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In anticipation of the 2022 Regular Session of the Florida Legislature, scheduled for January 11 - March 11, the FCCB has identified its priority issues. Key concerns are identified under the advocacy areas of life, education, health care, and family & social concerns. FCCB's Public Policy Priorities are listed on our website and available in a print format for distribution.

Welcome to Season 2 of our podcast! We have released two episodes so far with more to come. 

In the early 1600s, Spanish settlers brought with them to the New World a special devotion to Our Lady of La Leche y Buen Parto. Four hundred years later, the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche has kept this devotion alive through countless people of faith. The Holy Father himself has recognized the importance and sanctity of this devotion by granting a Canonical Coronation for Our Lady of La Leche on Sunday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. This once-in-a-lifetime and completely unique event is an incredible blessing for the Diocese of St. Augustine and the oldest Marian shrine in the United States!

TALLAHASSEE, FL (September 9, 2021) – Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB) is pleased to announce that Christie Arnold has joined the staff as Associate for Social Concerns and Respect Life.

Registration is now open for the Congreso Pro Vida. This national conference is being hosted this year by Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami on October 29 to 31 at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens. Reserve your ticket at www.congresoprovida.com. The Congreso Pro Vida will be held this year in lieu of the annual Florida Culture of Life Conference.

Congress is trying to force Americans to pay for abortion. The Hyde Amendment and similar laws have protected taxpayers from funding elective abortion for 45 years. Now, powerful members of Congress want to take away these laws that both Democrats and Republicans have supported for nearly half a century. Billions of taxpayer dollars could be used to pay for abortion.

This week, the House Committee on Appropriations will mark-up appropriations bills. Three decades-old provisions which prevent taxpayer funds from being used to pay for abortions in the District of Columbia, through foreign assistance, and for federal employee health plans that cover abortions were eliminated from these appropriations bills.

The following FCCB priority bills were passed during the 2021 Legislative Session and have been acted on by Governor DeSantis:

One of the FCCB's key priorities for the 2021 Legislative Session was increasing access to dual enrollment courses for non-public high school students. On June 24, Governor DeSantis signed into law SB 52 by Senator Ray Rodrigues, R-Fort Myers, providing equitable access to dual enrollment courses for all Florida high school students. The bill and its companion, HB 281 by Representative Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville, were strongly supported by the FCCB during the session. Dual enrollment courses allow high school students to take college-level courses while they are still in high school. Usually, these courses are taken on the college or university campus during the normal school day. Under previous law, public school and home school students had free, unencumbered access to dual enrollment courses; however, private school students had very limited access. 

Earlier this month, Governor DeSantis approved a record $100 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021. Before signing the budget, the governor used his line-item veto authority to cut $1.5 billion from the spending plan approved by the legislature. 

Catholic Charities: Meeting Needs of Families and Survivors Two staff members from Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami are on hand daily at the Family Assistance Center which was set up for relatives of those missing after the June 24, 2021, partial collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside.

Governor DeSantis approved a record $100 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021. Before signing the budget, the governor used his line-item veto authority to cut $1.5 billion from the spending plan approved by the legislature. Included in his line-item vetoes was the new $2 million recurring appropriation to promote and provide Hormonal Long-acting Reversible Contraception (HLARC).

On Tuesday, May 11, surrounded by Catholic school students, parents and elected officials, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis participated in two ceremonial bill signings where he signed into law, House Bill 7045. In the morning, the Governor was at St. John the Apostle School in Hialeah, followed by a visit to Christ the King Catholic School in Jacksonville that afternoon. 

On May 17-19, the Florida legislature gathered in a special session to give approval to a 30-year gaming compact recently negotiated by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The deal would lead to the state receiving $2.5 billion over the first five years. The tribe would operate sports betting and would receive other benefits, including being able to offer craps and roulette at its casinos. In a statement released earlier this week, the FCCB urged the legislature to put a pause on the proposed expansion of casino and internet-based gambling.

This May, during National Foster Care Month, please consider providing a loving home for a child who has been separated from his or her parents. Over 20,000 children in Florida have been removed from their parents or guardians; however, only 5,000 families are certified to meet their needs. Find contact information and learn more on two related Catholics Across the Aisle podcasts.

On May 17, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will hear oral arguments in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. A decision by the high court is expected by June 2022 and could, for the first time since 1973, greatly diminish the ruling in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion.

On Friday, April 30, the 2021 Regular Session of the Florida Legislature came to a close. Our final summary includes the status of FCCB budget priorities and concerns, bills of interest that were passed by the legislature and bills that died.

On Tuesday, April 27, Fr. John Cayer delivered the opening prayer for the House Session at the invitation of Rep. Demi Busatta Cabrera (R-Coral Gables). Fr. Cayer is the rector of the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee and serves as chaplain of the Florida Catholic Conference / Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

On April 22, HB 241 (Grall) achieved final passage in the Senate (24-15). The bill was passed earlier this month by the House (78-37) and will go to the governor for his signature. This FCCB supported measure ensures that the right of parents to review instructional materials and curriculum is clearly communicated. It also establishes parental consent requirements for medical care provided to a minor child. Having access to information about their rights allows parents to make informed decisions and better direct their child's education and health care. In the Senate, HB 241 was substituted for its companion bill, SB 582 (Rodrigues, R.).

HB 7045 (PreK-12 Appropriations) was passed this week by the House (79-36) and is on third reading in the Senate. A final vote is expected in the Senate as early as Monday. The measure eliminates from all scholarship programs the requirement that scholarship recipients be previously enrolled in public schools. It also increases the maximum income eligibility and the scholarship amounts for the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC). Additionally, the bill folds the McKay and Gardiner Scholarships for students with special needs and unique abilities into the FES. Earlier this year, Catholic Days at the Capitol participants urged lawmakers to support expansion of eligibility for the state's scholarship programs.