleviating a nearly 13,000-student waiting list for the longstanding program. The House bill goes further than a similar Senate proposal by also broadening eligibility for participation.
Ingrid Delgado, FCCB associate for respect life and social concerns, joined juvenile justice advocates, parents and lawmakers at a press conference to encourage juvenile justice reform.
"One of the things we like to do is provide opportunities for Catholics to live out their call to faithful citizenship, to be responsible Catholic Christians in the public square." - Michael Sheedy, Executive Director
On Tuesday morning, March 5, Florida Senate President Bill Galvano and Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva called their respective chambers to order for the 2019 Florida Legislative Session. At the invitation of the Senate president, Father John Cayer of the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee offered the prayer to open the Senate session.
A video is now available as a companion resource to our Culture of Life brochure addressing our state constitution's privacy clause. Due to an interpretation of this right to privacy, the Florida Supreme Court found in 1989 that a law requiring parental consent prior to a minor's abortion was unconstitutional, even though similar laws have been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
An omnibus bill, SB 7070, that includes a school-choice expansion measure was passed (5-3) by the Senate Education Committee. The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program would create a new taxpayer-funded scholarship program for low-income students to attend private schools that meet their educational needs. As outlined in the governor's State of the State Address, the proposal would help to alleviate a nearly 13,000-student waiting list for the longstanding Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship Program.
A bill that exempts those caring for the terminally ill from checking the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) was passed (9-0) by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The PDMP was established in 2009 as a registry to assist law enforcement in reducing abuse of prescription drugs. Its use became mandatory last year, and an unintended consequence was a significant burden placed on those requiring end-of-life care. Experience has shown the terminally ill do not engage in drug seeking among multiple physicians. SB 592 would simplify the process of care for these terminal patients.
An FCCB opposed bill that makes permanent a change in the retroactive eligibility of Medicaid was passed (6-4) by the Senate Health Policy Committee. SB 192 would cement a policy, which became active February 1, that restricts the period patients are eligible for Medicaid coverage to the calendar month before their application. The prior policy, which the Legislature changed last year as a cost cutting measure, allowed Medicaid coverage up to three months before the date individuals applied for coverage.