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On Thursday, the Florida House passed SB 404 (75-43). In a press release, the bishops of Florida commended our state legislature for passing, with bipartisan support, legislation that ensures a parent provides consent before a minor can terminate her pregnancy.

On February 18, the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee passed SB 664 (3-2). The bill was amended to require all public and private employers use various forms of verification to determine work eligibility for all new employees.

On February 18, an FCCB supported measure that provides dual enrollment equity for private school students was approved by committees in the House and Senate. Public and home-school students currently do not have to pay for dual enrollment courses at nearby colleges.

The bishops of Florida commend our state legislature for passing, with bipartisan support, legislation that ensures a parent provides consent before a minor can terminate her pregnancy. Parental consent is required prior to a minor's medical treatment in most every instance, this includes simple medical interventions such as taking an aspirin or getting one’s ears pierced. This legislation is a common-sense measure that holds abortion to the same consent requirements as most every other medical decision involving a child.

On February 10, members of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, Tallahassee Citizens Against the Death Penalty, and Witness to Innocence, a national organization of exonerees, visited the Capitol to advocate for the abolition of Florida's death penalty and for fair treatment of those sentenced to death after a wrongful conviction.

On February 11, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a proposal (4-2) that would mandate public and private employers use E-Verify, a federal program that checks legal work eligibility, for all new hires. SB 664 (Lee) was amended prior to passage to exempt agricultural employers.

On February 11, the House Appropriations Committee passed a bill (20-8) that ties a work requirement to the ability to receive Medicaid benefits.

Rooted in the Gospel and the rich tradition of Catholic social teaching, Catholic principles of migration include: Persons have the right to find opportunities in their homeland. Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families. Sovereign nations have the right to control their borders. Refugees and asylum seekers should be afforded protection. The human dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be respected.

To live in a manner worthy of our human dignity, and to spend our final days on this earth in peace and comfort, surrounded by loved ones -- that is the hope of each of us. While Florida law prohibits assisted suicide, the so-called "Death with Dignity" movement has targeted Florida as a priority state to change our laws to allow a patient to actively end his or her life.

On Thursday, February 6, SB 404 (Stargel) passed the full Senate (23-17). The bill requires that a parent or legal guardian shall provide consent before a minor can terminate her pregnancy, as they must do in most every case prior to a minor's medical treatment. The bill includes a judicial waiver process when parental abuse is a concern.

SB 348 (Bean) and HB 6031 (Pigman) would remove the lifetime maximum cap on covered expenses for children enrolled in the Florida KidCare program. KidCare is funded through a state/federal partnership and provides affordable health insurance for about 345,000 of Florida's children from families with lower-incomes. The current $1 million cap on benefits applies to a small number of children whose high medical bills leave them without coverage.

The FCCB is supporting several criminal justice reform measures that promote rehabilitation and restoration over retribution, and acknowledge the human dignity of all persons, even those who have caused harm.

The Catholic Church proudly advocates for true parental empowerment in education. We support both legislation that expands state scholarship programs as well as a strong system of public education. We support policies, which address the best interests of all schoolchildren. The availability of both private, including faith-based schools as well as a well-funded public education system strengthens all schools. A government-run education monopoly breeds mediocrity and wastes dollars.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has released five new videos to inspire prayer and action in political life and to help Catholics apply the Church's teaching as handed down by Pope Francis. The scripts for the videos were approved by the full body of bishops at their November General Assembly in Baltimore. The videos complement Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the bishops' teaching document for the faithful on the political responsibility of Catholics, and they seek to help the faithful participate in public life, prioritize faith over partisan politics, engage with civility, and respond to pressing issues of our day. Each video ends with a prayer.

On January 28 ans 29, Catholics from across the seven dioceses in Florida gathered with their bishops in Tallahassee to participate in Catholic Days at the Capitol. Over the two days, participants attended a legislative briefing, met with elected officials and/or their staff, observed lawmaking in action, posed for group photos with their bishops, and enjoyed a breakfast and award presentation. The Red Mass, concelebrated by the eight bishops of Florida, concluded the activities.

On the evening of January 29, Catholic Days at the Capitol came to its official conclusion with the 45th Annual Red Mass of the Holy Spirit. All eight bishops of Florida were present to concelebrate the Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee. The Red Mass provides an annual opportunity for bishops and the lay faithful to gather in prayer with elected and appointed officials as one body in Christ. Congregants invoke the Holy Spirit, praying that those who serve in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government will be divinely inspired and guided as they carry out their work for the people of Florida.

Across the nation, colorful signs and banners announcing the 46th annual National Catholic Schools Week are proudly displayed. Alumni are returning to their roots with gratitude to share with today's Catholic schoolchildren their career journeys and life lessons. Activities including community service days, open houses and Masses are being held, all celebrating the academic, spiritual and financial benefits our society reaps from Catholic schools.

The Distinguished Catholic Leader Award is presented to a Catholic Floridian whose life and work have deepened respect for life and increased appreciation for the human dignity of the people of Florida. The award is named for and was first presented in 1995 to Thomas A. Horkan, Jr., founding executive director of the Florida Catholic Conference. Ferré is the ninth recipient since the award’s inception.

On January 17, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB) filed an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court of the United States in support of James M. Dailey, an inmate on Florida's death row, urging a new trial in his case due to persuasive evidence of actual innocence. The amicus brief explains the Catholic Church's longstanding opposition to the death penalty. The Church teaches that capital punishment violates respect for life and human dignity. The injustice is especially acute in the instance of an innocent person sentenced to death. The amicus brief also argues that the execution of an innocent person violates the Constitution of the United States. 

The Florida House and Senate formally called the 2020 legislative session to order on Tuesday, January 14. For the next nine weeks, lawmakers will work to pass the 2020-2021 state budget and consider a wide variety of bills that will affect communities across Florida.